Swindon Half Marathon

Most training plans involve a few runs during the week and a long run at the weekend. If you're training for a half marathon, you'll want to have built the distance of your weekend long run to 10 or 11 miles by 3 weeks before the half marathon, and then taper down (ie decrease the length and frequency of your runs) in the final weeks.

When building up to the 10 or 11 mile stage for the long run, I would start at 2 or 3 miles if you are truly unfit and Chubby - and increase the length of the long run by no more than ½ mile each weekend. (A general rule for long runs in marathon training plans is that you should increase by no more than 1 mile or 10% each week, which ever is the shorter.) As long as you don't have any serious health problems, you should have very little trouble being ready in time for September...so don't rush it. If you remember nothing else (and I speak from personal experience), do not be tempted to rush your training - because that will be the quickest way to an injury. You can be as fit as you like, but if you pick up a nasty Achilles injury 4 weeks before the race, you're screwed.