Latest news with #USATF-certified
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Anyone Can Run A Half-Marathon With This Step-By-Step Exclusive Training Plan
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." If you feel like everyone around you is running half-marathons, you're not wrong. Race entry numbers are at an all-time high, as the 2024 RBC Brooklyn Half-Marathon became the largest half-marathon in the country, and the 2025 Boston Marathon had its highest number of applicants ever. Download Our Exclusive Half-Marathon Training Guide Here Whether a half-marathon is a bucket list fitness item for you or your stepping stone to a greater distance (hi, full marathon training plan), running 13.1 miles can get you out of your cardio comfort zone while also testing your effort and endurance levels. 'It's a race that requires a bit more training, discipline, and planning for runners looking to take it to that next level,' says Jasmine Nesi, a USATF-certified running coach, an instructor at Mile High Run Club in New York City, and cofounder of RUNGRL. 'It can be intimidating, but it's manageable—and the sense of accomplishment at the end, and medal, is priceless!' Women's Health+ members, you get exclusive access to free PDFs of all of our fitness challenges. Head to for more! Another bonus? Because the distance is more doable, the training doesn't take up so much of your life and time like it does when you're doing a full marathon. But there's still a lot that goes into training for a half-marathon, like which types of runs to do, how to cross-train, and when exactly to start training. That's why Women's Health put together this 12-week long half-marathon training guide PDF, created exclusively for WH+ members. 'Sticking to a plan allows you to not only physically, but mentally, prepare for the 13.1 journey,' Nesi explains. Ready to crush 13.1 miles over the next 12 weeks? Let's do this! Get the training plan Why You'll Love This Plan This PDF will guide you through everything you need to know pre-race, according to expert trainers who know the ins and outs of half-marathon training. In the plan, you'll find advice on nutrition, sleep, cross-training, gear to invest in, and how to taper down your mileage as your race date nears so that your legs (and mind!) are fresh. With this plan, you'll stay calm and collected when your half-marathon arrives, since you'll know you've prepared as best as you can to cross the finish line. A Sample Week Of Workouts Here's what your first week of workouts will look like on this 12-week half-marathon training plan. The first two weeks are all about establishing a foundation before moving on to harder runs. Monday: 3-mile run Tuesday: rest Wednesday: cross-training Thursday: rest Friday: rest Saturday: 4-mile run Sunday: rest Ready to jump into training? Access the plan here What You Get When You Sign Up The exclusive 12-week Half-Marathon Training Guide, created by Jasmine Nesi, a USATF-certified running coach Science-backed guidance on types of runs to get you ready for the race, as well as how to cross-train to strengthen your muscles and avoid injury Sleep and nutrition advice to make sure you're recovering and fueling yourself properly A training calendar so you know exactly when to schedule your runs, cross-training workouts, and rest days Access to the rest of the WH+ membership benefits, including 450+ streaming workouts, all of our exclusive fitness plans and challenges, and healthy eating guides and recipes Editor-Fave Workout Gear To Crush Your MilesCloudeclipse $180.00 at 2 $180.00 at 22 $164.95 at You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A Fartlek Isn't Just a Funny Word. Here's How These Running Workouts Can Make You Fitter, Faster.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." IF THE WORD "fartlek" makes you giggle, you're not alone. But there's nothing funny about how this style of training can help runners—especially beginners—level up to faster speeds. The idea of running "fast" can feel overwhelming when you're still figuring out how to make running a consistent practice. The whole principle behind this training approach is to take the pressure off by making it less push, more play. Fartlek means "speed play" in Swedish, says Tucker Grose, a USATF-certified run coach in Denver, CO. And that's exactly what it is: a fun, no-pressure way to add short bursts of faster running into your routine. That loose approach is what makes fartlek workouts so effective. When you're not worried about a set pace or distance (or obsessing over what your watch is telling you), you can zero in on how your body really feels at any given moment and start to recognize when it's time to push through or ease off. And that's the kind of training that's going to help you run stronger for longer. What Fartlek Workouts Mean for Runners Running can sometimes feel like a negotiation between your brain and your body. If you've ever picked up the pace to catch a walk signal or challenged yourself to run to the next mailbox, tree, or lightpost before taking a walk break, congrats: You've already done a fartlek. "A fartlek workout is usually an unstructured workout of various speeds and distance and intensity," says Matthew Meyer, an RRCA-certified run coach and certified personal trainer in Boulder, Colorado. If that sounds ambiguous, that's kind of the point. "It's so informal because it's teaching you how to gauge feeling and effort." A fartlek workout is a type of interval training, in that you're mixing up your pace