Half Marathon Training
Brooks Off Road Half Marathon Mount Tauhara Sunday 12 July 2009 Suggested training programme. 21.1km training programme running or walking
Weeks to go Date at Monday Tuesday Thursday Weekend 9 11 May 3km 4km 6km 8 18 May 4km 5km 8km 7 25 May 3km 6km 10km 6 1 June 6km 8km 12km 5 8 June 6km 8km 10km 4 15 June 8km 12km 16km 3 22 June 10km 12km 18km 2 29 June 8km 10km 14km 1 6 July 6km Event 21.1km
10.5km training programme – running or walking
|
Weeks to go |
Date at Monday |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Weekend |
|
9 |
11 May |
2km |
2km |
3km |
|
8 |
18 May |
2km |
3km |
4km |
|
7 |
25 May |
3km |
3km |
4km |
|
6 |
1 June |
3km |
4km |
5km |
|
5 |
8 June |
4km |
4km |
5km |
|
4 |
15 June |
4km |
5km |
6km |
|
3 |
22 June |
5km |
6km |
7km |
|
2 |
29 June |
5km |
7km |
8km |
|
1 |
6 July |
3km |
|
Event 10.5km |
Comments
- Note these training programmes are for an average person with a small amount of existing fitness.
- People with high levels of current fitness may be able to train harder and earlier.
- There needs to be flexibility in the program for injuries and energy levels etc.
- For those of you who would like to train 4 times in a week, consider doing a brisk 20-30 minutes walk on a flat Road on Mondays.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding training for the event please e mail wendy@endurancecoach.com
Brooks Off Road Half Marathon General Training Guidelines
7 May 2009
By Wendy Chrisp
What to wear to train in?
Well fitting running or walking shoes that are comfortable & supportive. Loose fitting clothing that will keep any perspiration off your skin, allow you to walk & run with ease and not cause any chaffing. If you are training in the dark, make sure you have clothing that is highly visible.
How long will it take to do the distance?
As it is an exciting new course we anticipate the approximate time ranges will be as follows:
- 21km Run: 1.15 & 3.00 hours
- 21km Walk 1.40 – 5 hours
- 10.5k Run 35minutes to 1.30
- 10.5km Walk: 50mins & 2.5hours
What’s my longest training session going to be?
A general rule of thumb is 70-80% of the total distance. So for example if you are planning to run or walk the 21km event then we’d recommend that your longest run was 18km and like wise if your looking at working the 10 for the first time then why not try to make your longest walk 8km.
When do I start training?
Now, yes if you are planning to complete the event why not start getting into an exercise routine today. It may be a case walking or jogging three times a week. It may be a case o talking to your mates and finding someone to train with or it may be a case of contacting a coach to write you a specific plan to ensure you do the event well. Either way, why not start training today!
How many days a week should I train?
Try 4. Make one training session a long one, one a hilly one, one that you try to pick up the pace and walk or run a bit quicker for say 20 steps every 2 minutes and one that is a flat and easy pace d session.
What happens if I miss a day of training?
Let it go! Just move on to the next recommended training day and maybe give some thought as to why you were so busy that you missed that day and maybe next week if that same day comes around and you are still unable to do it then maybe training on that day just isn’t going to work with your timetable. Avoid a very common mistake of doubling the distance next time or trying to catch it up – it’s gone so move on to the next.
If I only have time to do 2 days training what would be the best training to do?
The longest distances recommend that week is the quick answer. Try and make the long weekend walk and one other – this way at least you will be spending a good period on time on those feet. You may notice that the next day you may be a little tired but as the weeks go on you will slowly develop that fitness level that will enable you to enjoy the event rather than getting half way through and finding things a little hard!
Do I need to train on the course?
No but try to train on a similar terrain. Because it’s off road, then you will need to be used to walking on uneven ground, possibly over undulating ground.
What should I eat and drink?
Any walk over an hour we would recommend you have a drink with you. If you’re trying to lose weight, water is fine and maybe a small piece of fruit i.e. a banana about 30mins before you begin your walk. If you’re running over an hour then we’d recommend using a sport drink. During training try sipping on your drink every 15-20mins rather than waiting until you are thirsty or until you have finished the session!
For those of you walking the 21k, you will need some food i.e. bananas, dried apricots even a little vege samie or something light but tasty. Remember to nibble and sip on a regular and often basis is the trick to keeping your energy going.
General Training Tips
7 May 2009
By Wendy Chrisp
Tip 1: What should be my first step to getting more active?
Question: What should be my first step if I’m looking at doing this event and I haven’t been active for a while?
Answer: Get a Warrant of Fitness and check your engine!
