Going the distance: finish your first half-marathon with this 12-week, step-by-step program

imagine a sunny morning in the not-too-distant future. You're running down a street blocked off to cars but wide open to you and a thousand other runners. Your legs are churning like powerful pistons, propelling you ever forward.

Suddenly, the finish line is in sight and the goal you've spent the last 12 weeks striving for is in front of you. You're so pumped up you don't even feel the pain in your quads that was unbearable just a couple of miles back. You cross the line with an exhilarating burst of speed as the crowd cheers, and then family and friends surround you with enough congratulations to last a lifetime. You've done it. You've just run your first half-marathon.

Sound like a far-fetched scenario? It isn't if you follow our 12-week plan to get you there. The program--designed by top running coaches--will progressively take you from a run of just a few miles to the bragging-rights distance of 13.1 miles. "It's a Milo and the bull program," says Hal Higdon, author of numerous running books, including Marathon: The Ultimate. Training Guide (Rodale Press, 1999), and a training consultant for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. "He's the Greek Olympic champion who started out lifting a calf and kept lifting it every day until it grew to be a bull."

the program

Following Milo's lead, Higdon has you running 3-5 days a week. One long run will increase from four to 10 miles, gradually building your body's tolerance for longer distances. You won't actually run the full 13.1 miles in training--you'll save that for race day. Then, your enthusiasm and the pull of those fellow runners will inspire you to the finish line, says Higdon, who offers beginning to advanced training programs for various running distances at www.halhigdon.com.

If you're over 35, a new exerciser, just coming back from a layoff or you have a history of heart disease in your family, you should get an okay from your doctor before starting. Also, as a prerequisite, you should be able to jog for three miles straight. But if you're not there yet, don't worry. Spend a few weeks doing increasingly longer walks several times a week. Once you can walk briskly for a half-hour, start to include a minute or so of running every few minutes and gradually increase the amount of time you spend running. After six to eight weeks, try running the full half-hour. Then, you'll be ready for the program.

Run at a "conversation" pace, advises Higdon--if you're too out of breath to talk, you're running too hard. That translates to a pace corresponding to 65%-75% percent of your maximum heart rate (approximately 200 minus half your age, but this varies by individual and is best determined by a medically supervised stress test). A heart-rate monitor can help gauge this pace (see "Going High-Tech" on page 48).

On the other hand, if running just isn't your thing, you can certainly still train to walk your first half-marathon. Simply follow "The Schedule" guidelines and replace the run workouts with walking, keeping distances and training intensities the same.

cross-training

Cross-training will give your muscles, ligaments and tendons a break from the jarring forces when you run, thus reducing the chance of injury while still providing aerobic benefits. Just as important, it helps knock down boredom.

Higdon recommends cycling, swimming or walking, and suggests cross-training at an easy pace so your body can recover from running. Also, avoid activities that could twist an ankle or knee and sideline your running.

Don't worry about time in your first half-marathon--even if you walk portions of the race, that's fine. Your goal should just be to finish--a huge accomplishment. "Once you get through a half-marathon or two, then you can decide whether you want to move up to the marathon distance, or maybe move back down to 5Ks and 10Ks," says Higdon. So keep imagining that finish line, and get ready for an unforgettable 12 weeks.

* weeks 1-4

resistance training

Strength training will aid your running efficiency by building strength and helping your muscles maintain proper form. Also, "It helps cut down on the wear and tear of mileage, so it helps with injury prevention," says Zach Weatherford, strength and conditioning coordinator for the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California.

Weatherford's program targets the larger muscle groups--the quads, glutes, hamstrings, back, chest and ab muscles--which will build a stronger musculoskeletal foundation to support the impact forces of running.

If you're new to resistance training, start with very light weight while you work on technique. Weatherford also recommends working with a personal trainer to learn proper form.

You'll weight train twice weekly, once as your only exercise for that day and once on the same day as a run. On that day, you should run in the morning and lift in the afternoon or evening to allow recovery between workouts. If your schedule doesn't permit this split, run first. "Running is the priority," says Weatherford.