Experian Robin Hood Marathon and Half Marathon 2006
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Half Marathon Training Plan: Sub 1 hr 40 mins

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

Week 1 Sub 1 hr 40 mins Week 2 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 60 mins Run Sunday 60 mins Run
Monday Rest Monday Rest
Tuesday 45 mins Run Tuesday 45 mins Run
Wednesday 30 mins Run Wednesday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace
Thursday 45 mins Run Thursday 45 mins Run
Friday Rest Friday Rest
Saturday Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each Saturday 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 40 mins Week 4 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 60 mins Run Sunday 60 mins Run
Monday Rest Monday Rest
Tuesday 45 mins Run Tuesday 45 mins Run
Wednesday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace Wednesday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace
Thursday 45 mins Run Thursday 45 mins Run
Friday Rest Friday Rest
Saturday Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each Saturday Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each
Training objective Getting time on the feet and the start of a gradual build up of training. Beginnings of generating the pace necessary to run at 7 min mile pace. Training objective Getting time on the feet and the start of a gradual build up of training. Beginnings of generating the pace necessary to run at 7 min mile pace.
Week 5 Sub 1 hr 40 mins Week 6 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 60 mins Run Sunday 60 mins Run
Monday Rest Monday Rest
Tuesday 45 mins Run Tuesday 45 mins Run
Wednesday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace Wednesday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace
Thursday 45 mins Run Thursday 45 mins Run
Friday Rest Friday Rest
Saturday Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each Saturday 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 40 mins Week 8 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 60 mins steady Sunday 90 mins steady
Monday Rest Monday 30 mins easy
Tuesday 45 min Run Tuesday 45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please)
Wednesday 30 min run – last 10 mins at half marathon pace Wednesday Rest
Thursday 45 min Run Thursday 45 mins easy
Friday Rest Friday 30 mins easy
Saturday Circuits of a park alternating 1 min at faster than normal pace / 1 min at slower than normal pace x 10 each Saturday Rest
Training objective Consolidation week. Training objective Develop long run & faster stretches within the normal steady pace run.
Week 9 Sub 1 hr 40 mins Week 10 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 90 mins steady Sunday 2 hr steady run
Monday 30 mins easy Monday 30 mins easy
Tuesday 45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please) Tuesday 45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please)
Wednesday Rest Wednesday 30 mins easy
Thursday 30 mins easy Thursday 60 mins easy
Friday 45 mins easy Friday Rest
Saturday Rest Saturday 12 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 40 mins Week 12 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 90 mins steady Sunday 10 km race
Monday 30 mins easy Monday 30 mins easy
Tuesday 45 min continuous run including 10 faster pace efforts of between 1 & 3 mins with jog recovery (run as you please) 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.
Wednesday 60 mins easy Wednesday 30 mins easy
Thursday 30 mins steady Thursday 75 mins easy
Friday Rest Friday 30 min easy
Saturday 12 x 1 min running up shallow hill – walk back down recovery Saturday Rest
Training objective Consolidation week Training objective Development of ability to run faster than race pace and hold the pace for an increasing amount of time. 10 km race adds to the peaking process.
Week 13 Sub 1 hr 40 mins Week 14 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 2 hrs steady Sunday 2 hrs steady
Monday 30 mins easy Monday 30 mins easy
Tuesday 10 mins warm up – 20 mins at half marathon pace – 10 min warm down. Tuesday 10 mins warm up – 20 mins at half marathon pace – 10 min warm down.
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 15 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 Race pace running is important so that your body gets the ‘feel’ of the speed you want to race at. Twice a day training on some days gives a boost to your endurance, and the afternoon run can sometimes be better because you have ‘warmed-up’ in the morning. Training objective Consolidation week.
Week 15 Sub 1 hr 40 mins Week 16 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 1 hr run Sunday 10km race
Monday 30 mins easy Monday 30 mins easy
Tuesday 10 mins warm up – 10 x 200m with 200m walk/jog recovery– 10 min warm down Tuesday Up the clock – run 1 min fast/1 min slow, 2 mins fast/ 2mins slow, 3 mins fast/3 mins slow/4 mins fast/4 mins slow, 5 mins fast.
Wednesday 30 min easy Wednesday 75 mins easy
Thursday 30 mins steady Thursday 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 30 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 40 mins Week 18 Sub 1 hr 40 mins
Sunday 2 hrs steady Sunday 90 mins – quicker pace
Monday 30 mins easy Monday Rest
Tuesday 45 min run Tuesday Morning - 30 mins steady
Afternoon – 12 x 400m at 5km pace / 2 mins recovery between each
Wednesday 45 mins run Wednesday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon – 60 mins easy
Thursday Rest Thursday Morning – 30 mins easy
Afternoon - 20 mins easy – 20 mins at half marathon pace
Friday 30 mins easy Friday Rest
Saturday Rest Saturday 30 mins steady
Training objective Consolidation week. Training objective Last big week. 5km pace session is the most important.
Week 19 Sub 1 hr 40 mins  
Sunday 1 hour steady  
Monday 30 mins easy    
Tuesday 10 x 400m at 10 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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