I'm doing a half marathon . . .

If you’ve been reading these daily emails, you’ll know I hate running but still force myself to do it nearly every day. Well… that daily 5k I do has now turned into a 21k half marathon in the desert later this month.

Am I excited? Not exactly!

Now, if I were training a client for this kind of goal, I’d set up a proper plan to get them ready. Here’s the training plan I’d recommend if you’re building up to 21k from now until the end of the month:

Half Marathon Training Plan

Week 1

• Mon/Wed/Fri: 5k easy pace run
• Sun: 7k long run steady pace

Week 2

• Mon/Wed/Fri: 6k run, incorporating some intervals (1 min fast, 2 min slow)
• Sun: 10k long run, keeping a comfortable, sustainable pace

Week 3

• Mon/Wed: 6-8k steady run
• Fri: 8k with a few interval sprints to build speed
• Sun: 15k long run at a relaxed pace

Week 4

• Mon: 5k easy pace run

• Wed: 4k very light jog to keep muscles warm
• Fri: Rest and stretch
• Race Day: 21k half marathon!

Now, am I following that plan? Nope!

One of the reasons I’m not a fan of long runs is because of an old back/hip injury that plays up when I run. I keep my runs capped at 5k because that time is just about manageable for me to go through the pain without fully knackering my body. Also doing regular runs longer than 5k will decrease lean muscle tissue which is why sprinters always have better physiques than marathon runners!

So here’s the plan for me: I’ll keep doing my daily 5k, then show up on race day and rely on pure mental toughness to push through the 21k. If I survive it, who knows , maybe I’ll look at booking a full marathon next year. ..

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves because that's something I never thought I would say.

Until next time

-Coach Gaz