Looking for a new challenge beyond walking in local 5- and 10-kilometer races

Half Marathons: Twice the Fun?

Looking for a new challenge beyond walking in local 5- and 10-kilometer races?

Or maybe you started out backwards and you’ve already walked a full marathon or two and now want to cut back and try your speed legs at a shorter distance event.

Rivaling the marathon in popularity these days, the half marathon offers all the excitement, comparable finisher’s medals, T-shirts and other "goodies," without requiring nearly as much training or post-event recovery time that a full marathon does.

Entering a half can also give you motivation to get out the door every day if your goals run towards weight loss or fitness rather than pure competitive drive.

The thing to remember about the half is that even though halves are often held concurrently with full marathons—many walker-friendly marathons like Disney, Mardi Gras, Mobile, and Sacramento have accompanying half-marathons on the same day—the half is a lot closer in distance to a 10K than it is to a full marathon.

Training, then, will be much more similar to 10K training than marathon training, except for the length of the long day, and to some extent the need for more speed work.

A veteran of several full marathons, Lauri Berger of Mesa, Arizona has switched her focus to the half.

Lauri says, "I just found that with so many other commitments in my life, training for a full marathon took too much time, and too heavy a toll physically.

"One of the best things about the half marathon is that I don’t feel I lose all my speed like I do when training for a marathon, so I still feel comfortable jumping into an occasional shorter race during my half marathon training."

Very few walkers (if any!) are doing it for the money and fame.

Enjoyment is our main motivator, and for some people walking 26.2 miles at a time just isn’t all that appealing.

Some of us, of course, love marathons, but if 26.2 miles seems a bit daunting, maybe the half marathon is the distance for you.

Depending on your experience level, training for a half does not have to be much more time-consuming or difficult than training for a 10K race.

A few modifications, like a slightly longer long day on the weekend and maybe a longer tempo or speed workout (thankfully, at a somewhat slower pace!) during the week, are probably all you will need to get yourself ready for a half-marathon if you’ve already been training for 5Ks and 10Ks.

Very new fitness walkers should consider training for these shorter races first, but plenty of "newbies" have become successful half-marathon walkers right from the start.

Each of the following beginner, 5K-10K racers, and marathon walkers schedules will get you ready to complete a half marathon in about 12 weeks.

Beginning Walkers’ Half-Marathon Schedule

Week	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
1	Off or easy cross-train	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	Off	Easy 30 minutes	4 miles easy
2	Off or easy cross-train	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	Off	Easy 30 minutes	5 miles easy
3	Off or easy cross-train	Easy 45 minutes	30 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	Off	Easy 30 minutes	6 miles easy
4	Off or easy cross-train	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	Off	Easy 30 minutes	6 miles "not so easy"
5	Off or easy cross-train	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 30 minutes	45 minutes "not so easy"	Off	Easy 30 minutes	8 miles easy
6	Off or easy cross-train	Easy 45 minutes	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	Off	Easy 30 minutes	8 miles "not so easy
7	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	45 minutes "not so easy"	Off	Easy 30 minutes	10 miles easy
8	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	45 minutes "not so easy"	Off	Easy 30 minutes	8 miles "not so easy"
9	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	45 minutes "not so easy"	Off	Easy 30 minutes	12 miles easy
10	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	45 minutes "not so easy"	Off	Easy 30 minutes	10 miles easy
11	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	30 minutes "not so easy"	Off	Easy 30 minutes	8 miles. Start easy, last 3 miles at race pace
12	Off	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 30 minutes	30 minutes acceleration down to ½ mar. pace.	Off	Easy 20 minutes	½ Marathon

Any walker who is currently able to walk approximately 30 minutes per day, 3-4 days per week, should be able to follow the beginners’ schedule, and will be able to complete a half-marathon in 12 weeks.
Most days should be walks at an easy "conversational" pace.
Cross-training days can be aerobic activities like swimming, biking or stair master/elliptical training equipment, or non-aerobic sessions like yoga or stretching classes.
"Not so easy" days should be at a very brisk pace that will approximate your half-marathon race pace.
An acceleration workout is one where you start at an easy, conversational pace, but build faster and faster throughout the workout.

Schedule for 5K-10K Racers Moving Up to the Half-Marathon

Week	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
1	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	6 miles easy
2	Off or easy cross-train	4-5 x 800 meters @ 10K race pace w/ 2:00 rests.	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45-60 minute acceleration, start easy, build to a fast finish.	Easy 30-45 minutes	7 miles easy
3	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	9 miles easy
4	Off or easy cross-train	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	6 miles "not so easy"
5	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45-60 minute acceleration, start easy, build to a fast finish.	Easy 30-45 minutes	11 miles easy
6	Off or easy cross-train	6 x 800 meters @ 10K race pace w/ 2:00 rests.	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	8 miles "not so easy or 10K race
7	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	13 miles easy
8	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	8 miles "not so easy" or 10K race
9	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	15 miles easy
10	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	10 miles acceleration.
11	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	6 x 800 meters @ 10K race pace w/ 2:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	8 miles. Start easy, last 3 miles at race pace.
12	Off	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 30 minutes	30 minutes acceleration down to ½ mar. pace	Off	Easy 20 minutes	½ Marathon

This schedule should be used by walkers who are currently racing 5K and 10K races who want to move up to the half-marathon.
A standard high-school track is 400 meters around in lane 1. Two laps = 800 meters. Four laps = 1600 meters. (1 mile = 1609.3 meters.)

Schedule for Marathon Walkers Moving Down to the Half-Marathon

Week	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
1	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	12 miles easy
2	Off or easy cross-train	4-5 x 800 meters @ 10K race pace w/ 2:00 rests.	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45-60 minute acceleration, start easy, build to a fast finish.	Easy 30-45 minutes	8 miles "not so easy"
3	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	15 miles easy
4	Off or easy cross-train	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	9 miles "not so easy"
5	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45-60 minute acceleration, start easy, build to a fast finish.	Easy 30-45 minutes	15 miles easy
6	Off or easy cross-train	6 x 800 meters @ 10K race pace w/ 2:00 rests.	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	10 miles "not so easy or 10K race
7	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	15 miles easy
8	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	10 miles "not so easy" or 10K race
9	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	45 minute "tempo" Should be hard, but not all-out.	Easy 30-45 minutes	15 miles easy
10	Off or easy cross-train	45 minutes "not so easy"	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	3 x 1 mile @ ½ marathon race pace w/ 3:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	10 miles acceleration.
11	Off or easy cross-train	Warm-up, then 8 x 400 meters @ 5K race pace w/ 2:00 rests	Easy 45 minutes	Easy 45 minutes	6 x 800 meters @ 10K race pace w/ 2:00 rests.	Easy 30-45 minutes	8 miles. Start easy, last 3 miles at race pace.
12	Off	Easy 30 minutes	Easy 30 minutes	30 minutes acceleration down to ½ mar. pace	Off	Easy 20 minutes	½ Marathon

The key for marathon walkers isn’t the distance, but increasing speed. Intervals and tempo walks will help to develop high-speed technique and cardiovascular fitness.
If you just can’t imagine only walking 45 minutes on the easy recovery days, these can be increased up to 60 – 90 minutes some days IF you’re feeling good. Don’t let the speed days suffer because you’re going too long on the recovery days though!

Dave McGovern is a member of the U.S. National Racewalking Team and the author of The Complete Guide to Racewalking and The Complete Guide to Marathon Walking. Visit his web site at www.racewalking.org.

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