Ryan Halls

Half-Marathon Training Plan

INNOVATION FOR ENDURANCE
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Ryan Halls Half-Marathon Training Plan
Running a half-marathon (13.1 miles) is a
fun and rewarding experience with proper
training. Plan to spend at least 12 weeks
training and building mileage for a half-
marathon. Ideally, youll have been running
already and will have built up a mileage
base of 15 to 25 miles weekly if youre
a rst-time half-marathoner. Your weekly
program will include a mix of aerobic runs,
speed intervals, tempo runs, recovery runs,
and long runs to train your body to run
longer, faster, and stronger.
RYAN HALLS
HALF-MARATHON
TRAINING PLAN
INNOVATION FOR ENDURANCE
Ryan Halls Half-Marathon Training Plan INNOVATION FOR ENDURANCE
TYPES OF WORKOUTS
RECOVERY RUN
Your recovery pace doubles for warm-ups and warm-downs.
You should be running easily enough to hold a conversation.
LONG RUN AEROBIC
This easy, but not too easy, pace builds up your capillaries
and mitochondria to give you more power and endurance
for race day. Long runs will usually increase by a mile every
week as you approach your race.
LONG RUN INTERVALS
Adding fast but brief intervals near the end of your long
run gives you both a dose of speed training and activates
your fast-twitch muscle bers to help your body nd new
energy when your legs are growing tired.
HALF-MARATHON RACE SIMULATION
Running at your goal race pace helps accustom your body
to speed you wouldnt likely run in a workout.
AEROBIC RUN
Like long runs, these slowly but surely improve your power.
The addition of hill repeats and strides also help your leg
strength and efciency.
TEMPO RUN
This comfortably hard pace (about the same as half-
marathon pace) teaches your body to handle more lactic
acid and delays tired legs. Shorter tempo runs should be
on the top end of the heart rate range, with long tempo
runs on the low end.
SPEED INTERVALS
These teach your body how to run fast. Youll become more
efcient and have a stronger nishing kick at races. To get
the distance spot-on, use a nearby school track. Each lap
is a quarter-mile (400 meters).
A WARM-UP DRILLS
Before interval workouts do one round of each of these
drills to get your muscles ring so theyre fresh and ready
to hit your rst interval at full speed. Each drill should take
10-15 seconds.
1. Walks with high knees
2. Walks with high knees to a kick-out
(extend your foot out at the top of your skip)
3. Skips with high knees
4. Skips with high knees to a kick-out
5. Side walks with bent knees
6. Side shufe with bent knees
7. Run with high knees
8. Run with butt kicks
LISTEN TO YOUR HEART
Wondering how hard you should run? Use a heart rate
monitor. Each type of workout corresponds to a beats-per-
minute (bpm) heart rate (HR) range that will ensure youre
giving the right amount of effort and reaping the benets
of your run. In fact, wearing a heart rate monitor while you
run is the best tool for understanding your effort. Your local
running store should carry a range of these devices; they
usually double as a sports watch and start at around $60.
Consider it the best investment you can make for improving
your performance.
Aerobic runs, for example, should be run with your heart rate
between 75 and 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. If
you dont know your maximum, subtracting your age from
220 will give you a reasonably good estimate. The most
accurate test is to max yourself out with this stress test on a
track: Run a 2-mile warm-up followed by a comfortably hard
mile. After completing the mile, accelerate for 400 meters
and run another 400 all-out. Check your heart rate every
100 meters during the nal 400. The highest number is your
maximum heart rate.
