About this training plan
This training plan was devised for Runner's World back in 2000, by the legendary runner and coach Bruce Tulloh. Tulloh was a phenomenal runner, winning the 5000m at the 1962 European Championships and representing England in the Commonwealth Games at 1 mile and 3 miles the same year. In 1969, he ran 2,876 miles across America from Los Angeles to New York City in 64 days, an undertaking he described in his book Four Million Footsteps.
Tulloh was also an excellent coach – not only was he Runner's World's own coaching editor for 15 years, helping many readers to reach their goals, but he also coached Richard Nerurkar to the finals of the 10,000m at the 1991 World Championships and the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
Is this the right half marathon training plan for me?
This plan is one for committed athletes. The schedule will take you up to over 50 miles a week, which for many people is about as much training as is compatible with a busy lifestyle and family. It's a great plan for those who have already hit the goal of a sub-90 minute half and are looking for the next level of challenge.
What does this training plan involve?
The main ingredients of the programme are repetition and interval running, but with an emphasis on continuous, fast-paced runs to build up your speed endurance. Thus, much of your 'steady' runs should be at around threshold pace, which is reckoned to be the speed of your best 10 miles; this is slightly above half marathon pace, but it is the best pace to train at.
For a bit of variety you also need some hill running and some short, fast bursts. As the training progresses, you should have the feeling of building up strength, because of your increased mileage. However, you’re allocated one lower-mileage week as a recuperation phase before doing a race over 10K or 10 miles.
Above all, you’ve got to listen to your body and fit your training to its needs, rather than impose a rigid schedule. The pattern is: hard effort, followed by easy running until you’re ready to run hard again. As race day approaches, the efforts become easier and the recovery periods longer, so that you’re bursting with energy on race day.
Remember that what you do in the last week won’t make you run any faster. Don't do anything that will cause you to feel heavy and sluggish – the idea is that you feel fresh and energetic when race day comes around.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK 1 | 5M easy | 7M steady | 4 x 1200m (or 4 x 4 mins), with 3-min recoveries. Warm down | 6M easy | Rest or 3M jog | 6-8M steady, inc a few strides | 8-10M easy |
| WEEK 2 | 5M easy | 7M hilly run, working hard on the hills | 5M easy | 6-7M, inc 8 x 1 min fast, 1 min slow in the middle | Rest or 3M jog | Warm up, then 5M fairly fast. Warm down | 8-10M steady |
| WEEK 3 | 6M easy | 6M fairly fast, then 1M easy | 4 x 5 mins, with 4-min recovery jogs | 5M easy | Rest or 3M jog | 8M, inc fast bursts | 10-11M steady |
| WEEK 4 | 6M easy | 6-7M hilly run, with hard bursts up hills | 6M easy | 6-7M, inc 10 x 1 min fast, 1 min slow, and 6 x 30 secs fast, 30 secs slow | Rest or 3M jog | 1M jog, then 6M fairly fast, then 1M jog | 10-12M slow |
| WEEK 5 | 6M easy, off-road | Warm up, then 6-7M, inc 6 x 2 mins fast, 2 mins slow | 6M, starting slow, finishing faster | Intervals: 12 x 400m, with 90-sec recoveries | 3M slow jog | Warm up, then 5M fairly fast. Warm down | 10M steady |
| WEEK 6 | 6M easy | 3 x 2M at threshold pace, with 6-min recoveries | 6M easy | 8M fartlek on grass, inc 20 x 30 secs (approx) | 3M jog | 5M, no pressure | 3M warm-up, then 5-6M race (not flat-out) |
| WEEK 7 | 5M easy, off-road | Rest | 2M jog, then 5-6M at half-marathon pace, then 1M jog | 5M easy, inc 8 x 200m strides | Rest or 3M jog | Rest | Warm up, then race 6-10M. Warm down |
| WEEK 8 | 6M easy, off-road | 7-8M, inc bursts up hills | 6M easy | 6 x 1M with 3-min recoveries | 3M easy jog | 5-6M on grass | 14-15M slow |
| WEEK 9 | 6M easy | 3 x 2M at threshold pace, with 6-min recoveries | 6M easy | 8M fartlek on grass, inc 20 x 30 secs (approx) | 3M jog | 5M, no pressure | 3M warm-up, then 5-6M race (not flat-out) or 13-15M steady |
| WEEK 10 | 5M easy, off-road | 6-8M at a comfortable pace | 2 x (8 x 200m) fast, on grass, with 1-min recoveries | 6M easy, inc 1M at race pace | Rest or 3M jog | 4M easy, in race kit | Race day |
How to prepare for your half marathon
Although nothing like as taxing as a full marathon, the 21km distance does need to be treated with respect, particularly if the weather is hot. You should finish your breakfast around three hours before the start, but there is nothing wrong with drinking tea, coffee, water or squash up to an hour before the start, and if it is really hot, I suggest drinking half a pint of water five minutes before the start. Don’t drink half an hour beforehand, or you’ll be needing a wee while waiting for the gun!
If you’re aiming to run fast, you should go through a gentle warm-up routine during the 20 minutes leading up to the start – jogging, stretching and striding. If you’re doing an event with a large field, you’ll probably find yourself running very fast in the first mile, so try to keep warm and loose during those last few minutes before the gun goes when you are wedged in the crowd.
