Diary of a Semi-Health Nut

ramblings + recipes of a semi-healthy nut

Half-Marathon Training Plan

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Hello Friends!

So you want to run a half-marathon?  Me too!  I’ve tried a couple of times with obstacles blocking my completion and I am trying again!

One of the fun things for me is planning out my training plan.  I like to use a base plan such as a Hal Higdon training plan and tweak it a bit.

First, you need to determine your fitness level.  If you’ve never run a half-marathon before, but can run a 5K pretty easily, you can start with one of the twelve week programs. 

If you are a beginner (read: you walk or jog, but not a whole lot) there is a 5K training program that I used last year and followed with a half-training program.  If you are a beginner-beginner (read: a little out of the fitness realm), there is a walking program that you could integrate with 5K training program.  Yes, a lot of training.  But it’s fun when you have a goal and races along the way.

Okay let’s get to my plan.  I chose the Novice 1 half-marathon plan.


I find that I like to have specific goals when I go for a run.  The mileage is important, but instead of just running for distance over and over and getting sick of running, I have specific goals for each of my 3 runs a week.

Here’s the breakdown and the logic behind each workout:
Sunday: Rest day or Long Run if I didn’t make it on Saturday (very helpful…sometimes I’m just not feelin it on Saturday mornings)

Monday: Crosstrain or Run.  Crosstraining is something that involves going a certain number of miles like an elliptical, bike, or I do the Treadclimber.

Tuesday: Tempo Run and Core Strength.  Tempo runs I try to run at the same speed for a long period of time.  When on the treadmill I set it at one speed and run for a mile before taking a walking break.  Core strength is very important for running.  I was having stitches in my side regularly a couple of months ago and with some core work, it went away.

Wednesday:  Strength day.  These days are so important for preventing injury.  When we run we use certain muscles in the legs and booty and we need to do full body strength training for supporting those muscles.

Thursday: Interval runs or HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training.  This type of exercise is also important in developing speed in running.  In these workouts you either walk briskly or jog for a couple of minutes and then do 30-60 second bursts of sprinting.  I like to use my Gymboss trainer for this…giveaway for this coming soon by the way!

Anyone recognize this shirt? 😉

Friday: Cross training for a certain number of minutes.  This helps you to train your body to keep moving for a certain number of minutes.  This can be walking or any of the other methods used Mondays.

Saturday: Long Run.  For me, I have a hard time setting goals for this one other than “go x many miles.”  I don’t like to stress about going at a certain pace and if I need walking breaks, I take them.  Maybe eventually I will have time goals for these, but for now, I pat myself on the back after I complete them and call it good.

Note: I have a job that involves heavy lifting a couple of days a week, so I only have one scheduled strength workout each week, however you might want to consider doing two of them if you have a desk job.  Do what works for you!

I made sure that I arranged these days to fit with my schedule…even taking into consideration the fact that I signed up for an Aerobics class at school that meets Monday/Wednesday/Friday starting August 20th.  No, I am not crazy, it helped with my full-time enrollment. (Okay, maybe I am a liiiitle crazy ;-))

My training schedule is challenging, but doable.  I think it’s key to believe that you can actually complete the training…otherwise you might give up. 

Something else I find helpful in training is connecting with other runners on DailyMile and Twitter.  It’s great to get encouraged and to support others in their goals.  You might even meet some new friends!

Andrea and I met on DailyMile!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend (running or not)!  I am going to squeeze my long run in tomorrow before heading out of town for a wedding shower and bachelorette party.  Wish me luck!!

*~Amanda aka Semi-Health Nut~*



So who’s with me??  Half-marathon training time??

More on my running here and my full training schedule here.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional sports trainer.  Please check with your doctor before trying any new exercise and be safe.  Listen to your body.

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Comments

  1. Get the long run in, and HAVE FUN! Distance is way more important than time – take your walk breaks and just get the miles on the legs…speed comes with experience.

  2. Get the long run in, and HAVE FUN! Distance is way more important than time – take your walk breaks and just get the miles on the legs…speed comes with experience.

  4. I need to put my training schedule for the 10-miler together. It’s going to be pretty similar, except I’m going to be a bit more flexible on which days I run.

    Side note, runners world has a 1/2 marathon special issue out this month. I picked it up when I got new shoes. Sad to say I’m not an asics gal anymore. It was a 6-year run with those guys (well, several, several pairs of those guys).

    I picked up some Sauconys this weekend. My run yesterday was FAST (maybe it was a placebo?) and I have so much less foot pain than before. I think my weight change messed with my running style and that I run differently now. That’s what happened when I changed shoe brands last time, and I think it has happened again.

    Anyway … good luck. You *will* do it this time. You should sign up for the Drake on the Roads 1/2 marathon in April and run it with me.

    • Ooooh I should try to remember to get that! I was going to subscribe to it but thought I might get obsessed with running lots and lots of miles lol.

