Half Marathon Program

Week 8 | Half Day 56

RACE DAY – 13.1

RACE DAY – 13.1

Race day! Arrive early to the race 30-60 minutes at least to park, take that potty break, and to warm up (because you ARE going to warmup before your race…right?). Plan for even MORE time if you are racing a bigger race and always consult your race packet for last minute logistics.

Remember you play how you practice!

So your pre-race meal, hydration, and warmups shouldn’t differ much from what you do (or should be doing) on your long runs.

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Workout

  • Warmup

    5-10 minutes of easy breath focused running

  • Get Moving:

    One round: 10-20 leg swings, lunges, hip circles, and inchworm pushups.

  • Run

    13.1 Miles! Treat today like the celebration it really is for all your hard work these past 8 weeks. Enjoy the course, cheer on your fellow runners, say thank you at the aid stations, and smile BIG when your cross that finish line.

    Racing to finish: If this is your first half or you are not particulary time focused, plan on running within yourself, taking in nutrition and fluid at aid stations as needed, and stopping to hug any of your spectators too!

    Racing for time: Don’t start out too fast. A good half requires really good patience and pacing. Resist the urge to leg the legs fly those first 3 miles and stick to your target splits as much as possible. Take in food and fluid as needed, but don’t plan on any rest-room breaks, unless you’ve factored that into your race time. Finally, prepare to push HARD and suffer a little bit on those final few miles, especially if you’re going for that PR personal record time!

  • Fun Run & Cross Training Day

    Guys remember, sometimes the time we spend not running can actually get us closer to our goal? Why we want to protect and improve our overall athleticism even as we do deeper dives into the endurance realm.

    If you’re a newer runner, this is a great way to add some fitness while your body slowly adapts to its ability to handle higher mileage. For you on the advanced side, today is an insurance policy against future injury as you push your body’s limits each week.

    For both it provides the key mental break and stimulus while still allowing you to feel fit and to get outdoors.
    This IS an opportunity to get an extra run in for those who want to add a fourth run into the program. Regardless of what you do, we encourage you to keep the spirit of today, enjoy yourself, and play the day’s training a little bit by ear.

  • Trail Run

    Plan for 25-65+ minute, preferably on trails! The softer surface and varied terrain is an excellent way to get extra mileage in.

Videos

  • If not racing

  • Congratulations & Next Steps!

    Congratulations on finishing the half marathon program! Whether you raced this weekend or not, you certainly deserve a break and a little unstructured training time. Especially if you did race, mobility work this week will be really important as well as some low impact light workouts to flush the legs and facilitate recovery.

    Think about performing a full body scan the next few days as the legs WILL be more tight and more sore than you’d otherwise think. That way once mentally and physically recharged you can jump into your next training program when ready.