Introductory Speed by Feel
Workout - Introductory Speed by Feel
- 10min @ 10'15''/mi
- 5 lots of:
- 800m @ 8'03''/mi
- 400m @ 11'30''/mi
- 10min @ 11'30''/mi
to import the workout after you install it.
Intro
UPCOMING Half Marathon Training - THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW from The FOD Runner is well worth your time. We’re walking through the key takeaways so you can put one of these runs into practice right away. Watch the full video for Andy’s complete approach.
Key points
- Start with recovery: begin your training block with easygoing, low-impact runs to let your system recover before diving into the 18-week program.
- Switch up terrain. Vary daily routes between trail, park, and road to keep training mentally engaging and strengthen different muscle groups.
- Train by feel for one week. Set the watch aside and focus on breathing and effort, not numbers or zones.
- The plan runs 5 days a week (Mon-Tue, Thu-Fri, Saturday long run), with Wednesday and Sunday off.
- Weekly distance builds toward about 60 mi (96 km), up from an initial 50-55 mi (80-88 km).
- Use gentle terrain for speed work, mild inclines for steady-state efforts, and save steep grades for later phases.
- Short races in June, July, September, October to gauge speed development without taxing your training cycle.
Workout example
Easy-week trail speed session (no watch, perceived effort):
- Warm-up: 10 min easy on flat trail
- Main set: 5 x 800 m (or about 0.5 mi) at 5K-race effort, jog 400 m recovery between reps
- Cool-down: 10 min easyAlternative: 3 mi uphill followed by 3 mi downhill (like Andy’s session) to build strength and confidence on variable ground.
Since this session relies on perceived effort, you’ll want to pin down your paces once training picks up. To turn “5K-race effort” cues into concrete numbers, see Mastering VDOT: Precise Pace Planning and Adaptive Coaching for Faster Runs.
Closing note
Try the route rotation and watch-free running this week. Adjust paces in the Pacing app to your fitness. You’ll head into that 18-week half-marathon block ready.