Sub 1:10 Half Marathon Training?

Week ending October 24, 2010

10/18 - 45 minutes AM (6 miles), 65 minutes PM (10 miles)

10/19 - 40 minutes AM (5 miles), workout PM (2 miles warm up, then 8 miles in 41:54 (5:15, 5:14, 5:15, 5:14, 5:15, 5:15, 5:14, 5:12), 3 miles cool down with a good set of strides) (13 miles) This was a pretty hard effort.

10/20 - 40 minutes AM (5 miles), 60 minutes PM (8 miles)

10/21 - 48 minutes AM (6 miles), 40 minutes PM (6 miles)

10/22 - 45 minutes AM (6 miles), 63 minutes PM (10 miles)

10/23 - 45 minutes (7 miles)

10/24 - 1:44 (18 miles)

Summary: 100 miles for the week, ending with a great long run. Finished with a 5:35, feeling strong and reasonably controlled.

All half Marathon training from about 1:30 on down looks much the same, you just go faster if you can.

I've had success with 10k training with some longer runs than if I were actually training for a 10k.

PR is 73:36. Use McMillans calculator to get your workout paces for a 70 minute half.

As they say, all roads lead to Rome. In other words, a number of different methods or training weeks can produce the same result. A sub-1:10 half means sustaining a 5:21-ish/mile pace throughout. As such, your training should be geared to that end, but with YOUR propensities and responses in mind.

If you can maintain just three such miles in a row now, you've got to figure out how to up that to four, then five, then six and so on. This almost assuredly means focusing on improving your stamina first, as you have enough natural speed in you.

You're not likely to reach your goal terribly soon if you focus solely on pace or pacing and improving your top-end speed per mile without first building some endurance (i.e., a BASE); your PRs show a distinct drop from your mile time to your 2-mile and 5K. This relationship between race distance PRs should, in essence, be a little "tighter," given your goal. This basically means that your endurance/stamina (or the ability to hold pace) needs work, pointing you in the direction you need to train.

You're young and presumably motivated. If you can start doing the (proper) work and yet remain patient, you'll reach your Rome, and not terribly too far down the road.

ZachM wrote:

I'm 18 years old 120 Pounds and a freshman in college

I hope you're a girl.

Otherwise, your focus should be to increase your weight or otherwise you will never get laid.

Dick Doobey wrote:

http://wilesthing.blogspot.com/2010/10/week-ending-october-24-2010.html?m=1

Week ending October 24, 2010

10/18 - 45 minutes AM (6 miles), 65 minutes PM (10 miles)

10/19 - 40 minutes AM (5 miles), workout PM (2 miles warm up, then 8 miles in 41:54 (5:15, 5:14, 5:15, 5:14, 5:15, 5:15, 5:14, 5:12), 3 miles cool down with a good set of strides) (13 miles) This was a pretty hard effort.

10/20 - 40 minutes AM (5 miles), 60 minutes PM (8 miles)

10/21 - 48 minutes AM (6 miles), 40 minutes PM (6 miles)

10/22 - 45 minutes AM (6 miles), 63 minutes PM (10 miles)

10/23 - 45 minutes (7 miles)

10/24 - 1:44 (18 miles)

Summary: 100 miles for the week, ending with a great long run. Finished with a 5:35, feeling strong and reasonably controlled.

That 8 mile tempo strikes me as incredibly hard for a 70 minute guy. I see that he ran 69:15 that cycle, but he probably could've gone 68-mid.

Ghrelin wrote:

That 8 mile tempo strikes me as incredibly hard for a 70 minute guy. I see that he ran 69:15 that cycle, but he probably could've gone 68-mid.

Agreed. (That's my own training, btw)

I had a 200m lead after the first mile and was very lonely the entire race. I agree that 68-mid may have been possible that day with competition.

From memory, the 8 miler was meant to be a race-pace workout and should have been a little slower. It shows a lack of discipline on my part.

But to offer help to the OP, I think the main point is that consistent volume is a key. The workouts do matter somewhat, but I chose a fairly typical week to show doubles, a hard long run and volume. Also, I like slow morning runs for the therapeutic benefit to sore legs as much as the little extra aerobic value.

Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

Otherwise, your focus should be to increase your weight or otherwise you will never get laid.

I hate to agree with Xfit DOUCHE but this one time he is right. No man should weigh that little...

This was several years back, but about a month before I ran:

10 miler with 4 progressive tempo (5:25, 5:15, 5:10, 5:00).

3 x 3 miles (on track) @ 5:20ish pace with 4:00 rest.

I think I was averaging around 60 mpw. Long runs were between 15 and 18. I remember doing at least 1 tempo run per week. Speed workouts were usually mile repeats or 400s.

My pr's were only a smidge better than yours, and I went sub 70. At your age, I'd say that your goal is in the bag provided you don't give up running. No need for monster training. 50mpw any way you like, and it will come within a couple of years.

Bump. I would be interested in hearing suggestions and training advice for a sub 1:10. I'm a former mid-d guy looking to train to do this as well.

This training seems like very tough training.

That 8 miler is harder than any 8 mi tempo I did leading up to my marathon and I ran 2:20.

I would say 70-85 mpw (depending on how much endurance you already have). Lots of "strength" workouts like fartleks and tempos.

The other guy! wrote:

Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

Otherwise, your focus should be to increase your weight or otherwise you will never get laid.

I hate to agree with Xfit DOUCHE but this one time he is right. No man should weigh that little...

I'm a sophomore runner in college and weigh 107 (male). Not going to boast of how fast I run or how often I get laid, but it doesn't seem to have a great effect.