Crash Training for a Half Marathon: Your 4-Week Plan to Cross the Finish Line

Published on August 22 by Matt

So, your 13.1-mile race is just a month away, and you haven’t exactly been sticking to a rigorous training plan. Maybe life threw some unexpected challenges your way—illness, injury, or a hectic work schedule—and now you’re wondering if it’s even possible to be race-ready in such a short time. The good news? With the right approach, you can still successfully complete your half marathon. This four-week crash training plan is designed to help you build fitness quickly while minimizing the risk of injury.

The Reality of Crash Training

First, let’s acknowledge that crash training isn’t ideal, but it’s not impossible. Take Heather Colasuonno, for example. She was in peak shape while training for the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon when an Achilles tendon strain sidelined her. After being off her feet for over a month, she only had six weeks to get back on track before race day. Despite this setback, Heather came within seconds of matching her fastest half-marathon time. Her story shows that even with a limited training window, you can still achieve your goals.

The Keys to Effective Crash Training

The essence of crash training is maximizing your limited time by focusing on two main factors: frequency and intensity. By incorporating frequent workouts and a few high-intensity sessions each week, you can stimulate your body to make the necessary physiological adaptations quickly. However, it’s crucial to listen to your body and avoid overtraining, which could lead to injury.

Your 4-Week Half Marathon Training Plan

This plan is ideal if you aim to walk or walk/run your half marathon and are currently fit enough to comfortably walk or run five miles. The plan includes optional days where you can choose to rest, run, walk, or cross-train with non-impact cardio exercises like cycling or elliptical training. To get the most out of this plan, rest only when your body needs it.

Understanding the Intensity Scale

Each run in the plan uses a five-point intensity scale based on your Rating of Perceived Effort (RPE). Here’s what those ratings mean:

• RPE 1: Very Easy – A pleasant effort you could maintain almost indefinitely.
• RPE 2: Comfortable – You’re not holding back, but you can still easily carry on a conversation.
• RPE 3: Comfortably Hard – The highest intensity at which you can speak comfortably.
• RPE 4: Hard – After a few minutes at this intensity, your breathing becomes labored.
• RPE 5: Very Hard – An effort you can sustain for only a couple of minutes at most.

In interval workouts, walk the RPE 1 portions if necessary to keep your perceived effort in check. During long run/walk workouts, feel free to mix walking and running to maintain an RPE between 1 and 2.

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