Complete A Half Marathon
Ticked off in March 2015
Thirteen point one miles of closed roads, cheering crowds and a finish line that turns a runner into a distance runner.
The adventure
The half marathon is where running gets serious without taking over your life. It is long enough that you have to respect it, with a proper training plan and long runs creeping past ten miles, but short enough that race day feels like an adventure rather than a survival test.
Big city halves bring a festival atmosphere. The Great North Run, the world's largest half marathon, sends tens of thousands of runners from Newcastle over the Tyne Bridge, often with the Red Arrows flying overhead, to a finish on the coast at South Shields. Smaller races through historic towns and parks have their own charm. Either way, the last mile is the same: tired legs, a growing roar and a medal that marks the moment 21.1 kilometres became something you can do.
Why it’s epic
- The official distance is 21.0975 kilometres, exactly half a marathon.
- The Great North Run, first held in 1981, has close to 60,000 entrants in a big year.
- Most finishers take between one and a half and two and a half hours.
- It is the classic stepping stone between a 10K and a full marathon.
What it is
A half marathon is 21.1 kilometres.
How to do it
Follow a 10 to 12-week plan and enter a big city race for the atmosphere.
Top tip
Don't try anything new on race day.
Need to know
- A 10 to 12-week plan that builds your long run to 10 or 11 miles is enough for most people.
- Popular races such as the Great North Run use a ballot, so apply early.
My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
Over to you
Is “Complete A Half Marathon” on your bucket list, or have you already done it? Tell me in the comments, and if you've got a question about it, ask away and I'll answer.