Half Marathon PB Builder

Workout - Half Marathon PB Builder

• 12min @ 6'00''/km
• 5 lots of:
  • 800m @ 5'50''/km
  • 2min 30s rest
• 12min @ 7'00''/km

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Intro

The Running Channel’s THIS Is How To Get A Half Marathon PB is a solid video. The essentials are below so you can jump into this workout today. The full video is worth watching for the context.

Key points

• 80/20 training: 80% of weekly mileage at easy, low-intensity effort (roughly 1 minute per km slower than race pace, about 3-4 out of 10), 20% at harder work like intervals, tempo runs, and hill repeats.
• Easy runs: relaxed effort builds aerobic base without overloading your body.
• Long runs: build gradually to 10-12 miles (around 16-19 km), peak about two weeks before race day, then taper.
• Warm-up and cool-down: don’t skip these. They reduce muscle soreness, lower injury risk, and help you recover faster.
• Interval workouts: short, hard bursts separated by equal-length rest intervals. Good for speed and power.
• Tempo runs: add 2-3 km blocks slightly faster than target race pace into your longer runs (e.g., a 13-20 km outing: 3 km easy, then 2-3 km faster, repeat as needed).
• Hill repeats: build leg strength, raise cadence, and improve form.
• Nutrition: balanced diet, front-load carbs starting three days before, stay hydrated.
• Mental prep: reflect on previous races, refine strategy from experience, prioritize recovery.

Workout example

Weekly schedule:

• Mon: easy run at around 1 min per km slower than race pace, 30-45 minutes.
• Tue: interval session, e.g., 5 x 800 m at 10-15 seconds faster than race pace, 2-3 min easy jog between repeats.
• Wed: light recovery run.
• Thu: long run with tempo. Start with 3 km easy, then 2-3 km faster than race pace, repeat 2-3 times for 13-20 km total.
• Fri: rest or short easy run.
• Sat: hill work, 6-8 x 30-second uphill sprints at hard effort, jog down to recover.
• Sun: long run building toward 10-12 miles (16-19 km). Start easy for 3 km, then 2-3 km faster than race pace, repeat as you prefer.
• 2 weeks before race: cut weekly volume by 20-30% (taper) and run at low intensity only.

Closing note

Try this plan, use the Pacing app to lock in paces, and run that half-marathon PB.

References

• THIS Is How To Get A Half Marathon PB - YouTube (YouTube Video)