HALF MARATHON RUNNING TRAINING PROGRAM FOR BEGINNERS AND BEGINNING COMPETITIVE RUNNERS
By Rick Morris
Half Marathon Training Program
This is a 12-week half marathon training program that is designed to prepare a beginning competitive runner to peak for a half marathon. You should be able to run at least 6 miles without stopping before beginning this half marathon training program. If you cannot run 6 miles, gradually build up to 6 miles with a period of base building or follow our 10K program for competitive runners before beginning this program.
A beginner or beginning competitive runner is an athlete that is relatively new to racing and competition. A beginning competitive runner is just beginning to follow a structured training program, but has the desire to improve race performance and is willing to commit to a consistent training regime, including some high intensity workouts.
This half marathon training program is general in nature. Feel free to make adjustments in order to accommodate scheduling conflicts and individual goals and rate of improvement.
The Workouts
This half marathon training program contains rest days, easy runs, long runs, speed training workouts and lactate threshold workouts. This half marathon training program is designed to build speed, improve speed endurance and increase both general and functional strength.
Easy Runs
Easy runs should be run at a pace that feels fairly comfortable. You should be breathing hard, but should be able to carry on a conversation. If you are breathing so hard that you cannot talk, you are running too hard. If you can sing, you are running too easily.
Rest
Rest is a very important part of any training program. Without proper rest, your muscles and connective tissues will not have an opportunity to recover and strengthen properly. On the days calling for complete rest, do no strenuous activity. On the days calling for rest or cross training, you can rest totally or do some cross training. Cross training can be any activity other than running. You could go for a walk, swim, bicycle or do nothing. It is up to you.
Long Runs
The long runs used in this half marathon training program are run at two different paces. The first portion of the workout is run at an easy pace. The last portion is run at goal race pace. This will train you to run at goal pace when fatigued.
Speed Training
Speed training is short to medium length repeats that are run at paces that range from race pace to an all out effort. The goal of this type of workout is to improve overall speed and the ability to maintain a quality pace for long distances.
Lactate Threshold Workouts
Lactic acid is a natural by-product of energy production. Normally, excess lactic acid is converted to energy. When the intensity of your running reaches a certain point, more lactic acid is produced than your body can process. This causes a decrease in the efficiency of your muscles. The point at which lactic acid begins to accumulate in your muscles is your lactate threshold. The goal of these workouts is to raise your lactate threshold level.
Tuesday – 45-minute fartlek run. Fartlek is a Swedish word for speed play. This is a non-structured workout in which you run at a steady pace and add in short surges of faster running. For this workout, alternate running for 5 minutes at a moderate pace with 1 minute at 5K pace.
Wednesday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 4 x 800 meter repeats at 5 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 6 miles. Run the first 5 miles at an easy pace and the last 1 mile at goal half marathon pace.
Week 2
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Standard warm up. Run 2 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace. Jog easy for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday – Standard warm up. Run 5 x 800 meter repeats at 5 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday – Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday – Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday – Standard warm up. Run 30 minutes at 25 seconds per mile slower than 10K pace.
Week 3
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up, run 3 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace or 15 seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace. Jog 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 6 x 800 meter repeats at 5 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Run 4 x 400 meter repeats at 15 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. Jog for 200 meters between repeats. Jog for 800 meters between the 2 sets. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Friday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 8 miles. Run the first 6 miles at an easy pace. Run the last 2 miles at your goal half marathon pace.
Week 4
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up. Run 1 mile at an easy pace, then speed up to goal half marathon pace for 4 miles. Run one more mile at an easy pace to cool down.
Wednesday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 8 x hill repeats. Find a hill that is fairly steep and at least 100 meters in length. Run up the hill at what feels like 5K pace. Run 20 meters past the top of the hill. Jog back down and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Friday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 45 minutes at 25 seconds per mile slower than 10K pace.
Week 5
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up, run 4 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace or 15 seconds per mile slower than 5K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging. If you are having trouble maintaining your pace, increase the distance of your recovery jogs.
Wednesday - Rest. This program includes additional rest days every 5 weeks. this will allow your body to recover and strengthen properly.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 20 minutes alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at an easy pace. Cool down with 5 minutes at an easy pace.
Friday - Rest.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 10 miles. Run the first 8 miles at an easy pace and the last 2 miles at goal half marathon pace.
Week 6
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up. Run 3 x 1200 meter repeats at 5K pace and 1 mile at goal half marathon pace. Recover between the 1200 meter repeats with 800 meters at an easy pace. After the last 1200 meter repeat, recover with 400 meters at an easy pace, then speed up to goal half marathon pace for 1 mile.
Wednesday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 5 miles on a trail that is consistently and gradually uphill. If you do not have an uphill trail in your area, you can do this workout on a treadmill that is elevated 3 to 5 degrees. Run at a pace that feels like 10K pace. Your actual pace will be slower due to the incline.
Friday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 20 minutes at 10K pace.
Week 7
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up. Run 5 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace or 15 seconds per mile slower than 5K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Jog for 800 meters to cool down.
Wednesday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 4 x 800/400 meter repeats. Run 800 meters at 5K pace, then speed up to 10 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace for 400 meters. Do not rest between the distances. Recover between the sets with 800 meters at an easy pace. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 12 miles. Run the first 10 miles at an easy pace. Run the last 2 miles at goal half marathon pace.
Week 8
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up. Run 2 miles at 10K pace then slow down to goal half marathon pace for 3 miles. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Wednesday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 25 minutes alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at an easy pace. Cool down with 5 minutes at an easy pace.
Friday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run a 10K race or 10K time trial. Run the 10K in your best possible time.
Week 9
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up. Run 2 x 2400 meter repeats at 10K pace. Jog for 800 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of easy jogging.
Wednesday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run Run 2 x (4 x 800) meter repeats at 5K pace and 1 mile at goal half marathon pace. Recover between the 800 meter repeats with 400 meters at an easy pace. Recover between the 2 sets with 800 meters at an easy pace. Run at an easy pace for 400 meters between the two 4 x 800 sets and the one mile at goal pace.
Friday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 14 miles. Run the first 11 miles at an easy pace. Run the last 3 miles at goal half marathon pace.
Week 10
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up. Run 3 miles easy, then speed up to goal half marathon pace for 5 miles. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Wednesday - Rest.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 2 x 400/1200/2400 meter supersets. Run 400 meters at an easy pace, 1200 meters at 10K pace and 2400 meters at goal half marathon pace. Do not rest between the distances. Recover between the sets with 800 meters at an easy pace. Cool down with 800 meters at an easy pace.
Friday - Rest.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 15 miles. Run the first 12 miles at an easy pace. Run the last 3 miles at goal half marathon pace.
Week 11
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Standard warm up. Run 5 x 1600 meter repeats at 10K pace. Jog for 400 meters between repeats. Cool down with 800 meters of jogging.
Wednesday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Standard warm up. Run 30 minutes alternating between 30 seconds at 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace and 30 seconds at an easy pace. Cool down with 5 minutes at an easy pace.
Friday - Run 5 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Saturday - Run 4 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Sunday - Standard warm up. Run 2 miles at an easy pace and 4 miles at goal half marathon pace.
Week 12
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Run 1 miles easy, then speed up to goal half marathon pace for 5 miles.
Wednesday - Run 3 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
Thursday - Run 3 miles easy. Run 3 acceleration strides.
