Marathon Walk and Half Marathon Walk Training Courses
Monday September 22, 2003
Training for a marathon or half marathon early in 2004? Jump start your training with my free weekly email courses, with walking assignments and a focus on what you need to know to walk a marathon or half marathon. It is now 18 weeks until the Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon.
Marathon Walk Training Course: 19 weekly lessons
Half-Marathon Walk Training Course: 16 weekly lessons
Marathon Walk Training Course: 19 weekly lessons
Half-Marathon Walk Training Course: 16 weekly lessons
Comments
Hello,
I have barely 4 weeks for the Avon walk for Breast cancer and not too much time to train. What is the best advice you can give me to get through this event?
Thank you,
Linda
Don’t attempt the marathon distance, if you haven’t trained, it’s a very bad idea. But the half-marathon distance might be achievable, at least for one day.
With only 4 weeks, start today - or as soon as you can spend the time to do your longest walking distance.
Walk your longest mileage (you didn’t say how far that is) plus one extra mile.
Wait 3-4 days and again walk that, increasing the distance by 1 mile again. On your “off-days” aim to walk for at least 30-60 minutes a day.
If you can repeat that in the four weeks you have left, you may be able to steadily increase your distance to the point where the minimum 13 miles per day could be do-able.
I’m going to assume that you can already walk for an hour at a time, making about 4 miles.
Here’s what I’d suggest trying to achieve over the next 4 weeks:
Immediately: 5-6 mile day.
In one week: 6-7 miles.
3rd week: 7-8 miles.
4th week: 8-9 miles.
Avon Walk: Keep in mind that you will be able to take the shuttle to Camp or finish at any checkpoint. Don’t be shy about doing that, especially if you have any heat sickness symptoms or sharp pain or bad blisters. Your sponsors shouldn’t expect you to hurt yourself.