Intermediate Half Marathon Training Plan

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Intermediate Half Marathon Training Plan

“The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability – consistency, a sane approach, moderation and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life.” – Bill Rodgers

Welcome to the Intermediate Half Marathon Training Plan, your key to unlocking a new level of running prowess and conquering the 13.1-mile challenge with confidence. Whether you’re transitioning from a 10K or looking to improve your previous half marathon time, this program is tailored to bridge the gap between beginner and advanced training. Focused on building endurance, speed, and mental resilience, this plan strikes the perfect balance to push your limits without overwhelming you. Get ready to embark on a transformative journey, where structured workouts, strategic rest days, and expert guidance pave the way for your half marathon success. Lace up your running shoes, embrace the journey, and witness the strides you’ll make towards becoming a stronger, more resilient runner. The road to 13.1 starts here – are you ready to embrace the challenge?

Individuals will want to choose the Intermediate Half Marathon training plan if they have been running 3 to 5 times per week for 45 to 60-minutes each time for at least one year. It is recommended that you have completed at least one-half marathon or several 10K races in the past year. If you are running less, that is okay! Consider starting with the Beginner Half MarathonBeginner 10K, or Intermediate 10K plan and building your fitness up to the level of this half marathon training plan.

Intermediate Half Marathon Plan at a glance:

The intermediate half marathon running plan follows the following structure and is available for purchase through Coach Andrew Taylor's Final Surge coaching page.

What to Expect:

The Intermediate Half Marathon training plan is a slight increase in mileage and number of runs per week from the beginner training plan. For the Intermediate half marathon training schedule, you will run four (4) times per week with a focus on longer long runs and speed/tempo workouts.

This half marathon plan is 12 weeks in length. You start with a 7-mile long run in week 1 and progress to a 14-mile long run in week 10. The gradual increase in distance will have you running farther and feeling more comfortable while covering the distance. Ending with a long run over the 13.1 distance will give you extra confidence come race day!

Speed workouts are meant to improve performance by focusing on a faster pace and efficiency. Tempo runs and race pace workouts are designed to improve your comfort levels by running at a faster pace for an increased amount of time. As the plan progresses, the total running time and intensity of each session will increase.

The Intermediate half marathon training includes optional, but highly recommended, cross-training workouts.  These cross-training workouts allow you to incorporate other activities you enjoy with this training plan. Cross-training activities may include cycling, yoga, elliptical, swimming, or weight-lifting. With the goal of improving your half marathon time, cross-training workouts can make a remarkable difference in building strength and efficiency.

How to Get Started?

Purchase our intermediate half marathon running plan on Final Surge for a one-time fee of $29.99 here. Digitally track your progress from start to finish of the training program.

Intermediate Half Marathon Running Plan Preview:

The following is a snapshot of what to expect in your purchased intermediate half marathon running plan.

The above training plan preview is designed for educational purposes and is not prescribed for any particular individual. The preview presented does not include complete details of what should be done on each training day. Consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other fitness program to determine if it is right for your needs or if there are any individual health concerns to be aware of.

Half Marathon Running Plan Terminology:

The terms in the Intermediate Half Marathon training plan are defined inside the purchased plan, but let me define them for you here as well.

Warm-Up: Run/Walk for 5 to 10 minutes at an easy effort before every workout (run days and cross-training days). A proper warm-up will help to gradually increase heart rate, improve circulation, loosen up muscles, and prepare you for a workout.

Cool-Down: Run/Walk for 5 to 10 minutes at an easy effort after every workout (run days and cross-training days). A proper cool-down will help gradually bring your heart rate and breathing back down to normal levels after the days workout.

Perceived Effort: A way to rate your effort level based on your feelings about the level of intensity on a scale of 1 to 10. A 1 is considered ‘At Rest’ and a 10 is considered “An All Out Effort.” Use this scale in combination with Pace and Heart Rate to stay in the correct intensity level shown in the training schedule for a given day.

Heart Rate: If you have access to a heart rate monitor then use this device to stay in the correct range and intensity level shown in the training schedule for a given day.

Cross-Training: Include activities other than running and walking in your training plan. If you are completely new to exercise, then you may want to wait until weeks 4 or 5 to add in cross-training workouts. If you are already active 3 to 4 days per week, then start the cross-training as scheduled in the plan. Examples of activities for cross-training may include cycling, elliptical, rowing, strength training, swimming, or yoga. Cross-training will help to reduce the impact on your body and reduce the risk of injury from running. Cross-training can also speed up recovery time between running workouts. If you are ever feeling too fatigued or sore from running, then you may want to consider taking an occasional cross-training day as an extra day of rest.

Strength Training: A form of cross-training, strength training can be a great way to increase lean muscle and boost metabolism while at rest. Strength training can be completed using body weight, free weights, resistance bands, weight machines, or classes such as Pilates, Yoga, or CrossFit. Include exercises for the upper body, core, back, and lower body. Warm up with a run/walk for 5 to 10 minutes. If you are new to strength training, then start with 1 set of each exercise for 12-15 repetitions. The goal is to work your muscles to fatigue or until you can no longer maintain proper form during the exercise. Continue with 1 set of each exercise for weeks 1 through 3, then progress gradually over a few weeks to 2-4 sets of each exercise for 8-15 repetitions.

Flexibility: Stretch lightly after every warm-up and cool-down period. Stretching will help improve flexibility, increase circulation, speed up recovery, and reduce the risk of injury.

Training Paces: We summarize the common training paces below. However, this article on training paces gives an easy-to-understand overview of all the different training paces that can be added to a runner’s routine to improve speed, endurance, and recovery.

Easy Run: Easy pace/effort is considered at or slightly above what you can maintain a conversation, 65-75% of maximum heart rate, and 6-7 on the Perceived Effort scale.

Long Run Effort: The key to developing endurance is the long run, progressively increasing in distance each weekend. The long run should be done at a pace/effort so that you can easily maintain a conversation throughout the run. Work on running with an even pace/effort from start to finish of the long run. Be sure to recover properly after a long run as well so that you can get right back to training in the next day or week.

Speed Work or Track Workouts: Warm up with 10-15 minutes of running at an easy pace. Then, complete the appropriate speed workout for the day. These speed workouts should be at a hard effort, 75-95% of maximum heart rate, 8+ Perceived Effort. You should be able to hear yourself breathing hard. It is very important to make sure your easy recovery effort between repeats is truly easy. Running too fast during the recovery can have a negative impact on your performance during these workouts. Walk for recovery if you need to.

Tempo Run: A tempo run is a sustained effort run that increases your body’s ability to run faster for longer periods of time. Whether you are training for a 5k, marathon, ultramarathon, or anything in between, this is a useful training session. Beyond improving your ability to run fast and long, tempo runs have many other benefits. Tempo runs should always include a warm-up period of easy running before moving on to the harder-paced portion of the workout.

Racing: Consider adding test races throughout your training plan, especially if your goals are time-oriented. This race will allow you to familiarize yourself more with running in a structured event. If you can’t find a race during this week, feel free to modify the schedule around what races are available.

Adaptability: Don’t be afraid to move the workouts from day to day and week to week. This training plan is merely a guide to help you complete your desired race distance. Be consistent with your training, and the overall details won’t matter. Listen to your body and progress as your fitness allows you to progress.