Run Your Best Half Marathon

13.1

A L L H A I L T H E MIGHTY HALF

W HY TH E HALF MAR ATH O N M I G HT J U S T B E TH E G R E ATE S T D I S TAN C E , AN D H OW TO R U N YO U R B E S T E VE R 1 3 .1

BY CLAIRE TRAGESER AND JOE MACKIE

1:06 half-marathoner Kara Goucher trains at the University of Colorado Boulder Balch Fieldhouse

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THE HALF MARATHON is where speed meets endurance. It’s an achievable distance for most runners, even if they haven’t yet gone beyond the local parkrun, yet it remains an intriguing and demanding puzzle for veteran racers to truly master. Unlike the full 26.2, training for a half is a challenge, but not a life-altering commitment. It delivers focus and fitness without dominating your diary. It’s one of the greatest tests of a runner’s mettle, but also serves as a 13.1-mile celebration.

As you’re probably gathering by now, we love the half. And we know you do, too. The half eclipses the full in terms of race participation, topping over two million finishers a year worldwide pre-pandemic. Of course, a huge advantage of the distance is that you can run multiple halves per year, says Kara Goucher, who ran 1:06:57 at the 2009 Great North Run. ‘Unlike a marathon, where you have to recover for a month and it takes six months to train, you can recover in a few weeks and then get back to workouts, ’ she says.

Half marathon training also tends to whip runners into the best shape of their lives. At the intersection of power and persistence, it develops a fitness foundation to tackle running objectives both long and short. And the training plans help to cement healthy habits such as regular exercise, staying hydrated and developing a health-focused mindset, says coach Brian Maiorano.

Whether you’re ready to tackle your first or 50th half marathon, read on to learn how you can make it your best one yet.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge framed the start of the 1994 Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon

Goucher’s favourite halfs include NYC and the Garry Bjorklund Half in Minnesota, US

The Freckleton Half Marathon is the UK’s oldest half – and still going strong today

T H E H I S T O RY O F T H E

HALF While it lacks a provenance from ancient Greece, the half marathon is perhaps the greatest product of the modern running boom. While 13ish-mile races were certainly run before, the actual name and concept of the ‘half marathon’ first appeared in the early 1960s. The marathon’s popularity was growing, and new runners were looking for more race options. Thus a race half the distance of the 26.2 was born. The Route du Vin Half Marathon in Luxembourg can lay claim to being the first half. But while it was founded in 1961, the frequently changing course wasn’t exactly 13.1 miles until 1995. Liz McColgan wins the World Half Marathon Championships at the Great North Run The first UK half took place in the small Lancashire town of Freckleton in 1965, with the late, great Ron Hill setting a world best time (half marathon world records were not recognised by the IAAF until 2004). The Freckleton Half Marathon is still going strong as Britain’s oldest, but it was eclipsed by the world’s biggest half, The Great North Run (GNR), in 1981. Since that inaugural race, over a million runners have finished the iconic course – a testament to the rise of the half. At the sharper end of the pack, the GNR was also the setting for the first ever IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, with Liz McColgan winning the women’s event. Meanwhile, behind the elites, the distance steadily grew in popularity, attracting 5K and 10K runners seeking a bigger challenge and marathoners fine-tuning their form. Race directors also enjoyed the cachet of the marathon title, with the simplified logistics of half the course. There are now thousands of halfs across the world, from small-scale local races to big city marquee events with tens of thousands of runners. E

R U N Y O U R B E S T HALF EVER

WHETHER YOU’RE A FIRST-TIME HALFER or a swift half veteran, these strategies help everyone run stronger, happier and faster.

BUILD A TRAINING PLAN TO PB To reach the finish line faster, train speed first, then endurance. For runners hitting at least 30 weekly miles, each week should include two speed workouts complemented by a long run, plus two or three days of easy runs. One speed session can be shorter, 400m to 800m intervals at 5K race pace. The other should be a tempo run, ‘which will have two miles of warm-up at a slow pace, then a longer duration (10 to 40 minutes) at, or 15 to 30 seconds faster than, half-marathon race pace, then two miles of cool-down at the same slow pace’ , says Maiorano. Aim to have the long run cover roughly 30% of your weekly mileage.

Lower-mileage runners and those new to the half should start training four months before their race, increasing the mileage every three weeks by four miles, says Maiorano. Run at least four or five times a week, with a long run that gradually builds from six miles to no more than 11 miles.

SNEAK IN THE WORK Include strength and mobility work in your daily routine to avoid taxing your non-running schedule. London-based running coach Marcus Brown recommends holding single-leg calf raises while brushing your teeth (60 seconds each side, daily). And Goucher, who coaches through TrainingPeaks’ PACE Running app, says she would perform 20 minutes of static stretching every night while watching TV.

