With the Mercer Surrey Half Marathon less than 6 months away, the countdown has officially begun. You can enter the event, on the 8th of March, HERE.
Whether you want to lose weight, eat healthier, get fit or raise money for charity – you could achieve it all (and more) by taking part in your local half marathon. Why not challenge yourself to a run?
The Mercer Surrey Half Marathon – held at Woking Leisure Centre – promises a fun and memorable experience for the thousands of local people who challenge themselves to run either the title 13.1-mile distance or 5km.
Running either of these distances may sound daunting – but as with any large or ‘seemingly impossible’ goal – you just need to follow a solid plan and have the confidence to know you are on the right track. Thousands of new runners overcome the same fears to go on and complete the challenge every year.
This is how they do it…
•Choose an event which welcomes novice runners; book it immediately so that you commit to your goal. The Mercer Surrey Half Marathon is a great choice because not only is it highly recommended by regular runners, but it is a fully-closed road and relatively flat race.
•Follow a training plan. One of the most important features of proper race training is progressing at a manageable rate, which means you will actually only increase your training intensity by about 10% each week to ensure you don’t over-train. The most important part of this is actually following the plan – consistency is key to ensuring you reach the end. All entrants can download beginner, intermediate, advanced or elite training plans for free – courtesy of the event’s Injury and Performance Partner: Synergy Physiotherapy. This ensures that everyone (regardless of ability or experience) is given the best possible chance of completing the race from the moment they enter.
•It’s not all about running – you need to be strong, flexible and eat well to enhance your recovery. Pilates is a great complementary form of exercise to strengthen the core and stretch tight muscles, but without causing excessive fatigue.
•A short running analysis with a professional can be enough to provide you with the changes required to remain injury-free throughout your training, and even improve your performance.
Organisers and sponsors of the Mercer Surrey Half Marathon – Mercer, GlucoRX, Halstead Preparatory School for Girls, Synergy Physiotherapy, Freedom Leisure, Fitstuff and Harrison’s Fund – wish you the best of luck with your training and look forward to seeing you on the start line!
•Award-winning atmosphere and huge medals
•Accessible, central location and glorious scenery
•Fully-closed road routes – perfect for new runners!