It’s hard to believe that Mothering Sunday this week will mark almost 12 weeks until the JCP Swansea Half Marathon, which takes place on Sunday 25^th June.  There have been mums, step mums, and grannies who have laced up over the years to #RunSwansea and 2017 is set to see many more mums taking part in this Award winning race.

The JCP Swansea Half Marathon is a fully accessible race and welcomes runners and athletes of all abilities to #RunSwansea.  Besides mums and grannies, the event has seen a fantastic field of wheelchair athletes, disabled buggy runners, a blind runner with his guide and of course the family dash which is open to all ages.

Anyone contemplating taking on the challenge of a half marathon will quickly realise that 12 weeks is a critical milestone.  This is where you can literally go from being a couch potato to a half marathon runner – so long as you do the training NOW!  That said, you must stick to the plan that suits you, so here are some great tips from the race organisers to help you get ready for THE MUST-DO race this June…

1. If you haven’t run before don’t worry – start out by walk, jog, walk jog and build up your time or distance until you can comfortably jog/run 5k, Park Run is an excellent way of doing this!
2. Download a running app such as the MYASICS training app which will work out your training schedule that fits into your lifestyle and build you up to become race ready.
3. Try and stick to your plan! If you don’t feel like getting out there try to buddy up with someone you know – the team incentive is definitely the way to go, or even try training at a different time of day! Work out what’s best for you, but try to make sure you don’t miss a training session.
4. Cross train – Cross-training can improve your fitness, help with injury prevention and you will see a difference in your running fitness as a result. Try yoga, swimming, cycling, elliptical trainer, or even weights to help strengthen your legs and core.
5. Nutrition & hydration – Staying hydrated is an essential part of running, not just on race day but also during your training. It is possible to over-hydrate so drink to thirst, replacing lost fluids with small sips of water over a period of time. Make sure you fuel your runs sufficiently, what works for one person is different for someone else, work out what to eat during your training to ensure you fuel correctly before, during and after Race Day.

If you haven’t already entered to take part in the JCP Swansea Half Marathon, now is the perfect time to do so!  Registration is quick and easy and you can sign up by going to: www.swanseahalfmarathon.co.uk You can also keep up to date with news, training advice, One-Mile Wednesday campaign and more by following their pages via Facebook.com/swanseahalf or Twitter @Swansea_HM or Instagram @swanseahalfmarathon