‘It opened up my body before I slept and aided in my recovery and injury prevention, ’ says Goucher.

ARRIVE RESTED The biggest mistake Goucher sees half-racers make is not tapering adequately. Two weeks out, dial back the intensity and cut your mileage by 20% to 30%. In the week leading up to the race, drop your mileage by half, run one light speed workout, and otherwise take short runs with a set of four to six easy strides (15 to 30 seconds of faster running) at the end. ‘The final week should be about feeling good and getting pop in your legs so that you can let your training shine through on race day, ’ she says.

CROSS-TRAIN TO WARD OFF INJURY

If you find that you’re injury-prone or feel like you’ve maxed out your mileage, sub in a day of low-impact cross-training, such as the elliptical or the bike, to get your aerobic work in without risking injury, suggests Goucher.

BUILD STRENGTH TO FINISH STRONG

Training whole-body strength keeps your running form clean as you tire and helps in a race’s final miles, says Goucher. That means hitting your arms, shoulders, core and legs twice a week.

If you’re new to lower-body strength training, begin with weighted squats and deadlifts using 5kg or 10kg weights. Do three sets of eight reps each and add more weight over time as it feels easier. After a month of these exercises, add stepping lunges with the same weights and the same sets and reps. Stand with weights in each hand, step back into a lunge, then step up on to a step, says Brown.

Brown also recommends using stairs to do calf raises after a run — a favourite of his strength moves for runners. Stand on the edge of a step, drop your ankles below your toes for 30 seconds, then lift your feet into tiptoes for 30 seconds. Repeat five times, and do it twice a week.

For upper-body moves, try bent-over rows and reverse flys with dumbbells, and press-ups to hit your back, arms and chest. To work your core, do planks (place a weight on your back to up the difficulty), single-side weighted sit-ups (hold a light dumbbell in one hand) and leg raises.

T H E H A L F M A R AT H O N H A L L O F FA M E

ZERSENAY TADESE No half-marathoner was more dominant than Tadese of Eritrea. His 2010 record time of 58:23 stood for nine years, and he won an incredible five World Half Marathon Championships.

TEGLA LOROUPE, PAULA RADCLIFFE AND LORNAH KIPLAGAT Radcliffe is best known for her marathon world record, which stood for so many years, but she is also one of the three women, along with Kenya’s Loroupe and Kiplagat of the Netherlands, to have won a hat-trick of golds at the World Half Marathon Championships.

LETESENBET GIDEY In October last year, the Ethiopian athlete absolutely obliterated the women’s half marathon world record at the Valencia Half Marathon. Finishing in 1:02:52, she sliced an incredible 70 seconds off the existing mark.

RON HILL AND STEVE JONES Speaking of records, understated icon Ron Hill ran a world-best time of 1:05:44 at the Freckleton Half in 1965. But the last Brit to hold the world’s best time – Welshman Steve Jones – gets extra respect for his 1985 1:01:14 mark, as he later admitted to having no idea what the record was and having run slightly hungover after ‘five or six pints of cider’ at a friend’s wedding the day before.

Goucher suggests doing strength work on hard days to maximise recovery on easy days

Find your perfect half marathon training plan at runnersworld. com/uk/ training/ half-marathon

S E RV E U P A 1 3 .1 P B O N A P L AT E

Your diet during your training is just as important as what you eat on the morning of the race, says registered dietitian Kristy Baumann, who works regularly with runners.

On days when you’re training for 30 to 45 minutes, aim for meals that are onethird carbohydrates, such as pasta, rice, quinoa or potatoes; one-third protein, like chicken, beef, fish or tofu; and one-third fruits and vegetables. When you’re running for more than an hour, up the carbs to account for half your daily diet, with a quarter protein and a quarter fruits and vegetables.

In the days leading up to your race, load up even more on the carbs. Effective carbloading isn’t a big pasta dinner the night before a race, says Baumann. Your body doesn’t have time to digest and maximise those carbohydrate stores before the next morning. Instead, start three days beforehand, eating between 80% and 90% carbohydrates. Here’s what that can look like:

A 40g serving of porridge, two tablespoons of peanut butter and one banana for breakfast; 200g of pasta with 110g of tomato sauce and a piece of bread for lunch; and a chicken or turkey sandwich for dinner. Also, drink at least two litres of water and electrolyte drink throughout the day, and eat a few small snacks, such as pretzels and fruit, during the day.

On the day of the race, don’t try anything new. Stick to foods you’ve eaten during your training. Aim to eat high-carb, easily digestible, familiar foods for breakfast – yoghurt, toast and fruit is a good choice. An hour before the race, have a snack that’s high in simple carbs, such as a granola bar.

