Wonder Walking Your First Half Marathon
Whatever the ancient Greeks achieved in developing the concept of the ‘marathon’, if you’ve never walked 21 kilometres non-stop before, the mere thought of it is probably enough to make you want to throw your walking shoes into the cupboard and never get them out again! 21 kilometres is the distance of a half-marathon. For first time walkers this distance might take you anywhere between 3-5 hours, and of course is dependent on your fitness, the terrain and naturally, your motivation! Still with me? Then read on. There are so many great half marathon walking and running events throughout the year, that I’m sure, with the following training outline, you will undoubtedly go on to enter one!
The training outline is designed for first-timers and will require you to be focused on increasing your distance for up to 8 weeks before the event. The schedule aims to gradually increase your tolerance to the distance of a half marathon. There is no focus on time or speed! As well, you will need to have sturdy walking shoes, (preferably worn-in, but not worn-out) and loose clothing. Whatever your size, try to purchase some lycra shorts or tights for walking the longer distances, so that your skin doesn’t get chafed. Oh, and don’t forget a supportive bra!
The concept of ‘training’ for a half-marathon is that you are gradually over-loading your heart, lungs and legs over a set period of time in order that you ‘cope’ on the day. Each week you are adding extra distance (duration) to your longer walk. An increase of around 10% can be generally tolerated by most beginner walkers each week. Days of training are also matched by some rest days to allow recovery time. The notion of ‘training’ also means that as much as possible you need to ‘replicate’ the conditions that you will endure on the day. This includes knowing as much as you can about the type of terrain you will face, your water intake and timing, your food intake and timing and of course, your shoes and clothing. What you ‘can’t’ pre-determine however, is the weather! Which means that when it is raining and blowing a gale outside, don’t be afraid to get out there and challenge yourself to still train!
I have written up three ‘paces’ for this programme – easy (E); moderate (M) and fast (F). Experiment with the one you feel most comfortable with. For those Wonder Walkers whom are still a little unfit, choose terrain which is fairly flat. Once you feel comfortable on a flat terrain, move to a more undulating terrain. Hills will really make you work harder and these are great to add in at about the 3-4 week mark. Cutting back on your distance in the last week as per the programme, enables you to conserve vital energy in the few days leading up to the half-marathon.
Mark out some fun 5, 10, 15 and 20 km routes around your area before commencing your programme. This will enable you to ‘plan ahead’ and know exactly what you have to achieve in terms of the distance you have to cover. Take an extra rest-day if you need to in the early weeks, especially if you are a beginner walker. Remember too that swimming or aqua-jogging is great non-impact recovery and flexibility training to add into your ‘rest’ days – 20 minutes would be all it takes in the pool to aid and hasten your recovery from week to week.
Remember that the programme is a GUIDE only. The theme of the programme is FUN & FULFULMENT. Enjoy your achievements each week, whatever your fitness level and whatever you can manage! Good luck….
Wendy Sweet
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