during a run by alternating between harder efforts and easier recoveries. But while interval workouts are generally tightly structured with the goal of hitting specific paces for set distances or time splits to elicit certain training adaptations, fartlek workouts are looser and more effort-based. You don't need to be on a track and you don't need a fancy running watch—you just need to run on feel. That's what makes fartleks such a beginner-friendly place to start with speedwork. But these workouts aren't just for novices. Fartleks are also a great way for experienced runners to ease back into harder efforts after time off, and they're often used at the beginning of a training cycle to reintroduce speed without the physical stress of going from 0 to 100. The Benefits of Fartlek Workouts for Runners Fartlek workouts are unstructured, so they teach you to run by effort. This is a skill every runner needs to avoid overtraining or underperforming. Most runners are actually pretty bad at self-pacing for optimal returns; one small study found recreational runners were, on average, 14 percent slower when they externally regulated their pace (i.e., stuck to a strict time per mile plan) than when they ran based on their physiological capabilities (using Vo2 or heart rate to determine effort—in other words, when they ran by feel). In a race, that could mean you're not going as fast as you potentially could if you stick to strict pace splits, leaving time on the table. "The main benefit [of a fartlek] is just getting to learn how you feel at different effort levels," says Grose. To gauge effort during running, coaches often recommend runners to rank their rate of perceived exertion (RPE) on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being at rest and 10 being all-out. It's a subjective measurement that can be tough to pin down when you start, but you will get better with practice and experience. "Some people have a pretty good internal thermometer for that but some people have zero, and when you tell those people to run at an effort level of 6 out of 10, they're like, what does that even mean?" says Meyer. "That's definitely a vocabulary we learn over time." You can't get more in tune with your body without figuring out where your limits are, and "the unstructured nature of fartlek training allows for that kind of experimentation," says Grose. By varying your pace and effort, Meyer says you're also training the aerobic and anaerobic systems. Think of it like shifting gears: The former is lower intensity and builds your endurance so you can run longer; the latter is higher intensity, which will help you run faster even during slower, longer efforts. The methodology seems to work: Runners who did fartlek workouts for 12 weeks significantly improved their cardiovascular endurance and speed endurance during a small study published in the International Journal of Physiology, Nutrition and Physical Education. How You Can Use Fartlek Workouts Before you start mixing in speed play, you should be consistently and comfortable running two to three times per week. That way, your body has a solid foundation from which you can start dialing up the intensity. Since fartlek workouts are based on feel, keep your surroundings in mind. "I think one of the best ways to approach a fartlek workout is to really let the terrain and how you feel dictate how you move at different speeds," says Grose. If you're in a hilly park, you'll naturally have to work harder against the incline—but when you hit the downhill, you can ease off the effort while still moving quickly. On flat terrain, suggests Meyer, you can use visual cues, like mailboxes or light poles, as markers, speeding up between the first two and slowing down between the next two. You can also use your music: Run easy during each verse, then pick up the pace when the chorus hits. Because these workouts are so unstructured, it's totally up to you to figure out how hard you should be running. "The intent is to be able to do these intervals more than once, so the hope is that you're not burying yourself in each interval," says Grose. "You're getting to the point where you're breathing heavily, you're feeling a little fatigued, maybe you're starting to slow down, and then you take a break to recover so you can do that again." Your recoveries can be as long as you need—especially in the beginning. "In the beginning, walk breaks can be really helpful," says Grose. "Then, as you get more and more comfortable with the style of workout, you can play around with jogging during those recovery intervals." Remember: You're not trying to empty the tank during a fartlek workout. You're just trying to get a better sense of what efforts you can hold for certain durations. 3 Fartlek Running Workouts for Better Training Fartleks are meant to be unstructured, but if you're new to the concept, a little guidance can go a long way. Each of these workouts gives you just enough structure to follow while still letting you run based on feel. Make sure to start each session with a five- to 20-minute brisk walk or easy jog to warm up, and finish with a similar cooldown. 