HOW I GOT INTO RUNNING | 2021 GOALS- SUB 70 HALF MARATHON?! - Ben Is Running

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of “HOW I GOT INTO RUNNING | 2021 GOALS- SUB 70 HALF MARATHON?!” from Ben Is Running. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the training ideas today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Ben runs 100‑140 km (≈62‑87 mi) per week, built around three quality sessions: a tempo run, a threshold/interval session, and a long run, with a full rest day on Sunday.
2020 highlights: 5 km in 16:06, 10 km in 32:48, and a 3rd‑place finish in his first ultra.
2021 goals: sub‑70 min half‑marathon (≈3:19 min/km or 5:13 min/mi), sub‑16 min 5 km, and staying consistent with weekly mileage.
Practical tip: use a rest day for active recovery (walk, bike) but no running, and adjust paces in the Pacing app to match your own speed.

Workout Example (Weekly Schedule)

Day	Workout	Approx. Pace / Effort
Mon/Tue	Tempo run	20‑30 min at comfortably hard (≈10‑15 % faster than easy pace)
Thu/Fri	Threshold/intervals	2‑3× (5‑8 min) at threshold pace (roughly 10‑15 s per km faster than tempo) with equal recovery
Sat	Long run	20‑30 km at easy conversational pace (around 16 km / 10 mi mark)
Sun	Rest / active recovery	No running – walk, cycle, stretch

Goal‑specific pacing: To hit a sub‑70 half marathon, aim for 3:19 min/km (≈5:13 min/mi) on long runs and keep tempo/threshold work around 3:00‑3:05 min/km.

Closing Note

Give Ben’s routine a try—adjust the distances and paces to fit your own level in the Pacing app, and you’ll be on track for those 2021 goals. Happy running!