12 Week Half Marathon Training

Building mental stamina is essential. It’s one thing to be motivated to begin training. It’s another to stay motivated every day. Staying motivated and developing the proper mindset is key to enjoying training and crossing the finish line with a smile on your face.

Goals:

Finish time goals, weight loss goals, “just finish” goals…we all have a reason(s) for wanting to run a half marathon. If your only goal is to lose weight, good luck. You’re likely to quit. You are likely to quit just like so many people who join health clubs each year for the same reason only to stop going after seeing little results in little time. You must have the right goals and reasons for running in order to be successful.

Wear the right gear:

Treat your feet to a good pair of running shoes (or three!). Running shoes will be the most important piece of gear. Shoes are designed to fit feet with different arches, and more. Visit a local specialty running store to find the best shoes for your feet.
Nutrition:
Carbohydrates provide the fuel runners need. During half marathon training, 65% of your total calories should come from carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates. 10% should come from protein (you need 0.5 to .07 grams per pound of your body weight each day). 20-25% of your total calories should come from unsaturated fats. Be sure to get the nutrition you need to keep you strong and allow for adequate recovery.
Stop Counting Calories!  It makes you lose focus and motivations.  Eat the power foods listed Below, you will feel full and satisfied and they are energy efficient foods!  Also Take a cheat day, don’t feel deprived or wanting.  Take a day to treat yourself, just don’t over indulge.
Sample meal schedule: Alternate your larger meals with smaller snacks
7 am   Breakfast
10 am Snack
12 pm  Lunch
3 pm   Snack 
6 pm   Dinner
8 pm   Snack

Power Foods! Great Foods To Start Liking:
Almonds and Peanuts, Beans and Legumes, Spinach and other green veggies, Dairy (Yogurt, Milk, Cheese), Oatmeal, Eggs, Turkey and other Lean meats, Peanut and Almond Butter, Olive Oil (cook with this), Whole grain cereal and breads, Soy Protein Powder, Raspberries and other berries.

Sample:

Options Breakfast-

·         12 glass milk (white or chocolate) Serving of Oatmeal and 2 slices whole wheat toast or English muffin with peanut butter

·         Smoothie with Protein

·         Three scrambled Eggs, 2 slices of bacon and whole wheat toast

·         Whole wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs, cheese and veggies and salsa

·         Yogurt, orange and toast with peanut butter

·         Cereal (whole grain) and Toast

·         Protein meal replacement bar

·         2 slices whole wheat toast, turkey sausage and egg sandwich with cheese

Options Snacks-

·         Raw Veggies (as much as you want) with hummus

·         2 Tbs Peanut butter with celery

·         2 oz almonds or other unsalted nuts

·         String Cheese or cubed cheese and yogurt

·         1 1/2 C fresh berries and yogurt

·         2 Tbs Peanut butter and 1 C. Low fat ice cream

·         Cottage Cheese and fruit

·         4 oz cantaloupe and string cheese

·         3 slices turkey and orange

·         1 oz almonds and 1 oz dried cranberries

·         Rice cakes or pop chips

·         String cheese and veggies

·         Apple and peanut butter

·         Whole grain cereal and milk

·         Toast and peanut butter

·         Protein smoothie

·         Banana and peanut butter

Options Lunch-

·         Turkey and Avocado sandwich on whole grain or wrap with veggies and mustard and fruit or yogurt

·         Tuna salad on whole grain bread or wrap with pretzels or baked chips

·         Salad with veggies and loaded with turkey or chicken and low-fat dressing on side

·         Chicken sliced with cheese wrapped in whole wheat tortilla and black beans

·         Turkey Chili and Cheese

·         Quiche and Salad

·         BLT and Salad with Low-Fat dressing

·         Pasta with diced tomatoes, olive oil and basil with parm chesse

·         Chili peppered steak and sald

·         Meatball sandwich (Turkey meatballs)

·         Roast beef and swiss on whoe grain

·         Spinach salad with feta, bacon, pine nuts and grapes (balsamic dressing)

Options Dinner-

·         Pasta and turkey meatballs with spinach salad

·         Boneless pork chops, green veggies and sweet potato

·         Grilled or baked chicken topped with white cheese, green veggies and salad

·         Taco Salad with chicken or ground turkey.  Use low-fat sour cream, pile on avocado, cheese and veggies

