Should You Race a Half Marathon to train for a Marathon?

The first question you need to ask is;  is a half marathon a good idea for every marathoner?

The answer is; it depends on your fitness level and marathon goals.

If you’re a first-time marathoner and your only goal is to finish the race, the benefits of a half marathon race aren’t as important.  Remember that racing causes muscle damage, and novice runners won’t heal as quickly as more advanced  runners, which means that the novice runner will need to take time off to recover and this can set back your training schedule.

If you are a experienced marathoner and have a specific time goal, there are advantageous to racing a half marathon to prepare your body. Running a half marathon will allow you to estimate your marathon finish time, familiarize yourself with the course and will give you a much more accurate estimate of your fitness level.

If you choose to race a half marathon as your marathon tune-up race, follow these guidelines:

• Schedule them 5 to 7 weeks before your marathon to allow sufficient recovery

• Don’t run more than one half during a marathon training cycle  and don’t wear, eat or drink anything new on race day.

• Prioritize recovery after the race: extra sleep, an ice baths, and light cross-training will get you back to marathon training as soon as possible

• Reduce the volume and intensity of the next 1 to 3 runs in your training plan

You know your body best and if you get beat up by racing and need more time to recover adequately you should choose a shorter tune-up race, such as a 10K.

What you don’t want to do is increase your training a few weeks before the race. This is the time when many runners have been racing for at least 2 months and have become used to a certain level of training. Draw strength from the hard work you’ve put in and have confidence in what you’ve been doing.

Running a half marathon can be a valuable tool to help estimate your finish time and gauge how well your body & fitness level will hold up to a full marathon….. Good Luck!