Suggestions for HM training plan (Read 784 times)

Hi, This is what I followed: The novice program was the one I chose to follow and it worked out great. http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/index.htm My goal this year is to follow the intermediate training plan. Good luck. Patarch1

First and foremost, you shouldn't have to reduce your mileage. For an idea of a plan (although I personally don't like them), you can use the "smartcoach" feature at the Runners' World website. I put in some of your information (based on your best 5k, etc) and this is what I got: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/smtcresults/0,7144,s6-238-277-278-0-0-0-0-0,00.html?hour=0&mins=25&secs=51&rlen=fivk&rdst=half4&mpwe=21&startf=123xyz&diff=hard&lrdy=0&slen=16&trainstart=ds1231184128757&metr=miles Hopefully the link works and you can see. My only beef with this program is that it basically has you running the same distance and same pace 2-3 times a week with several rest days. It's a place to start, in any case.

No you don't need to cut back your mileage to start a HM training plan. That's the last thing you should do. Just scale it to your current mileage, or pick a more advanced training plan. Or you could just run a lot. Have a lot of weeks that include a weekend long run of 90+ minutes, a mid-week medium-long run of 60-80 minutes that is not a jog, and as many short (45 minute) easy runs as you can fit in on the other days

Great minds, eh. And on Lane's point, you are always free to tweak a plan as you see fit. Try to avoid skipping the long runs, though.

Thanks, everyone. I think I may kind of work my own. I like the idea of a long easy run on the weekend, and a medium long intermediate run mid-week for stamina. I also really like doing speedwork, (former track guy and soccer player) so I will probably want some intervals, fartleks, or repeats worked in somewhere. Would it make sense to follow a basic plan for mileage totals, particularly long run distances, but make the following modifications: Add a medium-long, moderate pace run or long tempo run mid-week, and alternate that with a speedwork day every other week, with easy miles for warm-up and cool-down to make the miles match up.. Fill in the remaining miles with 40-60 minute easy runs 3-4 other days. I will have more success, probably, if I work with something like this than a strict plan. This is especially true since up until 6 weeks out I will likely have weather interference to deal with. I live in Minneapolis, and my current customer location that I travel to occasionally is in Buffalo. I figure if I prioritize the weekend long, and a weekly medium long run, and then fill in the rest of the miles spaced out as best I can, I should be OK. I'd rather resort to the treadmill only for shorter runs and possibly some speedwork. I can't stomach the idea of 90 minutes or more on those contraptions.

lots of folks use higdon plans. should be okay going with one of his.

Higdon never includes fartleks, though. I prefer to log a few fartleks now and then.

I was really happy with my results following the Ryan Hall Half-Marathon Training Plan that I found here: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-258-12006-0,00.html It was hard, but it really prepared me to maintain a fast pace all the way to the end. I was basically able to run the half marathon at my 5k PR pace from not so long ago.