There’s Something About Half-Mary (Part 1) 12 March 2010
So, you’re thinking about running your first half-marathon, a.k.a. half-mary. Well, then that means you want to take your running beyond the pursuit of health and fitness and that you’re ready to explore your full running potential. What it SHOULD mean is that you’ve been running consistently for over a year now, with several 5Ks and 10Ks under your belt, and have maxed out training at an intermediate level. If you feel that you have reached a plateau in your performance, now is the time to tweak your training routine and take it to the next level. And if you feel you’re ready, now is the time to train seriously as an advanced runner to find out for yourself what you’re really made of.
As you enter into the world of long distance running, it’s important to note that even more scientific training principles are involved as you move from 5Ks and 10Ks up to 21Ks. Because you are placing more stress on your body due to longer and more intense workouts, you need to practice tried and tested training techniques that will help optimize your training and get you to your first half marathon finish line in one piece and with a big smile. Experienced long distance runners will tell you that training for the longer races is all about mastering the art of balance with the need for consistency. But wisdom in training is not just about knowing how to make a training program. Years of running develops the skill of listening to your body and honestly knowing when to push and when to back off. This sort of training intuition, coupled with scientific training knowledge, are your weapons of choice for conquering your first half-mary.
Long Runs
As discussed in the intermediate training program for 10K, a weekly long run is an important component of any long distance training program. But before you even get started on a 21K program, make sure you’ve already built up your long runs up to about an hour in duration. Slowly but surely, you’ll work on increasing your long runs by adding 5 to 10 minutes each week until you’ve reached 90 minutes.
Aside from the duration, as soon as you’re comfortable with running at a steady pace for 90 minutes, you can gradually add some intensity into your long runs by slightly increasing your pace by no more than 15 to 30 seconds per kilometer faster than your easy pace. Total duration for the harder running segment is anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes. You can break it into short surges of 2- to 6-minute duration or divide your workout into longer segments as much as 30 minutes each. Another option is to do a fast long run, which is best done during a non-priorty race. This can be very demanding on your body and it is therefore not advisable to do it every week. Also, these runs are best done by starting conservatively and picking up the pace rather than slowing down towards the end.
Tempo Runs
For long distance running and most other endurance sports, pacing is key. And the best way to master this in training is through tempo runs. If you’ve ever experienced that burning or heavy feeling on your legs as if they’re suddenly made of wood, this means your muscles are going through “oxygen debt.” Due to the low supply of oxygen in your blood, instead of primarily using your aerobic system, the body shifts to your anaerobic system as a back up plan. Although this system is primarily involved in generating speed and power such as in sprinting and lifting heavy weights, it is an inefficient energy production process and cannot be sustained for longer periods such as in a 21K race. This system leaves a waste product called lactic acid in your muscles. When running at an anaerobic pace, your body produces lactic acid faster than it can flush out. As a response to this critical level, the body’s defense mechanism is to slow down your pace before you “self-destruct.” With that said, lactic acid can either be seen as the culprit responsible for sabotaging your PR attempts or finishing your first half marathon, or a concerned parent stopping or slowing you down before you hurt yourself.
Adding tempo runs in your program will help improve your lactate tolerance by improving the efficiency by which your body flushes out the lactic acid from your muscles. This is done not by training at anaerobic intensity, but by training slightly below it for a distance of 3 up to 10 kilometers. At this pace, you are training hard but not hard enough to create an overproduction of lactic acid to ensure that you can keep a steady pace from start to finish. Also, it helps your muscles to memorize running at this pace, which leaves room to pick it up as you approach the finish line and even an all-out surge at the final stretch. Lastly, it gives you the confidence boost that you need to race at a certain pace, knowing very well that you’ve done it in training.
Fartlek Runs vs. Track Sessions
“Fartlek” is a funny-sounding Swedish term that literally means speed play. Comparing these workouts to track sessions, while they both alternate hard efforts with a recovery pace, fartlek runs allow you to play around with interval times and/or distances whereas track sessions add the dimension of regimentation.
