Marathon to Half Marathon

by Kreso
(Zagreb, Croatia)

What to do if you are not able to run the plan marathon - but have trained properly for it all the way - how does one go from marathon to half marathon training.

"Hello Marius, I finished your 100 day marathon plan, but because of some problems this weekend i will not run a planned marathon. In the future weeks i will run few half-marathons and in the July i will run marathon. I feel strong now, should i follow a half-marathon phase of your plan before this half-marathons. My PB is 1:34 HM."

Answer: Since you are staying in the "half marathon" competing zone before your next marathon you are right : you can stick to the half marathon training phase.

However, do add in some occational weeks with 5k/10k work in there also (for example every third week, you pick a week from the 5k/10k week) - so that you'll make sure you have some shorter variation in there also.

I wish you all the best with your future races and the switch from marathon to half marathon training.

Regards,
Marius

Back from Marathon to Half Marathon

Planning a half marthon

by Mark
(Bridgeport, CT)

How can one be planning a half marathon with the 100 day marathon plan ?

"Firstly let me say that this plan is going to help me tremendously. I have been training and running half-marathons for the last 2 years after not running since my high school cross country days (35 years!). My question is how do I use this plan for half-marathon training. I don't plan on doing any marathons until the summer of 2010. Any help you can provide I would appreciate it greatly. Thanks Mark"

Answer Hi Mark and thanks for the question.

I've answered this before right here Half Marathon Schedule and this is exactly the way you want to do it !

I've seen the results from this approach, from my own experience but also by 100 day marathon plan runners using this exact approach and it works great. In addition to that, it will help you become familiar with the training principles before preparing for you 2010 summer marathon.

Wish you all the best,
Marius

Back from Planning a half marathon to Marathon Training Schedule

Half Marathon Race and the marathon

by Aaron
(Michigan)

What is the best time for a half marathon in the 100 day marathon plan ?

"Can this half-marathon trial be 3 weeks out from the marathon, or is 4 weeks an absolute?"

Answer: Hi Aaron, I touched this slightly here Half marathon earlier in the schdule. I would say that no closer than 3 weeks before and as noted in this other answer, try and make it within the last 6-7 weeks.

So you have a period of about 3-4 weeks there that is prefectly ok to do that half marathon !

All the best and good luck,

Marius

Back from Half Marathon Race and the Marathon to Marathon training

Half Marathons

by Didier, answer by Marius

Back to back half marathons - how should one approach this ?

"Hello

I am following the 100 day Marathon Plan for Paris with a target of less than 3 hours.
I plan to run a half marathon in W 10 and another one in W 11 (This one is part of the plan).
Should I run both as quick as possible ?

Regards
Didier"

Answer: Hi Didier, I will answer this in general - so that others reading this can relate to it as well.

If you run two races above 10k closer than 10-14 days apart you want to be very careful and not race both of these hard. It may be that the races themselves go well (even both) but the problem comes thereafter : I have seen it time after time and it has to do with post-race recovery after race 2 of two half marathons. It takes long, is often un-predictible and in this example may eat into the tapering period leading into your marathon.

In cases like this, a good tip is to race the first half marathon you run (week 10) hard, then the second one split it into three parts. You run each of these three parts harder and harder. To give you an idea, the finishing time should be 10-15 minutes slower in the second race to avoid these post-race problems while going into the marathon tapering period. At the same time, the last 7 km about 5-10 minutes faster than the first 7 km.

Having said all of this, there are exceptions. If you have previously tested this out and you can make it work - it will probably work again. So take this advice as a guide and related to the 100 day marathon plan where I'm trying to make the runners run their absolute best on race day.

Wish you all the best with your half marathons,

Kind regards,
Marius

Back from Half Marathons to Marathon Training Schedule

Half Marathon Early in the Schedule

What to do if you already booked a half marathon earlier in the schedule

"My end goal is to complete the Chicago Marathon Oct 1st under 3:30,but my immediate concern is that I have a half marathon Aug 1st and I just bought program today. Where do I start?"

Answer: In this case, when you have already booked a half marathon, just start the 100 day plan like normal (there is a section there on how to shorter the schedule slightly, like you have to do as it is a bit shorter than 100 days to Chicago) Then, just take the hardest workout the week of the 1st August half marathon and replace it with that half marathon race.

Remember to run real easy the day before and the day after. This is probably the best way to solve things in that situation.

I wish you all the best,
regards,
Marius

Half marathon adjustment

by Gav
(Italy)

A bit more on half marathon adjustment and long runs :

"Hi Marius,

Tomorrow I'll be starting the program and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going to do do a half marathon in about two months and maybe one around Christmas.
I don't want to even think about marathons until next year. So, here is my question which I'm sure will be of use to others in my situation.
I want to train JUST for the half marathon for now and get as fast as possible in that event. I saw one of the questions here where you advised to do the program up until the half marathon part, then do the first two weeks of the marathon part and after repeat the half part.
I also read the article on this site about making the long marathon runs into shorter runs starting at low intensity and finishing at zone three pace.
I like the sound of this but need clarification. You said do 10 km at less than marathon pace and finish with zone three pace.

What is the total distance including the zone three part?
Is 'less than marathon pace' zone two?
Should I always do the same distance on long run days?

Thanks very much

Gav

Answer: Hi Gav, I would stick to most of what I explain in the article on adjusting to half marathon. You CAN add in there some progressive runs of that type that I talk about in the other article BUT you want to do those on the hard days. Remember never back-to-back hard training days.

