If you are currently training for a half marathon or entertaining the idea of training for a half marathon in the near future, this blog will help you meet your pace goals and aid in heart rate training (pace being the time it takes you to run each mile of the 13.1 miles).
The purpose of this blog is to provide you with guidelines around a weekly pace workout. You will of course need to plan additional running days into your training. We recommend working one or several longer duration running days into your routine; however, we will keep the scope of this blog specific to pace workouts.
Let’s get right into it! These pace workouts are targeted for the final eight weeks of your training leading up to race day (with the race being on week nine). By this point in your training, you should have a solid base built and be able to run continuously for at least an hour at a time.
Your goal during your weekly pace workout is to push a pace that is at minimum as fast as you would like to go during the race. Many of these workouts will be shorter in duration with the intention of pushing a pace that is faster, even much faster, than your target pace.
Always begin with a solid warm up of 10-15 minutes in the BLUE or GREEN zones. Whether you do a dynamic warm up or light jog is up to you; however, for these types of workouts, we do recommend adding in at least one or two dynamic movements to warm up your hamstrings, adductors (groin), and calves.
Week One: 2 mile intervals – 1 minute push, 1 minute recover
Pace Work: Push slightly faster than your race pace for 1 minute, and then recover at race pace for 1 minute. Repeat.
Total Distance: 2 miles.
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: Improve leg speed; “feel” race pace.
Week Two: 3 mile intervals – 1 minute push, 1 minute recover
Pace Work: Push slightly faster than your race pace for 1 minute, and then recover at race pace for 1 minute. Repeat.
Total Distance: 3 miles.
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: Improve leg speed; stay strong during mile 3 when you are feeling fatigue (build stamina).
Week Three: 2 mile intervals – 2 minute push, 1 minute recover
Pace Work: Push slightly faster than your race pace for 2 minutes, and then recover at race pace for one minute. Repeat.
Total Distance: 2 miles.
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: Sustain push at pace faster than race pace; enjoy recovery at race pace (feel the difference).
Week Four: 3 mile intervals – 2 minute push, 1 minute recover
Pace Work: Push slightly faster than your race pace for 2 minutes, and then recover at race pace for 1 minute. Repeat.
Total Distance: 3 miles.
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: Make the last 2 minute push just as fast as the first push!
Week Five: Sprints
Pace Work: Perform 400 meter sprints (on a track or another identified space) x 8. Gradually increase your speed during the 400 meter sprint so that you are at an all-out sprint in the last 50 to 100 meters. Take a one minute recovery in between sprints.
Total Distance: 2 miles.
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: SPEED! Turn your legs over as fast as you can. Make your 6th, 7th, and 8th sprint as fast as your first sprint. Be sure to time yourself to try to remain consistent in your sprint efforts.
Week Six: Sprints – Jog Curve, Sprint Strait
Pace Work: Perform 400 meter efforts on a track x 8. Jog the curves at a comfortable pace, and then sprint the strait of the track as fast as you can! Perform 4 laps continuously and then take 2 minutes to recover before you do another 4 laps.
Total Distance: 2 miles.
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: Make your 2nd 4-lap effort faster than your first!
Week Seven: 1 mile efforts
Pace Work: Run a mile at a pace that is at least 30 to 45 seconds faster than you plan to run the race in. Repeat x 3 or 4. Take 1 minute to recover between efforts.
Total Distance: 3 miles
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: Try to run each mile faster than the one before.
Week Eight: 4 mile intervals – 2 minute push, 1 minute recover
Pace Work: Push slightly faster than your race pace for 2 minutes, and then recover at race pace for one minute. Repeat.
Total Distance: 4 miles.
Intensity: YELLOW and RED.
Goal: See how fast you can push during the 2 minute push. Make final effort solid for entire 2 minute push. Finish STRONG!
You will want to taper before your race, so be sure you provide enough time for your body to recover. We recommend performing your last pace workout at least 7 days prior to your race in order to give your body enough recovery time. As always, listen to your body – you know it best.
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Keep moving forward!
