Getting Started on Training Plan

[TheEd]

Hi amorts

the secret to the half marathon is being able to work hard from 18km

if you work out a time that you want to race the distance in, and in particular if it is a flat course similar to what you have run in this past weekend, then you could look at doing the following for a half marathon

jump out your first km .. the first 100m fast is to get a decent position, thereafter you should start working to get on target pace, your first 5km (3m) should come ahead of target time, however this should not be more than 20 to 30 seconds ahead of target for example

thereafter from 5km (3m) you would like to run identical 5km splits at target time .. the pace needed for that 5km and not overall .. so you then work on achieving that 5km aim .. this takes you to 10k, you then apply the same from 10 to 15km .. the pace needed for that specific 5km and not what your time is at 15km

so if your target is for example 4 minutes per k for 21.1km, you should look to clock 20 minutes for each 5km .. if your first 5km was 19:40 that is fine, you have a cushion

you would look to run 20 minutes for 5 to 10k then 20 minutes from 10k to 15k

from 15k to 20k you would look to run 20 minutes again however from 18k you would have to work pretty hard to run the time needed for that 5k

the last 1km should look to be no slower than 10 seconds slower than the first 1km

if you able to go quicker, then overall you will have run a very decent 21k

yes, the last 100m can the be the same speed as the first 100m

hope this helps

TheEd
ps.. will need to formulate an article from this