5 Tips To Help You Prepare For Your First Half Marathon

A half marathon is one of the most popular long-distance runs. This is because it offers the perfect step up from distances like 5ks and 10ks and can be perfect for things like charity fundraising and ticking of personal goals. In the UK alone, over 500,000 people complete a half marathon each year. While the distance is very popular, it’s still a big challenge to take on, especially when it’s your first time.

If you have come across this post, then the likelihood is that you are a half marathon first-timer who is considering braving the distance and signing up to an event. If so, then you have come to the perfect place. Here at realbuzz, we have helped countless runners take part in their very first half-marathon race and have therefore put together this guide on exactly how to prepare for your first 13.1-mile distance.

Tip 1: Understand the challenge ahead of you & be prepared

When taking on a personal challenge such as long-distance runs, it is incredibly important to fully understand what exactly you are getting yourself into. Too many people do not give these running distances the respect they deserve risking burn out, injury or the motivation to get to the start line.

In order to fully understand the challenge that you are taking on, you must understand what exactly a half marathon is, how long it is, how long it takes to train, and other important information. Once you have a complete understanding, you can then make a final decision on whether or not it is a challenge that you want to take on.

How long is a half marathon exactly?

A half marathon is 13.1 miles, 21.09 kilometres, or 21,097 metres long. So in other words, it is a very long way. Because of this, it is important that you take on this challenge ready to train harder than you have ever had to before.

How long does it take to run a half marathon?

The simple answer is that there is no specific time that you should run a half marathon. Every runner has a different ability and a different goal or time in mind. Running your first half should never be about time, it should just simply be about completing the challenge and the distance that you have set yourself.

The length of time that a half marathon takes changes drastically depending on the level of the runner. For example, the men’s half marathon world record is 57 minutes and 30 seconds held by Ethiopian elite runner Yomif Kejelcha. However, the average half marathon time in the UK for men is 2 hours 2 minutes 47 seconds and for women is 2 hours 11 minutes 57 seconds.

It’s important to bear in mind that some races do have time cut-offs due to road closures etc, but these are usually long enough to allow for different paces and finish times. Race organisers will typically ask for your estimated finish time when you complete the registration process. 

What equipment do I need for a half marathon?

Running is such an incredible sport for the reason that it does not need a huge amount of expensive and fancy equipment. All you need is a pair of running shoes and the road. However, when you start to run longer distances and with more volume, it is advised to invest in a quality pair of running shoes which will provide you with the most amount of support and comfort, helping to prevent any unwanted injuries that could significantly halt your training.

Every individual has a different running style, and therefore different running shoes will best suit their foot and running form. In order to get the best running shoes for you, we advise that you go to your local running shoe store and get a gait analysis. A gait analysis is designed to identify any biomechanical issues with a runner’s technique. Off the back of this, the team at the store will provide you with a list of running shoes that will best suit your form.

Tip 2: Find your motivation

One of the most important tips that we can give to make sure that you are preparing properly for your half marathon is to find your motivation. When embarking on a training schedule that sees 7+ weeks of training and multiple training runs a week, burnout can happen. Therefore, it’s vital to make sure that you have the motivation needed to keep yourself engaged.

Run for a charity 

One of the best ways to keep yourself motivated during the long training is to run for something more than your own goals. Having an external motivation such as running for a charitable cause close to your heart will give your run an extra purpose. This purpose will help to give you the extra drive needed to stick with your training sessions and make it to the finish line on race day.

You can pair up amazing causes with realbuzz - we provide guaranteed entry to some of the world’s biggest half marathon running events through charity places. We help runners make their miles mean for charitable causes close to their hearts. Explore the charity partners we work with today, and make every mile of the 13.1 mean more.

Explore Our Charity Partners 

Book an event 

Another way of adding extra motivation during your half marathon training is to have an event booked and a concrete date in mind. This allows you to know exactly what you are working towards by having an exact date, time, and location booked. Once your event is booked, you then know exactly how many months, weeks, and days you have to train for the event and ensure that your fitness level is where it needs to be. 

