Running/Hiking
So you want to train for a spring or fall 5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon, eh? First things first, congrats on taking the leap and signing up for a race! Whether it’s your first half marathon or 15th 10K, having a plan that gets you to toe the line and cross the finish feeling strong, efficient, and prepared is the preferred way to go. So, how do you start training? How long does it take to prepare? And, how often should you be training? Let’s get into it.
Want to take the guesswork out of your 5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon training? Work with Kathletics 1:1 or join one of our hybrid training programs, Kathletics Trail or Sustainably Fit, to gain access to our 5K-Marathon distance programs and other cardio plans.
The 5K distance is the most popular racing distance in the United States. From Turkey Trots to competitive 5Ks, it can be a fun distance to train for for all fitness levels. On the other hand, only 1% of the world population has competed in a marathon. Are you in the 1%? Regardless of goal distance, training for a race can be an engaging way to prioritize your health, gain a sense of community, and see what your body can do.
When deciding what distance to sign up for, you will want to consider the following:
1. Goals.
Is there a specific distance, race, or event you’ve always wanted to participate in? What are your goals surrounding the race? A few ideas could be: finish the race, feel good throughout the race, PR or beat your last x distance time, feel prepared for the race, or enjoy the race with friends and/or family. When choosing your goal, make sure it is attainable based on your training availability leading up to the race, running experience, and fitness abilities.
2. Experience.
What is your experience with running? Is this your first ever race? Is this your first race at this specific distance? Are you a new or seasoned runner? Whether this is your first race or race number 85, you want to make sure you meet yourself where you are at in the fitness process. Increasing volume too quickly or not doing enough volume leading up to support your race goals can be tricky. Consider working with a coach to ensure you’re being met where you’re at in your cardio fitness.
3. Training availability.
Based on your goals and experience, does that race seem feasible based on your training availability? If you anticipate having a hard time getting training done due to work, family life, social life, or other stressors, it might be smarter to either bump down to a shorter distance or sign up for a different race date. In my opinion, it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. The more fitness you have under your belt, the easier of a time you will have on race day. This doesn’t mean you need to run 26.2 miles before your marathon (in fact, one of the only times this might happen under my coaching programs would be if the marathon was a check-in race for an ultra marathon distance coming up), but it does mean that you’ve hopefully built up enough volume and resilience so you feel ready to rock on race day.
Referring back to race consideration #2, your experience with running will have a large impact on how much time you need to prepare for your race. If you are new to running, I would suggest giving yourself 6+ months to build an aerobic base before diving into a specific race program. This may seem like a long time to someone who may be new to the sport, but it’s important to recognize that just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. Just because you can run a half marathon in 6 weeks, doesn’t mean you will feel good doing it or come out the otherside uninjured. Let’s train smarter.
If you have already built your aerobic base and you are consistently running week after week, you may be able to complete a race training program in 8-16 weeks depending on the distance and goals surrounding the race.
Similar to the question of, “how long does it take to prepare?”, it depends. It depends on your goals, your abilities, your prior fitness experience, and your training availability. When you commit to a race, I suggest giving yourself ample time to recover in between sessions, as well as prioritize strength training throughout your training cycle. Check out my blog Strength Training for Runners At Home to learn more.
With the assumption that you are completing 1-3 strength sessions per week and giving yourself 1-2 rest days per week, I would recommend running 2-6 days per week depending on your goals, experience, and availability. Below is a breakdown of a suggested training schedule to work up to for each distance at both beginner and intermediate levels.
Note: Although I have provided a rough outline of what your training frequency could look like, it’s important to meet yourself where you are at in your fitness, as well as adapt your training over time to get you prepared for race day. For example, if you haven’t taken the time to develop your aerobic base before beginning your training for a half marathon, you will need to build up your mileage and your volume before hopping into a 4-run per week program.
BEGINNER 5K
Monday: Strength
Tuesday: Intervals
Wednesday: Strength
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For a beginner 5K race, I recommend working up to 3-4 days of running per week with +/- 2 strength sessions per week, and 2 rest days per week.
INTERMEDIATE 5K
Monday: Strength + Cross Training
Tuesday: Intervals
Wednesday: Strength
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For an intermediate 5K race, I recommend working up to 3-5 days of running per week with 2-3 strength sessions per week, and 1-2 rest days per week. You will notice how a day of cross training is added into the mix to keep things fresh and provide another modality of cardiovascular training.
BEGINNER 10K
Monday: Strength + Cross Training
Tuesday: Intervals
Wednesday: Strength
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For a beginner 10K race, I recommend working up to 3-5 days of running per week with 1-2 strength sessions per week, and 2 rest days per week. A day of cross training is added for variety.
