This plan is for you if: You run most days and have a number of races and half marathons under your belt. You’re willing to really push yourself to go sub-90min.
For many keen runners completing a half marathon in under 90 minutes is a significant goal. If you’re shooting for it you should already have several races under your belt, and might have even attempted a sub-90min half marathon a couple of times already. If the latter is true, rest assured that if you follow this 16-week plan to the letter, you will be as prepared as possible to hit your target come race day this time round.
The plan – created by running coach and co-founder of Advent Running James Poole – involves, unsurprisingly, a lot of running. You’ll be pounding the pavements five or six times a week, doing a mix of easy, steady, tempo and long runs to build the speed and endurance required to smash your race.
If that all sounds a bit much right now, don’t worry. The plan builds up gradually to allow your body plenty of time to adapt to the demands of your training schedule. If you are struggling at any point you can always sub in an extra rest day for one of that week’s easy runs.
How The Plan Works
The plan follows four key phases. Within each phase there are three weeks of progression and one easier week to give your body chance to recover. The four phases are:
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Base phase: This is the most important stage of your training as you’ll build an aerobic base and get into the habit of running regularly.
Build phase 1: In this stage you’ll work on endurance and start to increase the distance of your longer runs.
Build phase 2: Now you’ve got a solid base and can cover longer distances, it’s time to up the intensity with quicker runs to build aerobic endurance and speed.
Hone and taper: You’re on the home stretch and you’ll start to decrease distance and dial down the intensity so your legs are fresh for race day.
There are four different types of run – easy, steady, tempo and long – plus rest days. Each run has a specific purpose and should be completed at a different pace, detailed below. Make sure you warm up before and warm down after each run.
Easy run – 7min 45sec/mile: Designed to give you a good aerobic engine, these should be easy and enjoyable. You should be able to hold a conversation on an easy run, so they’re a good one to do with friends.
Steady run – 7min/mile: Harder than easy runs, steady runs should be similar to your half marathon pace. Steady runs leave you more fatigued than easy runs so they feature less in your training.
Tempo run – 6min 30sec/mile: These improve your aerobic endurance and speed, and should be run at a challenging pace – if you can hold a conversation then you’re going too slow. If you find you’re struggling to complete tempo runs at first, try alternating between five minutes at tempo pace and five minutes at easy pace.
Long run – 8min/mile: Long runs should be slower than race pace to minimise wear and tear on your body. These runs are a great opportunity to test your nutrition and clothing to make sure everything works on race day.
Rest: The best day of the week, rest is vital to give your body time to recover. Rest days on this plan are scheduled for Mondays, to give you a break after Sunday’s long run.
