This week is the second recovery week. Although, don’t get too excited because it’s still got some tough sessions, there’s just a few rest days.

Session 1: Progression run

Run a relatively easy run for 50-60 minutes then another 20 minutes at your target half-marathon pace or a little faster. Also don’t forget to include a warm up and warm down including some stretches to stop those muscles shortening. Take it nice and slow on the easy section and keep in control on the faster section. You should not feel tired after this session.

Session 2: Speed workout

5-6 x 1 mile at speed pace with a 3 minute jog recovery between each rep. This session is about testing your mental strength, the last couple of reps are going to be tough but try to keep the pace the same as for the first few. This session is about preparing for race day, it might get tough out on the course and you may need to dig deep to finish in your goal time so this session will help you prepare for that. You will feel tired after this one so make sure you’re prepared.

Session 3: Short easy run

About 30-40 minutes only at a nice relaxed and comfortable pace.

Session 4: Finish fast, long run

Run for around 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Most of this run should be at a nice steady, easy pace then build up to finish the last 2 to 4 miles at goal pace and finish the last mile at a slightly faster pace. You’re aiming for about 12-14 miles for the run. Remember, this is not race day so don’t try to run the whole thing at goal pace, stick to the plan, run fast at the end but don’t race.

This week you should have 2 days with no exercise at all (that’s the recovery bit of this week), so no strength and conditioning or cycling on those rest days and if you need to miss a session this week then drop session 3.

So you’re over the half way point at it was a tough week last week. Although it’s not as tough this week, it’s not an easy week.

Session 1: Fartlek Run

10-12 x I min at 5k pace with 1 minute jog recovery between each rep. Include a warm-up and warm-down. This is a tough session and it’s the optional one for the week, if you need to drop a session then drop this one. These speed sessions will help when we bring all this together in to the half marathon. In particular these sessions are going to help you maintain your pace over the whole race. Obviously you won’t be running it at 5k pace but this is aimed at pushing your energy systems to exhaustion so that you can sustain a much longer race.

Session 2: Tempo Intervals

3-4 x 2 miles at Tempo pace with a 4 minute jog recovery between reps. Your Tempo pace is not as fast as session 1 but is faster than your easy pace. It’s going to be pushing your heart rate up to around 70-75% of your maximum heart rate, so you’re going to feel it but not be shattered when you finish.

Session 3: Easy Run

A short one for this session, 30-40 mins only, at a nice relaxed pace just to loosen up your legs from the speed sessions this week before the long run.

Session 4: Long run

Up to 2 hours. Nice and steady for this one. There’s also not progression this week, just a nice long slow run to get some miles in the legs.

This week will see the half way point (at the end)! I hope you’re seeing some benefits, but don’t panic if you’re not, it’s a 10 week plan and for some you might need to get all the way through to see the real benefit of the plan. Last week was a recovery week so you might be surprised at what you can do this week. A recovery week allows your body to do some essential repairs and get ready for more building. This week is a little tough so you’ll be glad of last week, but it’s essential for building some speed into distance runs.

Session 1: Progression Run

80-90 mins and finish the last 20 minutes at your target half marathon pace or faster. Over the next few weeks we’re going to start making fast finishing a habit so that come race day you can get your target time. This session is about encouraging that habit. The first section of this run should be a little slower than your target pace, but not as slow as an easy pace run.

Session 2: Speed Workout

6-8 x 1200 meters at fast pace with a 3 min recovery between reps. Don’t forget to include a warm-up and warm-down. This session is tough because we want to make the effort in the final few reps so that we get the same pace consistently in all reps. You’ll feel like quitting when you get to the last few, so decide at the start how many you want to do and dig deep. If you need to slow the recovery down to a walk then that’s ok. Apart from improving your speed these sessions are also designed to help build your mental strength – you’ll need the ability to dig deep and finish on race day.

Session 3: Easy run

40-60 mins. Nice and easy recovery run, you’ve has a tough week and you’ve got a final tough session coming up.

Session 4: Fast Finish Long Run

1 hr 45 mins to 2 hrs 15 mins. We’re aiming for 12-14 miles for this session but this is not your race. Cruise along at a nice steady pace to start then for the middle section try to hit your target pace and finish fast. So it might be 7 miles easy pace, 4 miles at goal pace then fast for the final 2 miles. Adjust it to suit yourself. You’re aiming for 2-4 miles at target pace in the middle section and 1-2 miles for a fast finish. Remember though, don’t race this run, that’ll come in another 5 weeks, this is about being able to run at target pace when you’ve got a few miles in your legs and also to be able to finish fast. Plan your run and if you’ve got a running watch programme it so you can stick to the plan.

This is a tough week so hang on in there and persevere, it’ll be worth it.

Last week was a tough week, this week is not as tough. So you’ll be able to concentrate a little more on form. This type of week is a recovery week, with lower mileage and try to take a couple of days off from running or any form of exercise. This is essential to help prevent injuries. If you need to stretch your legs go for a short, gentle walk. But just keep the intensity low on those days off.