INTERMEDIATE 10K
Monday: Strength + Easy Run
Tuesday: Intervals
Wednesday: Strength + Cross Training
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For an intermediate 10K race, I recommend working up to 4-5 days of running per week with 1-3 strength sessions per week, and 1-2 rest days per week. A day of cross training is added into the mix to offer another modality of cardiovascular training.
BEGINNER HALF MARATHON
Monday: Strength + Easy Run
Tuesday: Intervals
Wednesday: Strength + Cross Training
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For a beginner half marathon race, I recommend working up to 4-5 days of running per week with 1-2 strength sessions per week, a day of cross training, and 1-2 rest days per week.
INTERMEDIATE HALF MARATHON
Monday: Strength + Easy Run
Tuesday: Intervals or Tempo or Speed
Wednesday: Strength + Cross Training
Thursday: Easy Run
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For an intermediate half marathon race, I recommend working up to 4-6 days of running per week with 1-3 strength sessions per week, a day of cross training, and 1-2 rest days per week.
BEGINNER MARATHON
Monday: Easy Run
Tuesday: Strength + Intervals
Wednesday: Cross Training
Thursday: Strength + Easy Run
Friday: Easy Run
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For a beginner marathon race, I recommend working up to 4-6 days of running per week with 1-2 strength sessions per week, a day of cross training, and 1-2 rest days per week.
INTERMEDIATE MARATHON
Monday: Easy Run
Tuesday: Strength + Intervals or Speed
Wednesday: Cross Training
Thursday: Strength + Tempo
Friday: Easy Run
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Rest
For an intermediate marathon race, I recommend working up to 4-6 days of running per week with 1-3 strength sessions per week, a day of cross training, and 1-2 rest days per week.
Within each of the outlined schedules above, you’ll notice mileage and time on feet are not identified because you will want to meet yourself where you are at, build up to these hybrid training schedules, and also adapt the outline based on how your running volume increases and resistance volume decreases. For example, you may start with 3 runs per week and work up to 5, or you may start with 3 strength sessions per week and work down to 1-2.
You’ll also want to account for the taper at the end of your race training cycle to ensure you are recovered before race day. To learn more about how to taper for your race, watch my YouTube video.
Preparing for a race is more than just getting time on your feet or hitting a mileage goal. Being prepared also includes fueling, hydrating, managing injuries (prior and/or current), recovering, and adapting to the climate.
Fueling and hydrating
It’s a common misconception that if you are running a 10K or less, you don’t need water, electrolytes, or calories. This is incorrect. There isn’t a specific distance or time on the trail or road that makes eating and drinking acceptable or unacceptable. This is why working with a running coach, as well as a registered dietitian can add value to your training, so they can monitor and coach you on how frequently you may want to take in fuel and fluids. In general, I recommend consuming a carbohydrate-focused source every 45-minutes and sipping on water and/or electrolytes throughout the session. I encourage you to check out my friend Alyssa Leib, RD’s Instagram and website to learn more about eating and running. A strong, fast, and efficient runner is a fueled runner.
Managing injuries and recovering
If you have prior injuries or are prone to a specific injury (i.e., you have experienced multiple ankle sprains), I encourage you to work with a qualified Physical Therapist who understands your fitness goals and your recovery goals to ensure your training load is manageable and appropriate. This is also valid if you end up experiencing an injury during your current training. Please seek out assistance to make sure you are all set for your race.
Adapting to the climate
If you are training for a race in a different state or country, it’s important to understand what the climate could be like in that area. Especially if it differs from your home environment. Things like altitude, humidity, and season will have an effect on your race day performance.
Altitude is tricky because it can take 10-14+ days to fully acclimate if you aren’t used to it. For most people, it’s unlikely that you will be able to travel to your race day location 2+ weeks in advance to acclimate. In this situation, arriving at your race day destination the day of or the day before is in your best interest. Your performance dips down after the first day before gradually coming back up with acclimatization. What’s more attainable is to get as strong and as aerobically fit as you can with the time and accessibility you have.
For things like heat or humidity, I recommend getting heat exposure via a dry or wet sauna or similar.
At the end of the day all you can do is mimic the race conditions as best you can with the tools you have. Some aspects will not be able to be replicated and that’s okay. Prioritize getting as fit as possible, and train through the not-so-fun conditions like wind, rain, snow, cold, and heat. **Within reason, of course. Please stay safe and know when to turn around or swap for an indoor session instead.
Signing up for a race is an exciting endeavor! With that, you are also committing to a lot of time and dedication spent on running. It’s important to know what to expect so you can enjoy the process and show up prepared for race day. Learn how to train for your race with us. Happy running!
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