Half Marathon Training Plan Analysis ***KEY LESSONS LEARNED*** - Seth James DeMoor

Intro: This is a quick summary of *Half Marathon Training Plan Analysis KEY LESSONS LEARNED from Seth James DeMoor. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

• Volume matters, but 140 mi/week is overkill for most half‑marathoners; aim for 110‑120 mi/week (≈ 180‑200 km) to stay fresh and avoid burnout.
• Confidence comes from race‑pace consistency – Seth hit ~5:16 / mi (≈ 3:17 / km) in Toledo, which gave him the belief to chase faster marathon goals. This principle holds true whether you’re building up from shorter distances or focusing solely on the half. In fact, many runners find that mastering the 10K provides the perfect foundation for tackling a longer race.
• Speed work is essential – You need to include dedicated fast‑half sessions to develop the leg turnover needed for sub‑70 min halves. The explosive power you build through shorter, faster efforts is invaluable, and many of the same principles used for mastering 5K speed can be adapted to enhance your half-marathon performance.
• Recovery and injury‑prevention – listen to niggles, prioritize rest, massage, and stretching; a solid taper (≈ 20 mi total the week before race) pays off.
• Coaching insight – progressive volume, strategic cut‑backs, and double‑run days (two runs per day) teach you how to handle higher mileage safely.

Workout Example (adaptable to your current fitness):

1. Weekly mileage: 110‑120 mi (≈ 180‑200 km).
2. Key weekly sessions:
   • Long run: 20 mi (≈ 32 km) at easy‑pace (≈ 1 min + 30 s per km slower than race pace).
   • Mid‑week speed day: 5 × 1 km @ 3:00 / km with 2‑min jog recovery. For a deeper dive into structuring these sessions and personalizing them to your fitness level, it’s worth mastering interval training with science-backed workouts.
   • Tempo run: 8 mi @ 5:30 / mi (≈ 3:25 / km) to raise lactate threshold.
   • Recovery runs: 2‑3 easy runs of 5‑8 mi each, plus optional double‑run day (morning + evening) for volume.
3. Taper (race week): 20 mi total split into two easy runs, no hard work, focus on sleep, nutrition, and a short shake‑out run 1‑2 days before the race.

Practical Tips

• Cut back mileage by ~10 % every 3‑4 weeks to let legs recover.
• Use a heart‑rate or perceived‑effort scale to keep easy runs truly easy.
• Schedule a 1‑day complete rest after a long run or a hard speed session.
• Track your paces in the Pacing app and adjust the above paces to match your current race‑pace.

Closing Note: Try this balanced half‑marathon block, tweak the miles and paces to fit your own schedule, and watch your confidence and speed grow. Remember to log everything in the Pacing app so you can fine‑tune the plan for your next race

References

• Half Marathon Training Plan Analysis KEY LESSONS LEARNED - YouTube (YouTube Video)

Workout - DeMoor's Half Marathon K's

• 10min @ 6'30''/km
• 5 lots of:
  • 1.0km @ 4'00''/km
  • 2min rest
• 5min @ 7'00''/km

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