Welcome to another month of Run It!
In case you missed it, here’s what we covered so far this year:
Winter Running Tips and Essentials
How to Stay Sane on the Treadmill
The Best and Worst Racing Advice for Runners
Essential Exercises for Common Running Injuries
Hydration Tips and Tricks for Runners
This month the topic is workouts for your best marathon whether it’s a half or a full. It’s fitting since we just kicked off fall racing season with the Berlin Marathon last weekend. It seems like there’s a half or full every weekend through the rest of the year.
Since I’ve run more half marathons than marathons, I’m going to focus on a half workout.
Here’s a fun workout that I’ve used in the past for half marathon training for myself and my athletes.
For any distance runner, there are 3 key ingredient workouts that should be done each week:
Long Run
A long run is the back bone of any distance runner’s training. Long is relative – it could be 8 miles or 30 miles depending on the distance your are training for. The purpose of a long run is to build endurance. With each week, your long run increases (unless there’s a cut back week) and hopefully, the distance becomes more manageable. Most long runs are done at an easy pace but advance runners may throw in goal paces or a fast finish.
Tempo
Tempo runs are meant to help the body flush out lactate that builds during hard exercise. Again, super useful for any distance you are training for. In doing tempo runs in training, your body gets used to running at faster paces for a longer period of time without building too much lactate. A tempo run is usually at a comfortably hard pace
Specific Workouts
To get better at running fast, you need to run fast. That’s the basics of specificity in running. For half or full marathon training, the last 4-8 weeks of training is the time to get your specific workouts in. Specific workouts are usually for the more advanced runner rather the beginner. In specific workouts you may be running at goal race pace for
Here are even more workouts for your best half or full marathon from a few of my running friends. Click on the picture to take you to their post. And don’t forget to Pin awayso you have a stash of valuable running info to reference whenever you need it.
Linking up with Coaches Cornerand Wild Workout Wednesday.
What are you training for right now?
Half or full marathon – which is your favorite?
So many great workouts here, per usual! I love this round up and this was such a fun one to do. Sometimes the best workouts are the ones that scare you when you first read them…and most of these scare me so they must be good
Thanks for the great workouts! I have never done 2 mile repeats but this is something I can look to adding to my next training cycle!
These workouts are so great!! Sometimes we need to switch things up to get away from the monotony that can be marathon training!
I do love these collections of workouts! I’m trying to build up my endurance for my upcoming fall halfs–that is my biggest challenge right now. Come on, body!
Never done a full, but my half is this weekend! So a little late for me. But I enjoyed the explanation of the specificity of workouts. I like to know those sorts of details!
Ooh, I can’t wait to try these out! (Especially the two mile repeats.) Thanks, Angela!
Those 2 mile repeats are my favorite! I love the 2 mile cut down workout you listed, and Allie’s looks brutal! In a good way, of course.
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Loving all these workouts – pinned so I can give them a try!
These are all great! Thanks for sharing
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted..Fall Family Activities I Am Looking Forward To
Awesome workouts! I’ll definitely be doing some of these during training.
I love how we both shared 2 mile repeats – they are such a great half marathon workout! I want to give yours a try the next time I’m training for a half!
I love all of these workout ideas! Although I’m not training for anything right now they would still be useful for helping me to maintain my pace and fitness levels. Thanks!
Running makes us perfect thanks for share useful workouts its very helpful for us this article gives us lot of motivation i really enjoyed it thanks for it.