      Interesting how your running style has changed. I have only run with Asics, besides the worn out gym shoes I wore before that gave me shin splints. If I start experiencing pain I will look into another shoe, but it’s hard to find a running shoe because it’s not like you run 5 miles in them to test them out and can bring them back..right?

      I really want to do the Lincoln Half and that is in May…you should do THAT one with ME!! 🙂

      • Pick up the mag. It’s a good one. The plan they have is actually the least amt of run days I’ve seen, which is good for me!

        Yeah, actually, another reason you should come to Des Moines. We have this place called Fitness Sports (www.fitnesssports.com … and in case you’re wondering, no I didn’t design their website 😉 and they fit you for running shoes. You bring in old shoes and tell them what your issues are and they find shoes for you. They have a hallway that you get to test run them in. And they would even let you go run around the block.

        Hrm. How much is the Lincoln Half? I’ll check it out. The Drake On the Roads is a cheap race, AND a ton of elite runners run it (and are in town that weekend) so it’s a ton of fun. However, I’d want to beat my previous time if I ran it, so I’d be leaving you in the dust. 😉 Booyah.

        • So I just checked your DailyMile to see how fast you are (okay I am a little competitive and when you said you’d leave me in the dust I was like oh heck no!) and yes, you would probably leave me in the dust. 😉 The Lincoln half is 60 I think and you HAVE TO sign up early December otherwise you won’t get a spot. I have failed at this two years in a row lol! But it’s pretty cool because they announce your name and you run onto the field and see yourself on the big screen apparently.

          I guess I just have to visit you and go shoe shopping huh?? 😉

          • You know they’d say “caylee” … and you do need to come hang out for shoes.

            I was mostly kidding, but was kind of serious. I want to hit 1:45 or less next time. My last time was 1:48 I think. Here are my “official” times. You can ignore the Living History Farms race b/c that’s a trail/obstacle thing: http://athlinks.com/myresults/71502271/Calee-Himes.aspx

            And I’m all over the board. I used to be pretty consistently 9:40ish, and then was 8:30ish after I swapped shoes. SO maybe this swap will give me the boost to get to 7:30?

  5. I need to put my training schedule for the 10-miler together. It’s going to be pretty similar, except I’m going to be a bit more flexible on which days I run.

    Side note, runners world has a 1/2 marathon special issue out this month. I picked it up when I got new shoes. Sad to say I’m not an asics gal anymore. It was a 6-year run with those guys (well, several, several pairs of those guys).

    I picked up some Sauconys this weekend. My run yesterday was FAST (maybe it was a placebo?) and I have so much less foot pain than before. I think my weight change messed with my running style and that I run differently now. That’s what happened when I changed shoe brands last time, and I think it has happened again.

    Anyway … good luck. You *will* do it this time. You should sign up for the Drake on the Roads 1/2 marathon in April and run it with me.

  6. Ooooh I should try to remember to get that! I was going to subscribe to it but thought I might get obsessed with running lots and lots of miles lol.

    Interesting how your running style has changed. I have only run with Asics, besides the worn out gym shoes I wore before that gave me shin splints. If I start experiencing pain I will look into another shoe, but it’s hard to find a running shoe because it’s not like you run 5 miles in them to test them out and can bring them back..right?

    I really want to do the Lincoln Half and that is in May…you should do THAT one with ME!! 🙂

  7. Pick up the mag. It’s a good one. The plan they have is actually the least amt of run days I’ve seen, which is good for me!

    Yeah, actually, another reason you should come to Des Moines. We have this place called Fitness Sports (www.fitnesssports.com … and in case you’re wondering, no I didn’t design their website 😉 and they fit you for running shoes. You bring in old shoes and tell them what your issues are and they find shoes for you. They have a hallway that you get to test run them in. And they would even let you go run around the block.

    Hrm. How much is the Lincoln Half? I’ll check it out. The Drake On the Roads is a cheap race, AND a ton of elite runners run it (and are in town that weekend) so it’s a ton of fun. However, I’d want to beat my previous time if I ran it, so I’d be leaving you in the dust. 😉 Booyah.

  8. So I just checked your DailyMile to see how fast you are (okay I am a little competitive and when you said you’d leave me in the dust I was like oh heck no!) and yes, you would probably leave me in the dust. 😉 The Lincoln half is 60 I think and you HAVE TO sign up early December otherwise you won’t get a spot. I have failed at this two years in a row lol! But it’s pretty cool because they announce your name and you run onto the field and see yourself on the big screen apparently.

    I guess I just have to visit you and go shoe shopping huh?? 😉

  9. You know they’d say “caylee” … and you do need to come hang out for shoes.

    I was mostly kidding, but was kind of serious. I want to hit 1:45 or less next time. My last time was 1:48 I think. Here are my “official” times. You can ignore the Living History Farms race b/c that’s a trail/obstacle thing: http://athlinks.com/myresults/71502271/Calee-Himes.aspx

    And I’m all over the board. I used to be pretty consistently 9:40ish, and then was 8:30ish after I swapped shoes. SO maybe this swap will give me the boost to get to 7:30?