SOURCES: Dennis Kline, strength and conditioning specialist
at Mammoth Track Club (www.mammothtrackclub.com) and the
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and owner of Fitness Motivations
Systems (www.usathlete.net); Dan Pfaff, running mechanics expert
and strength and conditioning specialist; and Terrence Mahon,
coach at Mammoth Track Club and Run Mammoth, an online
coaching service for runners (www.runmammoth.com)

WARM-UPS & -DOWNS 65-70% of Max HR
RECOVERY RUNS 65-75% of Max HR
AEROBIC RUNS 75-80% of Max HR
LONG RUNS AEROBIC 70-75% of Max HR
LONG RUNS INTERVALS 70-75% of Max HR (Running)
90-95% of Max HR (Intervals)
RACE SIMULATIONS 80-85% of Max HR
TEMPO RUNS 85-90% of Max HR
SPEED INTERVALS 88-93% of Max HR
Ryan Halls Half-Marathon Training Plan INNOVATION FOR ENDURANCE
TRAINING FOR A
HALF-MARATHON
WEEK 1:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY: Speed
Intervals 15 min warm-
up, A warm-up drills,
6 x 100m strides, (6
x 800m @ w/90-sec
easy jog in between),
15 min warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
30-35 min
THURSDAY:
Steady Pace - Tempo
Run 15-20 min warm-
up, 3 miles @ Tempo
pace, 15 min warm-
down
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35
min run, nish w/ 6 x
20 sec strides (mile
pace) or 6 x 75m hill
sprints w/ 1 min rest
in between
SUNDAY:
Long Run (75 min
total): 50 min run, 8 x
(1 min @ 5k pace w/
1 min @ easy jog in
between), 10 min run
WEEK 2:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY: Speed
Intervals 15 min
warm-up, A warm-
up drills, 6 x 100m
strides, (5 x 1k w/
2 min easy jog in
between), 15 min
warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
40-45 min
THURSDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35 min
run, nish w/ 6 x 30 sec
hill sprints (mile pace
effort), easy jog down
the hill for recovery
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Half-Marathon - Race
Simulation 6 miles
easy, 3 miles @ goal
race pace, 2 miles
easy
SUNDAY:
Recovery Run
40-45 min
WEEK 3:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY: Speed
Intervals 15 min
warm-up, A warm-
up drills, 6 x 100m
strides, (4 x 1200m
w/ 2:30 easy jog in
between), 15 min
warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
30-35 min
THURSDAY:
Steady Pace - Tempo
Run 15-20 min warm-
up, 3 miles @ Tempo
pace, 15min warm-
down
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35
min run, nish w/ 6 x
20 sec strides (mile
pace) or 6 x 75m hill
sprints w/ 1 min rest
in between
SUNDAY:
Long Run (80 min
total): 55 min run, 8 x
(1 min @ 5k pace w/ 1
min @ easy jog pace in
between), 10 min run
WEEK 4:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY: Speed
Intervals 15 min
warm-up, A warm-
up drills, 6 x 100m
strides, (4 x 1 mile
w/ 3 min easy jog
in between), 15 min
warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
40-45 min
THURSDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35 min
run, nish w/ 6 x 45 sec
hill sprints (mile pace
effort), easy jog down
the hill for recovery
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Half-Marathon - Race
Simulation 6 miles
easy, 4 miles @ goal
race pace, 2 miles
easy
SUNDAY:
Recovery Run
40-45 min
Ryan Halls Half-Marathon Training Plan INNOVATION FOR ENDURANCE
WEEK 6:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY:
Speed Intervals 15 min
warm-up, A warm-up
drills, 6 x 100m strides,
(2 x 2 miles, 1 x mile,
all w/ 4 min easy jog
in between), 15 min
warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
40-45 min
THURSDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35 min
run, nish w/ 6 x 60 sec
hill sprints (mile pace
effort), easy jog down
the hill for recovery
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Half-Marathon - Race
Simulation 6miles
easy, 5 miles @ race
pace, 2 miles easy
SUNDAY:
Recovery Run 40-45
min
WEEK 7:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY: Speed
Intervals 15 min warm-
up, A warm-up drills,
