Half Marathon Guide | The most popular distance

The 21.0975 kilometers have become a national treasure in Denmark. It is clearly the distance that most runners are eager to complete, and it is the distance that many have as their goal. Some people’s goal is to complete, others’ is to set a PR for the distance..
A quick search on Denmark’s largest race calendar at Motionslob.dk shows that in 2016 there are at least 312 different races where half marathon is one of the distances. And this list is probably not 110% complete with all half marathons, so there is plenty to choose from.

You can find the race calendar here.

– GET YOURSELF READY –

Get your head clear – psychologically

A lot is going on in your head. We write further down that you need to be realistic about your goal, can you really complete a half marathon?
But there are also many who are slowed down psychologically. To tell yourself that you can’t, that’s what a lot of people do. But you may not believe it, but the vast majority of people can do more than you realize. The limits are placed further out than you realize.

Motivation and enthusiasm are important

Get your girlfriend, family, acquaintances or whoever you hang out with to talk about the idea before you decide to complete a half marathon. There needs to be support for it. And there are several reasons for that. It will be both more fun and more motivating if your family is interested in how far you are and whether your shape is improving.
If there is no support, you will also slowly lose more and more enthusiasm, as it will then act as a disruptive element in everyday life.

Know your shape and your body

You have to be realistic. Is it even possible for me/you to complete a half marathon? It’s important to be honest with yourself. Because then it will be a much better experience. If you’re just on the edge, work on your better, and maybe push your half marathon a few months or 3. Because it will be a much better experience for you if you don’t have to trudge through the 21 kilometers. Then it will just be a long boring trip.

– WHEN THE DECISION IS MADE –

Time of day – practice it

Find a half marathon with a time that suits you. Running at 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM can make a big difference
And if you have used other criteria in your choice of half marathon than just the start time, it is advisable to use the training leading up to it to practice running in that time interval of the day. That way you are better prepared.

Check date = climatic conditions

You should be careful to choose a half marathon that is in a season when you really enjoy running. It’s boring to have to be limited by, for example, heat or cold.
So if you don’t like running in high temperatures, stay away from half marathons that take place in the warmer months. There is no guarantee or risk that the weather will be hot, but there is a potential higher probability that it will. So why take the chance when there are so many races to choose from?

Are you into hills or not?

When choosing your half marathon, decide for yourself whether you like hills or not. There are half marathons with and without hills. And if it’s your first time attempting the 21.0975 kilometers, it’s extremely frustrating to be limited by choosing the wrong race with a route that doesn’t suit you.

Your patience is important.

It is important that you have patience for a half marathon race. You should not overtrain and speed up your training to get in shape faster. It will bite you in the end, and you will significantly increase the risk of provoking an injury. And then you will just be set back instead of ahead. So follow your program or the way you usually prepare.

Find your fluid needs at 21 kilometers

When you are training for a 21-kilometer race, a half marathon, spend some of your training time figuring out how much, or rather how little, fluid you can drink during the 21 kilometers. It is also important to choose and find out what kind of fluid. Many races offer both water and sports drinks, and if you are not used to drinking sports drinks, it can very easily upset your stomach, and you might as well run to the toilet.
Of course, you shouldn’t drink too little, but the less you can fill your stomach with and still perform optimally, the better.

Train according to a program

It is recommended – if you do not know how to train for a half marathon – that you use a program to train according to. If you are a beginner and it is “only” the 1st or 2nd time you are going to tackle the 21 kilometers, then it is a good idea to follow a program.
This gives you the assurance that you will reach the finish line in good shape and that you are dressed in the best possible way to complete the distance.

Find half marathon running programs here

It can be said very briefly. You need at least 2 months, or rather 8 weeks to get ready. But many people need both 12 and 16 weeks to build up an acceptable form to complete a half marathon.
Many functional running programs work based on 3 principles: Tempo running, Half marathon time running and recovery or endurance running.

Research about the race

Find out what you are going to do. Then you can mentally prepare yourself for what awaits you. Read about the route so you know whether it is a flat or hilly route you are going to run. Then you have the opportunity to train for it.
Familiarize yourself with fluid depots so you can prepare where to drink and where not to.

Practical information about a race is always good to have on hand. So you know where to pick up your start number, where the toilets are, shower facilities and things like that. It’s so much easier to focus on the race when you have peace of mind about the other things.

The week leading up to the half marathon

You can do a lot of preparation for the race – preferably a week before. That way you can optimize your performance and not least your experience.

Sleep

Make sure you are well rested. And it’s not just the day before that you should make sure to go to bed early. It’s actually the whole week leading up to it. Don’t slack off on your sleep. Make sure you are well rested, because you can actually risk having trouble sleeping the night before the race, due to excitement, excitement or the like. It’s been seen before.

The food for the week leading up to

You just have to eat normally in the week leading up to. You don’t need to specialize your food the entire week leading up to the start on Saturday. 1-2 days before dinner you can start thinking about filling up your tank with energy. It could be pasta dishes with chicken. That will give you plenty of energy and carbohydrates in your body, and it’s good for the race.

Refund – remember it now

Relax in the week leading up to your half marathon. You won’t be able to make any significant improvements in one week anyway. So keep your body calm and make sure you’re ready to run the 21 kilometers at full speed instead.
For example, if you are going to run on Saturday, if you can’t sit still, you can take a leisurely walk on Monday, and then possibly a walk on Wednesday, and THEN relax and let your body rest.

Check the weather forecast

Spend some time checking the weather forecast. Not that you can do much about it, but mostly because it can be a barrier if you have envisioned the race in completely calm weather and lovely sunshine, and then you end up running in rain and wind. Then you can lose a lot of both motivation and enthusiasm.
And of course, this also applies to your running clothes during the day – because if it gets cold, you may need to bring a jacket as layer number 2.

