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After purchase, your plan will be available in your own private online training log account. You'll enjoy these benefits and more:

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Workout #1 : Day Off

Planned Time: 0:00:00
Welcome to my premium Novice 1 training program for the Half Marathon. The countdown begins. There are 12 weeks between now and your planned half marathon. In this Novice 1 program, Monday is always a day of rest, but I recommend that you consider using this day to do some stretching and strength training. If you want to make Monday a day of complete rest (not entirely a bad idea), you can stretch and strengthen after Tuesday's run. The main purpose of this rest day is to help your body recuperate from weekend workouts, which will increase in difficulty as our 12-week countdown continues.

Workout #2 : Other

Planned Time: 0:00:00
One advantage of a half marathon over a full marathon is that you won't need to spend as much time on course. Most reasonably fit individuals should be able to run 13.1 miles in around two to three hours. Doing so is fun.

Workout #3 : Other

Planned Time: 0:00:00
As the program continues, the length of these Tuesday runs will increase from 3 to 5 miles. Please note that I have posted the duration of your workout to assume that you run at a 10:00 mile pace, thus you would run 3 miles in 30:00.

Workout #4 : Run

Planned Time: 0:30:00
Three miles at a comfortable pace. If you are a complete novice, these might even be your first running steps! Whether a total beginner or an experienced hand, run at a pace easy enough so that you can hold a conversation with a friend. You simply want to cover the distance, not cover it fast. And if you chose not to do your stretching and strengthening yesterday, do it today. It always works best to do these exercises after your run, rather than before. That's because your muscles will be looser after they're warmed up. Also, too heavy lifting before can actually tighten your muscles and make running more difficult.

Workout #5 : Run

Planned Time: 0:20:00
Today is an option day. Run or cross-train. You will have this option every Wednesday for the 12 weeks of this training program. If you choose to run, go for 2 miles. If you decide to cross-train, I would recommend cycling or swimming or walking, maybe even coupled with some light jogging if you're up to it. A half hour or so should do.

Workout #6 : Other

Planned Time: 0:00:00
Before starting to train for an event 13 miles long, assess your fitness level. Realistically: can you do it? My Half Marathon Program assumes you currently have the ability to run three to four times a week with long run distances going from 3 to 10 miles. If that seems difficult, consider going a shorter distance--or take more time to develop an endurance base. And if you are over age 35, you probably should see your doctor for a physical examination.

Workout #7 : Other

Planned Time: 0:00:00
When I suggest that you run at a pace where you can comfortably converse with a friend, I'm not certain I want to include using a cellular phone.

Workout #8 : Run

Planned Time: 0:30:00
Run 3 miles at the same comfortable pace you ran on Tuesday. Speed doesn't matter; distance does. You will burn approximately 300 calories covering 3 miles. Over a period of 12 weeks--if you kept the distance the same--you would burn 3,600 calories on Thursdays. Theoretically, this would allow you to lose one pound of weight from your Thursday workouts alone. After your run, do some stretching and strength training, similar to what I suggested for Monday or Tuesday. As the countdown to your half marathon race continues, I'll ask you to increase your Thursday commitment gradually from 3 to 5 miles.

Workout #9 : Day Off

Planned Time: 0:00:00
A day of rest to get ready for the weekend. Friday will almost always be a rest day on the Novice 1 schedule, along with Monday. You'll appreciate these days of rest even more as the mileage builds toward the end of the program.