For half a decade, New Albany Walking Classic participants have competed across a distance of 10 kilometers or less. In 2022, the half-marathon walk-race returns to New Albany for the Sept. 11 event.
The half-marathon – a distance of 13.1 miles – first showed up as an option at the Walking Classic in 2008. It returned again for a stint from 2011-2016. In 2017, due to construction in the area, the Walking Classic only offered a five-mile race. Now, walkers can once again choose to compete in the half-marathon distance in addition to a 10K.
If more than doubling the 6.2-mile length of the 10K sounds daunting, don’t fret. For most people in good shape, the half-marathon walk is likely doable, if challenging. If you’re already comfortable walking more than five miles, training up to a half-marathon is a wholly achievable goal.
To conquer the half-marathon with comfort and confidence, the key is to build a training plan and stick to it. That doesn’t mean that an extra rest day or settling for a shorter or slower workout will spoil a goal. What’s important is to build a strategic and regular workout routine that builds stamina, distance and speed.
If you’re considering the longer distance, writer and noted marathon training plan guru Hal Higdon, in his half-marathon walking plan, advises walkers to make time for a 30-minute walk three or four times a week in the months leading up to the race. Higdon’s training plan – set across 12 weeks – suggests two rest days a week, with two or three days walking in between those recovery days.
Most training plans advise varying intensity and distance so that an easy walk is followed by a harder pace the next day. For example, you might start the week with a 30-minute casual walk, take a 20-minute brisk stroll the next day, follow that with a 35-minute casual walk before resting a day, return with a 30-minute stroll and finish the week with a set distance walk before a final rest day.
Across the training period, the distances and time lengths should grow. Peaking around 10 miles is common. Some feel more confident having conquered the complete half-marathon distance
before race day, but most training plans and coaches advise tapering for one to two weeks leading up to the big race.
Hospital for Special Surgery notes that tapering is important for both physiological and mental performance on race day, as it allows hormones, glycogen levels and more to return to normal levels while giving the mind a break from challenging workouts.
While it’s difficult to create a one-size-fits all training plan, following those general guidelines can help set you on a path toward conquering the Walking Classic half-marathon.
Cameron Carr is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at ccarr@cityscenemediagroup.com
