Question:
I am 43 years old, weigh 70kg and am 163m tall. My blood pressure is 110/70 and my resting heart rate is 66 beats per minute. I jog once a week at the most. Normally the distance I cover is five or six kilometres in about 40 minutes. I intend to participate in a half-marathon on October 12, 2008. This is my first race and my only objective really is to complete the race. I guess I need to lose some weight and train more frequently — can you advise me of the best way to prepare?

Answer:

Half-marathons are becoming very popular and the recent half-marathon event in Sydney was booked out one month before it started. A half-marathon is a good goal to aim for but you will have to prepare for it seriously, as it is a 21km course!

At a minimum you should be training four times a week and aiming to include:

• one long, slow run at 55-65 percent of your maximum effort — this should cover approx 12-15km but you can build up to this over time;
• one interval type session at 70-80 percent of your maximum effort — eg: four or five 1km efforts with an easy jog/walk back recovery. This gets your body used to exercising at high heart rates and develops speed in the legs over time;
• one easy recovery run session — eg: 4-5km;
• one cross-training session to work on your overall fitness and to reduce the risk of developing a running injury — eg: swimming, gym/weights session, Pilates or cycling.

This is the minimum you should be doing. For more information on running, training and event dates, check out www.coolrunning.com.au or check out local running groups in your area for training buddies.

For personalised fitness advice and programs visit Get Fit — your online personal trainer