Session 1: Easy Run

40-50 mins. A nice easy pace and shorter than we’ve been doing on these easy pace runs. No racing, and if there’s any hills in there then slow the pace right down. You should finish refreshed and not tired at all.

Session 2: Tempo Run

3 to 5 miles at Tempo Pace. Don’t forget a warm up and warm down. The tempo pace should stretch you a little and by the end you should feel like you’ve had a decent workout. A good guide is if you are only able to snatch 2 or 3 word sentences whilst running.

Session 3: Easy Pace

This is a really short run of 30-40 minutes and a nice easy pace. Treat this as a recovery run or a warm-up before your long run.

Session 4: Long Run

90 mins. Building up the endurance strength. Remember these long runs should be nice and easy, relax. Try to run the final 20 minutes a little faster, but not at race pace.

This week still has 4 sessions but only one of them is relatively tough and remember at least 2 days of no exercise whatsoever – this is a recovery week and it’s important to reduce the risk of injury

This is quite a tough week. Enjoy!

Session 1: Progression Run

80-90 mins. For most of this run take an easy pace and then for the final 20 minutes run at your target half-marathon pace or a little faster if you can. From this week we’ll start to introduce mid-week longer runs that are designed to build your strength (but they won’t be every week).

Session 2: Speed Workout

5-6 x 1 mile at speed pace with a 3 minute jog recovery between reps. Don’t forget to include a warm up and warm down. Stay under control during the speed section on this workout, you’ve got a few to do and this workout is tough enough without exhausting yourself early on. You’ll probably find the 1st one tough but persevere, if you’ve got the pace right then the middle ones should be ok before you start to get fatigued for the final one or two. The speed sections should be fast, but they’re not sprints. Try to have a consistent pace but if you need to adjust in order to achieve all reps then don’t be afraid to – it’s not as important as it is on the Fartlek workouts.

Session 3: Easy Pace

Up to an hour for this workout. This is the optional run this week if you need to drop a session. Treat this as a recovery run or a warm-up before your long run.

Session 4: Long Run

90-105 mins. Building up the endurance strength. Remember these long runs should be nice and easy, relax, talk to a fellow runner (or yourself if you’re on your own)

Session 1: Easy Run

50-70 minutes. Basic endurance building, remember to keep it at an easy pace. These runs will become one of the foundations of the plan so it’s good if you’ve got a few routes you can use so that you don’t get bored with running the same one all the time. It’s also useful if you’ve got a route that you can extend a little if you’re finding that you want a little more (or cut short if you need to).

Session 2: Tempo Intervals

2-3 x 2 miles at Tempo Pace with 4 minute jog recovery in between reps. Include a warm-up and warm-down. Tempo Intervals are about find ing a fast but comfortable rhythm. Your heart rate will be higher than the easy pace runs but you should be able to speak two or three word sentences. It’s important to find a good rhythm as this is going to help come race day.

Session 3: Easy Run

40-60 minutes, a little shorter than session 1 but at a similar pace. This is effectively a recovery run after session 2 to loosen up the legs and get ready for the long run coming up in session 4.

Session 4: Long run

1hr 30 mins to 1hr 45 mins. Easy, steady pace. This session is just about time on your feet running. You should not feel exhausted at the end of this but it’s ok if your legs are tired and your feet ache.

If you need to miss a session this week then drop session 1 or 3 (or both if you need to). Also try to get in some strength and conditioning time. This might be a session or two with Isolation Fitness or simply a 15 minute stretch. Remember to use dynamic warm-ups before a run and static stretches after. Static stretches before a run will usually overextend joints and muscles and can increase the chance of injury, whereas if used afterwards they help prevent muscles shortening – which will lead to all sorts of problems and potential injuries later.

This plan is based on running 4 training sessions a week. If you want more then fit in one or more 5-8k sessions on the other days. As you progress through the weeks you might want to up the mileage on these runs to 10k. If you want fewer sessions per week then I’ll indicate which ones you could miss out on and still stick to the overall plan.

Session 1: Fartlek run

10-12 x 1 minute at 5k to 10k pace with 1 minute recovery jog between. Don’t forget to include a warm-up and warm-down both of which should be 10-20 mins and should be at a slow pace. The important thing with Fartlek runs is that the pace of the early reps should be the same as the late reps. If you find yourself struggling then vary the pace on your recovery, down to a walk if necessary. Have a look back at the 5k plan to see the discussion on setting pace and using HR zones to help deciding what pace suits what zone. (5k training plan week 4).

Session 2: Cruise Intervals

6-8 x 1km at cruise interval pace followed by 2 minute jog recovery. Don’t forget a 10-20 minute warm-up and warm-down. These are not speed repeats but are stamina training intervals. Your cruise pace should be controlled and comfortable, it’s probably a little faster than your half-marathon pace but not as fast as 10k, maybe a 10 mile pace would be a good guide to start but you can use your breathing to help decide if that pace is ok for this session; you should feel comfortable and similar to a longer tempo run. Set yourself a narrow pace target to help you stay under control during this session.

