Week 13 Nailing a Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon
Week 13 (duration 225-260mins)
Welcome to week 13! You will be beginning to feel really strong, especially after nailing your predictor workout last week, this week we will change it up again. Back to Fartlek. Variety is key to keeping the body challenged whilst improving your fitness.
This is best run on a gently undulating course. Do not focus on pace, rather pay attention to the effort and maintain that at Rate of Perceived Exertion 6.
For each Fartlek effort you should try to run as hard as you can to complete the time. Start at the slow end of your 10k race effort range and get faster as the workout progresses. The goal is to complete the workout and feel like you do not want to or can do another rep. Sometimes, we may feel that we still have another rep in us at the end. If this is the case and you are feeling strong then do another rep, but not more than 5 reps.
Keep the recovery jogs as that, easy pace or slightly slower, this is a constant workout, no stopping and try to avoid walking between reps.
If you get a stitch, it is OK to walk it off. Place your hands on your head and walk, whilst breathing steadily. I have found this method to be effective at recovering from ‘stitches’
As with the tempo workout be sure that you warm up prior to the Fartklek intervals and cool down afterwards
The long run this week will be another fast finish. This is designed to mimic how you will feel during the event. Your legs are pre-fatigued and so lifting the pace is hard, but you will be able to do it at goal pace, if not slightly faster. Try to do the fast finish for longer or faster than 2 weeks ago to add some more progression to it. As with your other long runs this is an excellent opportunity for you to practise your race day hydration and nutrition strategy. Practice doing this without stopping. Eating and drinking on the move requires practice!
Phase: Half marathon specific training
Monday – Rest / Day off
Tuesday – Easy Run 30-45mins, pace 5:55-6:29
Wednesday - Recovery or Cross Train, 30mins, pace 5:55-6:29
Thursday – Fartlek 60mins, 3-5 repetitions, duration 6mins at 10k effort or faster, with 3 minute recovery between each rep. Run 15-25mins to warm up (5:55-6:29) before Fartlek and 15-25mins(5:55-6:29) to cool down
Friday / Saturday - Recovery or Cross Train, 30mins, pace 5:55-6:29
Sunday – Fast finish, 90-105mins, pace 5:57-6:42, last 3-6km at 5:21 pace or faster
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