How to Break the 1:30 Half Marathon Barrier: Run Your Fastest Half Yet! - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of How to Break the 1:30 Half Marathon Barrier: Run Your Fastest Half Yet! from Lee Grantham. 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:

Goal half‑marathon pace is 4:15 min/km (≈ 6:52 min/mi). You need to be comfortable at that pace for the full 21.1 km.
Build a foundation of 8 km of hard‑work intervals, gradually increasing volume from 4‑5 km up to 8 km.
Keep rest intervals at 60 seconds for all interval sessions to train breathing and heart‑rate control.
Long runs are 25 km with segments at race‑pace (4:15 km) sandwiched between easy portions (≈ 4:40 km) to build confidence and fatigue tolerance.
Use the same nutrition plan (gel every ~20 min) during long runs and intervals to train gut tolerance.

Workout Example:

Interval Session 1 – 16 × 500 m reps (total 8 km) @ faster than race pace, 60 s rest. Build up volume gradually.
Interval Session 2 – 8 × 1 km reps (total 8 km) at the same pace you can hold for the 500 m, 60 s rest.
Interval Session 3 – 4 × 2 km reps (total 8 km) at ~4:00 min/km or faster, 60 s rest.
Long Run #1 – 25 km total: 8.5 km easy, 8 km at 4:15 km, 8.5 km easy. If you need to start slower, aim for ~4:40 km for the easy parts.
Long Run #2 – 25 km: 7.5 km easy (≈4:40), 10 km at 4:15 km, 7.5 km easy.
Long Run #3 – 25 km: 6.5 km easy, 12 km at 4:15 km, 6.5 km easy.

Pro Tips:

Warm‑up 2‑3 km before any hard session; it reduces recovery time.
Keep the same fueling strategy (gel every 20 min) in training and on race day.
Gradually increase the total volume of hard work each week, but never double the volume suddenly.
Consistent warm‑ups and nutrition practice make race day feel easier.

Closing Note: Give these workouts a try, tweak the paces to match your own target using the Pacing app, and watch yourself crush the sub‑90‑minute barrier. Good luck and enjoy the journey toward a faster half‑marathon!