La Jolla will set the stage for the 27th annual La Jolla Half Marathon this Sunday, April 27, as one of America’s most picturesque and challenging runs. It’s the second in Elite Racing’s Half Marathon Triple Crown series, kicking off with the Carlsbad Half Marathon in January and finishing with the America’s Finest City (AFC) on Aug. 17.
Starting adjacent to the Del Mar Fair Grounds’ main entrance, the course follows a scenic route along the coast before reaching the challenging climb to the summit of Torrey Pines State Park, which reaches a height of 420 feet. After leaving the park, the course continues through the beautiful residential district of La Jolla Shores and finishes on the grass in the park at La Jolla Cove.
How does one prepare for a half marathon, 13.1 miles, or any organized run?
“Start early,” said Allison Humbert, physical trainer. “If you are starting from square one, it’s going to take a little longer to get yourself ready.”
Humbert, who has run two full marathons (26.2 miles) and four halves, likes to train by doing long runs on the weekends with three to four shorter runs during the week, which she calls her base runs. She goes on to say, “You shouldn’t increase your mileage base by more than 10 percent a week.”
There’s a litany of running information, suggested schedules and training methods that can be found online by a simple Google search (www.google.com). Most experts recommend some form of a mileage buildup schedule, meaning a mile is added each week to slowly increase one’s distance. Generally, the longest training run is to be completed no more than two to three weeks before the half-marathon date to allow time for muscles to recover.
Humbert will be one of the thousands running in this weekend’s La Jolla Half. In final preparation for this weekend, she ran nine miles this past week; however, “it really depends on where you are physically,” she said. “Even if you’re used to running, you’ll still need to start about three to four months out from the race date.”
Running is an individual sport; however, many will tell you that running in a group can help push you through the most challenging of courses.
Humbert trains with a triathlon group, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program, many of whom participate in local half marathons. She recently returned from an Olympic distance triathlon, including a 1-mile swim, 25-mile bike ride and 10K run, on the Big Island in Hawaii.
La Jolla is a runner’s paradise, with a number of scenic runs along its celebrated coast, including a popular San Diego Track Club route from La Jolla Cove to Windansea. Torrey Pines State Park also offers several trails with spectacular cliffs and stunning ocean views.
“The La Jolla Half is such a well-known race in the running community; I’m excited to be a part of it,” Humbert said. “It’s going to be a pretty course.”
If training hasn’t begun, you’re reasonably too late for this year’s race. Mark your calendar for next year’s event or register for the AFC Half Marathon.
The event also features the La Jolla Shores 5K and WindanSea Five Mile Stride, which both take off at 7:30 a.m. as well. The 5K begins at La Jolla Shores Drive at Horizon Way, while the Stride starts at the south end of La Jolla Cove Park. All three events finish at Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove.
Registration for the Half Marathon is closed after reaching its maximum of 5,500 racers.
Runners can still register for the 5K during the Runner’s Expo on Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Washington Mutual bank, 7777 Girard Ave.
The La Jolla Half Marathon, La Jolla Shores 5K and WindanSea 5 Mile Stride are produced by the Kiwanis Club of La Jolla, with proceeds going to community and youth programs.
Course records for the La Jolla Half Marathon are held by Nazario Romero, who finished in 1:06:23.4 in 2003, and Erin Baker, who set the women’s record of 1:16:52.0 in 1990.
For more information on the La Jolla Half Marathon, log onto www.lajollahalfmarathon.com or call (858) 454-0777.
For details on the America’s Finest City Half Marathon, visit www.afchalf.com. To learn more about the San Diego Track Club, visit www.sdtc.com. Humbert can be reached at the following e-mail address: [email protected].