Rick's Half Marathon Speed Session
Workout - Rick's Half Marathon Speed Session
- 10min @ 7'00''/km
- 1.6km @ 5'30''/km
- 4 lots of:
- 400m @ 4'30''/km
- 200m @ 6'30''/km
- 5min @ 7'00''/km
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Intro: Here’s a breakdown of Oxford Half Marathon Debrief | My First Half Marathon Since Knee Surgery! from The Running Channel. The video offers solid takeaways—we’ve distilled the main ideas so you can put them into practice this week. Dive into the full video if you want the complete picture.
Key Points
- 10 % weekly build‑up – beginning roughly 2 weeks before race day, increase your mileage by around 10 % each week to protect yourself as you return from surgery.
- Long‑run target – work toward an 18 km (≈11 mi) steady run with 2 weeks remaining; keep it relaxed and controlled (≈5:30–5:45 / km).
- Speed work – every Saturday, run 5 km at your target half‑marathon pace. Include a “mile + 4 × 400 m” session too (400 m repeats at 5 K tempo, with easy 200 m jogs in between).
- Strength – two sessions per week, 45 minutes in the gym, hitting 5 lower‑body lifts plus 1 upper‑body exercise.
- Race‑day pacing – begin at around 5:55 / km (≈9:30 / mi) and look to hold steady or run slightly faster as you go; resist the urge to blast off the line.
- Hydration & temperature management – get comfortable grabbing drinks from cups, account for cool starts and warm stretches during the race; dress in layers.
- Mental tricks – think of the first 8–10 km as your warm-up phase, stay loose, and feed off the crowd’s energy (leave the earbuds at home) to stay motivated.
Workout Example (all distances in kilometers):
- Warm‑up – 1 km at an easy pace
- Main set – 1 mi (1.6 km) at a manageable effort, followed by 4 × 400 m at 5 K race pace (≈4:00 per 400 m) with 200 m easy jog between each rep.
- Cool‑down – 1 km easy + 5 min stretch Tip: Dial in the paces based on your own target (for instance, if you’re aiming for 1:45, try starting around 5:30 / km).
Closing Note: Blend steady long runs, targeted intervals, and disciplined pacing into your training this week. Plug your own target into the Pacing app to customize the speeds—good luck out there, and watch the full video for more context and motivation!