Why exactly the half marathon .
This is a very fascinating competition held over a distance of just over 21 kilometers. It is thus placed exactly halfway between the 10,000 meters and the actual marathon, making it an excellent choice for having fun and keeping body and mind busy at the same time.
If you are an athlete at the beginning of your journey, act with the utmost caution. You cannot prepare for such a distance without having the right technical background. Do not be in any hurry to achieve the best results immediately, but proceed step by step. Ask your body to find the right familiarity with due gradualness. If, on the other hand, you are already a good middle-distance runner, it takes you between two and three months of preparation for a half marathon of excellent standard.
What speed to maintain for attractive performance .
At this point, when you choose to prepare for a half marathon, you need to turn a keen eye toward finding the best speed. Such an opportunity is perfect for getting to know the limits of your physique. Start with your time in a recent 10-kilometer race , or in a test over this distance m or it might be useful to take a lactate test.
Then, focus on a series of time trials to gain perfect mastery of your cadence. Run over more distance and find the pace you can sustain over a longer period of time. With that in mind, you can project your performance on the race stages and meet the set milestones
Finally, target your intensity zones and focus on them. You can enlist the help of a coach who can follow you step by step, showing you the correct cadence to carry on for the 21 kilometers of your half marathon. Divide the final time by the number of kilometers and follow the pace steadily, with the prospect of achieving better times incrementally.
How best to train for the half marathon.
Now all that is left for you to do is train your best for the half marathon. Basically, there are four types of exercises you should carry on. We are talking about the longs, the alternates, the repeats, and the tempo runs. Long runs are essential to develop your lipid power and increase mileage with progression. Alternates involve alternating between race pace and slow pace. Repeats increase aerobic speed and should be performed with the goal of developing optimal endurance. Finally, tempo runs serve you during the last month of preparation and help you perfect your bottom line.
You should train at least three days a week, framing them as best you can within your daily personal and professional commitments. At the same time, you can do lighter activities such as stretching, swimming, cycling, free body, and core stability. As a general rule, we suggest you alternate a workout day with one day of absolute rest or under the banner of the light activities mentioned.
Our tips for increasingly exhilarating preparation .
What do you need to do to prepare for your half marathon and get the best possible results? First of all, it is essential that you acquire the right motivation. Focus on your goal, avoid anyone or anything to divert your attention. To make your workouts more enjoyable, find one or more people who can support them with you. Gradually, find your race pace and try to maintain it for longer and longer distances.
Try to run in more situations, aiming for proper alternation between ascents and descents and on different bottoms. Don’t leave the importance of correct nutrition on the back burner, perhaps choosing the ideal supplements for each of your sessions. Finally, always keep an eye on your brain, in turn keeping it trained for such sustained and prolonged exertion.
How to best manage your half marathon .
After months of physical and psychological preparation, now the most important moment has finally arrived, which is to run the half marathon. Before you try your hand at it, you should study the circuit and find the right strategy to tackle it smoothly. Before your start, do some stretching exercises, warming up your muscles as best you can. Increase your gait in progression and perform your first stretches.
Then, the time comes for the actual race. Start with a moderate pace and increase it little by little, but minimize any out-of-threshold. Manage your energy appropriately and avoid running in reserve. With 4 to 5 kilometers to go, begin to reckon with the first signs of fatigue. React by taking a few seconds to slow down and restart with all the strength left in your body. With such premises, you can achieve the desired results and improve your times in the half marathon.
