Skirt Runner
My goal half is in 9.5 weeks. I do better following a plan but but don't have one right now. I got too far off my Running Wizard plan to salvage it as it moves in phases. I need something new. Looking to merge into something for the last 9 weeks. I want a little speedwork but nothing crazy and I'm at about 20 miles per week right now. This one looks do-able. Anyone done it? What do you think? Any other recommendations?
http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51132/Half-Marathon-Intermediate-Training-Program
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
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I don't get the 400's as I'm not sure what benefit you'll be getting from them. I'd change those to 800's or 1,000's but still at 5K pace and I'd do perhaps 3 miles of fast work so something like 6 x 800 or 5 x 1,000. The tempo runs are the bread and butter of a half marathon anyway.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Just linking up the page for you and posting a pic of the plan for ease of critique:
I used it for my first half. It got me through the training and race uninjured. I made tweaks to it, the Thursday 3 mile & strength, I skipped the run & only strength trained. So I would up doing 4 days of running. Looking back, the main criticism I had was that I felt more prepared to run shorter distances than longer ones, the longer runs really beat me up. But each one was the first time I had ever done that distance, so probably to be expected. The speedwork really helped my 5k times, my 5k time decreased by 2+ minutes between July and November.
If you have already done some halfs, maybe use the plan as a template, but increase the distance of the shorter runs. Or maybe the Saturday run add some extra easy miles.
I used the Higdon Intermediate and Advanced Half plans for my first second HMs. The Intermediate is a good plan. Good luck!
I agree with LTH's recommendations but if you have not done much speedwork for HM training, this will get you there.
Damaris
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on my way to badass
Still waiting for the perfect race picture. 5K PR-33:52 , 10K PR 1:11:16, First HM 2:42:28
Dad on the run.
Deleted. Wrong thread
Chasing the sub 20 5K.
That's what I used for my HM.
What if I replaced the 400s with a workout that someone here recommended to me last year that I sometimes do:
7 minutes at half marathon pace
7 minutes at 10K pace
7 minutes at 5K pace
7 minutes at HM pace
With a warm up and cool down and 2 minutes of recovery jogging between each interval. Ends up being about 3.5 miles of faster stuff total.
What if I replaced the 400s with a workout that someone here recommended to me last year that I sometimes do: 7 minutes at half marathon pace 7 minutes at 10K pace 7 minutes at 5K pace 7 minutes at 10K pace 7 minutes at HM pace With a warm up and cool down and 2 minutes of recovery jogging between each interval. Ends up being about 3.5 miles of faster stuff total.
There is no way in hell someone can do that workout if they are running the paces they ought to be running. Half marathon pace is not much slower than tempo pace and 35 minutes at tempo pace sucks ass. By way of example, my HM PR pace is 6:33 while my Daniels tempo pace is 6:28 and I only hit that on days when it's cool and my legs are rested. There is zero probability I could complete that workout. None.
Are we there, yet?
On 20 mpw and at the slower paces we mortals run, 400m are on the low end of a VO2Max workout distance. Running 3 miles of fast work would be a stretch on 20 mpw. Remember Higdon designed that for beginners who may be intimidated by 800m or 1000m intervals at 5K pace. I think 4 x 800m intervals at 8K pace with a 200m jog recovery would fit Kristin's situation better.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
I always find that I can't really build mileage AND add quality work at the same time. In this case, I would want to be adding mileage a lot more than I would want to be doing any kind of speed workout, with the thought that endurance would give me the biggest bang for my buck. Then there's also the issue that building to a particular amount of miles per week isn't the same as being able to hold that volume week after week. With so many missed weeks over the summer, it might make sense to throw a cutback or two in there as well. It won't be the same volume, but you KNOW you can complete the distance, so anything you do between now and then will just be a bonus.
My guess is that you want the structure of a plan to follow, though?
George, I would agree that longer intervals can be intimidating. I know I look at 1,200's with a dread just short of being kidnapped by ISIS. Perhaps working up to 800's would be better so maybe 400's for a couple of weeks and then 600's and then 800's. Depending on a person's speed, 800's might be as long as someone wanted to go.
race obsessed
Gah... I actually miss the 400 & 800s. All the 10-12 min @ tempo (~ 3000m) w 1-2 min rest makes me yearn for shorter/ faster intervals. (some)
Any plan I have will have some tweaking...I have a few races in between now and then anyway....just like to have some overall structure. When I let myself not follow a plan is when things get dicey.