TEAM | Run Guides | Beginner Half Marathon

Beginner Half Marathon

WEEK 1

THE AIM FOR THE NEXT 12 WEEKS IS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONDITIONING AS A RUNNER SO YOU ARE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE HAF MARATHON FASTER OR STRONGER THAN EVER. ALONG WITH DOING THAT, THE TRAINING IN THIS PROGRAM WILL DEVELOP THE AEROBIC ENERGY SYSTEM WHICH WILL IMPROVE YOUR RUNNING AS A WHOLE AS WELL AS YOUR LACTATE THRESHOLD ENABLING YOU TO BE A MORE EFFICIENT RUNNER WITH YOUR ENERGY.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

40 MINUTES EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20S STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST-RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST-RUN

📅 Wednesday

50 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

8KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

70 MINUTES STEADY

WEEK 2

THIS FIRST TWO WEEKS IS ABOUT BUILDING YOUR ENDURANCE AND LAYING A SOLID FOUNDATION IN TRAINING FOR YOUR BIGGEST TRAINING WEEKS LATER IN THE PLAN. AS YOU DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THIS CYCLE, YOU SHOULD FIND THAT YOUR LT PACE IMPROVES WHICH WILL ENABLE ALL OF YOUR OTHER RUNNER PACES TO THAT EFFORT IMPROVE ALONG WITH IT.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

40 MINUTES EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST-RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST-RUN

📅 Wednesday

50 MINUTES EASY RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

10KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

75 MINUTES STEADY

Week 3

THIS WEEK WE INTRODUCE INTERVAL TRAINING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE PLAN. THESE WILL FEATURE REGULARLY AND YOU MAY FEEL PRESSURE AROUND THEM OR FRIGHTENED TO ATTEMPT THEM. THE SIMPLIEST WAY OF SUMMARISING INTERVAL TRAINING IS THAT IT'S THE SAME AS ANY OTHER RUN YOU'VE DONE BEFORE, JUST WITH A MIXTURE OF PACES OR EFFORT AND RECOVERY SECTIONS ARE INCLUDED. IF YOU REMEMBER THAT AND KEEP CALM, YOU CAN FIND SOME MASSIVE IMPROVEMENTS BY INCORPORATING THIS TYPE OF TRAINING INTO YOUR WEEKLY SCHEDULE. WORKING FASTER THAN RACE PACE IS DEVELOPING YOUR LACTATE THRESHOLD WHICH AS SPOKEN ABOUT EARLIER IN THE PLAN, IS GOING TO AID YOU BECOMING MORE EFFICIENT AT USING YOUR ENERGY. OVER 21.1KM, THE MORE EFFICIENT YOU CAN BE THE MORE ENERGY YOU CAN HARNESS TOWARDS THE JOB AT HAND.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

3 X 2KM AT 25-35s PER KM FASTER THAN GOAL RACE PACE
3 MINUTES REST BETWEEN INTERVALS

📅 Wednesday

50 MINUTES EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST-RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST-RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

11KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

85 MINUITES STEADY

Week 4

EACH WEEK WE WILL TOUCH ON YOUR HALF MARATHON RACE PACE, EVEN AT JUST THREE MILES OR SO, IT'S GREAT PRACTICE TO GET YOUR BODY AND MIND TUNED INTO WHAT THAT SHOULD FEEL LIKE SO COME RACE DAY WHEN THE GUN GOES, YOU CAN LOCK STRAIGHT ONTO PACE AND SETTLE IN FOR THE NEXT 21.1KM.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS - 8 X 90 SECS FAST, 90 SECS SLOW. RUN YOUR HARD SECTIONS AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT AND YOUR SLOW SECTIONS AS A JOG RECOVERY.

