Participating in a race takes a lot of courage and hard work. You can just show up on the day of the race without any preparation. It takes months and years of training before you can be in a good shape to participate in a big race.
For any race, whether it’s 400 meters, half a marathon, or a full marathon, you need to have a good training program. Here are some things you need to consider before choosing a training program.
Training period
You should choose a training program that matches the days you have left for the race. So, if your race is in 6 months, for example, and the training program is for 8 weeks then it won’t work. So, choose a training program in advance before your event.
The longest run
You should know what the longest run is, as it is included in the training program. For example, if it’s a 5K program, then it will have 3 to 6 miles of the long run. If it’s a marathon then it will be 15 to 20 miles of the long run. Join a training program that is suitable for your race.
Speed training
Find out whether the training program includes speed training. If so, what type of speed training does it include? Is it track repeats, tempo runs, or something else? Choose a training program that you feel comfortable with.
Days of training
The training programs have days in which you need to exercise and days when you need to run. The number of days you exercise and run must be flexible with your work and personal time.
You must evaluate these factors before you choose a training program for your race. Make sure the training program is conducted by experienced trainers.