Get ready for the Oxford Half Marathon - a guest blog post from Martin Yelling
July 18, 2014 // Rachel Ellis
We’re delighted to kick off the 2014 Oxford Half blog with a guest blog post from Martin Yelling. Martin is a former elite athlete with a PhD in physical activity and health promotion who is the founder and co presenter of the UK’s number 1 running podcast ‘Marathon Talk’. You can find Martin on Twitter too at - @myelling
It’s less than 3 months to go until this years’ Oxford Half marathon and event preparations are going full steam ahead. But what about your own half marathon preparations? How ready are you to tackle 13.1 miles? Before you hit the panic button you’ve got plenty of time to get yourself in tip-top shape and ready for the start line.
What to do now? Get yourself a great running routine. Whatever your race aspirations, whether first time finisher or PB hunter, the key to your success is consistency between now and race day on October the 12th. Start with running regularly. Build a routine into your week where you can fit your running training.
The thought of finding extra time to fit in a walk, walk-run or run into an already overbooked and busy life may sound chilling but you’ll be surprised at how simple it can be to fit a run into your day. Going for that run will revitalize, invigorate and refresh you, helping you to continue to juggle your daily tasks better. Try running early, before you do anything else, or at lunchtime, or immediately after work before going home.
Ringfencing run tips.
• Take control: Prioritise what is important to you and spend time doing it,
• Don’t feel guilty about going for a run,
• Create boundaries around your running time,
• Be creative and flexible with your schedule,
• Find a time slot that works for you and stick to it.
Find the opportunity to run 3 times a week over the next few months and you’ll start to build the stamina, strength, endurance and confidence to hit the streets of Oxford running!
Martin has put together a 12 week complete beginner’s training programme to help get you ready for race day.