You get one for your car to see if it is road worthy and we’d suggest you consider doing the same for yourself if you intend to take up a new exercise challenge or even step up your existing exercise routine.
How do I know if I need one? If you are over 40, have a family history of disease, you may have recently been under a lot of pressure or you have put on or lost some weight in the last 6 months. You may just feel not right!!! Or you may have decided to start to train for your first half marathon or 10km or join the golf club and you haven’t be active for the last few years, then I would be recommend you get a WOF.
What to lose? Your quality of life and that of your families!!!!!
How do I do it? Pick up the phone and make an appointment to see either your doctor. Get that BP checked, listen to the ticker, you may endure a few pokes and prods and even a little prick to see what your blood tests show. The bottom line is to look after your engine like it is the latest Jaguar and for 30mins of your time, this could be the best health step you could have taken for years.
Tip 2: Getting an exercise momentum going:
Mates make it happen. This is my motto for what helps and supports people to get into an exercise routine and keep it going. It is hard to create a new habit and so by doing it with the support of others you increase your chances of this routine becoming a habit.
Keep it easy. When you begin a new exercise routine, consider doing half of what your first think! i.e. if your looking at getting into a walking routine, rather than thinking you will walk for an hour for your first walk – make it 30mins. Small & progressive steps are the trick rather than big steps at the start. You will be surprised how easy it is to slowing pick up the distance as opposed to starting high and then losing interest or not being able to walk the next day!
So in summary when getting into a new exercise routine, grab some mates, keep it easy and make it a priority, you will be surprised at how enjoyable it is and that YOU do have the time after all.
Tip 3: Stretching:
Stretching is recommended for all of us regardless of our level of activity. Those of us that spend a lot of time sitting or driving would be wise to stretch as would those who are active. Everyday living & ageing causes our muscles to slowly reduce their effectiveness and so by stretching daily we will help to not only to keep our joints mobile but also enable our muscles to retain a good functional length. By maintaining good flexibility and muscle tone we will support our posture and reduce our changes of back and neck pain.
In summary, before you stretch, make sure your body is warm. A brisk walk, cycle or row for 10 minutes should do the trick. Start from the feet and work your way up right up to you head. Ensure that you keep a normal breathing rhythm when stretching and I would suggest holding on to the wall or a chair to ensure good balance while you are stretching. Hold each stretch for 15second and ensure all stretching is pain free. Alternate the stretch so to do both sides of your body and repeat 3 times. Always stretch within your comfort level and you should feel your muscles slowly stretching rather than a sharp pulling sensation that causes pain.
Tip 4: Training using Medication:
Training on medication should be done on a case by case basis as all drugs will have different reactions as will the conditions for which you are taking the medication for. As always check with your doctor if you have any concerns regarding your medication and its effects when you mix exercise with it. If you require pain relief in order to enable you to be active, should be viewed with caution. Generally speaking, training on pain relief is not recommended and the use of anti-inflammatory medication has risks also.
I would recommend you look for another way to exercise i.e. aqua jogging instead of running if you are injured or it may be a case of using the stationary bike in the gym instead of doing your lunch time walk. More likely than not, you will be able to keep active rather than having to stop.
Tip 5: What is the best exercise for weight loss!
Walking has proved by far the most effective form of exercise for those people wanting to lose weight. So if you have signed up for this event – this will be another benefit – you will get fitter and lose weight.
The three key reasons for this is that walking intensity is lower than running, it requires very little co-ordination and you can do it for a long time. The fundamental tricks to encourage your body to use some of its excess fat stores is to exercise at an easy heart rate, exercise for a long time i.e. an hour, reduce your calorie intake before and after your exercise and walk every day. Most people when they decide to lose weight often try fast walking or even jogging but if they are not fit or are heavy then this will prove very difficult and you are more likely to stop because it hurts, you feel “ buggered” and those legs will ache if not pull the odd calf muscle with the strain. So for those of you that are looking to shed some weight, put on some comfortable shoes and hit the tracks with a buddy and enjoy the process and the reward.
Tip 6: What is the best way for me to learn to jog?
The easiest way to learn how to jog is to firstly develop a very good walking technique on nice flat grass surfaces. Once you are able to comfortably walk for say 45mins, try to reduce your stride length, relax your shoulders and have a go at jogging say 10 steps. By going slowly you will be able to breathe easily, have minimal jarring and actually enjoy it. An ideal rhythm could be 10 steps running and 20 brisk walks then break into a little jog again and continue. The longer walking period will ensure you don’t get too puffed and if you find that after the 20 walking steps you are still tired then try slowing down in the running phase. Remember to brisk walk any hills, make it look really easy and try to keep your feet as quiet as possible as they hit the ground. Enjoy your progress.
