So you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and sign up for your first half marathon! Congratulations! You are now on your way to training for and competing in the most popular distance in running!
Now, before we go any further, here’s a mental exercise for you (and I only have you do it because of the multitude of your non-running friends who will say something to the effect of, “I can’t even drive that far!”)
Think of your home. Now think of a landmark, shopping center, or something else that you visit frequently, that is about 13 miles away. Take a good moment and realize that this is why people who don’t run are in awe of you. I don’t have you do this to scare you away. I want you to be a little in awe of yourself too.
This thing you are tackling will take training, determination, and mental strength, but I am confident you can do it. Here are some tips that will help you run your first half marathon successfully.
Your First Half Marathon: 10 Tips for Success
1. Select and sign up for your race
The first step in training for your first half marathon is to select and sign up for your race. Signing up is like signing a contract. You are committed. Another reason to pick your race is so that you can know and train for the specifics of the course. Is it hilly? Does it have lots of turns? What will the weather (probably) be like? All good things to prepare for.
2. Give yourself six months to train
Most half marathon training plans are about 10-12 weeks long, but since this will be your first half marathon, the extra time will be spent preparing to actually start the race training.
3. Build a good base before you start “official” training
Spend the first three months of training building your running base. Increasing your endurance first, before you add on layers of other types of training will prepare your body to go the distance.
4. Hire a coach
Yes, you can find a generic training plan in a book or on the internet, but with your first half marathon, I would suggest that you hire a coach to create a program that is designed just for you. Your coach will help you build your mileage safely, know when to add speed or pace training, and generally help you get to the finish line successfully.
5. Follow your plan
Once you have a training plan, the key is to follow it as closely as possible. That includes your long runs, tempo runs, and other speed training, and your taper. Yes, stuff happens, but your plan has a purpose, with different things scheduled at different times for a reason.
6. Don’t run to “just finish.”
A lot of first-timers at both the marathon and half marathon say they “just want to finish.” Well, that’s perfectly fine, but if you are an intermediate runner, with experience racing shorter distances, wouldn’t you rather finish strong and successfully, instead of dragging yourself across the finish line? To clarify, running to finish is a personal decision and probably a good idea if you’ve only been running for a short time.
7. Pick a goal time.
I’m pretty sure that most first time half marathoners really do have a goal time, but they are afraid to make the commitment by speaking it out loud. If you have done any kind of racing, you have an idea of what pace you can run for a half marathon. If not, you can look it up here. Own it, tell your friends, train for that time. Plus, having a goal time will help you plan your nutrition, estimate your pacing, and plan your workouts.
8. Eat like a champion
You may find that you are always hungry as you start to increase your mileage. That’s to be expected, but treat yourself like the athlete that you are and fuel your body to go the distance. Resist the urge to “eat all the food,” and instead eat like a champion. And yes, an occasional splurge is fine. Enjoy it and move on. Don’t try to run off the extra calories.
9. Create a race day plan
Chances are that, no matter how hard you trained, something will likely go wrong on race day. Your race day plan will help prepare you for all these eventualities. Plan ahead, visualize success, and you will be successful.
10. Take a bow. You’re a half marathoner!
I have no doubt that if you follow this advice you will be crossing that finish line as a half marathoner! Congratulations!
Have you run a half marathon? What advice would you offer a newbie?
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Great tips, Debbie!
I agree with “Don’t Run just to finish”. Once we’ve put all that effort into preparing for a half, it’s a lot more fun if we can work towards a time goal and achieve that goal.
Unless we’re doing a race for fun or as a training run for a later race, it’s a shame to “just finish”.
Great tips! I remember having a time goal for my first half but not wanting to tell anyone. It can definitely help you train more appropriately if you choose a realistic but challenging goal time!
Building a solid base and following a proper nutrition plan are the keys to my success. I would add proper rest to the equation. Great advice
I’ve got my sights in a Half Marathon. It won’t be my first but hoping to train and push for a PB! Great tips as always!
There’s such a difference between a half and let’s say a 10k. I actually do think having a goal to just finish is a good idea for someone’s first half — they’re going to learn a lot. It takes a lot of pressure off. It could even potentially prevent injuries when someone (and by that , I mean me, LOL!) clings to a goal too tightly.
Every runner is different, though. A goal might motivate some runners, while others truly are happy just to finish.
I love “eat like a champion!”.