July 29, 2024

Half Marathon Training Plan and Tips for Beginners

Long time no see over on this corner of the interwebs. I am in week 2 of marathon training and week ? of coaching my runners at Bmore Running for half and full marathons this summer. If you are looking to train for the Baltimore Running Festival Half Marathon in October or another fall half marathon, now is the time to start training! 

I decided to share a beginner half marathon training plan based on my style of coaching. As a beginner the runs should be done at an easy, conversational pace unless otherwise stated. An easy run effort is about a 3-4/10 on the RPE scale meaning you should be able to breathe steadily and speak in short sentences. Remember that things like the heat/humidity, your hydration, your feeling, your stress, and your sleep can affect how you feel on your runs day to day.  

On Tuesdays on the plan there are some runs that include short intervals at a hard effort (it should feel harder to you) and runs that include hills (find some hills near you and include them on your running route that day). Sunday is a recovery day but instead of fully resting, I believe in getting up on your feet and at least walking (stretching would be a bonus!) to keep the blood flowing in your legs and help with recovery. 

If you are in the Baltimore area it's not too late to train IN PERSON with me and the group at Bmore Running out of Locust Point. We're friendly and inclusive with paces from 12 min/mile to 8 min/mile right now. You'll get the accountability of being in a group, the fun of training with others, and the wealth of knowledge about all things running/training from your four coaches and fellow runners. More information can be found here.  Please reach out to me on Instagram if you have any questions/concerns! 

Bmore Running also has a FREE run/walk in Locust Point every Thursday night with a very friendly group of people-come join us sometime. 

The plan includes runs measured in miles. You can do a run/walk or walk for the runs as needed. If you are new to running or trying out the run/walk method, I would suggest starting with 1 min running and 1 min walking. You can adjust the ratio as needed for you from there. This post from Run to the Finish has a great overview of the run/walk method. 

If you are using the plan, tag me @breathedeeplyandsmile on Instagram and Tiktok so I can cheer you on as you train! 



If the plan above is too small, download it from my Dropbox account here





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