Tip 7: 5 simple ways to increase your level of fitness for the half marathon
1. When parking your car, find the furthest car park from where you wish to go and walk to your shop or office. (within reason!)
2. At the supermarket –park in the furthest car park and use a trolley & walk up and down every aisle.
3. Use the stairs rather than the lift at work.
4. For all small emails i.e. less than 20words that you are sending to a colleague in the same building – try once a day hand writing a note and delivering it in person.
5. Before and after your morning & afternoon tea take a 5min brisk walk.
Remember all those little steps DO add up.
Tip 8: Do my shoes really make a difference to my running or walking?
Yes. The key feature of a shoe is its support not only just for your foot but for your entire body having to deal with the impact of gravity, surface combination, your running style and your body weight. The critical feature of a shoe is that it fits your foot, is designed for the type of exercise that you’re doing and also the surfaces that you are training on. Walking shoes are different to running shoes mainly in the sole flexibility and impact design and the weight of the shoe plays a role in injury risk as well. Most good sports i.e. Smith Shoes, have a 30day trial and their staff will fit your foot to a shoe using a computer/treadmill combination. The beauty with this system is that you not only get a shoe that fits your foot and sporting needs but you also get the right to return it if for some reason you are not happy with it.
Tip 9: Should I be worried about what surfaces I jog or walk on?
The surfaces that you run on have a direct relationship to your risk of injury. Cobbles and soft sand will give you the best chance of getting injured. Next in line is the road surface (to say nothing of the cars, fumes and/or pot holes). Unquestionably the best surface is the good old grass or bush tracks or commonly disguised as off road tracks. Naturally you have to watch your footing but it’s the best surface to reduce your changes of getting injured – so enjoy.
Tip 10: Should I eat before or after I exercise?
Yes but preferably something light and little. Your body requires food to provide it with energy and to save it tapping into the energy stores, it is advisable to have something to eat or drink approx an hour before you are intending to do some exercise. This is often a very personal thing but why not consider having something light and easily digestible i.e. a banana, some dried apricots or even half an egg sandwich before you go out to exercise. After exercise I recommend a piece of fruit i.e. an apple, this along with a glass of water. If you are training for a long time i.e. more than an hour then you may require some sports drink or even smoothie
Tip 11: How hard should I train?
The simple answer is to keep it easy. Our coaching experience shows that most people train too hard. Their perception is that they need to be working hard in order to attain some “fitness” benefits. – the opposite is in fact correct. Easy to moderate intensity will provide greater cardiovascular benefit; enable people to exercise for longer and equally important will enhance rather than challenge their immune system. Puffing but still able to hold a conversation is the trick, so chat and jog or chat and brisk walk as you prepare for our off road event.
Tip 12: How do I know how hard I am training?
Your breathing rate is the best guide for letting you know how hard your training is. Ideally you should be able to hold a conversation whilst training. Some people wear a heart rate monitor or some gym cardiovascular equipment often have heart rate sensors on them and you can get a reading. Next time you are using your heart rate monitor or gym gear see what you heart rate is. Try keeping it to 180 –age and see how this feels.
Understandably when you are riding up a hill or brisk walking or jogging up an incline OR maybe giving the vertical climber a beating in the gym, you may find it harder to talk but for your heart health and overall training benefit remember to control your speed or effort so that you can talk…or sing to yourself.
Tip 13: Socks:
Whilst they may be the smallest item of your exercise clothing, they play a major role. Before you scrub your shoulders, remember when you had an ill fitting sock, a fold in the sock or stayed in wet socks – all are really uncomfortable. Now consider you have to put up with it for 2 to 4 hours! Poor fitting socks will cause blisters and blisters hurt! Socks need to be well fitting, provide some cushioning and importantly draw moisture away from your skin. You get what you pay for with socks and provided you wash them with care, good socks can last you up to 5 years.
Tip 14: Reflective Clothing:
With winter quickly embracing Taupo, its not daylight until 7.05am and by 4.45pm the darkness is starting to envelope us all. The reality of this shortened day light is that for you working, it means that some of your training will be in dark or in the hours fast approaching darkness. Wearing a bright coloured piece of clothing or better still some reflective clothing will assist drivers to see you whilst training. Whilst you may pride yourself of training on the footpath, in fading light and in the dark, it is virtually impossible to see people training when they are wearing dark clothing. Your light weight mess high vis jackets would be perfect to train in during winter.
