I'm hoping for some advice on what optimal half marathon training might look like for me.
I'm 20 years old and I've been training for just over 2 years. This past year, I've averaged 60 miles per week, typically with 1 interval session, a cruise intervals session, a medium long run of 10-11 miles and a fairly relaxed long run of 13-16 miles.
PBs: 5k - 16:30
10K - 35:09 - this was from a year ago
HM - 1:17:04
My half marathon personal best came following a 2 week break from running after a minor injury. I shouldn't have raced that day, but I helped my team to a rare win over our rival universities. I feel I might have been a minute or so faster if I wasn't carrying an injury.
Anyway, with no races for the foreseeable future, I thought I would evaluate my training. I want to run best over the 10k and half marathon distances, what should my training look like?
For what its worth, I seem to have poorer basic speed than my teammates who did middle distance and sprinting as kids before gradually transitioning to distance running, should I do more work on my "wheels" or do I still only require sparring amounts as a 10k/ half marathon specialist?
I'm transferring to a new university with a lot of high calibre runners in the fall, but there isn't really a coaching structure there, everyone is coached externally or self-coached.
I've done some experimenting with doubles in the past, but I'm weary that its too easy to accumulate way too much mileage to the point of overtraining when doubling, what's the best way to do it?
In the past couple of weeks I've went from being quite a heavy drinker (10+ drinks three or four nights a week) to drinking almost nothing, so I'm hopeful that will benefit my times too.
Do I keep increasing my mileage or is 60/70mpw enough atm for someone with my times and experience?
I won't be racing again until August.
Any advice would be very much appreciated!
Best,
An enthusiastic Brit