6 x 100m strides, (3 x
1.5 miles w/ 4min easy
jog in between), 15 min
warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
30-35 min
THURSDAY:
Steady Pace - Tempo
Run 15-20 min warm-up,
3 miles @ Tempo pace,
15 min warm-down
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35 min
run, nish w/ 6 x 20 sec
strides (mile pace) or 6 x
75m hill sprints w/ 1 min
rest in between
SUNDAY:
Long Run (85 min total):
65 min run, 8 x (1 min
@ 5k pace w/ 1 min
@ easy jog pace in
between), 10 min run
WEEK 8:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY:
Speed Intervals 15
min warm-up, A
warm-up drills, 6 x
100m strides, (4 x
2k w/ 2 min easy
jog in between), 15
min warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
40-45 min
THURSDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35 min
run, nish w/ 6 x 45 sec
hill sprints (mile pace
effort), easy jog down
the hill for recovery
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Half-Marathon - Race
Simulation 6 miles
easy, 6 miles @ race
pace, 1-2 miles easy
SUNDAY:
Recovery Run 40-45
min
WEEK 5:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY:
Speed Intervals 15
min warm-up, A
warm-up drills, 6 x
100m strides, (3 x
1.5 miles w/ 4 min
easy jog in between),
15 min warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
30-35 min
THURSDAY:
Steady Pace - Tempo
Run 15-20 min warm-
up, 3 miles @ Tempo
pace, 15 min warm-
down
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35
min run, nish w/ 6 x
20 sec strides (mile
pace) or 6 x 75m
hill sprints w/ 1 min
rest in between
SUNDAY:
Long Run (85 min
total): 60 min run, 8
x (1 min @ 5k pace
w/ 1 min @ easy jog
pace in between),
10 min run
WEEK 11:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY:
Speed Intervals 15 min
warm-up, A warm-up
drills, 6 x 100m strides,
(6 x 800m w/ 90 sec
easy jog in between),
15 min warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
30-35 min
THURSDAY:
Steady Pace - Tempo Run
15-20 min warm-up, 3
miles @ Tempo pace, 15
min warm-down
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Half-Marathon - Race
Simulation Aerobic Run 30-
35 min run, nish w/ 6 x 20
sec strides (mile pace) or 6
x 75m hill sprints w/ 1 min
rest in between
SUNDAY:
Recovery Run 60 min
WEEK 12:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY:
Speed Intervals 15
min warm-up, A
warm-up drills, 6 x
100m strides, (8 x
600m w/ 2 min easy
jog in between), 15
min warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
25-30 min
THURSDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35 min
run, nish w/ 6 x 30 sec
hill sprints (mile pace
effort), easy jog down
the hill for recovery
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Recovery Run 20 min
SUNDAY:
HALF-
MARATHON
RACE DAY!
Ryan Halls Half-Marathon Training Plan INNOVATION FOR ENDURANCE
WEEK 9:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY:
Speed Intervals 15
min warm-up, A
warm-up drills, 6 x
100m strides, (4 x 1
mile w/ 3 min easy
jog in between), 15
min warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
30-35 min
THURSDAY:
Steady Pace - Tempo
Run 15-20 min warm-
up, 3 miles @ 15k-10k
pace, 15 min warm-
down
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35
min run, nish w/ 6 x
20 sec strides (mile
pace) or 6 x 75m hill
sprints w/ 1 min rest
in between
SUNDAY:
Long Run (95-100
min total): 65-70 min
run, 10 x (1 min @
5k pace w/ 1 min
@ easy jog pace in
between), 10 min run
WEEK 10:
MONDAY: OFF
TUESDAY:
Speed Intervals 15
min warm-up, A
warm-up drills, 6 x
100m strides, (6 x
800m w/ 90 sec easy
jog in between), 15
min warm-down
WEDNESDAY:
Recovery Run
40-45 min
THURSDAY:
Aerobic Run 30-35 min
run, nish w/ 6 x 30 sec
hill sprints (mile pace
effort), easy jog down
the hill for recovery
FRIDAY: Off
SATURDAY:
Half-Marathon - Race
Simulation 6 miles
easy, 4 miles @ goal
race pace, 1-2 miles
easy
SUNDAY:
Recovery Run 60 min
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