Conquer the Weight of War: 21km Weighted Half-Marathon Training
Take on the ultimate physical and mental challenge with the 13 week Running Program .pdf. Designed by the direct-action veteran charity Weight of War, this comprehensive guide prepares you to safely cross the finish line of a 21km half-marathon while carrying a 10kg weight vest.
Key Program Features
Purpose-Driven Mission: 100% of public funds raised go directly toward sponsoring transitioning Australian veterans through mental health, rehabilitation, and mentorship pipelines.
Science-Backed Methodology: Built on proven strength and conditioning models, utilising a 3:1 step-loading paradigm, three weeks of progressive intensity followed by one critical de-load week to maximise recovery and gains. Three weeks of progressive intensity followed by one critical de-load week to maximise recovery and gains.
Balanced Training Load: Alternates between fast, unweighted "Clean Skin" runs to build your aerobic engine, and dedicated weighted runs to develop essential muscular endurance.
Structured Weekly Schedule: Features four distinct running days (Intervals, Vest Short Run, Clean Easy Run, and a Long Run) carefully balanced with three recovery days to prevent overtraining.
The 4 Training Phases
Phase 1: Base Building (Weeks 1-4): Develop basic aerobic fitness and introduce your joints and tendons to the 10kg vest on shorter mid-week runs.
Phase 2: Vest Transition (Weeks 5-8): Shift the heavy lifting to weekend long runs while keeping mid-week runs unweighted to maintain speed and endurance.
Phase 3: The Grind (Weeks 9-11): The core of the program, pushing your weighted time-on-feet closer to the full 21km target.
Phase 4: Taper & Event Day (Weeks 12-13): Drastically drop your running volume to shed muscle fatigue while keeping your fitness peaking perfectly for race day.
Fuel Your Run
Proper hydration and recovery are not optional when running with a 10kg vest. The 13 week Running Program .pdf includes a comprehensive weekly fuelling guide, the "Crippa Stack" built in partnership with ALIVIA. You will learn how to properly integrate creatine, hydration electrolytes, essential amino acids (EAAs), and molecular hydrogen tablets into your routine to support cellular hydration and muscle repair.
Give Back & Save: Use the exclusive code WEIGHTOFWAR15 at checkout to get 15% off your entire ALIVIA order. ALIVIA will donate an additional 15% of your total purchase directly back to the Weight of War.