12 Weeks to a Faster Half-Marathon

Melissa Paauwe — Wed, 29 May 2024 16:25:37 +0000

Have you run half-marathons before and are looking to see a faster time on the clock? Then this intermediate half-marathon plan is for you!
This 12-week plan assumes you are currently running three – four times per week and the distance of your long run is at least 10 kilometres. If you’re not currently running four days per week, skip Tuesday’s run in the plan until week four. Remember to keep the easy days easy but don’t be scared to push yourself on your speed days.

Don’t run your long (aerobic) days too fast. The pace legend has a range of goal finish times, from 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, so ensure you keep to your goal.

Be sure to listen to your body. If you must miss a few days of training, carry on with the block as is. If you need to take a week
or more off, be sure to not increase the distance of your long run to where you left off. There are pullback weeks in this build
to enable you to recover properly and build stronger.

Aim for consistency in your build over perfection. And most of all, have fun!

Download a PDF of the 12-Week Half-Marathon Training Plan

20 Weeks to Your Marathon PB

Melissa Paauwe — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:01:08 +0000

If you are someone who has ran marathons before but is looking to achieve a new personal best, this is the plan for you. This 20-week plan assumes you can already comfortably run three to four times per week, and your long run is at least 15 kilometres.

In my experience, the keys to success in any marathon-training plan is consistency and getting those long runs in. Keep the easy runs as they are intended to be run: easy. And save your mental and physical energy for those tough workouts on the schedule.

I recommend following the schedule as closely as possible. However, if scheduling changes need to be made, ensure you are not running hard days back-to-back and that you are not doing speed work the day following your long run.

The goal of any training plan should be to get you to the start line healthy. Marathon training is hard on the body and pulling back, every so often, is just as important as building. My intermediate plan is designed with build weeks and recovery weeks, so you make recovery intentional. Listen to your body and take care of it while you move through this training block.

LEGEND

10 KM – 10-kilometre race pace

HMP – half marathon pace

MP – goal marathon pace, i.e., if you want to run a 3:30 marathon, your MP target for workouts is 5:00/km.

RPE – Rate of perceived exertion with 0 being no effort and 10 being max effort. Easy runs should be run at an RPE no greater than 5/10. Take them slower if you feel fatigued. The key for these runs is to build your aerobic fitness and should not be run fast. Keep the easy days easy and the hard days hard!

STRIDES – pickup in pace of 50-100 metres but not an all-out sprint. Jog for 60 seconds between each stride.

Download a PDF of the Guide to 20 Weeks to Your Marathon PB.

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Melissa Paauwe – IMPACT Magazine

12 Weeks to a Faster Half-Marathon

20 Weeks to Your Marathon PB