How to train for a half marathon

If you signed up for the Mumbai half marathon in January, you should be perfectly primed for take-off!

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There are tons of training programmes out there—on the Web, in books and magazines… Much like going to a doctor, you need to do your research, try out a couple and then focus on the one that suits you best. That’s what I did, and this is what I chose: a schedule devised by Hal Higdon, a marathoner himself (now also a trainer and writer), which I’m outlining here.

Some additional tips:

• Stick to one training programme and don’t mix things up—that could spell disaster

• Do not overtrain or overstretch. As with antibiotics, never try to “make up" for a lost week by doubling up—just resume the schedule

• Keep an eye on nutrition and hydration. Load up on carbohydrates in the last week, and make sure you sleep well

• Check your shoes and apparel—for more on running shoes, refer to “Surf", below left

• Make sure your toenails are clipped

• Above all, have fun

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