Sub 1.45 Half Marathon Training Plan - Is this plan suitable for me?
This plan is written for an experienced runner already training 4 or 5 times per week looking to break 1.45 for the first time or better their time
further below 1.45. When starting any training plan, you need to be honest with yourself in setting a realistic training goal and following a
training plan that is suitable for you. The plan you choose should be applicable to your current fitness level. It should also fit in with your
availability to train each week. Think carefully about your work, family and social commitments. Whilst you want to challenge yourself, your
training should always be enjoyable and not too hard so you go from session to session feeling fatigued. If you have any questions about the
training plan then please e mail us at [email protected] We wish you the best of luck with your training!
Measuring Your Effort
It’s important that you run at the right effort level and intensity to ensure you’re training to reach your full potential. Most of us think that
running “harder is better” so we end up running too quickly, which can result in feeling tired, illness or injury. Understand what each run is
trying to achieve and how it should feel is the way to train smart, so here’s a guide to the running sessions that you’ll find mentioned in the
training plan and a note of how they should feel as a ‘talk test’.
Type of Run
PERCEIVED
EFFORT LEVEL HEART RATE
(1-10)*
HOW IT SHOULD FEEL – “THE TALK TEST”
Easy / Recovery Run
6-6.5
65-70%
You can speak in complete sentences, totally conversational, you’re running
relaxed, enjoying it and not worrying about the watch
Long Run
6.5-7
65-70%
You’re in control, running fluidly and very much at a conversational level but
you’ll feel slightly flushed with a gradual build up of muscular fatigue
Steady Effort Run
7-8
70-80%
You can speak in short sentences but have a slight pause on your breath. This
can often be ‘no man’s land’ in training terms if this is all you do
Threshold runs / Kenyan
8-8.5
Hills
80-85%
You could speak 4-5 words if somebody asked you a question. Your breathing is
more laboured and you know you’re working, we call this ‘controlled
discomfort’
10km / Speedwork
90-92%
You can say only 2-3 words maximum and are out of breath but still know that
you could do more if you had to
9-9.5
*Perceived effort = where 1 is easy and represents minimum effort and 10 is hard and represents maximum effort
Sub 1.45 Half Marathon Training Plan
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
MONDAY
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
TUESDAY
10 mins warm-up, 4 x 4
mins at Threshold
effort with 60 secs jog 30 minutes Easy Cross
recovery between
Training
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
REST
10 mins warm-up, 4 x 5
mins at Threshold
effort with 60 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
10 mins warm-up, 6 x 5
mins at Threshold
effort with 60 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
10 mins warm-up, 6 x 5
mins at Threshold
effort with 60 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
WEDNESDAY
30 minutes Recovery
Run
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
REST
10 mins warm-up, 4 x 8
mins at Threshold
45 minutes Easy Cross effort with 60 secs jog
Training
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
REST
75 mins Long run 45 mins Steady
Easy/Steady effort, off
undulating run + Stretch
road if possible +
Stretch
REST
90 mins Long run 45 minutes Steady
Easy/Steady effort, offUndulating Run - Push
road if possible +
hills to Threhsold Effort
Stretch
REST
10 minutes Warm Up, 3
90 mins Long run x 7 minutes Kenyan Hills
Easy/Steady effort, off
with a 90 second
road if possible +
recovery between sets,
Stretch
10 minutes Cool Down
45 minutes Steady Run
REST
10 minutes Warm Up, 3
x 7 minutes Kenyan Hills 100 mins Long run with a 90 second
Easy / Steady effort +
recovery between sets,
Stretch
10 minutes Cool Down
REST
10 minutes Warm Up, 6
x 4 minutes at 90 pct
effort with a 90 second
recovery, 10 minutes
Cool Down
35 mins Steady run +
Stretch
45 minutes Easy Run
10 minutes Easy, 10
minutes Threshold, 10
minutes Easy
REST
90 mins Long run - Easy
/ Steady effort +
Stretch
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
10 mins warm-up, 4 x
10 mins at Threshold
effort with 90 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
35 minutes Easy Run
10 mins warm-up, 4 x
10 mins at Threshold
effort with 60 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
10 mins warm-up, 4 x
12 mins at Threshold
effort with 90 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
45 minutes Easy Run
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
10 mins warm-up, 4 x
12 mins at Threshold
effort with 90 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
30 minutes Easy Cross
Training + 30 minutes
Conditioning Work
30 minutes Easy Run
REST
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
45 minutes Easy Cross
Training
30 minutes Easy Cross
Training
REST
REST
10 minutes Warm Up, 6
x 4 minutes at 90 pct
effort with a 90 second
recovery, 10 minutes
Cool Down
10 minutes Warm Up, 3
x 8 minutes Kenyan Hills
75 minutes Easy Long
with a 90 second
Run
recovery between sets,
10 minutes Cool Down
40 minutes Easy Run
100 minutes Long Run Pick up last 20 minutes
to Half Marathon Pace
Effort
REST
120 minutes Long Run Pick up last 30 minutes
to Half Marathon Pace
Effort
40 minutes Easy Run
10 minutes Warm Up, 6
x 5 minutes at 90 pct
effort with a 90 second
recovery, 10 minutes
Cool Down
REST
120 minutes Long Run Pick up last 30 minutes
to Half Marathon Pace
Effort
10 mins warm-up, 3 x
15 mins at Threshold
effort with 90 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
REST
30 minutes Recovery
Run
75 minutes Easy Long
Run
10 minutes Warm Up, 2
x 4 x 1k at 90 pct
30 minutes Easy Cross effort with a 90 second
Training + 30 minutes recovery between reps
Conditioning Work
and a 3 minute
recovery between sets,
10 minutes Cool Down
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
30 minutes
Conditioning Work
REST
REST
REST
10 minutes Warm Up, 2
x 4 x 1k at 90 pct
effort with a 90 second
recovery between reps
and a 3 minute
recovery between sets,
10 minutes Cool Down
30 minutes Recovery
Run
10 minutes Warm Up, 6
x 5 minutes at 90 pct
effort with a 90 second
recovery, 10 minutes
Cool Down
10 minutes Warm Up,
20 minutes at
Threshold Effort, 10
minutes Cool Down
30 minutes Recovery
Run
40 minutes Easy Run
10 mins warm-up, 3 x
15 mins at Threshold
effort with 90 secs jog
recovery between
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
40 minutes Easy Run
10 minutes Warm Up, 2
10 mins warm-up, 4 x 8
x 3 x 1k at 90 pct
mins at Threshold
effort with a 90 second
effort with 60 secs jog 30 minutes Easy Cross
recovery between reps
recovery between
Training
and a 3 minute
efforts, 10 mins coolrecovery between sets,
down + Stretch
10 minutes Cool Down
10 mins warm-up, 3 x 5
mins at Threshold
effort with 60 secs jog 30 mins Recovery run + 30 minutes Easy Cross
REST + Sports Massage
recovery between
Stretch
Training
efforts, 10 mins cooldown + Stretch
REST
REST
120 minutes Long Run Pick up last 40 minutes
to Half Marathon Pace
Effort
REST
90 mins Long run with
last 40 mins at Half
Marathon pace +
Stretch
REST
60 mins Long run with
last 30 mins at Half
Marathon pace +
Stretch
20 minutes easy run +
stretch
Half Marathon
Race