Are you thinking of running a half marathon in your city? Follow these tips and make the experience much more pleasant. Running a half marathon (21.1 kilometers away) is a real challenge. A type of competition for which you have to prepare well whether you are a competitor or a lover of athletics and physical exercise. Overcoming one of these tests is an achievement. If you are a little lost in this or want to fine tune your set-up, we will tell you everything you need to know whether you want to complete your first half marathon or if you intend to improve your brands in the next attempt.

Here at EVO Sportswear we design and develop the excellent sport clothing personalised according to your needs.

What training should I follow?

When preparing a half marathon, keep in mind that you have to train in advance to improve endurance. Running 21 kilometres require, at least, start preparing in the previous months, as we will have to get used to the body to make great routes and with increasing resistance.

Proper preparation will help you to finish these types of races

During the previous two or three months, we can train three to five days a week in sessions that gradually increase the intensity, either by increasing the speed and / or the duration of the workouts. Thus, you can create a routine in which to train one day, rest another and return to the race in the next. The first races can be 45 minutes to, weekly, increase this amount from five to five minutes and oscillating with the intensity to go more and more. The goal is to try to make twenty-kilometer sessions so that we are increasingly prepared to make the total distance with less effort and faster speed.

It is important that the two weeks prior to the competition we carry out longer and more intense training of seventy or eighty minutes, for example. And in the week of the race we should only train one day at a softer intensity and for thirty minutes so as not to load the legs, as well as leave at least three days of rest until the big day.

Strength training in the gym is also important for strengthening the legs. There are exercises that can help us by their transfer to the career movement. Squats, strides, deadlifts, femoral curls, twin lifts and core and abdomen exercises can be done two days a week, interspersed with running routines, to gain stability and more power.

What should I eat the previous days?

A race of so many kilometers will require a lot of energy, so it is important to have good glycogen stores, which is the fuel that the body uses. For this it is important to follow a diet high in calories during the preparation period. This can be progressively increased until it reaches between 2,500 and 3,500 calories.

The carbohydrates and potassium that banana gives you are very important when preparing the race

Carbohydrates help us increase our glycogen stores, so it is ideal to follow a diet high in these nutrients, especially in the days before the competition. For this, it is best to bet on quality carbohydrates such as pasta, breads and whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes … Nuts are also important for the amount of healthy fats they have, which will help us increase our energy.

Not to mention banana, a fruit rich in carbohydrates, which is perfect to consume before and during the race. It is a good way to provide energy to the body and thus have enough strength to face the race. Also, because of its high potassium content, it will help your muscles stay active and prevents the appearance of the dreaded cramps.

At the time of training you cannot miss a good dose of protein, which will help us not lose muscle mass. Dairy products, derivatives of these, eggs, meats and legumes will allow us to have an adequate contribution.

When the time comes for the competition, it is important to be well hydrated before, during and after the half marathon, as well as to take fast-absorbing hydrates in the moments before starting to run as sugars present in fruits, isotonic drinks, gels or bars.

How should I be equipped?

A fundamental element to succeed when running a half marathon is the equipment. It is key so that we can run comfortable and perform at the expected level. Here we tell you which are the most interesting pieces so that we do not have obstacles:

Running shoes

They are the most important piece of the corridor. In a race like a half marathon it is important to wear a comfortable and quality footwear that does not make us resent during the long journey we are going to travel. Cushioning, grip and breathability are fundamental factors and for this we find models of leading brands in the sector.

Tights and shorts

Mobility in the legs is also essential to perform a correct career technique and that we are not upset. For this, the most comfortable garments are tights and shorts like the following.

T-shirts

Top garments are also important for comfort and mobility when running. A cool and / or capillarizing sweat shirt will help you feel light in the race. In the market we find prominent models such as the following:

Socks

Protecting the feet with good socks is essential to promote cushioning, so that they get less tired and fresh. To do this, Nike has high performance models such as the following:

Sport watch

To quantify the performance during training and the race and know at all times how we improve, our rhythm and pulsations, we can use a smart sports watch that provides us with data at the moment.

Bear in mind that if you want to protect your body while you do exercise, you can select our specialised footwear at Evo Sportswear, will be ready to help you choose the right clothes for you. Visit our website for more information and to check our products.