📅 Wednesday

50 MINUTES EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

11KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

1HR40 STEADY

Week 5

THIS WEEK WE CHANGE THE LONG RUN UP AND INCLUDE HMP MILES AT THE END OF THE RUN. THE MORE WE CAN RECREATE THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE TARGET RACE IN TRAINING THE MORE YOU WILL BENEFIT COME THE BIG DAY. HERE WE PUT YOUR BODY IN A FATIGUED STATE BY RUNNING 8 MILES THEN IT'S YOUR JOB TO RUN AT RACE PACE ON TIRED LEGS, EXACTLY WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO IN THE RACE 8 MILES IN.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

7 X 2 MINUTES AT 5KM RACE PACE OFF 90 SECONDS RECOVERY

📅 Wednesday

10KM EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

11KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

17.5KM - FINAL 5KM AT HMP

Week 6

ANOTHER WEEK OF SOLID TRAINING HERE, NOTHING FANCY BUT EVERY ELEMENT OF TRAINING HAS A PLACE. BY NOW, YOUR EASY RUNNING PACE SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE AND HOPEFULLY YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING YOUR EASY DAYS EASY BECAUSE OF HOW HARD THE HARD DAYS ARE!THIS IS WHERE THE REAL TRAINING STARTS AND IT'S YOUR FINAL FULL TRAINING WEEK BEFORE AN EASIER WEEK.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

MONA FARTLEK - 2 X 90S / 4 X 60S / 4 X 30S / 4 X 15S. FLOAT RECOVERY THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS INTERVAL JUST COMPLETED. THE AIM IS TO COVER AS MUCH DISTANCE AS POSSIBLE IN THE 20 MINUTES BUT BY ALSO ENSURING THAT YOUR RECOVERY SECTIONS ARE SLOWER THAN YOUR INTERVALS RATHER THAN RUNNING IT LIKE A 20 MINUTE STRAIGHT HARD EFFORT.

📅 Wednesday

11KM EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

11KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

19.5KM

Week 7

WE WILL WORK IN SMALLER TRAINING BLOCKS SO THE TRAINING CYCLE IS MORE MANAGEABLE AND YOU DON'T RISK INJURY OR OVERTRAINING. ON DOWN WEEKS, TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF AND PHYSICALLY RECOVER AS WELL AS MENTALLY TOO.FROM NEXT WEEK, SOME OF YOUR SESSIONS REALLY RAMP UP SO REST UP AND BE READY! IT MAY SEEM DAUNTING BUT IT CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HITTING YOUR GOAL AND MISSING IT. THE IMPROVEMENTS YOU'LL MAKE FROM PUSHING YOURSELF IN A DIFFERENT WAY WILL STICK WITH YOU FOR YEARS TO COME!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

QUARTERS (8 X 400M AT 5K RACE PACE OFF A 200M FLOAT AT HM RACE PACE)

📅 Wednesday

8KM EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

3KM EASY JOG PLUS POST-RUN STRIDES

📅 Sunday

TUNE UP RACE - 2KM EASY WARM UP / 16KM RACE (2KM STEADY / 13KM AT HMP / 2KM MILE STEADY) / 2KM EASY COOL DOWN

Week 8

WITH A TOUGH LONG RUN ON THE SUNDAY LAST WEEK THE WEEK IS SLIGHTLY EASIER AT THE START BUT RAMPS UP TOWARDS THE END WITH YOUR LONGEST LONG RUN TO DATE. NOW YOUR LONG RUN IS AT RACE DISTANCE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAN YOU'RE FUELLING FOR THOSE TRAINING DAYS ACCORDINGLY. YOUR HYDRATION AND ENERGY INTAKE IS ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING THE TRAINING AND SMASHING IT ON RACE DAY.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

12 X 60S WITH A 90S WALK RECOVERY
CONTROLLED HARD EFFORT ON THE 60S

📅 Wednesday

11KM EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20S STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

11KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

21KM

Week 9

THREE MORE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL RACE WEEK, THIS IS THE REAL CRUX OF THE TRAINING PLAN. YOU'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO THIS POINT AND PUT IN SOME SERIOUS SESSIONS SO WHAT YOU HAVE AHEAD OF YOU IS WITHIN YOUR GRASP AND YOUR CAPABILITIES. START TO THINK ABOUT THE SMALLER ELEMENT OF TRAINING THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE ON WHETHER THAT'S YOUR SLEEP QUALITY, RECOVERY IN GENERAL, DIET OR STRENGTH WORK. THE MORE YOU CAN IMPROVE ON THESE 1%ERS THE MORE YOU WILL BENEFIT COME RACE DAY.

