A beginners guide to running a half marathon, according to experts

Where do you start when it comes to becoming a runner? An avid half marathoner explains

Tuesday 14 May 2024 12:06

Everything you need to know about taking your first steps towards your first half marathon (The Independent/ Getty)

Question: What takes around two hours, more than 205 million search results on Google, and 8 million hashtags on Instagram? Answer: A half marathon.

Surveys among those who lace up and pound the pavements have found it’s their favourite distance too, with 39 per cent of runners loving 13.1 miles compared to just 12 per cent favouring its bigger, “double the distance” sibling the marathon.

In 2018 I ran my first ever half marathon in a race setting. It was the Royal Parks Half in London and I clocked a respectable 1.48.01 (which would have been 1.47 something, had my dad not decided to call me while I was on a sprint finish with 400m left). I’ve loved the distance ever since – and I say that as someone who has done eight marathons and five ultra-marathons of distances between 50 miles and 100km.

It turns out I’m not alone in enjoying the distance either, it’s exploded in popularity with over 500 half marathons in the UK annually and over 300,000 people signing up to do one in the UK every year.

Start slow

Whether it’s road, trail, mountains or fells, if you’re considering entering a half marathon, qualified England Athletics coach and half marathoner Heather Harris from Jogonrunning.com says starting slowly is the best way to love, rather than loathe, the distance. “I say to everybody to build up gradually. People don’t think of running as a sport because we learn to do it when we’re tiny but you wouldn’t go from never picking up a tennis racket to playing six sets, and running is just the same.”

While Heather’s running club based in Berkhamsted provides running classes as well as individualised plans, she says that the Couch to 5k app is a great starting point, in fact, more than 6 million runs are completed annually using the app. It does, however, “depend on how much time people have got,” she explains, as “you need 12 weeks really to build up if you’re going right from a beginner”.

Tailor your training plan

Searching for a “half marathon training plan” will bring up millions of results but Heather isn’t a huge fan of the generic plans as she says that needs and time pressures vary from runner to runner. “A lot of people get very hung up on training plans but we’re all so different. A 23-year-old with plenty of free time can train in a very different way from a full-time working 52-year-old with children. You have to look at what fits in with your life and be realistic,” she explains. “There’s no point getting a plan off the internet that says you’ve got to run four times a week if you simply can’t. That said, the ‘long run’ and increasing that distance by one mile a week is vital.”

In addition to the weekly long run, Harriet does concede that a few things need to be factored into any half-marathon training plan. “Interval sessions are what get the fitness levels up. They’re where you run faster for a shorter period, then rest to let your heart rate recover then go again and repeat,” Harriet says. “They’re short and sharp and they’re where you’ll increase your speed.”

There’s also the tempo run, where you run at a sustained effort where you’re a bit out of puff. “I always tell our runners that nothing beats Park Runs for a tempo run because it’s hard not to try and push yourself when you run with others,” Harriet explains. “Psychologically because you’ve got other runners to aim at, you don’t just jog, you inherently push it”.

Next is the long run that you need to increase by a mile a week – but Harriet says it’s vital not to push on too fast. “If you’re ill and miss a week don’t increase your long run by two miles after a week out, stick at what it would have been and don’t try to skip increases.” Strength training, which is weight or resistance training exercises like lifting weights and squats, is important too as these help with injury prevention and improve endurance and strength, both of which are needed for a half marathon. Finally warming up and down with plenty of stretching will help keep you supple and help avoid injury too.

Pace yourself

When I told friends I’d entered my first half back in 2017, their response was pretty uniform and consisted mostly of them all telling me they hated running, found it boring, couldn’t do it well and could never imagine running 13.1 miles. In the intervening years and with tens of thousands of miles under my belt I have the same standard answer to anyone who tells me they hate running – if you don’t enjoy it, you’re going too fast. And while my opinion is based on my own individual experience, Harriet agrees. “It’s important to go slowly and listen to your body when you run,” she says.

Get the right kit for the job

“People tend to just grab any trainers when they start and head out, but the right footwear is vital too,” Harriet explains. “Do your research, try plenty of pairs on and, while not everyone can afford to, you can get your gait analysed to see what type of runner you are and how your feet strike the ground every step. Invest in the best pair you can regardless of your budget.”

While where and what time you run will determine a lot of kit choices, there’s plenty of information here on the gear you’ll need to go from couch to Kipchoge.

Be a mindful runner

While the majority of the UK’s regular runners are on the exercise tracking app Strava, I’ve been known to spend periods off it so I can run intuitively. Any distance I do from a half marathon upwards I’ll spend a couple of miles metaphorically checking in with my whole body starting at my head or my feet and working down or up depending on my mood.

I find by focusing on each muscle group or joint individually I’ve become a more mindful runner – something Harriet says is vital too. “Running is as much psychological as it is physical. 13.1 miles isn’t easy to move yourself over, so that constant checking in and seeing how you’re doing is important and can make the miles tick by a bit too,” she says.

When to enter your first race

While my very first race was the London Marathon in 2018, I’ve found most runners – myself included – always have a point during a race they struggle with – for me that’s always three-quarters of the way through. I hate the 3.7km mark of a 5k, I loathe miles eight to ten of a half marathon and miles 18 to 20 on a marathon is usually where I seriously question all my life choices. But, despite each runner having a different tough spot, I cross the finish line, grab a cold beer and, more often than not, have a quick Google to see what else I can enter while I’m on a runner’s high.

Having got my very first race place when I was sat on the sofa a few months into training too, Harriet says once you start, there’s a sweet spot around five weeks in when you should enter your first race – as much to focus the mind as to give you something to get excited about. “Our half marathon courses are 10 weeks and I always suggest around mid-way through people think about entering a race,” she says. “Five weeks into a training plan is enough time for any niggles or issues physically to crop up, and having a start line on the horizon is a great motivator and focuser – as is the fact that races aren’t cheap these days.”

Approach each race with the right mindset

While I’ve done enough races to know the familiar nervous excited-ness of a start line, approaching them with the right mindset is key.

I see races as the victory lap; the hard work has been done and I’m there to enjoy it. The gruelling early starts, heading out in the rain, plodding on when you really don’t feel like it, that’s where the grind happens – race day is about soaking up the atmosphere, enjoying the crowd and having fun. And while Harriet is in utter agreement with my approach, she says seeing half marathons for what they are is vital too.

“You’re running to pick up your medal. But, whatever happens, it’s not the be-all and end-all. For example, last year during the Great North Run it was 27C in Newcastle. Everyone had trained in cold weather and suddenly it was hot. Nobody did PB that day, but you can’t beat yourself up – things happen on race day so just enter another one,” she explains. “Be proud that you’ve got to the start line. Also, it’s not the World Cup final – there are half-marathons every single weekend – you don’t have to wait four years if it doesn’t go particularly well. Be proud you’ve done it – it’s further than most people will ever run.”

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