Tip 15: Training with music in your head
It is becoming more common to see people out training with a radio or MP3 plugged into their ears and pardon the pun, but it sounds a neat idea! A word of caution is that whilst you may be walking along to an interesting Kim Hill interview or feeling like you are on stage with U2, you need to be still thinking about what you are doing! The biggest safety concern is to ensure that the volume is low enough for you to still be able to hear the traffic on the road or a mountain biker sharing the same track as you, to say nothing of still be able to concentrate on walking full stop. The other concern with music and training is that you can easily loose the sense of your own pace and time. You can be running or walking to the beat of the music rather than that of your own rhythm and next thing you know you’re working too hard. The other is that the sounds may be so great that you lose track of time. Whilst I will admit to really enjoying running with music in my head, just make sure that you can still hear what is going on around you. Ensure that you are safe both in your pace judgment and from others out there with their music several decibels higher than yours!
Tip 16: Undies & Bras
With us exercising we all need support and when it comes to our anatomy, the same rules apply! Girls, it is important to wear a good fitting bra that supports your breasts and reduces the bounce effect. This doesn’t mean flattening your chest with a compression bra so tight that you can hardly breathe or that you feel you have to hop into it sideways! Rather the bra needs to be comfortable and supportive at the same time. Boys, a good pair of undies needs to provide support for your important bits but it’s more a comfort issue rather than a health issue for you guys! Like the flattening bra, your undies should be a snug fit and feel supportive rather than being to tight.
Bottom line is that both bras & undies need to be comfortable and well fitting. Comfortable in that you make sure they are not likely to cause chaffing especially when they get wet from perspiration. Well fitting in that they are able to breathe and for the boys not restrict normal blood flow. Support and comfort is the key.
Tip 17: Keeping Warm:
With the first of the frosts having appeared, winter is fast approaching and it is important that you make sure that when you are exercising you are warm enough.
Cold air, icy winds and rain make it difficult for your muscles to work effectively and by wearing keeping your body warm, you will enable your muscles to function more effectively. Legs, chest, hands & head are the four most important areas to keep us warm when exercising. By wearing gloves and a hat you will be amazed at how this can make your whole body feel warm. We have come along way from the old rugby shorts and t-shirt training attire and the modern fabrics for keeping us warm yet allowing our skin to breathe and looking good at the same time is great. One of the other benefits of keeping your hands and head warm is that it helps you relax and when you relax you will be able to train with greater ease. Add to this that keeping yourself warm is another comfort factor to support you getting out there - then keeping yourself warm in the winter is another plus to keep you active. Tights tend to require a good quality where as the hats from the $2 dollar shop and like wise for the gloves, will keep those features warm and toasty for less that a coffee and muffin. For those keen to run and keep up this new found health habit, invest in a good quality pair of tights and training vest and you be warm for years to come. Wrap up and get out there!
Tip 18: Injury management:
Regardless if those muscles haven’t been used for a while or if they get stretched on a regular basis - injuries all of us are often just around the corner. One of the many benefits of being fitter and healthier is that if and when an injury occurs our body will heal quicker. Most of us can tell the difference between being sore and being injured. The cause of the injury is often the give away as is the pain scale. The general rule of treating an injury is to reduce the load or even rest it. For an acute injury – the most common being a turned ankle or that sudden ping in the back of the calf muscle, I would suggest you use a cold pack on the injury site as this will help minimize the swelling. Try to elevate the injury and applying some gentle compression. Avoiding alcohol within 48 hours of sustaining an injury is a good idea as this will also help to minimize the swelling. As with any injury, pain and swelling often go hand in hand. You are always best to seek further medical attention if you either can’t walk!, the pain is unable to be controlled, you feel nauseous or it is a repeat injury. In terms of when you can get “back on the bike” so to speak, retaining a full range of pain free movement is often the best guide and sometimes it may be a case of having to think outside the square to come up with ways to still keep you active yet letting that injury heal. A good example of this is aqua jogging for those who turn their ankle out walking!
Tip 19 Use of Heat Rubs:
In times of cold weather, so people often think of using heat rubs to help their muscle to stay warm. Great idea, but tread with caution and be sure to thoroughly wash your hands! The biggest risk for most people when using heat rubs is that the rub stays on your hands and under your finger nails and then you unintentionally touch another part of your body i.e. eyes - yes think of hot chilly’s and you are getting close.
So if you are going to use heat run, make sure you wash your hands in hot soapy water and use a nail brush on your hands and under your nails. I would repeat the process twice. For some people with sensitive skin using a heat run can cause the skin to feel like it is burning – if in using a rub and you find your skin reacting to it, rinse the skin using cold soapy water until the stinging reduces. Given that most heat rubs only have a topical effect, a slow steady warm up, wearing the appropriate warm clothing is the best way to ensure those muscle get warmed up properly and more importantly that they stay warm throughout your exercise session.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding training for the event please e mail wendy@endurancecoach.com
Contact If you have any questions regarding training for the event please e mail wendy@endurancecoach.com