PUSHING HARD | ALICANTE Half Marathon Training Series WEEK FOUR - The FOD Runner
Intro
This is a quick summary of “PUSHING HARD | ALICANTE Half Marathon Training Series WEEK FOUR” 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
- Hill‑centric focus: Week 4 is the last big hill block before the plan shifts to flat, race‑specific work.
- Effort‑pace over GPS‑pace: The runner uses the COROS app to compare effort paces with actual paces on steep, uneven terrain.
- No tempo back‑off: Unlike week 3, the tempo is kept hard even on hills – a reminder that cutting tempo can reduce the stimulus you need.
- Time‑based intervals: The workout is scripted in minutes/seconds (e.g., 3:30 min repeats) to avoid chasing exact distances on technical trails.
- Short warm‑up/cool‑down: Because of a tight schedule, only a 10‑minute warm‑up and a quick cool‑down are used – still enough to prime the legs for hard effort.
Workout Example (Tuesday Morning)
| Segment | Duration | Target Pace / Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Warm‑up | 10 min easy jog | ~9:00‑9:30 min/mi (just to loosen up) |
| Tempo block | 8 min steady | ~6:50 min/mi (hard but sustainable) |
| Recovery jog | 2 min 99 sec easy | ~9:30‑10:00 min/mi |
| Hill repeats – long | 5 × 3:30 min uphill | Aim for effort pace equivalent to ~5:40‑5:50 min/mi on flat; keep cadence high, focus on form |
| Hill repeats – short | 4 × 0:75 sec (≈75 s) uphill | Effort pace roughly ~5:30 min/mi on flat; treat as hard sprints on the hill |
| Cool‑down | 10 min easy jog | Return to easy conversational pace |
Tips to apply:
- Use a heart‑rate or effort‑pace monitor (e.g., COROS) to gauge intensity on uneven terrain rather than relying on GPS speed.
- Keep the uphill repeats truly uphill; don’t cut the effort by “backing off” the tempo.
- If you can’t hit the exact times, aim for the same number of reps with a similar effort level.
- On the short 75‑second hills, focus on quick, powerful strides and a smooth transition back to easy running.
Closing Note
Give this hill‑hard workout a try this week and adjust the paces to match your own fitness using the Pacing app. Feel the effort, not just the numbers, and you’ll be ready to crush the flat race work that follows. Happy training, and don’t forget to watch the full video for more insights and the Thursday session! 🚀
References
Workout - Tempo & Hill Repeats
- 10min @ 9'30''/mi
- 8min @ 6'50''/mi
- 3min rest
- 5 lots of:
- 3min 30s @ 5'45''/mi
- 2min rest
- 4 lots of:
- 1min 15s @ 5'20''/mi
- 1min rest
- 10min @ 9'30''/mi
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