Coventry Half Marathon Beginners Training Plan – Week 9

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How was your long run this week?
You should be feeling confident that you’ll soon be a half marathon runner. I struggled a little this week with blisters on both arches of my feet; I forgot to change into my running socks so it was my own fault.
Wearing the correct socks makes a massive difference to your comfort particularly on the longer runs.  http://www.buyxsocks.com do a fantastic range of beginners running socks.

As the race day gets closer I have had lots of people ask me how long it should take; there is no set time to aim for, you should just aim to get round the course and enjoy it on your first half marathon. Try not to put pressure on yourself and aim for a quick time or try to keep up with friends if you feel uncomfortable; run your own race.

Make sure you are staying hydrated on your long runs and drinking plenty of good quality water following your runs. Again, spend plenty of time stretching and performing Self Myofascial Release; allow time for relaxation following your runs.

Day 1
Recovery & Light Resistance Day
Light cross training RPE 4-5
Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 2
4 mile run – RPE 6-8
Hilly Route

Day 3
Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 4
6 mile run – RPE 6-8
Hilly Route

Day 5
Non-running Cardio Training and Resistance Day
30 minutes – RPE 5-7
Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 6
Total Rest Day

Day 7
11 mile run 
Miles 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 (5-6)
Miles 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 (7-9)
Really push hard on the even miles, the aim is to improve your overall pace and get your body used to running a different paces which is hard to avoid on race day, due to the amount of people on the course.

Darren
http://www.achievebootcamp.co.uk
http://www.achieve.me.uk

Week 8 – Coventry Half Marathon Beginners Training Plan

How was your long run?

You should be feeling more comfortable with the longer distances now, it was hot at the weekend did you remember to take extra water with you?

You’re nearly there now, stay strong and keep going. Try to remain positive, now is the time when self doubt is most common, your body will be fine; you’ve just got to get your head to believe it.

Again, spend plenty of time stretching and try to do the self massage, at least on your calf muscles and feet with a ball. Your home strength exercises are more challenging this week; if you are not sure on technique get a qualified fitness professional to show you.

Day 1
Recovery & Light Resistance Day
Light cross training RPE 4-5
Resistance Circuit x 2
Hands on Fitball Plank with Alternate Leg Hip Flexion
Step Forward and Back Lunges
Alternate Legs Heels on Fitball Single Leg Curls
Feet on Fitball Plank – if this is too easy, lift alternate feet of the ball
Burpees
Shoulders on Fitball Single Leg Bridges

Day 2
4 mile run
Include sprints in miles 1.5-3.5.
This could be simply be sprinting between 2 lampposts and jogging for 4 lampposts; or performing more specific sprints on a football pitch or tennis court. The aim is to really push your speed over short distances.

Day 3
Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 4
6 mile run – RPE 6-8
Hilly route; try to push a little harder than last week.

Day 5
Non-running Cardio Training and Resistance Day 30 minutes – RPE 5-7
Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 6
Total Rest Day

Day 7

10 mile run – RPE 6-8
Take it steady, aim for your race pace.

Darren 
http://www.achievebootcamp.co.uk
http://www.achieve.me.uk

Week 7 – Coventry Half Marathon Beginners Training Plan

How do you feel after your long run?  8 miles is good distance and you should be feeling comfortable-ish now on your shorter runs.  It’s not long now until you will be classed as a half marathon runner; that is something to be proud of.

Make sure you spend plenty of time stretching after your runs, as previously mentioned it is worth getting a good sports massage at least once per month when you are training for an event.  I will add some information later on in the week about self massage.  

You may also find that the muscles in your feet feel a little tight and tired; you can release these by rolling your foot on a tennis ball or golf ball, the latter being more intense.

This week, we’re increasing the distance of the long run a little.  We will also be using varying speeds on your runs to improve your times.

Day 1

Recovery & Light Resistance Day

Light cross training RPE 4-5

Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 2

3 mile run / walk

Mile 1 – RPE 6-7

Mile 2 – RPE 10

Mile 3 – RPE 6-7

Go all out for the middle mile, record the time of this mile; compare that to the mile from week 5, let me know how you got on.

Day 3

Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 4

6 mile run – RPE 5-9

1m (5-6)

1m (7-9)

x 3

Day 5

Non-running Cardio Training and Resistance Day

30 minutes – RPE 5-7

Resistance Circuit x 2

Day 6

Total Rest Day

Day 7

9 mile run – RPE 6-8

Just take it steady and focus on your running technique.

 

Darren

www.achieve.me.uk

www.achievebootcamp.co.uk

Week 6 – Coventry Half Marathon Beginners Training Plan

Only 7 weeks to go.  You should be feeling strong and confident that the Coventry Half Marathon is well within your capabilities.  How was your long run this week? 

Increasing your speed over set distances helps to strengthen your legs and improve your fitness and recovery.  You may find that your legs feel tired as a result of the increase in pace; ensure you have a good stretch, a hot bath can also help.

This week, we will be upping the mileage to 8 miles; at this stage 8 miles actually sounds harder than it is, you may have already covered the distance a couple of weeks ago if you felt good.  Your legs and body will be fine; set a playlist of your favourite tunes and relax into the run and you will cover the distance comfortably. 

Stick to 8 miles though; we are aiming to peak in 6 weeks time without any injuries and feeling good.  It is tempting at this distance to continue and push yourself that bit further, this can lead to little injuries and your body becoming fatigued.

We are changing some of the exercises in your home circuit this week to challenge your core muscles and add a little power.  If you are unsure of how to perform any of the exercises, check with a qualified fitness professional or email me at darren@achieve.me.uk.  Do each exercise for 1 minute and move straight on to the next, have a 2 minute rest and then complete the second circuit.