During the race, Baumann suggests taking an energy gel every 30 minutes. ‘Once your glycogen stores are depleted, you can’t catch up, ’ she says. ‘It’s amazing how much energy you have during a race when you’re well-fuelled. ’ E

HOW TO HACK THE HALF

10 readers give their best tips for running an amazing 13.1

BUCKET LIST HALF MARATHONS

PRAGUE HALF MARATHON

A stunning course through this magical city sees you cross the Vitava river six times, then finish near the Powder Tower of the old city gates. You can then celebrate with the best post-race beer on the planet. April

GREAT NORTH RUN

With almost 60,000 runners taking part each year, it’s the biggest half in the world and one of the best races of any distance on the planet for atmosphere, history and all-round must-do bucket list status. September

SEAWHEEZE HALF MARATHON

Lululemon’s half in Vancouver, Canada, is a weekend-long party, starting with morning and sunset yoga sessions the day before the race. The scenic harbourside race is followed by a finish-line brunch and music festival –previous headliners include the likes of Diplo and Kaskade. August

GÖTEBORGSVARVET HALF MARATHON

Gothenburg’s superb race has vied with the GNR for the title of world’s biggest half over the years and offers a wonderful tour of this beautiful city, with wide boulevards, parks and bridges, and a cracking atmosphere from the international field and plentiful crowds. May

‘Find a group to train with. The distances are long enough that having people around makes the pain easier, and the camaraderie can’t be beaten!’ Kerstin Broockmann ‘Hydrate at every station, starting at mile one. In my first half marathon, I didn’t take any hydration until mile seven. By mile 10, I was so cramped up, I almost DNFed. ’ Matt Sherwood ‘The half marathon can be a roller coaster. Don’t give up when you start struggling, even if it’s very early on – you might end up surprising yourself!’ Tyler Beling ‘It’s easy to get swept up in the pace of others. Don’t let this happen to you. You created a plan that worked for you; now follow it!’ Dana Meske ‘Have fun. If you’re there to run and not race, high-five every kid along the race route. You never know who you might be inspiring to run their own race one day. ’ Melissa Kohn

ROYAL PARKS HALF

The capital now offers up some great halfs to rival its iconic 26.2, with the Big Half, London Landmarks and Hackney all worthy of mention. However, the Royal Parks is an absolute beauty, taking in Hyde, Green and St James’s, plus big-hitting sights such as Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. October

KAUAI HALF MARATHON

This half course winds around Kauai – Hawaii’s northernmost island, dubbed the Garden Isle thanks to its stunning verdant landscape –taking runners through tunnels of lush, green forests, over gently rolling roads and finally dropping them on to the coast for stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. September

O U R G O -T O H A L F S H O E S

Our team reveal their trusty kicks for running an amazing 13.1

1 / Under Armour Flow Velociti Wind 2

ANDY DIXON Engineered for speed over longer distances, this shoe combines the snappy feel you want on race day with enough cushioning to keep you fresh into the final miles. £140, underarmour.co.uk

2 / Hoka Rincon 3

JOE MACKIE A big hit of responsive, bouncy cushioning in an impossibly lightweight package delivers the combo of fast yet forgiving you need for racing longer distances. £105, hoka.com

3 / Puma Velocity Nitro 2

BEN HOBSON A comfortable and lightweight shoe that can easily handle 13.1 miles without letting you down, and comes in at a decent price, too. £100, uk.puma.com

4 / Hoka Carbon X3

JENNY BOZON Billed as an ‘endurance racer’ , the Carbon X3 delivers a propulsive package of energy-returning midsole foam, an aggressive rocker and a carbon plate. £160, hoka.com

‘End your long runs somewhere that brings you joy so that you feel motivated to finish. My favourite spot is a local bakery. ’ Alexandra Stephanou ‘Speedwork! I was sceptical that intervals and fartleks were really helping me for running long distances, but trust me, they are. ’ Michael Melia ‘Be proud! Running a half marathon is a fantastic accomplishment on its own –it isn’t just a stepping stone to a marathon. ’ Robin Barton ‘If available at your race, find a pacer group that’s around your goal time and be sure to stick by them. ’ Chris Randle ‘If the distance seems mentally daunting, try to envision the race as two 10Ks. ’ Carly Heatherly

5 / Nike ZoomX Streakfly

RICK PEARSON Marketed by Nike as a 5K and 10K race shoe, this stripped-down speedster has enough bounce underfoot to step up to the half on race day. Easier on the wallet than Nike’s carbon-plated racers, too. £135, nike.com