The Half-Marathon Threshold

Workout - The Half-Marathon Threshold

• 4.0km @ 10'00''/mi
• 7 lots of:
  • 100m @ 4'30''/mi
• 20.9km @ 5'22''/mi
• 2.4km @ 12'00''/mi

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Intro

Here’s a breakdown of Seth James DeMoor’s Half Marathon workout and PR in the process, but… video. The workout is worth trying. The core elements are outlined below. For the full context and Seth’s commentary, watch the video.

Key points

• Threshold focus: roughly 5:22 to 5:23 per mile pace (around 5:20 target) over 13 miles at threshold intensity.
• Race-time simulation: schedule your hard efforts at the time you’ll actually race (like 9 am). This trains your body to perform at that time of day.
• Warm-up structure: a couple of easy miles followed by a few strides prepares the legs for the work ahead.
• Environmental factors: cold, rain, and allergies can affect breathing and how shoes feel, but they’re manageable with the right gear (buff, gloves) and a willingness to adapt.

Workout example

1. Warm-up – 2-3 easy miles (easy conversational pace)
2. Strides – 6-8 × 100 m fast strides with full recovery
3. Main set – 13-mile threshold run @ ~5:22-5:23 min/mi (≈8:35 min/km)
   • Aim to stay even; slight slowdown in the last mile is OK.
4. Cool-down – ½-1 mile easy jog + stretch

Tip: training for a marathon? This works well as one of your final hard efforts before the taper. Scale the distance or pace based on your fitness.

Closing note

Try this threshold run, use the Pacing app to set the pace based on your current fitness, and notice how it tunes your legs for race day. Watch the full video for Seth’s complete breakdown.

References

• Half Marathon workout and PR in the process, but… - YouTube (YouTube Video)