1:00 On / 1:00 Off Fartlek "This is a favorite of mine for checking in to see where your body's at," says Meyer. "It's a great one to start with, and to return to through a training cycle to see how things have changed." It's also super scalable: You can start with as few as five reps (just five minutes of work), and add more reps over time as your stamina increases. How to do it: 1:00 at a 7 out of 10 effort 1:00 at a 3 out of 10 effort Repeat 10 times Ladder Fartlek Workout "This one teaches us how we feel at six minutes of intensity versus one minute of intensity," says Meyer. "The only rule is to start at a moderate enough effort that you can get faster as the intervals get shorter." The challenge is pacing the long intervals smartly enough that you can still hit the gas towards the end of the workout. How to do it: 6:00 at a 5 out of 10 effort 5:00 at a 6 out of 10 effort 4:00 at a 7 out of 10 effort 3:00 at a 8 out of 10 effort 2:00 at an 9 out of 10 effort 1:00 at a 10 out of 10 effort Recover for 1:00 at a 3 out of 10 effort between each interval Hill + Tempo Fartlek Workout "Hills are a great way to develop speed and power and work on form," says Grose. "This workout builds up fatigue on the legs, and then you have to hang out at a comfortably hard effort to let the body process some of the waste product you accumulated during the hill sprints." That's going to help you feel stronger at the end of a longer run or race. How to do it: 8 x 0:30 uphill at an 8 out of 10 effort Walk down at a 3 out of 10 effort 2 x 6:00 on flat ground at a 6 to 7 out of 10 effort Walk or jog for 3:00 at a 3 to 4 effort in between You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
Forbes
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Run Through The Trees And Support The Morton Arboretum's Conservation Efforts
Spend time in the outdoors during the Firefly Race Series. The Morton Arboretum With 1,700 tree-filled acres, The Morton Arboretum is a lovely place to spend the day, especially as the seasons change. Whether you visit a special exhibition, find your way through the Maze Garden, take part in one of the family programs, or romp around the gardens, prairies, or forests, there's plenty to do and learn here. Hikers can explore miles of chipped trails, created specifically to enjoy the peaceful sights and sounds of nature. Cyclists can wind through diverse tree collections on nine miles of paved trails. But, if you're a runner, you're in for a treat on the arboretum's outer 4.5-mile loop on the east side or on the 2.9-mile loop on the west side. Support the arboretum's important conservation mission, where they collect and study trees from all over the globe, to not only foster learning, but also, to benefit the environment. The Firefly Race Series is a fantastic way to raise funds for a non-profit that is doing big things for the planet. The money raised for the race series directly benefits plant science, research, and conservation. 'The Arboretum is spectacular, with flowering trees and plants all along the race route, from sweeps of daffodils and wildflowers to the ever-popular purple redbuds and a tapestry of color blossoming in the Crabapple Collection,' said Arboretum Special Event Planner, Kate Fitzgerald in a press release. 'It's a very unique race course in the Chicago area.' Runners work through the miles for the Firefly Race Series. The Morton Arboretum After your run, explore the miles of trails throughout the arboretum. getty Fun for all ages and various abilities, pick from either the 3K or 10K running events, or participate virtually and run at a time and location of your own choosing. Each in-person race participant will earn a special Firefly Race Series shirt and enjoy post-race fun. On Friday, June 13, the Firefly 3K begins at 8:00 p.m. The course allows for sunset watching along the arboretum's east side. The best part is that the course is mostly flat and ideal for runners, walkers, or even wheelchair users. Following the race, participants are invited to attend a lively party with a DJ, glow sticks, and refreshments. If you've never run a race before, this is a great introduction into how fun it can be to run outside and be a part of a heath-minded community. For the more challenging 10K, runners will cross the starting line at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 14. This USATF-certified course winds through the gorgeous woodlands and tree collections on the arboretum's east side. Top overall male, female, and nonbinary runners will receive awards in each age division. Complete both the 3K and 10K as part of the combined Firefly Race Series Challenge and you'll earn a special award. Running through the trees is a great way to spend the day. The Morton Arboretum No matter which routes you choose—3K, 10K, or virtual—sign up through RunSignUp. Spectators can watch for free if they register in advance and arrive before 9:00 a.m., and they are welcome to attend post-race festivities. When you register, you can choose whether you'd like your race packet mailed to you directly or if you'd like to pick it up at the arboretum ahead of the event on race day—both options cost $10. If you can arrive at Dick Pond Athletics in Lisle between June 6—13, however, packet pickup is free of charge.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fultondale marathon scheduled for Feb. 8
FULTONDALE, Ala. (WIAT) — The Fultondale Marathon and Half Marathon will be held Saturday morning. UAB women's basketball to play in 2025 Cancun Challenge According to a news release, it's a USATF-certified race that offers runners an opportunity to achieve a personal record. The course starts at Black Creek Park and will take place on the Five Mile Creek Greenway. Participants will run through Fultondale, Gardendale and Brookside. The race will start at 7:45 a.m. Saturday. Those wanting to register can click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
