To me, there is nothing like a run to clear my head and make me feel grateful for all the things/people in my life. We were recently asked for some pointers on running marathons and since I am almost 12 weeks away from my next half marathon, I wanted to share with you the program I have found invaluable for every marathon and half I have ever run. It is the Hal Higdon training schedule (www.halhigdon.com). At this site, they have programs for marathons, half marathons, beginners and advanced along with different tips.
Below is our top ten tips for running a half/full marathon and the training schedule I will be following…
1. Have an excellent and fresh playlist. I will be consulting our fitness expert (Stacey G) for mine and will share it with you once I have it all together.
2. Try out different sneakers before the run. Wear a pair on marathon day that is not brand new but only been used a few times. It should be a little broken in but have plenty of life left in it. My favorites are the Nike presto. They do not make them anymore, so currently I am trying out the ones in the picture above…they are Saucony fastwitch (not a fan of the name,but what are you going to do? 
)I chose them because they are very light and I like that feeling when running.
3. Wear a supportive bra…we like the ones from Red Daisy www.red-daisy.com.
4. When you start your training, you can walk 10 minutes then run one minute, then 9 to 1, then 8 to 1 and so on up until you are not walking at all. It is a tip I got when first running and it really helps with motivation and endurance when trying to get your miles up.
5. Layer, layer, layer on marathon day. Look for running clothes made out of technical fabrics (not cotton) that wick away your sweat, this will keep you dry and comfortable.
6. Pre-run eating. It is recommended that you try to eat a light meal/snack consisting of about 250-300 calories about an hour before your run. Eating immediately before running might make you crampy and running on an empty stomach may cause you to run out of energy.
7. Drink on your long runs training and every time there is a water stop at the marathon have some.
8. If you start to feel hungry/low enery during your long runs, carry “GOO” with you (the chocolate is my fave ). You can find it at any runners shop.
9. Two or three days before the marathon, do a “dress rehearsal”. Do a 2 or 3 mile training run in everyting you are planning to wear the day of your marathon. Including, socks, running bra, etc…,This will help you see if you have chosen the right apparel.
10. HAVE FUN….remember. you Chose to do this! xx
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stretch & strengthen | 3 m run | 2 m run or cross | 3 m run + strength | Rest | 30 min cross | 4 m run |
| 2 | Stretch & strengthen | 3 m run | 2 m run or cross | 3 m run + strength | Rest | 30 min cross | 4 m run |
| 3 | Stretch & strengthen | 3.5 m run | 2 m run or cross | 3.5 m run + strength | Rest | 40 min cross | 5 m run |
| 4 | Stretch & strengthen | 3.5 m run | 2 m run or cross | 3.5 m run + strength | Rest | 40 min cross | 5 m run |
| 5 | Stretch & strengthen | 4 m run | 2 m run or cross | 4 m run + strength | Rest | 40 min cross | 6 m run |
| 6 | Stretch & strengthen | 4 m run | 2 m run or cross | 4 m run + strength | Rest or easy run | Rest | 5-K Race |
| 7 | Stretch & strengthen | 4.5 m run | 3 m run or cross | 4.5 m run + strength | Rest | 50 min cross | 7 m run |
| 8 | Stretch & strengthen | 4.5 m run | 3 m run or cross | 4.4 m run + strength | Rest | 50 min cross | 8 m run |
| 9 | Stretch & strengthen | 5 m run | 3 m run or cross | 5 m run + strength | Rest or easy run | Rest | 10-K Race |
| 10 | Stretch & strengthen | 5 m run | 3 m run or cross | 5 m run + strength | Rest | 60 min cross | 9 m run |
| 11 | Stretch & strengthen | 5 m run | 3 m run or cross | 5 m run + strength | Rest | 60 min cross | 10 m run |
| 12 | Stretch & strengthen | 4 m run | 3 m run or cross | 2 m run | Rest | Rest | Half Marathont |
Good tips