Asics Reading Half Marathon 2008
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Half Marathon Training Plan: Sub 1 hr 25 mins

Prepared by Mike Gratton, 1983 London Marathon winner and Director of 2:09 Events Ltd

Week 1 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 2 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 60 mins Run Sunday 90 mins Run
Monday 45 mins Run Monday 45 mins Run
Tuesday 45 mins Run Tuesday 8 x 2 mins at 10mile pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts
Wednesday 45 mins Run Wednesday 45 min Run
Thursday 30 mins Run Thursday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace
Friday Rest Friday Rest
Saturday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each		 Saturday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each
Training objective Base training for general condition so main training can build on it. Training objective Consolidation week
Week 3 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 4 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 90 mins Run Sunday 90 mins Run
Monday 45 mins Run Monday 45 mins Run
Tuesday 8 x 2 mins at 10mile pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts Tuesday 8 x 2 mins at 10mile pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts
Wednesday 45 min Run Wednesday 45 min Run
Thursday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace Thursday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace
Friday Rest Friday Rest
Saturday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each		 Saturday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each
Training objective Introduction of 10 mile/1/2 mar pace training. Training objective Introduction of 10 mile/1/2 mar pace training.
Week 5 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 6 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 90 mins Run Sunday 90 mins Run
Monday 45 mins Run Monday 45 mins Run
Tuesday 8 x 2 mins at 10mile pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts Tuesday 8 x 2 mins at 10mile pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts
Wednesday 45 min Run Wednesday 45 min Run
Thursday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace Thursday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace
Friday Rest Friday Rest
Saturday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each		 Saturday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each
Training objective Consolidation week. Training objective Consolidation week.
Week 7 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 8 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 90 mins steady Sunday 2 hrs steady
Monday 45 mins Run Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - 45 mins easy
Tuesday 8 x 2 mins at 10mile pace with 2 mins jog recovery between efforts Tuesday 6 x 1 mile efforts at half marathon pace.
Wednesday 45 mins Run Wednesday 60 min Run
Thursday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace Thursday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 45 mins easy
Friday Rest Friday 30 mins easy
Saturday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each		 Saturday 30 min Jog
Training objective Consolidation week. Training objective Develop long run & faster stretches within the normal steady pace run.
Week 9 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 10 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 2 hrs steady Sunday 2 hr steady run
Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - 45 mins easy		 Monday 30 mins easy
Tuesday 6 x 1 mile efforts at half marathon pace Tuesday 6 x 1,000 m at 10km pace – 3 mins recovery between each
Wednesday 60 min Run Wednesday Morning – easy 30 mins
Afternoon – 60 mins steady
Thursday Morning – 30 mins easy Thursday Morning – easy 30 mins
Afternoon – steady 30 mins followed by 10 x 200m
Friday Morning - 30 mins easy
Afternoon - 45 mins steady		 Friday Rest
Saturday 30 min Jog Saturday 16 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery
Training objective Develop long run & faster stretches within the normal steady pace run. Training objective Building the speed necessary to run a 10km with some efforts faster than 10km pace so that half marathon pace becomes more comfortable.
Week 11 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 12 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 90 mins steady Sunday 10 km race
Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 45 mins Run		 Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 45 mins Run
Tuesday On fairly straight uninterrupted route run 10 mins at 10km pace – 10 mins recovery – run 10 min back trying to get to pass your start point Tuesday Up the clock – run 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 mins fast/ 2 mins slow, 3 mins fast/3 mins slow/4 mins fast/4 mins slow, 5 mins fast then 4, 3, 2, 1 min back down.
Wednesday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 60 mins steady		 Wednesday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 60 mins Run
Thursday Morning – easy 30 mins
Afternoon – steady 30 mins followed by 10 x 200m		 Thursday Morning – easy 30 mins
Afternoon - 10 min warm-up – 20 min Tempo run (10 km race pace) – 10 mins warm-down
Friday Rest Friday 30 min easy
Saturday 16 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery Saturday Rest
Training objective Consolidation week Training objective Up and down the clock develops strength and speed. The Tempo run enables you to hold a fast pace for a long time. 10 km race adds to the peaking process.
Week 13 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 14 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 2 hrs steady Sunday 2 hrs steady
Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 30 mins easy		 Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 30 mins easy
Tuesday 3 sets of 4 x 300m at 3 km pace with 100 m jog recovery between efforts/3 mins standing recovery between sets. Tuesday 3 sets of 4 x 300m at 3 km pace with 100 m jog recovery between efforts/3 mins standing recovery between sets.
Wednesday 60 mins steady Wednesday 60 mins steady
Thursday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - 30 mins easy 		Thursday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - 30 mins easy
Friday Rest Friday Rest
Saturday 20 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery Saturday 15 x 1 min running up shallow hill - walk back down recovery
Training objective Big 'interval sessions' develop the heart & lungs, build strength and develop the speed necessary to run inside race pace comfortably. Training objective Consolidation week.
Week 15 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 16 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 1 hr run Sunday 10km race
Monday 45 mins Run Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 45 mins Run
Tuesday 10 mins warm up – 10 x 200m with 200m walk/jog recovery– 10 min warm down Tuesday 16 x 400m at 5km pace – 2 mins recovery between each
Wednesday 30 mins easy Wednesday 90 mins steady
Thursday 30 mins easy Thursday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - On fairly straight uninterrupted route 10 mins at Half Marathon pace – 5 mins recovery – run 10 min back trying to get to pass your start point
Friday 30 mins easy Friday Rest
Saturday Rest Saturday 45 min Tempo Run
Training objective Recovery week! Training objective With the 5/10 km race, two interval type sessions and the tempo run this is a very intense week that represents a shift from steady miles to faster pace running. The rest days and easy runs are going to be vital.
Week 17 Sub 1 hr 25 mins Week 18 Sub 1 hr 25 mins
Sunday 2 hrs with 30 mins at half marathon Race Pace towards the end Sunday 90 mins – quicker pace
Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 45 mins Run		 Monday 30 mins easy
Tuesday 60 min run Tuesday Morning - 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 12 x 400m at 5km pace / 2 mins recovery between each
Wednesday 45 mins run Wednesday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 75 mins Run
Thursday 30 mins steady Thursday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - 40 mins Tempo Run at half marathon pace
Friday 30 mins easy Friday Rest
Saturday Rest Saturday 30 mins Run
Training objective Consolidation week. Training objective Last big week. 5km pace session is the most important.
Week 19 Sub 1 hr 25 mins  
Sunday 1 hour steady  
Monday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon –30 mins Run		    
Tuesday 8 x 400m at 5 km pace – 2 mins recovery between each    
Wednesday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 40 mins easy		    
Thursday 20 mins easy – 20 mins at marathon pace    
Friday 30 mins steady    
Saturday Rest    
Training objective Taper down week for the race. Eat plenty of carbohydrate in the last 3 days and take on plenty of fluid in the last 24 hrs.    
Important: Warm-up jog and stretch before all sessions + stretch gently after (before you get cold).
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