Track or interval workouts are done on a flat, measured surface called the track oval. In preparing for a 21K race, the hard effort or work intervals called repeats consist of distances ranging from 200 meters, which is half of a standard 400-meter oval, to 1000 meters, which is 2 1/2 laps. The rest periods or intervals vary depending on the purpose of the workout and on where the workout falls within the overall training schedule.
Contrary to popular belief, these sessions do not replicate a race effort. Negative splits is the key to getting the most out of these workouts. You should aim to complete your final repeat as fast or faster than your first. If you are struggling to complete these workouts, it means you’re starting out too fast and need to start conservatively.
A proper warm up and cool down routine is very important especially during track sessions. Start the workout with 2 kilometers of easy jogging, stretch thoroughly, then do a few running drills followed by strides or “pick-ups” to get your legs ready to run at a faster pace. Do the strides on the straight portion of the track and gradually pick up to your 5K pace towards the end of the 100-meter stretch. After that point, slow down, walk back and repeat 2 to 5 more times. After your main workout, cool down by jogging slowly for another 1 to 2 kilometers. You may add a few minutes of walking if you wish. This will help flush out lactic acid and reduce any muscle soreness that may set in the next day.
These workout suggestions might seem intimidating and overwhelming at first so give yourself enough time to take it all in. Although there’s still so much to learn especially as your goals change from fitness to racing, just take it one step at a time. Improvement in running is a practice in patience especially as you approach your peak performance level. A lot of hard work is required and the law of diminishing returns will prevail, giving you minimal results of just minutes or even seconds. But the sense of fulfillment you get after finishing your first half marathon will make it all worth it.
I will post an 8-week beginner’s half-marathon training plan soon so stay tuned for that. It’s a great way to continue training after you complete my intermediate training plan for a 10K or if you’ve been running consistently for at least a year. Train smart and live healthy!
Equipped with a background in the basic sciences as an alumni of Philippine Science High School, a degree in BS Psychology from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, athletic experience as a member of the national triathlon, cycling, and duathlon teams for nearly a decade, and team manager of Team David's Salon (the Philippine's first all-women multi-sport team) since 2007, and finally, a diploma in Kitchen Management from the International School of Culinary and Hotel Management, this well-rounded woman, commonly known as Coach K, utilizes her collage of life experiences, combined with her passion for writing, in support of Coach Rio as his Project Manager for RunRio Inc.
Read more of Kaye's posts on K's Corner
i have several 21ks under my belt,but i always have this feeling that im not doin it correctly everytime i train. but thanks to your write-up mam k,it will definitely improve my running, and a new system will now be applied on my training using your advices.keep us posted mam k;-)
Hi Dyeyar,
I’m glad you found my post helpful and I hope the program I plan to post soon will work for you. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to leave me a comment here and I will get to it as soon as I can. All the best with your future 21Ks!
I’ve been thinking if I’ll register for my 1st 21k for the Nature Valley run, but one week after the Nature Valley run, I also have a scheduled run for my 1st Full Mary under the TBR Dream Marathon.
Hi Running Atom,
I wouldn’t recommend doing a back-to-back 21K and 42K especially if it’s your first time to do either distance. Tapering period for a full marathon is at least 2 weeks and I doubt that you’ll be able to recover from your first 21K after 1 week. Just to give you a better picture, Coach Rio ran the San Francisco Half-Marathon 1 week before his Boston-qualifier in Fresno, and although he finished 5th in SanFo and qualified for Boston in Fresno, he thinks that one of the reasons why he cramped up on the last 10 miles was 1) insufficient training, and 2) not enough time to recover from his 21K the week before. So if a veteran like him wasn’t able to recover fast enough, it might be better to err on the safe side and just choose either the 21K or the 42K.
