If you have ever run a half marathon, then you have competed in the country's fastest growing and favorite race distance. According to runningusa.org, there were 1.6 million half marathon finishers in 2011, and since 2000, the number of finishers has tripled with women leading the way, comprising 59% of the race field. So what makes the distance so popular? I've heard the quote that it is 'half the distance, and twice the fun' of a marathon, and the half marathon can be a great distance for runners of all ability levels, offering a real sense of accomplishment with much less training and time investment than required for a full marathon.

First, let's look at a few more statistics about half marathons (13.1 miles.) Averaging about two hours to cover the distance, a half marathon is both a reachable goal for most runners or a milestone along the way to longer distances. (The median finish times in 2011 according to runningusa.org were 2:01:04 for men and 2:19:33 for women; competitive runners generally finish under 1:30; elite times are closer to one hour.) Training plans for half marathons tend to be 10 to 12 weeks long compared to 16 or more for marathons, and weekly mileage can peak at just 25 miles for beginners, compared to the mid-40's and up for marathoners. Less training means less stress on your body, and easier recovery from the race, and many runners take advantage of this and run multiple halfs in a year, compared to marathoners, who generally train for and run in one per year. Half marathons tend to be big events, with much of the same excitement and crowd support of a marathon; in 2011, there were 30 half marathons in the U.S. with 10,000 or more finishers, hardly a picture of the lonely long distance runner.

According to most training plans, if you have never run a half marathon before, but can run a minimum of three miles, four times a week, then you can consider training for your first. There are a myriad of plans available on-line, and beginners will generally run three or four times a week, including one weekly long run that builds to a peak of 10 to 12 miles. More advanced runners log additional miles and include speed work and tempo runs to sharpen their pace. Training for a half marathon, regardless of your experience, will involve long runs that last 90 minutes or more. These long runs will require your body to burn fat rather than just carbohydrates, and allow the runner to practice pacing over a long period of time which is crucial in the half marathon distance or longer. The one thing guaranteed to make a half difficult it is going out too fast in the early miles, and the long run teaches endurance and patience and will give you the confidence you need for race day.

Since the distance is only a couple hours or so, weather, that uncontrollable other that can make or break a marathon, does not have to ruin a half marathon. My best effort was on a rainy race day; not a light mist or occasional showers, no, it was a fulltorrential rain that was there from start to finish. The kind of day when being in the porta-potty was a respite, and when I learned to be jealous of runners who were smart enough to pack garbage bags to use as throw-away rain coats. For whatever reason, the rain just didn't matter, and I felt great, clicking away the miles, smiling when the rain came down even harder, enough to awaken left over laundry soap in my running clothes. I met my goal and crossed the finish utterly soaked and covered with soap bubbles.

Crossing the line of a half marathon is memorable, rain or shine, and you can't help feeling at least a little pleased having run the distance. Let's face it; even driving 13.1 miles takes a bit of time. Since the half marathon is so popular, there are many races to choose from locally, just about every month of the year.

Here is a list of halfs within two hours of driving from the Seacoast; get your calendars out and write in one of these.

Feb: Half at the Hamptons, Hampton; March: Loco Running Indoor Half, Milford; Eastern States Half, Salisbury, Mass.; April: Great Bay Half, Newmarket; May: Wallis Sands Half, Rye; Big Lake Half, Alton; Twin Lights Half, Gloucester, Mass.; June: Kennebec Rail Trail Half, Augusta, Maine; Worcester Half, Worcester, Mass.; July: Old Port Half, Portland, Maine; Aug: Monadnock Half, Jaffery; Freeport Half, Freeport, Maine; Sept: Covered Bridge Half, Plymouth; Covered Bridges Half, Swanzey; Wicked Half, Salem, Mass.; Oct: Applefest Half, Hollis; Smuttynose Rockfest Half, Hampton; Maine Half, Portland, Maine; B.A.A. Boston Half, Boston, Mass.; Baystate Half, Lowell, Mass.; Green Stride Half, Newburyport, Mass.; Nov: Manchester City Half, Manchester; Seacoast Half, Portsmouth; All Women and One Lucky Guy Half, Newburyport, Mass.

Running Notes: On Saturday, July 21, there is the Jason Hussey 5K in Greenland, Howie's Field of Dreams Rochester Rotary 5K in Rochester, and the Stratham Fair 5.7 mile road race in Stratham.
