Plan Your Racing Schedule – Tips from our Race Director Martin Harrigan
Creating a race calendar is an important part of preparing for any running event – particularly a half or ultimately a full marathon.
The Brighton half marathon has retained its late February date in the running calendar over the past 34 years for one really good reason – it’s always been a great way to embrace the new year and of course is ideally placed to test your fitness for the rest of the spring running season – especially if you are planning another half or marathon later in the year.
Here are some steps you can take to put a race calendar in place and really gain from the benefits of forward planning
- Identify your target event: The first step is to decide which event you want to target. This will help you determine the timeline for your training and the other races you will run leading up to the event and of course don’t leave your decision until the last minute – popular races tend to sell-out well in advance of race day – and you don’t want to miss out on a crucial part of your build-up.
- Determine your current fitness level: Before you start training, it’s important to assess your current fitness level. This will help you determine how much time you need to prepare for the event and what types of races you should run in the lead-up.
- Choose your training plan: Once you have determined your current fitness level, you can choose a training plan that is appropriate for your level of fitness and the amount of time you have to prepare for the event you have entered.
- Plan your races: Once you have chosen a training plan, you can start to plan the races you will run in the lead-up to your target event. These races should be spaced out appropriately to allow for recovery between races and to allow you to peak at the right time for your target event.
- Consider the distance and terrain of the races: When choosing races to run in the lead-up to your particular challenge it’s important to consider the distance and terrain of the races. You should aim to run races that are similar in distance and terrain to the event you are targeting.
- Schedule your training: Once you have chosen your races, you can schedule your training around them. Make sure you give yourself enough time to recover between races and to complete your training plan before your target event.
- Adjust your plan as needed: Finally, be prepared to adjust your race calendar and training plan as needed. If you experience an injury or illness, you may need to modify your training plan or skip a race. It’s important to be flexible and make adjustments as needed to ensure you are able to reach your goal of completing your target event – having really enjoyed the experience!
Good Luck with your training and hopefully see you next February!
If you would like to enter the Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday 25th February 2024 click here
