SJD's Half-Marathon Track Ladder

Workout - SJD's Half-Marathon Track Ladder

• 0.0mi @ 10'00''/mi
• 2 lots of:
  • 100m @ 5'00''/mi
  • 1min rest
• 2 lots of:
  • 200m @ 5'00''/mi
  • 1min rest
• 2 lots of:
  • 300m @ 5'00''/mi
  • 1min rest
• 2 lots of:
  • 400m @ 5'00''/mi
  • 1min rest
• 2 lots of:
  • 300m @ 5'00''/mi
  • 1min rest
• 2 lots of:
  • 200m @ 5'00''/mi
  • 1min rest
• 2 lots of:
  • 100m @ 5'00''/mi
  • 1min rest
• 800m @ 5'00''/mi
• 0.0mi @ 10'30''/mi

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Intro

Seth James DeMoor’s Back to the Track: Half Marathon Training Ladder Reintroduction Workout is a session worth trying this week. Below is a breakdown of the structure and how to execute each phase. For additional coaching notes and technique tips, watch the full video.

Key Points

• Start your session with a 3-mile easy jog to warm up your legs.
• The main set is a ladder interval structure: 2 × 100 m, 2 × 200 m, 2 × 300 m, 2 × 400 m, then reverse back down. Ladder intervals are an effective tool for building speed and aerobic capacity. To learn more about the science behind interval training, check out Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
• Follow the ladder with a mini-HIIT block: 800 m total, mixing 10 seconds of hard effort with 15 seconds of easy jogging, for roughly 60 m of hard running overall.
• Run your intervals at roughly 5:00 min/mile, with 100-m jog recoveries between each repeat. This workout targets half marathon fitness, but building this speed serves shorter distances too. Similar speed-work concepts appear in Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.
• Finish with an extended cool-down—about 8 miles easy—followed by leg-focused strength work.

Workout Example

1. Warm-up – 3 miles easy jog.
2. Ladder intervals –
   • 2 × 100 m @ 5:00 min/mile, 100-m jog recovery between efforts.
   • 2 × 200 m @ 5:00 min/mile, 100-m jog recovery.
   • 2 × 300 m @ 5:00 min/mile, 100-m jog recovery.
   • 2 × 400 m @ 5:00 min/mile, 100-m jog recovery.
   • Descend the ladder (300, 200, 100 m) with matching recovery jogs.
3. Mini-HIIT – 800 m total, alternating 10 seconds at full effort and 15 seconds at easy pace; repeat until you accumulate about 60 m of hard running (use your watch to track time).
4. Cool-down – 8 miles at easy pace.
5. Strength – Leg work such as lunges, deadlifts, and core exercises, plus recovery mobility.

Closing Note

Run this ladder and mini-HIIT session this week—feel free to adjust the pace targets in your app based on your current fitness. These workouts form the foundation for building speed and strength needed in distance racing. The same principles transfer across distances, whether you’re training for a half marathon or tackling Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance. Get out there and stay consistent.

References

• Back to the Track: Half Marathon Training Ladder Reintroduction Workout - YouTube (YouTube Video)