Spring Trails HALF MARATHON Running Training SERIES - Week 6 VLOG | FOD Runner - The FOD Runner

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Spring Trails HALF MARATHON Running Training SERIES – Week 6 VLOG 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:

The week is built around flexible mileage: easy runs of 5–6 mi when time is limited, plus a solid 6‑mi tempo on rolling, hilly trails.
Hill‑focused tempo work is the centerpiece – the runner tackled a 6‑mi tempo on the Hayward hills, hitting ~6:40/mi on the big climbs and ~6:11/mi on the flats.
A “down week” strategy is used after 5+ weeks of >50 mi total, keeping fatigue low while still logging 32–33 mi for the week.
Course‑recon (Forest of Dean) is used to map where to push hard (steep sections) and where to recover (short flats).
Practical tip: break long, technical sections into short, manageable segments (e.g., 100 m sharp hill, then 500 m flat) to reset breathing and maintain form.

Workout Example:

Warm‑up: 1 mi easy on flat ground.
Tempo Hill Run (6 mi total):
- Hill 1: 0.8 mi at ~6:40 / mi (steady effort up the steep climb).
- Flat/Downhill: 0.4 mi recovery, easy pace.
- Hill 2: 0.8 mi at ~6:40 / mi.
- Flat: 0.4 mi easy.
- Remaining miles: hold ~6:11 / mi on rolling terrain, focusing on consistent effort.
Cool‑down: 1 mi easy jog.

Practical Tips to Try Today:

When you hit a short, sharp hill, aim to keep your effort steady rather than sprinting; let the hill do the work.
Use the “mental reset” cue: after a steep climb, find a short flat or gentle downhill to recover your breath before the next effort.
If you can’t fit a full 6‑mi tempo, substitute a 3‑mi hill repeat (e.g., 3 × 800 m uphill with easy jog back down).
Log your paces in the Pacing app and adjust the minutes per mile to match your current fitness level.

Closing Note: Give these hill‑tempo sessions a go and feel free to tailor the distances and paces to suit your own training plan using the Pacing app. Have fun on the trails and keep those legs strong for race day!