Beginner Tips for Half Marathon Training

Minto Jain, a former assistant professor of surgery at Queen’s University, has worked as a real estate broker in Mississauga, Ontario, for more than two years. An avid runner, Minto Jain has completed three half marathons.

A step up from a 10K run, a half marathon covers approximately 21 kilometers. Before training for a half marathon, runners should build a base of running 15 to 20 miles per week and be able to run at least five miles in a single session. To train for a half marathon, runners should:

- Choose a training length. Many half-marathon training programs last 10 to 16 weeks. Even experienced runners would be well-advised to choose a program that lasts at least 12 weeks, which allows for delays due to sickness, injury, or other issues. The number of weeks in the training program will dictate how many miles a runner must train for each day.

- Get enough rest. Especially important for runners who are not half-marathon veterans, resting allows muscles and joints time to relax and recover. As most half-marathon training plans are divided into four days of short runs and one day of a long run, training programs should schedule one day off after a long run and one day off after three short runs.

- Remember to train mentally. Running a half marathon is challenging physically and mentally. On long run days and during the half marathon itself, use mental tricks to keep the run manageable. For instance, make the mental journey less daunting by thinking of the 21 kilometers as roughly two different 10K runs. Staying mentally focused helps runners reach their goal and cross the finish line.

How to Make Running More Interesting and Easier

Minto Jain earned his MHPE at the University of Chicago, Illinois, where he studied education. Currently, Minto Jain is a real estate broker at Kingsway Real Estate Brokerage, Inc., in Mississauga, California, where he prospects his own leads to bring in business. When away from real estate, he enjoys running.

Running when you’re a beginner can be quite challenging. After you’ve been running a while, you may wonder how you can make it more interesting and exciting. The sport can quickly come to feel like a chore when you go for a run in the same neighborhood each day. Choosing different scenic routes every time you run, or at least on some of your runs, is sure to keep the activity fresh. By varying your route you may not even notice how fast the minutes are going by, as you will be too focused on taking in your new surroundings.

Aside from finding new scenery, you can make running a bit easier by strengthening your quads. The stronger your quadriceps are, the easier it will be to lift your legs during a run. In addition, quad strengthening is essential for protecting your knees. A quick exercise you can do when you are sitting down begins by putting one of your ankles over the other. Next, lift your lower leg off the floor and straighten it 10 times. Try doing multiple sets with both legs. If you’re doing it correctly, you will feel the burn right above your knee.

Banff’s Superlative Ski Resorts in the Canadian Rockies

 



An experienced Ontario entrepreneur, Minto Jain has a longstanding interest in fitness and maintains a vegetarian diet with his family. In his free time, he enjoys running and has competed in the Mississauga Half Marathon on three occasions. Minto Jain also cycles regularly and enjoys winter skiing trips to premier destinations such as Aspen, Whistler, Vail, and Banff.

Situated within Alberta’s scenic Canadian Rocky Mountains, Banff offers three distinct choices for ski enthusiasts, including Mount Norquay, which is only a few minutes from town. Known as the oldest ski resort in Canada, the slopes opened in 1926 and offer some outstanding mogul runs within a compact area. The area also features the only night skiing in Banff.

Lake Louise is a much larger resort that encompasses in excess of 130 trails and is widely considered to be in the same caliber as Whistler. Advanced skiers access some of the most scenic vistas in the park across glacier-carved Bow Valley. Beginning skiers can also ride on these lifts and simply enjoy the view from the top.

A third major option is Sunshine Village, which is situated relatively remotely and offers many of the park’s highest altitude trails. This storied resort has a history extending to the 1920s, when Canadian Pacific Railways built cabins in the area in support of train operations.

AIM for SEVA - Creating of Free Students Homes Across India

Dr. Minto Jain is a respected Ontario professional who has overseen a prominent chain of imaging clinics and also has served as assistant professor of surgery at Queens University in Kingston. Dr. Minto Jain maintains an active community presence and engages in fundraising activities for AIM for SEVA, a Canadian nonprofit committed to enabling access to quality education for children spanning the globe. 

A particular focus of AIM for SEVA is the empowerment of youth in underprivileged rural areas of India, where child labor is common and abject poverty a fact of life. One of the major success stories of AIM for SEVA has been the creation of 100 hostels, known as Free Students Homes (FSH), in India that provide lodging to more than 3,500 children. The program offers a pathway toward a full education and productive career for youth who have been orphaned or suffer from marginal existences with minimal family support. 

The FSH program is part of an AIM for SEVA “All India Movement,” which has been likened to a banyan tree that spreads its branches across the country. The ultimate aim is to have at least one hostel in each of India’s 640 districts, with a total capacity that meets the needs of 320,000 young learners.