Half Marathon Training

14-Week Half Marathon Virtual Training Plan

Half Start Date: January 15th, 2024

Half of “America’s Toughest” still equals one tough race. The Blue Ridge Half Marathon still boasts ~3,800 ft. in elevation change, so while it’s half the distance it’s over half the elevation change of the full marathon. This unique course warrants a one-of-a-kind training program to prevent injury, increase success rates and get you across the finish line with a smile on your face.

Epic Challenge, Beautiful Views, A Music Festival, Slow-K Recovery Fun Run, and More!

Included in the 14-Week Plan:

  • Private Virtual Training Webpage: After registering for the program you will receive a link to login to the private virtual training site which will prepare you mentally for the training weeks ahead. The link will be sent out 7 days prior to your first training run. The site includes a week-by-week training schedule, weekly topic outline (so you can see if your questions will be covered), introductory information, a bio of each of our coaches, and a link to the closed Facebook group.
  • Weekly Training Schedule: (First Training Run: January 15th) Our Training schedules are tailor-made to the course that you are preparing to race!  We include hill workouts, alternate workouts for those that don’t have hills to train on, and traditional half marathon-specific workouts. We have a plan that’s right for you- choose from beginner, intermediate or advanced!
  • Closed Facebook Group for virtual training program participants only. This will be a forum for you to chat with other runners training with you and ask questions for coaches to answer in the weekly Skype session.
  • Weekly Live Q&A via Skype:  Each week, we will host a live Q&A session where we will chat about a current topic or have a conversation with a special guest all while answering your questions. These sessions will be posted to the Closed Facebook Group & Website for you to watch later if you can’t join us live.
  • Weekly Newsletters With Custom Topics: While registering online you will be asked a series of questions about your goals, challenges, expectations as well as topics that you’d like to see covered. Our experts will take this information to create weekly informative newsletters.
  • Instruction Videos & Targeted Weekly Topics: Each week our coaches will record videos or create newsletter topics that are relevant to runners during particular times of your training. You don’t need to know about injury prevention in Week 14, or Race Day Strategy on Week 1! We’ll update you with data as it becomes relevant to your training so the information is manageable and easy to digest. (Topic Examples: Strength training and conditioning for hills, pacing & speed work, injury prevention, safely running downhill, and information about not running too many hills)
  • Race Weekend Friends & Support: While you may be training hundreds of miles away, the Blue Ridge Marathon is a challenge that ties people together. As soon as you register for our virtual training program you will be joining a group of passionate runners all dedicating themselves to the same journey.  Join the other runners for the Shakeout Run (Friday morning before race day), and meet up on race day for a group photo and snag a running buddy or pace setter if you want one!

Epic Challenge, Beautiful Views, A Music Festival, Slow-K Recovery Fun Run, and More!

Registration for the half marathon training program will be open until January 28, 2024 (midnight), fourteen days after the first training run included in the schedule. No new program trainees will be accepted beyond that date, and if you do register late there is no compensation for days missed.

Questions?? Contact Blue Ridge Racing via email.