HOW YOU CAN TOO CONQUER A HALF MARATHON
The first thing to keep in mind when building up to a half marathon distance is to not do it too quickly, says Can Too Coach James Constantine.
The most important ingredients: a Can Too coach and your Can Too training partners, to support and encourage you along the way.
“Running a half marathon is a patience game. Success comes from consistent exercise across a number of weeks/months, not cramming the night before,” says James.
Whether you’re running for a time goal, to have a fun experience with friends or trying to run the whole way – a half marathon can be the perfect avenue to do all of these things. Enjoy and embrace all aspects of the experience. Make sure you treat yourself afterwards as well.
Ways to build distance: • simply increase the distance of your running – no more than 10 per cent at a time (this could be one to two kms each week) or as advised by your coach • increase the intensity or speed of your running (from an effort level of “6” to a “7”) • extend the number of interval repetitions (e.g. running 400m 5 times, to running 400m 6 times)
You CAN TOO become a half marathoner Our 14 week program prepares runners for the Sydney Morning Herald, Great Ocean Road and Hawke’s Bay Half Marathon events. For more info: www.cantoo.org.au/smh
• decrease the recovery time between efforts (e.g taking a 2-minute break between 400m repeats, and over time, decrease to 90 seconds)
Variety is key By completing a variety of different runs – easy, long, intervals, Fartlek (speed play) alternating between fast segments and slow jogs, hill repeats and tempo runs – your body will adapt to your new training load. And you will become fitter before you know it! Your Can Too coach will explain what each type of run is and how they will benefit you on your half marathon journey.
YOU CAN WIN SHOES!
Thanks to Brooks Running – the Official Shoe of Can Too, there’s 1 x pair of shoes to be won in every program. It’s easy to enter! Register by 11:59pm on Sunday 3 Feb to go in the draw to win.
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