Run-Walk Half Marathon Training Plan Week 8
Week at-a-Glance
| Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 8 Jul 8 |
Jul 8 Run-Walk 42 mins |
Jul 9 Cross-Training 40 mins |
Jul 10 Run-Walk 48 mins |
Jul 11 Rest Day |
Jul 12 Cross-Training 40 mins |
Jul 13 Run-Walk Endurance 8 miles |
Jul 14 Rest Day |
Daily Breakdown
Monday - Run-Walk42 mins @ 65-70% heart rate max
Warm up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Alternate running for 4 minutes with brisk walking for 2 minutes 7 times for a total of 42 minutes. Finish with walking 5 minutes to cool down.
Reviewing the course ahead of time not only helps ease the nervousness, but it can also help mentally visualize and rehearse for race day. Download a copy of the race course and start thinking your way through!
Tuesday - Cross-Training
40 mins @ 60-70% heart rate max
Cross-train with lower impact activities like cycling, swimming, yoga, pilates, cardio classes at an easy effort level for 30-40 minutes.
There are many useful tools for long distance athletes. Some help you pace accurately and others prevent chafing. Nutritionally speaking, gels and other fuel-on-go products can enhance your performance by maintaining consistent blood sugar levels and preventing brain fog and hitting the wall due to glycogen depletion in the later miles. Remember, these are meant to be condiments not entree's when fueling on the course. Take it in the late stages of the longer workouts and races when your glycogen levels are running low and wash it down with water.
Wednesday - Run-Walk
48 mins @ 65-70% heart rate max
Warm up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Alternate running for 4 minutes with brisk walking for 2 minutes 8 times for a total of 48 minutes. Finish with walking 5 minutes to cool down.
Getting tired of training by yourself on the long training sessions? Are you answering all your own questions - out loud? It may be time to train with a buddy or with a group of people. The time flies by quickly and it is a great way to get in a little social time too!
Thursday - Rest Day
Rest from activity today and enjoy the day!
Taper Madness usually hits us as we begin to decline the training mileage 2-3 weeks before the race. It is a condition induced by less training, increased race nerves and more time on our hands. It may come to you in a nightmare about the race. You may question your sanity and if you've trained well enough. You may experience taper madness in the Expo and find yourself buying a funky pair of tights you just have to have! When taper madness strikes, take a deep breath, stay calm, and have faith in your preparation. You are well trained and adding anything to the schedule will only take away from your performance on race day! The more rested you are, the stronger your race performance will be. As counter-intuitive as this may sound, it really works! So, take the time to rest, eat well and spend a little more time with the folks in your life you've ignored due to training. Consider this the official "chill" time of your training.
Friday - Cross-Training
40 mins @ 60-70% heart rate max
Cross-train at the intensity at an easy to moderate level for 30-40 minutes.
Cycling, swimming, pilates/yoga, strength training, elliptical trainer, Stairmaster, spinning are great cross training modes for your training.
Training in the cold? Remember to dress in layers and for temperatures that are 15-20 degrees warmer than the current temperature to avoid over-dressing. You want to feel chilled when you walk out the door.
Saturday - Run-Walk Endurance
8 miles @ 70-75% heart rate max
Warm up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Alternate running for 4 minutes with brisk walking for 2 minutes for a total of 8 miles. Keep your running effort at a comfortable, conversational pace. Finish with walking 5 minutes to cool down.
Racing is 10% physical and 90% mental. Think your way through training and in the race. Break the distance into smaller, more digestible pieces. It is much easier to mentally wrap yourself around running or walking several shorter distances than it is to think about digesting the entire distance from the start. Break it up by location on the map, or by distance, either way it will give you a mental edge and will propel your mental game.
Sunday - Rest Day
Rest from activity today and enjoy the day!
Disclaimer
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