Here's How You Can Run Only 3 Times In A Week And Train Yourself For A Half Marathon

Jan 02, 2019 by apost team

Every person that decides they will run a half-marathon tells themselves they will stick to a strict training protocol. They tell themselves they will cross-train two times a week, adhere to the perfect diet for a runner, and make sure to schedule workouts to provide adequate recovery time. However, many times life gets in the way.

Most training programs for half-marathons require four to six days of running each week. For a person with the demands of job, family, and social life maintaining such a program is highly unlikely.

Researchers Scott Murr and Bill Pierce developed a 16-week program that involves running only three days a week. When experienced marathoners followed the three days a week program, they improved their best times by nearly twenty minutes on average. Pierce is one person who believes these benefits can easily transfer to the half-marathon.

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Half-marathoners report running between 100 and 140 miles each week when training for a half-marathon. Some experts believe running a little less might be more beneficial. Runners will also not be as stressed when their training schedules do not clash with other responsibilities. When you are less fatigued your body will possess more of the tools necessary to facilitate muscle growth and weight loss.

Restricting your running to only three days a week will also decrease the chances you incur an injury while training. There will be less strain and fatigue on muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Accumulated fatigue on these parts of the body is often the reason runners suffer injuries.

Roberto Mandje is a one-time Olympic runner who now coaches runners. Mandje's advice is to find what works best for your body. He explains that while running is universal, every human body is different. Mandje says you can get suggestions from other runners and training programs, however, you will have to customize your program just for you to optimize results. His final point is running three days a week might be great for some half-marathoners and not so good for others.

Training for a half-marathon involves much more than adding miles to a log sheet. When running only three days a week, you should be extra strategic regarding the miles you run.

You will first need to determine your ideal half-marathon pace to get maximum benefits from your training. One way to determine this pace is to add 35 seconds to the 5K pace that is normal for you. A second method is to add 20 seconds to your normal 10K pace. You can also deduct 20 seconds from the pace you use when running a full marathon. If you do not know the pace you use for either of these distances, you should run 3.1 miles at the highest pace possible and start your calculations with this result.

Your three-day running plan will include an easy run, a run to set the threshold, and a long run. There should be one day of rest in between each day of running. Each run is used to produce a separate result. It is important to understand that gains are experienced during recovery so adequate time should always be given for your body to rest and heal.

The easy run should be done at a slow and easy pace. It is a recovery run that should take place at the start of the week. The pace should be mild enough that you could hold a normal conversation while running if you desired. The purpose of the easy run is to add strength to the legs without putting too much strain on the body.

These runs are intended to push past what is a normal comfort zone for you. Your body will produce acids that cause muscles to burn during high-intensity exercise. The tendency is to slow down efforts once this burn is felt. However, maintaining the same level of exertion through the burn will train your body to fatigue less.

Both tempo and speed runs should be used for threshold runs.

Speed runs involve bursts of speed that condition your body to run with greater efficiency. You should warm up with a 20-minute jog before performing a series of sprints from 400 to 1600 meters. Following the sprints, a 10-minute cooldown jog should be performed.

The tempo run should also begin with a warm-up jog. You should run at a speed that tops your desired pace for the half-marathon. This speed should be maintained for a number of miles before slowing to a cooldown jog. The tempo run helps a runner increase their pace while also working to extend the runner's comfort zone. These runs are not intended to be comfortable. You should feel a reasonable amount of discomfort once finished with this run.

The long run builds both confidence and strength. The number of miles ran is not as important as maintaining a steady rate of cardio output. It is important to understand that without the long run to boost endurance you would likely become worn down from the speed and tempo runs.

Quality is more important than quantity with all these runs. For this reason, you should focus on the effort you put into each mile more than you focus on the number of miles.

Running three days a week does not prohibit you from taking part in other forms of exercise. Swimming, cycling, and rowing are excellent exercises to improve cardio without the wear and tear of running.

A day of strength training will also help fortify the joints and muscles needed to complete the half-marathon. An ideal program would include two days of strength training with a focus on upper and lower body power gains.

What do you think about the half-marathon training program explained above? Have you thought about running to improve your health? Send this article to your friends and family. It just may inspire them to get more active for the new year.