Nice post, K. Very informative. I’m planing to do my very first 21k at the 2nd leg of the RunRio Trilogy. I started joining races only last October, starting with the 5k (actually 6.4k) Adidas KOTR. Since then, I ran two other 5ks (Timex and Celebrity Run) and two 10ks (Condura and Century Run). I’m starting my 11-week training program (RW SmartCoach) this week and I will surely keep your tips in mind.
Hi Consiglieri,
Please feel free to use these tips as you see fit and good luck on your first attempt at a half-mary. Hope you take home a wonderful first 21K experience from leg 2 of the RunRio Trilogy. =)
Hey, K! Great post. I started running seriously this year (January) and I inevitably fell in love with it.
I plan to run 21k on Leg 2. Do you think this is too early? I have done 2 5Ks and 2 10Ks. I’m also doing 15K on Sunday.
Hi Earl,
As mentioned in my post, ideally, you should give yourself at least a year before you start joining the longer races coz your body needs sufficient time to get used to all the pounding and stress it will experience as you train and race for your first 21K. Coming from a coach’s point of view, I would not recommend targeting your first half-mary in May especially if you want to enjoy running for as long as it is humanly possible. Although I am confident that 2 months of training is enough to get you to the finish line, my concern is how well you will recover after the race. The last thing you want is ending up with aches and pains or worse, injuries that will keep you from running for weeks or even months after that. If your goal is more long-term and you want to be able to run consistently by avoiding injuries, then I suggest you save your legs at least until leg 3 of the RunRio Trilogy, or better yet, schedule one next year to celebrate your first year as a bon a fide runner.
At last, tips for a 21K. Can’t wait for the 8 weeks beginners program! I’m running my first 21K in Run Rio Leg 2. Need additional tips and inputs for a much safer & healthier run! Thanks K!
Hi night dreamer,
I really plan to post the 8-week training program just in time for RunRio Leg 2 but in the meantime, I’ll post more training tips and techniques which I hope will also help you prepare for your first 21K. =)
Great Article!
If I could write like this I would be well chuffed
The more I read articles of such quality as this (which is rare), the more I think there might be a future for the Web. Keep it up, as it were.
Thanks for the kind words, Wendy! Appreciate it. =)
Hi K,
Thanks for the very informative article. I’ve just started training last Nov 2009 from zero and joined the Condura run at 10K with 54+ mins (Last Feb7) then two weeks after I’ve joined the Century Run at 21K with 1hr and 54mins+ (Feb 21). Now I realized why i had pain at the back of my Knee until now (I think it’s a ligament part) and being unaware of injuries that might happen to me, I’m still running in 5K race and some routine exercise even I’m on pain just hoping it would heal. The bad thing is I already registered in Mizuno run this April for 15K run and looking forward to run another 21K in Run Rio 2nd leg to beat my PR. Please advice…
Thanks and more power.
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
The aches and pains you’re experiencing are tell-tale signs that your doing too much too soon. Ideally, your first race should’ve been a 5K then you slowly built up to a 10K within the year before even attempting to run a half marathon. Although 54 minutes for your first 10K is quite impressive, as you can see, the physical stress will catch up with you sooner than later. I really wouldn’t recommend running the 15K especially if you’re still in pain and suggest you take a couple of weeks off and see a doctor immediately regarding your aches and pains. The discomfort won’t go away unless you let it heal with complete rest. The doctor will be able to tell you what next steps to take. I don’t mean to scare you but it would be better to have that checked before it’s too late, which could result in having to put your running career on hold indefinitely.
Hope you feel better soon!
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hi k, nice tips. i’m planning to koin QCIM 21K on December as my first half mary. What Goal Race Pace can you suggest for a beginner? Is 2hours30mins safe or too conservative? Please advice.
Hi Majo,
I can’t really give you an appropriate goal race pace since I am not aware of your current fitness level but in most cases, 2:30 is a decent target time for your first 21K if you are training consistently. But ideally, if it is your first, I highly recommend that you just run without putting any time pressure on yourself. Start conservatively and save your legs for the last 5K. Try to make your first 21K experience as pleasant as possible then focus on outdoing your PR in succeeding races.
Good luck!