Day 1

Recovery & Light Resistance Day

Light cross training RPE 4-5

Resistance Circuit x 2

Hands on Fitball Plank / or with Alternate Leg Hip Extension

Step Forward Lunges – Alternate Legs

Heels on Fitball Leg Curls

Thighs on Fitball Plank – if this is to easy, move further away from the ball

Squat Jumps

Shoulders on Fitball Bridges

 

Day 2

4 mile run – RPE 6-9

Include sprints in mile 2-3.  This could simply be sprinting between 2 lampposts and jogging for 4 lampposts; or performing more specific goals on a football pitch or tennis court.  The aim is to really push your speed over short distances.

 

Day 3

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 4

6 mile run – RPE 5-7

Try for a hilly route.

 

Day 5

Non-running Cardio Training and Resistance Day

30 minutes – RPE 5-7

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 6

Total Rest Day

 

Day 7

8 mile run – RPE 6-8

Try to stick at the pace you ran for the 6-8 miles two weeks ago.  Remember to drink plenty of fluids on route and to up your fluid intake following the run.  I will post a recipe for my favourite recovery smoothie later in the week, home made is far better than shop bought.

Now that the evenings are becoming darker, try to run as part of a group and be aware of your surroundings.  Let somebody know your route and expected time home and check in with them on your return. 

If you run with music, have the volume at a level that you can still hear your surroundings, or only have one ear plugged in.  Wear bright colours or hi-vis clothing to ensure you can be seen by traffic; arm bands, LED’s and vests are the most cost effective methods.

 

Darren

http://www.achievebootcamp.co.uk

http://www.achieve.me.uk

Week 5 – Coventry Half Marathon Beginners Training Plan

How did your long run feel this weekend?  8 miles is an accomplishment, you should feel proud of yourself.  Make sure you are completing your stretches every day and spend extra time on them after your longer runs.  Later in the week I will post information about how to perform a form of sports massage on your legs that will help to re-energise them.  

This week we will keep the resistance circuit in the same way as last week, but I would like you to increase the intensity by pushing yourself harder.  I also want you to add an extra resistance circuit day to your programme. 

Next week we will be adding some equipment in to your strength sessions, you will need to get a fitball to use.  They are available in most supermarkets for around £5, however it is better to pay for a better quality one around £15-£20; the cheaper ones tend to lose their shape and burst more easily, meaning you have to replace them more frequently, ultimately costing you more. 

This week during your runs I want you to focus on increasing your pace; we will be adding fast mile intervals into your runs.  If you focus on only running at a steady pace you will struggle with any adversity on the course, adding varying pace and hills into your training will make the race day more comfortable.

 

Day 1

Recovery & Light Resistance Day

Light cross training RPE 4-5

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 2

3 mile run – RPE 6-8

Mile 1 – RPE 5-6
Mile 2 – RPE 7-8
Mile 3 – RPE 5-6

 

Day 3

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 4

6 mile run – RPE 5-7

Do a hilly route

 

Day 5

Non-running Cardio Training and Resistance Day

30 minutes – RPE 5-7

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 6

Total Rest Day

 

Day 7

6 mile run – RPE 5-9

1m (5-6)

1m (7-9)

x 3

Go for it on miles 2, 4 and 6.  Push hard and focus on a smooth rhythm and good technique.  Pump your elbows back to increase power.

 

Remember to ensure you take time to recover and relax following the harder runs, allow your body time to just chill.  Here’s a picture of my family chilling after a 6 miler (from left; Poppy, Daisy & Fran).

  

Hydration and Running Performance

Many of the people I assess as a lifestyle coach are dehydrated; particularly recreational exercisers.  Dehydration levels of only 5% can lead to a drop in physical performance of 30%, thus by only drinking more fluids you can increase your energy levels and perform better on your runs. 

The government guideline for drinking fluids is about 2 litres per day; however as with all guidelines this figure is generalized, as with calorie intake which is aimed at 65kg women and 75kg men.  We are all individuals and vary massively; from the colour of our eyes to how our bodies process food and fluids.  

A more accurate method of establishing how much fluid to drink is to take your body weight in kg’s and x by 0.033lts; for example, I’m 85kg, so 85 x 0.033 = 2.81lts of fluids per day.  This is the minimum and all fluids were not created equal; try to drink water with a total dry residue mineral content of greater than 300mg/L, Evian (309mg/L) and Vittel (403ml/g) fulfil this.  You can add a pinch of unprocessed sea salt to your water if it does not match this level; you should not be able to taste the salt.

The higher mineral content allows your body to absorb the water easier, thus helping to hydrate you.  As mentioned previously, try to consume about an extra litre per hour of exercise performed; adjust according to your sweat rate, some people sweat a lot more than others and will need to compensate for this fact.

You do not need sports drinks, they are packed full of chemicals and additives that the body does not need.  You can make your own by mixing 2/3rds water with 1/3^rd freshly squeezed juice of your choice and adding a pinch of unprocessed sea salt. 

When running for longer than 60 minutes it is important to take on fluids during your run, this may mean hiding a bottle on route or simply carrying it with you, fist bottles are good for this.  There are many accessories that make carrying fluids with you more convenient; for long runs I prefer to use a hydration back pack, but I have clients who prefer to use running specific bum bags.  It really is a case of seeing which method suits you best; the important thing is to make sure that you drink regularly along the route. 

Darren

http://www.achievebootcamp.co.uk