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

6 X 1KM (90S RECOVERY)
FIRST THREE INTERVALS AT 10KM RACE PACE/EFFORT
FINAL THREE INTERVALS TO INCREASE TO 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT

📅 Wednesday

11KM EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

11KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

22.5KM

Week 10

AS THE VOLUME STARTS TO DROP SLIGHTLY IT'S EASY FOR YOUR BODY TO ENTER AUTO PILOT MODE AND FEEL SLIGHTLY SLUGGISH. THIS IS WHERE POST RUN STRIDES AND FUELLING ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. ENSURE THAT YOUR STRIDES ARE DONE SO YOU KEEP THE POP IN THE LEGS AND YOUR NUTRITION IS ON POINT SO YOU'RE GETTING ALL THE ENERGY NEEDED FOR TRAINING!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

3 X 4 X 30 SECOND HILL SPRINTS
3 MINUTES REST BETWEEN SETS
JOG DOWN RECOVERY BETWEEN INTERVALS

📅 Wednesday

10KM EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

11KM EASY RUN

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

21KM

Week 11

YOUR FINAL WEEK OF TRAINING BEFORE RACE WEEK, NOTHING NEW TO YOU AND YOU'RE IN GREAT SHAPE AT THIS POINT. START TO PLAN THE RACE DAY NOW SO YOU LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED. FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE WITH YOUR FUELLING, TO YOUR PRE RACE BREAKFAST, WAKE UP TIME, TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS, WARM UP, TOILETS AT THE START, BAG DROP, RACE KIT, RACE STRATEGY AND FINALLY, WHAT HAPPENS IF PLAN A DOESN'T GO TO PLAN? CREATE A PLAN B AND C NOW SO COME RACE DAY, YOU ARE READY FOR ANYTHING THIS RACE THROWS AT YOU. YOU'RE READY!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

4 X 2KM AT 25-35s PER KM FASTER THAN GOAL RACE PACE
3 MINUTES REST BETWEEN INTERVALS

📅 Wednesday

10KM EASY RUN PLUS 4 X 20s STRIDES AT 5KM RACE PACE/EFFORT POST RUN WITH A WALK BACK RECOVERY POST RUN

📅 Thursday

2KM EASY / 5KM AT HMP (HALF MARATHON PACE) / 2KM EASY

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

WU / 5KM TIME TRIAL / CD

📅 Sunday

LONG RUN

14.5KM

Week 12

RACE WEEK!! THIS IS IT, TIME TO CASH IN ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. YOU'VE DONE THE INTERVALS, THE LONG RUNS, THE STRENGTH WORK AND GOT OUT OF THE DOOR WHEN YOU DIDN'T WANT TO. NOW IT'S DOWN TO YOU, GO AND SMASH YOUR GOAL. GOOD LUCK!!

📅 Monday

REST

📅 Tuesday

INTERVALS

8 X 45S OFF 90S WALK
CONTROLLED EFFORT ON THE 45S TO SHAKE THE LEGS OUT AHEAD OF THE WEEKEND

📅 Wednesday

REST

📅 Thursday

8KM EASY RUN

📅 Friday

REST

📅 Saturday

3KM EASY JOG PLUS POST-RUN STRIDES

📅 Sunday

RACE DAY

Half Marathon Pacing (Beginner)

KM:

Beginner Easy running Steady running Threshold Intervals Race pace 10km race pace
1:45 5:50 - 6:23 5:30 - 5:50 4:50 4:26 4:58 4:43
1:50 6:04 - 6:40 5:46 - 6:04 5:02 4:39 5:13 4:58
1:55 6:15 - 6:54 5:56 - 6:15 5:16 4:50 5:27 5:13
2:00 6:27 - 7:04 6:07 - 6:27 5:27 4:58 5:40 5:25



MILES:

Beginner Easy running Steady running Threshold Intervals Race pace 10km race pace
1:45 9:20 - 10:15 8:50 - 9:20 7:47 7:10 8:00 7:37
1:50 9:45 - 10:45 9:15 - 9:45 8:08 7:29 8:23 7:59
1:55 10:05 - 11:05 9:35 - 10:05 8:28 7:46 8:46 8:21
2:00 10:20 - 11:20 9:50 - 10:20 8:45 7:59 9:09 8:42