HBF Run for a Reason training tips

Like many of you, on the 27th of May, I (Tallara) will be running the half marathon in the HBF run for a reason.

I’ll be running for the 12 for Twelve team who are running 12 half marathons over 12 months to raise $100,000 for Beyond Blue to increase awareness surrounding mental health. If you’re keen to get involved, through participating in their run club, monthly events or by donating here: 12fortwelve.com.

I’ve run here and there in the past, but never anywhere close to the 21km I’ll be tackling in just under a months’ time. The things I’ve been doing to ensure I’m fit and injury free for the big day are:

Training program

A planned training program is essential for a number of reasons:

1. Injury prevention
2. Ensure I’ll be able to make the distance on the day
3. Motivation

The first thing I did was make a rough plan for my 14 week training period. I included one distance run, starting at 5kms, 2 speed runs, 2 recovery days and 1 alternative run per week. An alternative run would either be intervals, hills or a timed run.

At the start of each week I’d plan out my runs based on my schedule for the week. I wasn’t too hard on myself if I missed a run. Balance is crucial!

Taper

To ensure I would perform at my best I have included a 4 week tapering period prior to the event. I aimed to hit 18kms at the 4 week mark, then gradually reduced my distance.

Monitor

Being able to track your progress is a great motivator and can be a great tool to identify when/where something has gone wrong in your training. Whether that be with a running watch or phone app (Strava, NikeRunClub, etc).

Footwear

Before I began training I invested in a pair of running orthotics (as my feet roll in and I occasionally get ankle pain) and I checked the condition of my runners.

Like all things, the more you use your runners, the more they will wear out. A worn out running shoe may increase risk injury. A good guideline to maintain the integrity of your shoe is to get a new pair every 800kms.

Hopefully see you out there on the course! In the meantime, if you need any training advice, a pair of running orthotics, or help with achieving your best time, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on (08) 9364 4073 or book online.