On race day – Before the race

There are of course some things you need to be aware of before the race on race day itself.

Eat right

No experiments – and by that we mean NONE. It’s such a shame to train for X number of weeks, and then ruin it all on the day by experimenting with food.
It is recommended that you fill up on oatmeal in the morning (maybe with a little sprinkle of sugar). It has a lot of energy, and then you have a good feeling of satiety for many hours. If you are going to have lunch before the race (possibly at the start at 2:00 PM), you can take a fruit bun with jam or Nutella for lunch. It is clean and quick energy straight into the body. Have lunch 2 hours before the start, so that it can get around in the system.
If you are used to drinking beetroot juice, for example, you can also use it as an energy booster – but if you are not used to it, don’t. It can easily upset a stomach that is already full of butterflies.

Leave in good time

No matter how good your preparations are, it’s always a good idea to arrive well in advance. This will give you time to calm down before the start, and you’ll have the opportunity to reduce your nervousness. At the same time, you’ll have the opportunity to experience the very special and fantastic atmosphere that is almost always present at such events.
There has to be room in the schedule for minor delays. You never know what will happen. And there is not much point in arriving right at the start, or for that matter, arriving late.

Relax and enjoy yourself

It’s important to enjoy yourself. Don’t let the fear of what might go wrong take over. Focus on the fact that you have to complete a half marathon, and of course you can do it. You’ve prepared optimally, so why shouldn’t you complete it with a good time?

Drink plenty, but not too much

You must remember to replenish your fluids from the morning onwards (depending on the start time). You will definitely sweat, and you must be ready for the race when it starts. Your fluid balance must be in order. If it is very hot during the day, you should calculate with a larger fluid intake..
You can check if you are ready half an hour before the start by checking your urine. Go to the toilet, and if your urine is clear and “transparent” then you are well balanced with fluids, if it is slightly yellow then you are in deficit, and then you should start replenishing. But not right up to the starting gun either – there should be time for the water to enter the body, and not just land in the stomach as an annoying element.

Unpacking

If you are going alone, or only with others who are also running, make sure to arrive well in advance so that you have the opportunity to get rid of your luggage. There is nothing worse than running out on the route and wondering if your luggage is still there when you get back because you have been forced to throw it somewhere random.

On race day – The race itself

During the race, there are also some things you can prepare for from home. So you are more clear in your mind about what is going to happen.

Know your place in the field

There can be a lot of participants in such a race. Work out from home where you want to be in the field. If you want to have a fast time, it is always a good idea to come forward in the field of runners who set a fast pace from the start. You will have more air to breathe and you can find your own pace more quickly..
You should always expect your running times to be a little slower in the first 2 kilometers. This is where you jump back and forth between the other participants to find your place in the field.
If there are speed limits – always start near the one you think you should keep to the whole way around.

Accept the conditions

Accept the conditions. You can’t do anything about the weather? You can’t do anything about the road? You can’t do much about the route? So a good piece of advice is to clear all the negative thoughts and focus on what you need to do. There’s no point in wasting bad energy on things you can’t change anyway.

Enjoy the ride

Enjoy it all. There is so much fantastic nature in Denmark, and you will just be in a much better mood, and it will give you more energy if you remember to enjoy the surroundings. If you are lucky enough to hit one of the half marathons with lots of spectators along the route, enjoy it, say hello to them and smile. Then it will just be so much easier to complete.

On race day – After the race

There are lots of different rituals after the race. It varies from runner to runner. But there are some very common ones that almost all runners should and can follow.

Fill the tank again.

Some may find it difficult, others crave it. Getting wet and dry on board. It is important that after a half marathon you make sure to replenish the reserves in your body. And this applies to both fluids and food..
There are many races where you are presented with a nice selection of different delicious snacks in the finish area – take advantage of them, they all help you bring your body back to a balance level, and then you also have a better opportunity to recover better.

A little note: if you are the type who sweats a lot (and therefore perhaps a lot of salt) then you might also want to remember to top up that account. Your body and your muscles will love you for it.

Dry clothes

You should always make sure to change into dry clothes when you reach the finish line. Your running clothes are most likely wet, and your body stops producing heat in the same amount as when you run. And if you are really unlucky that it is also a little windy in the finish area, believe us, wet clothes are a “killer””
So always have dry clothes ready when you reach the finish line. This way you reduce the risk of getting sick and you take care of your body at the same time.

The week after the race

Know your limitations. Few people can defend the idea that the body needs to go out and be active again the day after a half marathon. So consider very strongly that you let your recovery really take effect. Spend the week after the race enjoying your “victory”. Because completing the 21.0975 kilometers is a victory for many.

Other good advice

There are lots of good advice and personal rituals. Below you will find a small list of the most common. It has nothing to do with the race, but it can be good things to have on hand. And maybe something you could consider for your next half marathon

Accommodation

Find out if you want to stay overnight at your destination. It can be an advantage to stay overnight. You will calm down faster, and you won’t have to stress yourself and your body by having to spend X number of hours in a car or on public transport. It’s a luxury, but it’s definitely worth recommending.

Support

If you have the opportunity to get support for your half marathon, do it. If you can get some people to come with you – and who of course are not going to run the route, then just say so. It gives a kick, and has a really good psychological effect to know that there are some people in the audience just to cheer you on. You can possibly arrange a place on the route so that you can say hello or give them a hug.

Frequently Asked Questions About Half Marathons

How long is a half marathon?

A half marathon is 21.0975 km long.

What is the world record for a half marathon?

The current world record for men in the half marathon was set by Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda on November 21, 2021, with a time of 57:31. For women, the world record is 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 2 seconds, set by Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia on June 6, 2021.