6 MONTH RUNNING PROGRAM FOR A HALF MARATHON
Month 1
• Goals: focus solely on improving aerobic endurance and remaining in an aerobic heart rate training zone 100% of the time.
• Frequency: I would recommend three days per week with a long run of 4-6km during week one.
Month 2
• Goals: focus again on improving aerobic endurance.
• Frequency: three days per week.
Month 3
• Goals: focus on improving aerobic endurance and introduce leg strength building run sessions with one day per week hill running. These are not to be intervals but running on a hilly course.
• Frequency: four times per week.
Tips: it is best to stay in an aerobic heart rate training zone as much as possible when running the hill workout.
Month 4
• Same as month three.
Month 5
• Goals: improve aerobic endurance and continue to build more leg strength with one day per week running specific hill intervals of one to four minutes in duration with similar recovery time between each interval.
• Frequency: four times per week.
Month 6
• Goals: decrease volume to allow the body to regenerate, increase intensity slightly to allow positive physiological adaptations prior to the race. Frequency: four times per week
Tips: it is best to begin the tapering of the long run distance/volume but maintain/increase slightly the intensity by adding a tempo run (heart rate below lactate threshold) one time per week. Hill running can be maintained, but long hill intervals should be discontinued.
The main focal points for preparing a person for half marathon
– Build cardiovascular endurance
– Build leg strength
– Build core strength
– Prevent injury
Overall, it is important to stress training at proper intensities (heart rate zones) so that the aerobic energy system can be fully developed before introducing hill and tempo running.
Week 1: Prep B1
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 25′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 30′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 7km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 2: Prep B2
Mon – Rest
Tues- Run 30′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 35′
Fri- CT45’-60’
Sat – 8km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 3: Prep B3
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 35′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 40′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 9km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 4: Prep Rec
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 30′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 35′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 6km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 5: Prep B1
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 35′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 40′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 8km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 6: Prep B2
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 45′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 9km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 7: Prep B3
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 45′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 50′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 10km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 8: Prep Rec
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 35′
Wed – CT 45’-60’
Thurs – Run 40′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 7km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 9: Prep B1
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40’Hills
Wed – Run 25′
Thurs – Run 45′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 10km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 10: Prep B2
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40’Hills
Wed – Run 30′
Thurs – Run 50′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 11km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 11: Prep B3
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 45’Hills
Wed – Run 35′
Thurs – Run 55′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 12km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 12: Prep Rec
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 30’Hills
Wed – Run 35′
Thurs – Run 35′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 10km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 13: Prep B1
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 35’Hills
Wed – Run 40′
Thurs – Run 40′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 13km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 14: Prep B2
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40’Hills
Wed – Run 45′
Thurs – Run 45′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 14km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 15: Prep B3
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 45’Hills
Wed – Run 45′
Thurs – Run 50′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 15km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 16: Prep Rec
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 30’Hills
Wed – Run 35′
Thurs – Run 25′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 13km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 17: Prep B1
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40’Hill inter
Wed – Run 35′
Thurs – Run 35′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 15km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 18: Prep B2
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 45’Hill inter
Wed – Run 40′
Thurs – Run 40′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 16km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 19: Prep B3
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 55’Hill inter
Wed – Run 35′
Thurs – Run 45′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 17km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 20: Prep Rec
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 35’Hill inter
Wed – Run 30′
Thurs – Run 35′
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 18km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 21: Taper
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40’Tempo
Wed – Run 35′
Thurs – Run 35’Hills
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 16km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 22: Taper
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40’Tempo
Wed – Run 40′
Thurs – Run 40’Hills
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat – 13km
Sun – Swim/yoga
Week 23: Taper
Mon – Rest
Tues – Run 40’Tempo
Wed – Run 40′
Thurs – Run 40’hills
Fri – CT45’-60’
Sat 10km
Sun Swim/yoga
Week 24: Taper
Mon – Run 60′-70′
Tues – Rest
Wed – CT 30′
Thurs – Run 40′-50′
Fri – Rest
Sat – Rest
Go Play – 21km!!
Key:
B1: build, week 1
B2: build, week 2
B3: build, week 3
Rec: recovery week
Prep: preparatory (base) periodization cycle
‘ : minutes
CT: crosstrain, core strengthening