There will be a training app on AllGirlFitness.com where you will be able to keep track of your personal training along with all of our group trainings too! Stay tuned, instructions will be coming in the next couple of days. For now here is some basic info that all runners, both new and experienced, should keep in mind when beginning this fun journey.

Half marathon training will be challenging, but should be fun and enjoyable. Let’s all train right and enjoy lots of fun on the big day!

Are you a beginning runner? Already a runner? Haven’t run in a long time? Either way, you can finish a half marathon. Learning some of the basics will help you get started.

Motivation:

Building mental stamina is essential. It’s one thing to be motivated to begin training. It’s another to stay motivated every day. Staying motivated and developing the proper mindset is key to enjoying training and crossing the finish line with a smile on your face.

AdvoCare Goals:

Finish time goals, weight loss goals, “just finish” goals…we all have a reason(s) for wanting to run a half marathon. If your only goal is to lose weight, good luck. You’re likely to quit. You are likely to quit just like so many people who join health clubs each year for the same reason only to stop going after seeing little results in little time. You must have the right goals and reasons for running in order to be successful.

Wear the right gear:

Treat your feet to a good pair of running shoes (or three!). Running shoes will be the most important piece of gear. Shoes are designed to fit feet with different arches, pronation, and more. Visit a local specialty running store to find the best shoes for your feet.

Nutrition:

Carbohydrates provide the fuel runners need. During half marathon training, 65% of your total calories should come from carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates. 10% should come from protein (you need 0.5 to .07 grams per pound of your body weight each day). 20-25% of your total calories should come from unsaturated fats. Be sure to get the nutrition you need to keep you strong and allow for adequate recovery.

Recovery:

Obviously, it is important to run for half marathon training, but recovery is equally important. You should not run every day. Your body needs to rest between runs so it can recover from one run to the next, getting stronger between each run. Nutrition and eating the right foods at the right time also play a vital role in recovery. Take recovery days equally as serious as your running days.

Hydration:

On runs of an hour or more, carry fluids with you and consume 6-8 oz. every 20 minutes. During pre-training and marathon training, weigh yourself before and after each run and get your body weight back to the weight it was before the run by drinking water or sports drink within the first hours after the run.

RoadID Avoiding Injury:

Use your non-running days to rest and recover. Ice down any soreness, particularly in knees or shins (most common) four times per day for 15-20 minutes. Injuries often sneak up without warning. Doing all the right things right will minimize your chances of injury.

Pre-Training:

Before you begin half marathon training, you should be able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping. Distance is not important right now. You just need to get your body used to running.

Combinations of run/walks are great to use during pre-training because they ease your body into the exercise and minimizes the chance of experiencing a running injury.

It’s also a good idea at this point to go ahead and select a half marathon and get signed up!

Training:

Your mileage should gradually increase each week. As a general rule, total weekly mileage should not increase by more than 10% from week-to-week. Completing a run of 10-12 miles about three weeks before the race will be enough to prepare you for the finish. You should then taper off in the final weeks leading up to the half marathon to allow your body to recover from training and so you will be strong on the big day.

Following is a recommended beginner half marathon training schedule. This schedule assumes you have been running for at least four weeks and can run 30 minutes without stopping before beginning the schedule. Since we have longer than this to train for the Hartford 1/2 Marathon, our schedule may be modified, however this is a sample training program.

10-Week Half Marathon Training Schedule Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Total
1 3 Rest 3 3 Rest 4 Rest 13
2 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 5 Rest 15
3 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 6 Rest 16
4 3 Rest 5 3 Rest 8 Rest 19
5 3 Rest 5 3 Rest 10 Rest 21
6 4 Rest 5 4 Rest 11 Rest 24
7 4 Rest 6 4 Rest 12 Rest 26
8 4 Rest 5 4 Rest 9 Rest 22
9 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 8 Rest 18
10 3 Rest 3 Walk 2 Rest 13.1 Rest 21.1

Half Marathon Day:

Tapering in the final weeks before the half marathon will help your body recover from half marathon training and be strong for your big day. You will also want to carbo-load the week leading up to the race. Given the atmosphere at most marathons, you will likely feel full of adrenaline after leaving the starting line. Remember though, distance running is about endurance and pace is critical. Maintain pace to save everything you have left for your big finish!

Vigorous Kripalu Yoga Class with Danny Arguetty from Kripalu Center on Vimeo.

1) Knowledge Is Power

Socrates said it best: “Know Thyself.” This includes understanding what makes you feel alive, what captures your imagination, and also what comes naturally to you. Knowing your strengths is a huge advantage. If you have a great sense of humor, creativity or an ability to communicate easily with people, then you can build on those qualities to create your best life. By focusing on enhancing your strengths rather than trying to make up for your weaknesses, you can move more quickly in your desired direction and have fun in the process. Ask a few friends what they see as your strengths, and do the same for them. You may be surprised! For more clues, check out “The Authentic Happiness Brief Strength Test.”

2) Get Into The Flow

Have you ever been so caught up in an activity that the hours fly by in what seemed like minutes? This is called being in a flow state. According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow can happen when you’re totally immersed in what you are doing and feeling both serene and connected. This buoyant state can happen many ways, including when deeply focusing on a sport, writing a paper or even playing music. Yoga and mindfulness are reported to increase flow, but it can occur anywhere your skill level is equal to your challenge and you get totally absorbed in the activity. When athletes say they were “in the zone,” they are talking about flow. When artists refer to the music, art or inspiration flowing through them, it is the same state. Think of times when you were engrossed in something: your attention was heightened and you felt that everything was aligned. What if you made the choice to make more time for that in your day to day? For me, yoga is where I experience flow. Although I never set my sights on being a yoga teacher, I noticed (and happened to pay attention to) an ad in the paper about a yoga teacher-training course. After checking into it, I decided to go for it. The course was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever taken on – every class was like immersing myself in flow. What are some ways that you can incorporate more flow into your daily life?

3) Embody What You Believe In

Once you know your strengths and where you experience flow, you can consciously tweak your life to include more of that. By stepping into your authenticity, you automatically come into greater alignment and a peace that serves not only yourself but others, as well. Gandhi stated that “[h]appiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Don’t underestimate the importance of your own fulfillment and happiness; it ripples out farther than you may know. Rather than rocking the boat by being who you are, you actually give other people permission to do the same. Listen to the clues. By being on the lookout for directives, you will start to see them everywhere. Steve Jobs has an interesting quote:

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life… Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

If you can tap into your intuition and inner wisdom to direct your passions, you can use that in your own life, as well as to serve others. Then, you will easily embody what you believe, and your authentic happiness will shine the way for others, too.

What are you passionate about in your life?

P.S. The free downloads are kinda hidden look on the left for “Free Yoga Training”

“Yoga in Times Square” was first organized eight years ago, with a mere two participants. It’s grown significantly since, with 5,000 people pre-registering from 31 countries this year.

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