I must have the half-marathon on my mind these days. After my race earlier this month I was reminded about why the half-marathon is such a great distance. Are you thinking about training for a half-marathon? Here are 5 reasons to run a half-marathon.
5 Reasons to Run a Half-Marathon
1. The Half-Marathon is a Milestone Race
The half-marathon is a milestone race for many runners. It seems like by training for and completing that first half-marathon, you have reached a running milestone. Many runners starting out may be intimidated by the distance, but decide it is a goal they would like to one day accomplish. It often sets the stage for that desire to run a full marathon, too!
2. There’s Room for Improvement When You Run a Half-Marathon
You can see drastic improvements in your time with training. Many runners start out with the goal of completing the half-marathon, and then once they have completed one or two then they start training for time. It is pretty common to see improvements of 20-30 minutes as runners begin putting in more specific training!
3. Training Gets You Exercising Consistently
Training for a half will force you to exercise regularly. If one of your goals is to lose weight, work out more, get healthier, etc… training for a half is a great way to start working towards those goals. Typically you can train for a half marathon by running about 4 days a week, for at least 30 minutes a day. This is a pretty good amount of cardio to jump-start a fitness regime. Keep in mind that you may be hungrier and want to eat more! Training for a race does not always mean you will lose weight.
4. Training for a Half is Not Too Time Consuming
Training for a half doesn’t take over your life the way marathon training does. You will probably need to set aside a couple of hours on Saturday or Sunday to do your long run, but other than that it doesn’t take up a ton of time. It’s pretty reasonable to run a few days a week without it interfering with other things in your life too much.
5. Running a Half-Marathon is “Fun”!
You will get to enjoy all the “fun stuff” about being a distance runner: gels, chafing, blisters, foam rolling, porta potties, good runs and bad runs, emergency bathroom situations, talking the “runner talk”, runger, and much more plus you get a medal and the amazing feeling of crossing the finish line!
What are some other reasons to run a half-marathon?
What is your favorite race distance?
You may also like:
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Improving in the Half-Marathon
Frederick Half-Marathon Training Week 1
How to Successfully Taper for a Half-Marathon
Race Preparation Guide for the 5k to the Marathon
My husband ran the half distance long before I did and I remember going to the expo with him and being in awe of the runners who could accomplish such a feat. That said, I trained SO hard for my first half that my PR is only 5 or 6 minutes faster than my first one. I do agree that a half is much less time consuming to train for than a full
It does seem so intimidating at first to run the half-marathon distance!
The half marathon is definitely my favorite distance. It took me forever to commit to training for one (actually it was a 20K), but once I crossed the finish line, I knew I’d be doing another (and another, and another, etc.).
Yes, its such a great distance! I was hooked after my first too.
The hunger that comes with training for a half is real! I had to have a snack at 9:30 last night before I could sleep. One reason the train for a half marathon is to see what your body and mind are both capable of! To run 13.1 miles is just as much mental as it is physical.
I totally agree!
I do like the the half marathon distance because the training is not as strenuous and time consuming as a full marathon.
Exactly! It doesn’t feel like it takes over your life the way marathon training can.
I think I could do a half marathon, I probably won’t but great reasons!!
I’m sure you could if it was something you wanted to do!
I enjoy the half distance for many of the reasons you mentioned. Specifically, I can train for it without it taking over my life and I have less chance of getting injured
Yep, the mileage is so much more reasonable!
I always tell myself “I’ll never do a half-marathon again” as I cross the finish line and then I’ll sign up for one a few years later…training by myself is so daunting! But it truly is a rewarding race!
It really is such a great challenge!
I love half marathons! Even more now that I’m getting older. If you’d asked me my favorite distance 10 years ago it would have been the marathon. Not so much now. One of the best things about the half marathon? No 20 milers!!!!
I wish I could handle marathons better but the training just seems to be too much for me these days. The half marathon is the perfect distance for training and racing!
I love the half marathon distance! It’s a good combination of long distance training and speed. i like that I can do harder workouts than during marathon training since my legs aren’t as tired from the mileage!
I also really enjoy the training and its so much more manageable than the full.
The hunger I would get! Do you know how great a hot pocket can taste after a training run? I didn’t read Jeff Galloway’s advice about eating within a half hour after running until I was training for my second half. That really helps to stave off the hangry. Don’t go grocery shopping right after a long run!
Yep, I totally agree to eat ASAP after a run!
Barring a miracle, it looks like no more marathons for me, so the half is it! Still respectable.
Totally still respectable! While I would love to do another full at some point, I think my body will handle the half much better.
I totally agree that the half marathon is a great distance. I miss the challenge of running fulls (ha, I say that like I didn’t just run one in the fall) but the half is much more doable right now. I hope, at least. 🙂
I know what you mean! I love the challenge of the full but the half is much more manageable and also a smarter place to start when coming back from injury!
Love this post! These are all great reasons and very similar to my reasons for doing 13.1 as well!
It’s definitely a great distance to race!
If you had asked me a few years ago, I would have never considered running a half marathon… now, it’s my favorite race distance, for all the reasons you have mentioned and more.
Isn’t it funny how things can change over the years? The half is an intimidating distance at first but many runners eventually fall in love with it.
I love the half-marathon for all the reasons in your list.
I have one in July – it’s in the Swiss Alps and has a lot of elevation in it. I’m glad I’m only doing the half-marathon distance and not the full!
I looked at my previous answer and yes, I do still love the half distance for the reasons you mentioned. It is a milestone race that allows you to train without taking over your life and also allow for other cross training
I miss running half marathons: it’s been quite some time, but I’m ready to do it again. I definitely have one lined up in February of next year, but maybe one will come up sooner. We shall see.
Half marathons are my favorite races! It’s a great challenging distance but still very do-able.