Below is an 8 week intermediate half marathon training plan for runners with a good level of experience of interval and hill training, and who have completed adequate aerobic base training with a history of training a minimum of 30-35miles/week.
Below the training plans is information about recovery periods and target heart rates for each session.
Day | Week 1 | week 2 | Week 3 | week 4 |
Monday | Rest Day | 4M Easy | Rest Day | Rest Day |
Tuesday | 3 x 2000m (10k pace) | 6 x 1000m (5k pace) | 4 x 1600m (10k pace) | 6 x 800m (3K pace) |
Wednesday | 7M Steady | 5M Steady | 7M Steady | Rest Day |
Thursday | 6 x Long Hills | 30mins @ 1/2Marathon Pace |
6 x Long Hills | 6M Steady |
Friday | Rest Day | Rest Day | Rest Day | Rest Day |
Saturday | 25 min Tempo | 2 x 10 min Tempo | 25 min Tempo | 2 x10 min Tempo |
Sunday | 14M Easy Pace | 12M Easy Pace | 14M Easy Pace | 10M Easy Pace |
Day | Week 5 | week 6 | Week 7 | week 8 |
Monday | Rest Day | 4M Easy | Rest Day | Rest Day |
Tuesday | 4 x 1600m (10k pace) | 6 x 800m (3k pace) | 5 x 1200m (10k pace) | 6 x 600m (5K pace) |
Wednesday | 7M Steady | 5M Steady | 7M Steady | 4M Easy Pace |
Thursday | 12 x Tempo Hills | 30Mins 1/2 Marathon Pace |
12 x Tempo Hills | 5 x 800m (1/2 Marathon pace) |
Friday | Rest Day | Rest Day | Rest Day | 3M Easy pace |
Saturday | 25 min Tempo | 2 x 10 min Tempo | 25 min Tempo | Rest Day |
Sunday | 14M Easy Pace | 14M Easy Pace | 12M Easy Pace | 1/2 Marathon Race |
- 1) Rest Intervals: 1/2 Marathon/10k pace = 200-400m jog rec, 5k pace = 200-400m jog rec, 3k/mile pace = 400m jog rec
- 2) Short Hills: 50-60sec up moderate gradient (3k-5k Intensity), jog down rec
- 3) Long Hills: 1:45-2:00min up moderate gradient (5k-10k Intensity), jog down rec
- 4) Tempo Hills: See tempo Hill section on Hill training page.
- 5) Tempo: 10mile race pace – approximately 85-90%HRmax, Recoveries = 2-3 mins
- 6) Half Marathon Tempo: Half Marathon Tempos: – half marathon pace/estimated pace or approximately 85%HRmax, Recoveries = 2-3mins easy.
- 7) Steady: Approximately 75-80% HRmax
- 8) Easy: Approximately 70-75% HRmax
- 9) Warm-up/cool-down: 1-2miles warm-up and cool down for all interval, hill and tempo training.