I'd like to keep myself in decent 1/2 marathon shape year around. What should my training look like?

Why are your PR days over?

because I'm getting old!

because I'm getting old!

Why are you doing so much easy running? 2-3 of those days need to be tempo

I'd include some "true" tempo pace (aka lactate threshold, aka half marathon pace) running. Half marathon is a really easy event to train for because you run it at almost exactly lactate threshold. It means you don't need to be very careful about properly mixing your race pace work with your physiological threshold work.

For HM, I think it works well to do the standard 4 mile tempo run early on, and then eventually work towards 7 or 8 miles at HM pace. Unlike when you're training for shorter track distances, these tempo runs are your hardest workouts of the week.

Your higher end, VO2max work can be more limited in volume. Try 3 total miles of VO2max work (as compared to 5 total miles which might be common for a 3k/5k specialist), with a long running recovery. You can take recoveries that are twice as long as your mile repeats (time-wise) if you're running, because the running recovery keeps your heart rate decently high and prevents blood from pooling in your legs, which is one of the major concerns with long recover normally. You can do these workouts as timed fartleks on the road if you don't want to go to a track. The important thing is that the pace be significantly faster than HM pace.

800 dude - how long should my long run be? Would doing hill intervals (200m to 1/2 mile) count as vo2max work? I'm thinking of alternate between fartlek and hill intervals as v02max on different weeks to provide some variety.

Anything wrong with doing the tempo run at the tail end of a 10-13 miler mid-week run if I feel up for it?

I'm thinking of this

M - recovery

T - 10 easy

W - 10-13 w/ 4-7,8 at HM pace

TR - 8-10 easy

F recovery

S - alternate fartlek / hill intervals

SUN - long run (how long??)

Forget about specific V02 max work. Any rises in V02 should just be incidental.

It's far more efficient to just work on how much of your V02 you can sustain for a half.

Just do more tempo(say 2 sessions) and one session of 2 x 3-5 km at faster than tempo.

If you do one tempo session as a short run and one tacked on the end of a 10-12 mile run you will be fine.

Mainly practice what you're going to be doing in the race.

loose goose wrote:

800 dude - how long should my long run be? Would doing hill intervals (200m to 1/2 mile) count as vo2max work? I'm thinking of alternate between fartlek and hill intervals as v02max on different weeks to provide some variety.

Anything wrong with doing the tempo run at the tail end of a 10-13 miler mid-week run if I feel up for it?

I'm thinking of this

M - recovery

T - 10 easy

W - 10-13 w/ 4-7,8 at HM pace

TR - 8-10 easy

F recovery

S - alternate fartlek / hill intervals

SUN - long run (how long??)

What is your obsession with easy running, hills, and vo2? A half marathon is all about threshold pace. Stop avoiding tempo work.

No, doing a few miles at the tail end of a bunch of easy running doesn't count. Do a few easy miles at the tail end of a bunch of tempo running instead. Forget about the hills, vo2, and long easy runs.

Do 25-60min tempo runs 2-3 times per week. Add in that other stuff in between if you have time and energy.

alright, good points.

So basically, 2 tempo runs about 30-60 minutes and no intervals, 1k-mile repeats, etc.

I can probably fit a 3rd tempo run on Saturdays but usually that leaves me legs really beat for a long run on Sunday to the point I just have to run really slow like 8-9 minute miles. Is this ok or just take it easy on Saturdays?

Also, what's the longest my long run should for a half? I haven't done anything longer than about 16 miles in a few years but when I was doing marathon training, I PRed in my half so I'm thinking I need to do some longer long runs??

loose goose wrote:

alright, good points.

So basically, 2 tempo runs about 30-60 minutes and no intervals, 1k-mile repeats, etc.

I can probably fit a 3rd tempo run on Saturdays but usually that leaves me legs really beat for a long run on Sunday to the point I just have to run really slow like 8-9 minute miles. Is this ok or just take it easy on Saturdays?

Also, what's the longest my long run should for a half? I haven't done anything longer than about 16 miles in a few years but when I was doing marathon training, I PRed in my half so I'm thinking I need to do some longer long runs??

Try to get in a 20 miler about once a month. That should be adequate for a half. Quality long runs, long hill reps, and regular tempos are the key to maintaining good fitness for a half.

thanks, is it ok to feel dead legs going into the long runs? This may be the case for awhile until I build up tolerance for doing a harder run on Sat followed by a long run on Sun.

I like a hard progression run in there because you can pretty much hit all the paces depending on how you are feeling.

Most older runners say they have better success when they do 2 harder workouts a week rather than 3.

My buddy had great success with the half marathon pace tempo starting at 4 or 5 miles and lengthening it out to 8 miles as the race got closer. He could always keep that pace for the race.

loose goose wrote:

thanks, is it ok to feel dead legs going into the long runs? This may be the case for awhile until I build up tolerance for doing a harder run on Sat followed by a long run on Sun.

For the once a month 20 mile run, I would avoid the hard workout on Sat. Make Sat a moderate workout day.

loose goose wrote:

alright, good points.

So basically, 2 tempo runs about 30-60 minutes and no intervals, 1k-mile repeats, etc.

I can probably fit a 3rd tempo run on Saturdays but usually that leaves me legs really beat for a long run on Sunday to the point I just have to run really slow like 8-9 minute miles. Is this ok or just take it easy on Saturdays?

Also, what's the longest my long run should for a half? I haven't done anything longer than about 16 miles in a few years but when I was doing marathon training, I PRed in my half so I'm thinking I need to do some longer long runs??

You don't have to completely drop the intervals. I'm just saying that they should be secondary to tempo work. Do some intervals after your tempo runs or you could have 1 day for intervals. But do not do intervals at any expense of tempo work.

And if you're doing 60min tempo runs, you don't need a long run. If you're feeling beat up, take the day off and recover.