Session 3: Easy Run

40 -60 minutes at an easy pace. An easy pace is faster than your warmup or jog recovery pace that you’ve been doing during the week but your breathing should be fully under control and you should be able to have full sentence conversations (with a running partner or yourself, whichever suits!) Remember if you’re running with another runner to practice social distancing at the moment. For these easy runs a partner can be useful as it’s harder to run with someone else on the other sessions. These 60 min runs form the foundation of the half-marathon plan and will help build the stamina you are going to need.

Session 4: Long run

Up to 90 minutes at an easy pace. These longer runs will help you build your endurance which in turn will help with the speed sessions so they are important. However, remember this is an easy pace run not a race! Easy pace is important because it won’t need as much time for your body to repair so that you can carry on with the training plan. Remember, not every run is a race and we’re training for a race in 10 weeks time.

If you need to cut a session from this week then drop session 1, if you need to miss another then drop session 3.

Final week – bringing it all together

Session 1: Speed workout

Warm-up, 3 x 400m @ 5k goal pace, 100m recovery, then 400m jog, 3 x 400m @ 5 seconds faster than goal 5k pace, 200m recovery, 400m jog, 3 x 400m @ up to 10 seconds faster than goal 5k pace, 400m recovery, warm-down. This is a little complicated, basically 3 sets of 3 x 400m at progressively faster pace with progressively longer recovery and a 400m jog between sets.

You will find the later 400m runs get quite tiring and you should need the longer recovery. You will also find this easier if you’ve got a roughly measured 400m distance to use & then extend the recovery either side of that as you run back & forth – be prepared for some strange looks as you run up and down a small section like a lunatic!

Session 2: Fartlek run

5 x 60s @ 5k-10k pace, 60s recovery. Don’t forget to include a warmup and warm-down. Concentrate on your running form on the fast sections, keep your shoulders relaxed and you head up and remember not to sprint but to keep to the pace.

Session 3: Easy run

30 mins. Nothing more than an easy shake out of the legs to remove any stiffness and keep the legs moving ready for race day

Session 4: Race day

If you’re not running one of the virtual 5k events such as the Yaxley parkrun or the Isolation Fitness 5k then just run this as a benchmark run. Remember though that this one IS a race, so go for it. Remember all you’ve built up over the last 6 weeks and let’s see what the improvement is.

This week is a tough week, sorry.

Session 1: Fartlek Run

10-12 x 60 seconds at 5k pace, 60 seconds recovery jog between each rep. Include a warm-up and warm-down. This needs to be a fast session and it will be tough. Try to hit your current 5k pace or, if you can your target 5k pace. Remember to keep the pace equal across all the hard sections, change the recovery if you’re finding it too tough. When you’re running the hard sections try not to sprint and remember to keep your shoulders relaxed and don’t grip your hands – try to imagine you have something delicate in your hands such as a crisp. If you feel too much tension in your shoulders then shake out your arms, you might be able to get away with that tension for a minute but if you did it over the whole 5k it would impact your speed efficiency and you’ve worked too hard to lose efficiency over easily fixable things. If you feel stiffness in your neck or shoulders after your run then it’s probably tension you’re holding.

Session 2: Speed workout

Warm-up, 2-3 x 1 mile at speed with 3 mins recovery between reps, warm-down. This is a tough session and is going to test your mental fitness as well as your running fitness. Remember to keep your arms relaxed and remember the fast sections are fast but not sprints and there’s a relatively short recovery in between reps too.

Session 3: Easy Run

45 – 60 mins at an easy pace. You’ve worked hard this week so take it easy for this session.

Session 4: Progression Run.

60-70 mins, finish the last 10 mins at a medium to hard effort finishing the session strong.

This week is a slightly easier week after a tough one last week, nothing too complicated and mainly easy runs with one stamina session in the middle of the week. Weeks like this are important to allow some recovery to your body ready to get the focus back on track. It’s important to hit peak performance at the right time but also not to rest too much otherwise you’ll lose the fitness. It’s about balancing fatigue, fitness and form.

Session 1: Easy Run 45 – 60 min

Continue building endurance to get you through the race.

Session 2: Tempo Run 50 – 70 min

Warm-up, then 3-5 miles at tempo pace, warmdown. This session is working on your stamina, it needs to be at a pace slower than your 5k pace. As a guide breathing should be laboured but you should be able to snatch one or two work sentences and your heart rate will be in the zone above your endurance pace. At the end you should feel like you’ve had a good workout but shouldn’t fall through the door and collapse in a heap. It will be a good solid pace but not your race pace.

There’s lots of different methods for calculating your HR zones and you need to find the one that works for you. I’ve shared mine in the pic, but they change all the time as my fitness levels change (and at the moment as the pollen levels change). Some methods have fewer zones, I use a Lactate Threshold method and from this I’m also able to determine my pace zones which helps when I need to calculate training zones during speed sessions and help me to estimate a target pace that I can work towards. But whatever method you use, just remember it’s a guide, on the day things might be different. There will be lots of factors that will change from training day to training day such as the weather, pollution and pollen levels, humidity as well as how you feel.

Session 3: Easy Run 45 – 60 min

Same as session 1. Session 4: Long run up to 2 hours. Don’t worry if you want to do less that’s fine, just do what you want but the main thing is it should be a gentle pace, jogging not running today.