Marathons

Jack Rowe's Top Tips for running a Half Marathon

We asked PUMA athlete and Manchester Half Marathon course record holder Jack Rowe to give us his top tips for running a Half Marathon.
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How far should I run in my training to be ready for a HM/should I run a full half marathon in training? 
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A good target in your training prior to a half marathon is to have run 8-10 miles at a good solid effort. Running a full HM in training isn’t always necessary, as long as 8-10 miles is relatively comfortable, the race day atmosphere will help you get to the finish line.  
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How should I fuel during a HM? Should I carry water? 
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Keeping hydrated and using running specific sports gels are a great way to remain feeling strong while racing over longer distances. Practice with both before in training runs to find out which combination you prefer, and use this strategy on race day.  
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What do you recommend eating the day before / the morning of a race? What are your usual go to meals? 
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My go to meals are Pesto Pasta with Chicken the night before, and then Porridge with a Banana in the morning. But anything with good quality carbohydrates will keep you adequately fueled.  
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What are the best sessions to do while training for a HM? 
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Two of my favorite HM sessions are 5 x 2 miles (90s recovery), or 5k - 3k - 5k - 3k (2min recovery). Both sessions should start out just slower than ideal race pace, with the last rep being just faster. These are a great way to gauge your progress and potential race day pace.  

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How should I prepare on race day? 
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I would recommend practicing your race day routine the week prior to the race. Execute the same routine of early morning, good breakfast, being packed the night before etc. This normally smoothes out any issues you may have on the actual race morning.  
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What kind of shoes should I wear and why? 
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Racing shoes with a carbon plate, like the PUMA FAST-R NITRO™ ELITE 2, are the fastest shoe to wear over the longer road distances. But only wear these on race day if you have practiced running in them during the build up to your race.  

Tips to help with race day nerves? 
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Try to enjoy the experience, travel to the race with friends and family - make it more of a social event rather than a “pure racing experience”.  

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How can I best recover after I’ve finished my race? 
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Make sure you hydrate quickly after the race, and if possible have a protein bar/shake as soon as you can. 

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Want to find out more? We've been busy collecting all the latest tips & expert advice for marathon training and race days. Our Marathon category lets you experience real in-the-moment stories as we dive deeper into Q&A with athletes, kit reviews, nutritional advice and so much more!