Now, as the pace for those progressive type runs, about 40-60 minutes where you start in zone 1 and just gradually move into the very upper of zone 3, low zone 4 at the end.

Like I said, these are just runs you can do if you feel like it, but not neccesary if you want some variation.

All the best,
Marius

Half marathon schedule

by Lars
(Norway)

How to adjust the marathon schedule to a half marathon schedule.

"I really enjoy your training schedules and the principles beyond them.

I`m up for a terrain half marathon later this autumn, and want to adjust your schedules to this race. I know that you have placed in a half marathon in the 100 day marathon plan. But - if you want to set a personal record on the half marathon and you not are going to run a marathon afterwards.. this is maybe not the best way to prepare yourself?? Or..

On the half marathon training pages from marathon-training-schedule.com, you recommend the following build-up before a half marathon:

Base-building
5k/10k endurance type training
5k-speed training
Tapering

Is it possible to put together and use different training weeks from the 100 day marathon schedule to prepare yourself for a half marathon? How should the tapering phase be like compared to a marathon schedule?

Best Regards!"

Answer: Hi Lars, and thanks for a very relevant question. This is the easiest and best way to do this :

Start with the first two periods of training program (the 5k/10k and the Half Marathon Phase) Then, go into the two first week of the marathon phase before going back and repeating the half marathon phase again ! Do the Half Marathon Phase up until two weeks before the half marathon and then do the two last of the Tapering phase weeks (that will also work great for half marathon tapering)

This should set you up for a personal record half marathon race!

Kind regards,
Marius

Back from Half Marathon Schedule to 100 Day Marathon Plan

half marathon question

by Willem
(the neherlands )

"Hi Marius,

In 8 weeks I have a half marathon race. Is it a good idea to follow week 2 tm week 8 and then follow the last two weeks of the marathon tapering before the half marathon race?

Thanks in advance,

regard willem.

Ps following your program i bettered my 10 k time from 52 minutes to 45 minutes !!!"

Answer: Hi Willem and congrats on an excelent 10k time! I'm not sure if I manage to follow the question - if you are training with the plan leading up to a marathon or if you are just using the schedule for a half marathon maximum performance. If you are using it for just a half marathon - then you are right : take the last two weeks before the marathon and it will be an excellent tapering plan.

I wish you all the best with your half marathon,

regards,
Marius

Half Marathons During Training.

by Ryan Camire
(Newport, NH)

Is is possible to substitute the 10k with a half marathon in the 100 day plan ?

"Hi Marius,

I am currently following your 4:00 plan. It calls for a 5k in week 6 which I have lined up. It also calls for a 10K in week 8 which I can not find at all.

HOWEVER, there is a half-marathon that I can find during that same week instead. Can I substitute a half-marathon during week 8 instead of a 10k? I also have a half-marathon lined up for week 12 as well (3 weeks before the actual marathon) and want to be sure that this isn't too many races.

I have not registered for any of these races as of yet, I am waiting on your advice. :) Thank you."

Answer : I will have to answer this in general so that others can relate to it as well.

The ideal is to follow the set races in the 100 day plan - however, it is not crucial in order to succeed. And you want some flexibility. So in your case, it is better to run two half marathons like you outline instead of just one half marathon and no 10k.

I wish you all the best with your training,

Kind regards,
Marius

Back from Half Marathons during training to Marathon Training Schedule

Half Marathon earlier in the schedule?

by Axel
(Norway)

When should I place my half marathon in the 100 day plan ?

"Hi Marius,

I have no possibility to race the Half Marathon when it is scheduled near where I live, but I have the opportunity to run the Half Marathon two weeks ealier than scheduled, at the end of week 9 instead of week 11. Is that wise or should I do instead a test run on my own in week 11 as scheduled?

Thanks for your answer!
Best regards,
Axel"

Answer: Hi Axel, thanks for the question. Concerning the half marathon, it is perfectly ok to run this 6 weeks before. Especially if you are in fair shape and training going into the 100 day plan.

The main thing with that half marathon is to use it to calculate your marathon finishing time, so that you can run it well-paced. If you do it further away than say 6-7 weeks this is hard to determine. But 6 weeks away is ok, and much better than just a training run.

Kind regards,
Marius

From half marathon earlier in the schedule to Marathon Training Schedule

Half Marathon Training Tips

by Victor
(Mexico City)

Running a half marathon :

"Hi Marius:

I´m back from the Chicago Marathon (a month ago), and want to do 1/2 marathon at the end of January, I have 11 wks. my plan is to do from wk 1 to wk 9 (included) and the the two last wks of the plan (wk 14 & 15) for tapering.
My question is, if wk 9 is OK for a half marathon or should I repeat any other wk or add wk 13 instead.

Thank you in advance and for a great training plan.

Victor"

Answer: It is a good plan, I would probably add week 13 instead of week 9 OR what may be even better is to not do as many of the marathon specific weeks and instead focus on the half marathon weeks (and repeat those). If you search for half marathon in the search function above on the Q and A page you'll see how I've explained this before : how to use the 100 day plan for the half marathon which basically is starting the schedule from week 1 then repeating some of the sessions/weeks from the half marathon weeks (not too many from the marathon weeks) before doing the tapering period (week 13-15)

I wish you all the best,
regards,
Marius