- Gradually increase the distance, reducing the intensity and lengthening the training sessions to get the body used to using fat as an energy source.
- Structure your training by alternating easy runs, sessions with pace changes, and a long run at the end of the week to improve endurance and effort management.
- Strengthen the body but don’t forget to work on mental preparation for the race as well.
If you run regularly 2 to 3 times a week and have no difficulty completing 10km within the hour then it may be time to raise the bar a bit and aim higher. Or perhaps it would be better to say farther. The 21km goal is not that far away. You’ll need the right approach, physical and mental, accompanied by good organization and an equally good strategy.
Change your training stimuli
To go from 10 to 21 km, you will have to train your body to be more resilient through training and using the fuel you have available. If up to now you have used the energy that has come from sugar consumption, from now on it will be important to get your body used to drawing on other energy sources as well: in this case, fats. To do this you will have to reduce the intensity of the sessions, which will become longer, however.
Typical week to go from 10km to 21km
An example of how to set up your training week might be:
- Monday: rest day or dedicated to low-impact training.
- Wednesday (or Tuesday if you have rested on Monday): 10/12km at an easy pace that allows you to chat smoothly.
- Friday (or Thursday if you ran Tuesday): quality training with variations in pace, e.g. run 10km alternating between 5 minutes at a brisk pace and 5 minutes of easy running, always preceded by a warm-up and a cool-down phase.
- Sunday: long run, which can range from 15 to 18 km depending on the stage of preparation. This is a key workout to improve and increase endurance. Don’t overdo the pace, keep a leisurely pace because always remember that you are working to teach your body something new.
Don’t neglect strength training
In order to succeed in increasing mileage you must be able to rely on a strong structure. This is why it is important to spend time strengthening your muscles: just as your skeleton allows you to maintain an upright posture, similarly your muscles will support it when you start to struggle, helping you maintain a steady pace from start to finish. You can work on strength by performing ad hoc exercises or with uphill strides/intervals. Focus on these types of workouts in the middle phase of preparation and then go lower under race.
… not even the mental one!
Preparing for a half marathon is a journey that involves training the body but also training the mind. During this journey learn to listen to your body and pay attention to every little progress you are able to achieve. Be happy for every little milestone you achieve that will always bring you a little closer to your ultimate goal. And of course enjoy the journey, from the first to the last mile!