·         Turkey Chili with Cheese

·         Baked or broiled lemon pepper salmon with cous cous  and veggies

·         Halibut with broccoli and salad

·         Chicken sliced with teriyaki, brown rice, snap peas, carrots, squash and edamame (or shrimp)

·         Sushi rolls (not fried or filled with cream cheese)

·         Chicken tortilla soup

·         Spaghetti with grilled chicken and tomato sauce and parm cheese

·         Turkey sausage with scrambled eggs, veggies and cheese in whole wheat tortilla

·         Grilled flank steak on greens with red and yellow peppers, onions

* lean meat and fish are what you should stick with, always go for two handfuls of greens.  Add chickpeas or kidney beans to your salads for fiber and to feel satisfied.  If your still hungry drink a glass of water, still hungry- eat something else.

Recovery:
Obviously, it is important to run for half marathon training, but recovery is equally important. You should not run every day. Your body needs to rest between runs so it can recover from one run to the next, getting stronger between each run. Nutrition and eating the right foods at the right time also play a vital role in recovery. Take recovery days equally as serious as your running days.
Hydration:
On runs of an hour or more, carry fluids with you and consume 6-8 oz. every 20 minutes. During pre-training and marathon training, weigh yourself before and after each run and get your body weight back to the weight it was before the run by drinking water or sports drink within the first hours after the run.

Avoiding Injury:
Use your non-running days to rest and recover. Ice down any soreness, particularly in knees or shins (most common) four times per day for 15-20 minutes. Injuries often sneak up without warning. Doing all the right things right will minimize your chances of injury.
Pre-Training:
Before you begin half marathon training, you should be able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping. Distance is not important right now. You just need to get your body used to running.
Combinations of run/walks are great to use during pre-training because they ease your body into the exercise and minimizes the chance of experiencing a running injury.
Training:
Your mileage should gradually increase each week. As a general rule, total weekly mileage should not increase by more than 10% from week-to-week. Completing a run of 10-12 miles about three weeks before the race will be enough to prepare you for the finish. You should then taper off in the final weeks leading up to the half marathon to allow your body to recover from training and so you will be strong on the big day.
Following is a recommended beginner half marathon training schedule. This schedule assumes you have been running for at least four weeks and can run 30 minutes without stopping before beginning the schedule.

CT- Cross Training

Marathon cross training is a great way to stay in shape should you need to take time off from running due to an overuse injury or if the weather does not allow you to run. If the weather is bad and you have access to a treadmill, then you should run on the treadmill. Following are some great marathon or half marathon cross training exercise for marathon training. Remember though, running is by far the most beneficial exercise when training for a marathon. You should not expect to be able to finish a marathon by just cross training.

The big difference is these exercises eliminate the constant pounding your legs experience by running. Just use these exercises as needed due to injury or bad weather. Marathon cross training is a great way to maintain conditioning during injury recovery.

• Cycling

Cycling is great because it works your legs and cardiovascular system while taking away the constant pounding your legs experience while running. This is a great exercise to use if you experience shin splints and need to take time off from running. To determine how long you need to cycle, multiply the estimated running time for the day’s training by 1.5 and cycle for that amount of time in place of the run. Stretch after the exercise just as you would after a run.

• Run in Water

Running is water is great because it simulates running and is a cardiovascular workout. If doing this in deep water, you will need to use a floatation device. Obviously, you will not be able to run as fast as you would on land due to resistance by the water. Your heart rate will also not be as high. Run in water for the duration you would expect your run to take. Use intervals if you find yourself bored due to running so slowly.

• Elliptical Machine

Elliptical machines are a wonderful way to get a total body workout in a short time. Great for cardio and there is not the impact you get with running. In addition, the backwards setting allows you to work additional muscles not commonly developed by running alone.

• Rollerblading

Rollerblading is great because you get an aerobic workout and give your legs rest from running. To determine how long to rollerblade, multiply the time you would have expected to finish your training run by 1.5 and rollerblade for that amount of time. Don’t forget to stretch afterwards.

Additional Cross Training: 12-15 reps 1-3 sets

Total Body:

Traditional Crunch

Bent-leg knee raise

Bridge

Back extension

Basic squat

Bench press

Pulldown

Military press

Upright row

Triceps pushdown

Leg extension

Biceps curls

Leg curls

Push ups