Explore The Events We Work With 

Run with a friend 

Runners can typically find motivation hard as it can often be a lonely sport. However, if you can find a friend who is willing to take on the challenge with you, it can make the training and race day so much easier. Having someone else going through the same training process as you can also help you keep each other accountable and make it that little bit easier to get out the door and complete your training runs on the days when you are struggling to get motivated.

Tip 3: Have a structured half marathon training plan 

Training for a half marathon takes discipline, especially when it is your first time. Knowing what runs to run on what day, and how long your runs should be can be very confusing. That is why having a structured half marathon training plan from a recognised platform can help to ensure that you are following a plan that is specific to your level and your lifestyle.

We are proud to partner with one of the industry’s leading running coach apps, Runna. Runna is personalised to your goals and can programme plans based on your event date. All of the training plans that they provide are also built by world-class running coaches and tailored to your lifestyle, and skill level.

How many times a week should I be running? 

There is no set rule for the number of training days that should be completed a week. After all, some people have incredibly busy lives where they struggle to fit in 4+ runs a week. However, in order to get yourself in the shape needed to complete your half marathon you should be running at least 3 times a week.

In order to get the most out of your runs you should be varying the types of runs throughout the week. The most common runs that should be making up your weekly mileage are:

Tempo Runs - A tempo run is a run where you will maintain a hard yet comfortable pace for a sustained period. These types of runs are perfect for helping you run at higher speeds for longer.

Long Runs - A longer run is an extremely effective way of increasing an individual’s aerobic fitness and getting the body used to running longer distances.

Easy Runs - Also known as recovery runs, an easy run helps the body to recover from the harder runs that you complete throughout the week. These runs will make up a significant portion of your training plan.

Interval Runs - An interval run combines shorter more intense speeds or race paces, with slower and more controlled which allow time for recovery. These runs are amazing for helping to increase speed and endurance.

How to avoid injuries & burning out 

There are a number of different ways in which you can avoid injury and burnout during challenging training blocks. The best ways are:

Cross Training - Adding strength training into your regime will help to ensure that your muscles have the strength that they need to handle the volume of running. This will help avoid any unnecessary muscle strains.

Warming Up - The most effective way of avoiding unwanted injuries is, of course, warming up. If you warm up before every training run then you are increasing the muscle elasticity and blood flow to your muscles which in turn helps to avoid injuries.

Running Form - Ensuring that you are running with proper form is essential when trying to avoid the risk of injuries. This is because poor running form can lead to different parts of your legs taking additional strain and therefore causing injuries.

Tip 4: Ensure you take your nutrition seriously 

When it comes to training for different running distances, one of the main things that too many people neglect is nutrition. Nutrition is incredibly important, especially when amping up the amount of exercise you are doing as you get closer and closer to the run. Ensuring that your body is properly fueled will not only help to make your workouts easier but also help your body recover quicker.

The importance of nutrition during training 

Making sure that you are properly fueling yourself before your training workouts is incredibly important. In order to most effectively fuel up, you should intake healthy carbohydrates and hydration around two hours before your run. This two-hour period gives your body ample time to break down the food and to start using the carbohydrates as energy.

It is also incredibly important to properly fuel yourself with protein-rich foods post-run. By taking on 20g+ of protein after a run, you are providing your body with all of the nutrients needed to speed up the process of muscle recovery. In addition to this, ensuring that your body is always sufficiently hydrated before, during, and after runs will help your body perform at its very best.

The importance of half marathon race day nutrition 

Taking on nutrition during the race is essential for making sure that half marathon runners are able to perform at their very best when it matters. This is because the body needs to take on around 30-60 grams of carbs an hour to maintain high performance. Therefore taking on easy-to-consume nutrition such as energy gels, sweets, electrolytes or isotonic drinks is vital.

The best way to integrate taking on nutrition during runs is to add it into your longer training runs. This will allow you to better understand how your body reacts to taking on different forms of nutrition.

Take a look at the best running snacks for half marathons.

Tip 5: Believe in yourself

Last but certainly not least, have belief in yourself. The chances are, if you do not fully believe that you are able to run a half marathon, then you won’t. Running is 90 per cent mental and only 10 per cent physical. So if you tell yourself that you have what it takes to complete your training schedule and run 13.1 miles, you will.

Ready to run? Find your next event here.