2009 Half-Marathon Training Schedule

A half-marathon schedule based on an adaptive running technique.

The best way to describe the technique is that it involves listening to your body very closely. All workouts should be written in pencil, figuratively and literally. You should always be tweaking the run based on how you feel on any given day. As much as runners don’t like to admit it, sometimes it is okay to cut things a little short. This schedule was designed for the runner who has a few half-marathons under their belt and is looking to improve their time. The program is based on three different speeds: speeds 1, 2, and 3. These numbers represent the amount of mental and physical effort to be expended on any given run or workout, with speed 3 being the highest. All the speeds will vary depending on the length of the workout, i.e., speed 3 sustained for thirty seconds will be significantly faster than a speed 3 sustained for ten minutes. This is to get you out of the habit of checking your pace every ten seconds. The program brings things back to basics and simplifies the whole training process. It also makes it much easier to enjoy your run if you aren’t constantly staring at your watch!

Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1 33 Minutes Speed 1 44 Minutes Speed 1 X-Train/Rest
44 Minutes Speed 1 44 Minutes Speed 1 X-Train/Rest
8km Run Speed 1
2 33 Minutes Speed 1 44 Minutes Speed 1 + 3x 8-sec. hill sprint X-Train/Rest 44 Minutes Speed 1 33 Minutes Speed 1 + 3x 8-sec. hill sprint X-Train/Rest 8km Run  Speed 1
3 33 Minutes Speed 1 2.5km Speed 1/  5 x 90-sec. hill repetitions @ speed 3/2.5km Speed 1 X-Train/Rest 55 Minutes Speed 1 55 Minutes Speed 1 + 4x 8-sec. hill sprint X-Train/Rest 10km Run Speed 1
4 33 Minutes Speed 1 55 Minutes Speed 1 + 4x 8-sec. hill sprint
X-Train/Rest 55 Minutes Speed 1 Fartlek Run 8km  6x30sec @ speed 2 X-Train/Rest Progression Run 10km Speed 1/Last km @ speed 2
5 33 Minutes Speed 1 2.5km Speed 1/ 6x 90-sec. hill repetitions @ speed 3/ 2.5km Speed 1 X-Train/Rest 66 Minutes Speed 1 66 Minutes Speed 1 +5x 8-sec. hill sprint
X-Train/Rest 12km Run Speed 1
6 33 Minutes Speed 1 66 Minutes Speed 1 + 5x 8-sec. hill sprint
X-Train/Rest 66 Minutes Speed 1 Ladder Intervals 3km @ Speed 1/ 30 sec, 60 sec, 90 sec @ speed 3/ 60 sec. in between each interval
X-Train/Rest 12km Run Speed 1
7 33 Minutes Speed 1 Fartlek Run 10km 6x30sec @ speed 2 X-Train/Rest 66 Minutes Speed1 66 Minutes Speed 1 +5x 8-sec. hill sprint X-Train/Rest 14km Run Speed 1
8 33 Minutes Speed 1 77 Minutes Speed 1 + 5x 10-sec. hill sprint
X-Train/Rest 77 Minutes Speed 1 3km Speed 1/ 8x 60-sec. hill repetitions @ speed 3/ 3km speed 1 X-Train/Rest Progression Run 14km Speed 1/ Last km @ speed 2
9 33 Minutes Speed 1 Ladder Intervals 3km @ speed 1/ 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 2 min, 1 min @ speed 3 with 2 min jog recoveries/ 3km Speed 1 X-Train/Rest 77 Minutes Speed 1 77 Minutes Speed 1 + 5x 10-sec. hill sprint
X-Train/Rest 16km Run Speed 1
10 33 Minutes Speed 1 77 Minutes Speed 1 + 5x 10-sec. hill sprint X-Train/Rest 77 Minutes Speed 1
Threshold Run 3km @ speed 1/ 7km @ speed 3/ 3km @Speed 1
X-Train/Rest 16km Run Speed 1
11 33 Minutes Speed 1 Fartlek Run 10km 6x35 sec. @ speed 2 X-Train/Rest 66 Minutes Speed 1 66 Minutes Speed 1 + 5x 10-sec. hill sprints
X-Train/Rest 18km Run Speed 1
12 33 Minutes Speed 1 66 minutes Speed 1 + 5x 10-sec. hill sprint
X-Train/Rest 66 Minutes Speed 1 3km Speed 1/ 4x 90-sec. hill repetitions @ speed 3/ 3km Speed 1 X-Train/Rest Progression Run 18km Speed 1/ Last 2km @ speed 2
13 33 Minutes Speed 1 66 Minutes @ speed 2 X-Train/Rest 66 Minutes Speed 1
66 Minutes Speed 1 + 5x 10-sec. hill sprint
X-Train/Rest 21.1km Run Speed 1
14 33 Minutes Speed 1 55 Minutes Speed 1 + 5x 10-sec. hill sprint X-Train/Rest 55 Minutes Speed 1 55 Minutes @ speed 2 X-Train/Rest 18km Run Speed 1
15 33 Minutes Speed 1 44 Minutes @ speed 2
X-Train/Rest 44 Minutes Speed 1 44 Minutes Speed 1 + 4x 8-sec. hill sprint 
X-Train/Rest 15km Run Speed 1
16 33 Minutes Speed 1 44 Minutes @ speed 2 X-Train/Rest 44 Minutes Speed 1 44 Minutes Speed 1 X-Train/Rest Race

 

 

#1. Perform hill repetitions after an easy run as fast as you can! The quicker you get to the top, the quicker it’s over!

#2. If you are getting stuck in a rutt and feeling unmotivated, try switching up your running surface. Do some of your runs on trails instead of the pathways, and you will find it makes a huge difference!

About the Author

Nolan Tudor is the manager of the Tech Shop in Calgary, Alberta. He has been running for six years and is focusing on the half-marathon for the 2009 season. Tudor has coached numerous Tech Shop clinics, ranging from “Learn to Run” to “How to Run a Fast Half-Marathon.”

The "2009 Half-Marathon Training Schedule" was originally published as part of "Ten-Kilometre, Half, and Marathon Training Schedules" in IMPACT Magazine's March/April 2009 Running Issue.