Now that the worry about the date is out of the way, note that you have 50 days until the Brooklyn Half marathon, Brooklyn's largest race of the year.
Stuck inside during the winter? Still only logging a few miles a week? No fear, there's still time to get prepared for the 13.1 mile race -- if you start getting committed now (and hopefully you've already been training - most plans I see there consist of 10 weeks).
Take some time and map out a training schedule over the next several weeks (including today, you have 50 training days). There's a link here to give you some ideas, whether you are a beginner or looking to set a PR.
Some thoughts:
-- If you haven't been logging the miles on the road, you want to gradually build your weekly mileage as well as the length of your long run over the next 50 days.
-- If you don't already use Prospect Park as a training base, you'll want to run there a few times as it looks like this year's race a) will start there, and b) may consist of two loops before heading out to Coney Island (the course description is TBA). That means the hills are at the beginning, with the last part of the race on Ocean Parkway completely flat.
-- Keep a look out on this blog (and elsewhere) for some local 5Ks and 10Ks, and use them as part of your training.
3 comments:
A great tune up race for the Brooklyn Half is the May 16th Healthy Kidney 10k. I just posted a course map and elevation chart on my blog www.nycin310.com so drop by and check it out. And start strategizing for this years race on May 16th '09!
Best,
Jason@nycin310.com
www.nycin310.com
So if I can only run 3-4miles now think i can still make it in 50 days? :p
Yes. As I mentioned earlier, there's time, you'll just have to be committed.
You want to gradually extend your long run (say it's 4 miles now) to 8 or 9 miles over the next several weeks. I'd suggest going longer than that, but depending on your shape and conditioning now, you should take it gradually. If it's too much to run at one point, try running 5 minutes, walking 1, and repeating.
Also, depending on how many times a week you're running now, you'll want to a) add a mile or two to some of your mid-week runs. Gradually, you want to build up some endurance to get your body ready for the length of the race. Cross-training on the bike and the eliptical, for example, can also build up strength and endurance.
Jason's comment about the Healthy Kidney 10K is a good one - that can be a prelim target race, if only to make sure you can run it comfortably at a target pace.
Above all else, don't just suddenly ramp up the mileage - more than likely, your body will react and you may face some injuries.
Runner's World, which I linked to, has some schedules for some first-time half marathoners, which should help generate some ideas. One suggestion: tailor the schedule to fit your own needs and abilities at this point in time.
Good luck.
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