My "Mini" Autumn Half Marathon Training Plan | FOD Runner - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of My “Mini” Autumn Half Marathon Training Plan from The FOD Runner. 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:

Six‑week block with no built‑in “down weeks”; the hardest work peaks in week 4, then eases slightly in week 5 and tapers in week 6.
Focuses on speed‑endurance, threshold, and tempo sessions rather than mileage progression (target ≈ 50 mi/week).
Easy runs are HR‑guided (≤ 135 bpm) on Mondays & Wednesdays; long runs on Saturdays (up to 20 mi).
Core workouts rotate between interval sets (3′ on/2′ off), mile repeats, 1‑km repeats, and tempo runs at just below threshold (≈ 165 bpm).

Workout Example (Week 1):

Tuesday (Interval day): 8× 3 min on / 2 min off at ~5:45‑5:50 / mile pace (≈ 10 k race effort). Total interval time ≈ 24 min.
Thursday (Mile repeats): 5 × 1 mi at ~5:45 / mile with 2 min easy jog between. Total work ≈ 30 min in threshold zone.
Saturday (Long run): 16‑18 mi easy, HR ≤ 135 bpm; optional finish with a few short strides.

Practical Tips:

Keep easy runs short (45‑120 min) and heart‑rate controlled to aid recovery.
When time‑pressed, substitute a “shake‑out” 10‑minute easy run the day before a race.
If a Thursday workout feels too hard, replace it with easy strides or a light jog.
Adjust paces to your own thresholds; the plan’s paces are based on a 6 min/mi flat pace, so faster or slower runners can scale accordingly.

Closing Note: Try this mini block now, tweak the paces to match your current fitness, and log the sessions in the Pacing app so you can personalize the plan for your own goals. Have fun, stay consistent, and enjoy those autumn half‑marathons! 🚀