I have accompanied hundreds of people who wanted to take on a running challenge, particularly through the Corporate Challenge.
Once participants have completed their first 5km or 10km, often the next step for them is to run a half-marathon.
A half-marathon is a big challenge — not something you do on a whim.
But it's not something that requires putting your life on hold for a year to achieve. With proper preparation, most people who already run 2-3 times a week can achieve it in about 16 weeks.
Here are 10 concrete steps so you can confidently approach the starting line!
1. First, register for your first half-marathon
It's counterintuitive, but it's the best thing you can do.
Setting the date of your event will allow you to plan your training. Half-marathon training is prepared in reverse order. Therefore, you need to set the date of your event first, and then you can determine the start date of your training.
2. Be honest about your starting point
Before embarking on a half-marathon training plan, assess your current fitness level. If you're able to run 3 x 5km per week and that's adequate for you, you can start a 16-week half-marathon training plan.
However, if that's not the case, I suggest you set yourself the goal of completing your first 10km race beforehand. You can still register for the 21,1km race, but set yourself an intermediate goal of completing your first 10km.
3. Invest in good shoes
You don't need the full magazine runner's outfit. But shoes are non-negotiable, especially for a half-marathon, where you'll be racking up far more training kilometers than with a 10k plan.
Go to a specialist store and get advice. For more tips on choosing running shoes, see our article: How to choose your running shoes?
4. The long run is the heart of your preparation
In a 10km training plan, the three runs will often be roughly the same length. It's a little different for half-marathon training, as the long run will gradually get longer.
This is the run you gradually increase—from 10 km up to 18 or 19 km a few weeks before your race. This is what builds the endurance you need to complete the 21,1 km. This run will become the core of your training for your first half-marathon.
5. Don't run too fast
The biggest mistake people make when training for their first half-marathon is running all their runs too fast, especially their long run. If you run your long run at a high pace, you may experience muscle soreness and become too fatigued to continue your subsequent training sessions at the right intensity.
Normally, your long run should be done at a pace where you can talk, at least for the first hour. After the first hour, you maintain the same pace, but you might not feel like talking as much 😉
6. Plan at least 4 outings per week
For a half-marathon, four runs per week is the ideal pace for most people: two short runs during the week (30 to 45 minutes), one run during the week.' intervals or of »time " and the long weekend outing.
If you can go out even more often, that's even better, but this must be done without increasing your weekly training volume too quickly.
7. Increase the volume slowly — and don't be afraid of recovery weeks
To avoid injuries, you need to give your body time to adapt. If you manage to give it that time, it will gradually adapt and become stronger!
To allow the body time to adapt, recovery weeks are often used. This is a week during which the volume is slightly reduced to allow the body time to adjust.
Be careful though, because if the volume decreases, the intensity of the training must remain roughly the same in order to avoid losing adaptations. Your interval session should therefore remain fairly intense.
8. Nutrition is becoming more important, but keep it simple
For a 10km race, you don't have to worry too much about nutrition during the effort, because carbohydrate reserves will not be a limiting factor in your performance.
For a half-marathon, it's different: from about 90 minutes into the race, your glycogen stores can start to decrease enough to affect your performance.
So it's a good idea to practice eating and drinking during your run. You'll be able to see what works well and what doesn't. Obviously, snacks are convenient and tasty, but they're not the only way to get your carbohydrates.
Here are some simple food/drink ideas you can use:
- Dates
- Apple compotes for babies
- Gels made with maple syrup
- Rice balls
- Jujubes
- Granola bar
- Sports drink (brand name or company)
The faster you run, the more out of breath you'll get, and the more you should prioritize easily digestible foods like sports drinks or gels. If you run slower, you'll be able to eat slightly more complex foods, such as rice balls or granola bars.
You also need to test your hydration and find the formula that suits you best. Generally, the golden rule is to drink when you're thirsty.
And above all, the rule to follow: replicate what you did in training during your event. So if you drank a certain brand of sports drink, drink that same drink during your event.
9. Get someone to go with you
Ideally, if you can get support from a kinesiologist specializing in running, that's great! A kinesiologist is a healthcare professional specializing in training, so they're the best person to help you!
If that's not possible, you can ask someone in your circle to be your "mentor". This person will likely be able to guide you through your training and support you.
10. On race day, start slower than you intend.
You'll want to set off fast. The adrenaline, the crowd, the atmosphere—everything will push you to open the engine. You'll want to feel breathless so that "it works," right from the first few kilometers.
Resist.
People who struggle in the last few kilometers of a half-marathon have almost always made the same mistake: they started too fast in the first 5 kilometers. Start at a pace that feels too easy. Ideally, you should divide your half-marathon into 3 parts:
- The first 7 kilometers, at an "easy" controlled intensity;
- The next 7 kilometers were intense;
- For the last 7 kilometers, you give it everything you have left.
I repeat, don't wear anything new: no shoes, no clothes that you haven't tested in training. Eat what you normally eat before a long run.
When you cross that finish line — and you will cross it — you'll understand why people do this.
Looking for your first half-marathon to get started? Take a look at Tour of Lake BeauportThis is a race we've been organizing for several years. It's not the easiest course, but the autumn colours and the view of the lake make it worth it!
Excellent article! All the good advice is there, plus kindness and simplicity.
You've inspired me to get back into it!