Training Between Half Marathons

by Neal
(Central Florida)

I will be running a 1/2 Marathon a few weeks from now and then have another one scheduled for 6 weeks later. What should my training plan look like? Can I just use an online type training plan and plug in that I only have 6 weeks before the race?



My concern is that the generic, online version doesn't take into consideration the training that I have been doing for the last 12 weeks preparing for the first 1/2 marathon.



Answer by Dom:
Hi there,
Thanks for your questions regarding your multiple half marathons.

Yes, you are right, online training plans will not really help you.

Most of them will probably not even work or provide feedback that six weeks is too short to prepare for a half marathon.

The first week after your first marathon you'll probably want to take it easy.

Probably no running the first 3-4 days, maybe some walking or other cross-training, depending on how much of an impact your half marathon had on you. I would really recommend that first week to be a recovery week with just easy exercise and a limited amount of running.

Then you could treat the last five weeks preceding your second half marathon as the last five weeks preceding your first.

If you are using a good running program then you must be doing some race-specific running training right about now. In this last period you are combining some good long distance runs with some tempo running and/or intervals.

Use that same approach for the second half marathon. Online training plans will probably come up with a base running period of two or three weeks and then some race-specific training, but when races are so close together, it is better to keep on doing race-specific training, in my opinion.

After the second half marathon I would recommend a longer recovery period (two weeks), and then a transition into a new running program with mostly easy running / a base building period to start off with. It is important to reset the body and soul after a season of racing. Then rebuild and come back even stronger next year.

Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Dom