7 KEY Workouts to Run a Faster Half Marathon

Here are 7 Key half marathon workouts that you need to be putting in your half marathon training block to make sure you are prepared for your half marathon race. I've also made sure that there is an easier variation of each workout for those who might be a little newer to half marathon training workouts.

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[DeeKay]

First: THANK YOU for adding minutes per kilometer for the rest of us 🙂 And second: Amazing video

[hennnnerz]

Phily workouts
5 x 1 mile @ threshold w/0.5 mile float

5 x 800m @ 10k pace w/200m easy jog recovery
800m jog
2 mile @ tempo pace
800m jog
5 x 300m @ 5k race pace w/100m recovery jog

Alternating pace KMs
1km tempo
1km steady
For 10km

6 x 1 mile @ between 10k and HMP w/75secs recovery

Progression Run 10-14 Miles
Easy > Steady > High Steady > HMP

At HMP:
3 miles (3 mins)
2 miles (2 mins)
2 miles (2 mins)

Ladder workout 400m/800m/1k/2k/1k/800m/400m
400m jog after 400, 800m jogs after all others.

[Syntropicfarming]

I’ve just finished my first HM last Sunday at 1:38’, smashed my 1:45’ goal time by 7 minutes. I only trained 3 sections per week, 2 speed + 1 Long steady progressive run, with the total of max volume was just 45km. 2 speed sections I trained at all fast paces, from Tempo to 400m pace. Because I’ve got 2 jobs and don’t have much time to train, and I’m happy with that. When I have more time, I’ll increase more volume. Thank you so much from Vietnam 🇻🇳

[rsii]

1:45:00 is exactly what I am aiming for. Thank you for the useful tips 😊

[charlottedk]

For my metric using friends: 15-20 s/mi = 9-13 s/km.

Best of luck in Copenhagen on Sunday, Phily!

[l.p.]

Honestly Phily, thank you so so much for this. I'm running my first ever half marathon in November and you help a lot! The high quality content that you put out for free it's just a life saver for someone who can barely afford one pair of running shoes!

[patmcmahon]

Best video clip usage I've seen in a long time, laughed out loud!

[IainThacker]

Last two vids perfectly timed for me... less than 5 weeks to MCR half!

That first 5 x 1.61km 😉 session looks to be that kind of fun that you only recognise after the fact...

[iq_by_]

Great Video! The pyramide workout is my favourite

[stevehumphries]

I’m also running Copenhagen on Sunday. An amazing 50th Birthday present from my wife. Flying out from Manchester on Fri with a good running mate of mine who is also doing it.

[rose_runs_slow]

Ran the Great North Run half marathon yesterday and despite the crowds managed to get a PB! Even when my whole body wanted to stop, I kept telling myself to love the grind and a very basic mantra of you can do this. Your videos have really inspired me to push myself and I can’t wait to start training for the Edinburgh marathon!

[nickhaight]

Fantastic workouts, just tried the "Track Sandwich" and only did the math part way through the session to realise it's a 12km workout. On a track with no shade. In 28 degrees. Good news, I got 4 new speed records on my watch.

[johnrwilker]

I love the backgrounds. I didn’t like them at first but they grew on me over the course of the video. Nice touch. The workouts are good as well but I’m a beginner and only seam to only have one speed.

[OneSatisfiedRunner]

Perfect timing Phily, great video as always

[iberiksoderblom]

Love your sessions.
An 8'th session I would ad would be hill-training.
I have a wonderfull hill section, about a kilometer long in all, that starts with a 350m long medium steep hill (200m up, 150m down), followed by a 600m (585m actually...) uphill that starts with a 4% incline going up to 6, 5% for the last 150m.
I run at Tempo pace for the first hill, slowing a bit on the decline, and then progressive up to 90+% MaxHR for the rest and then relaxed recovery back, forcusing on stride lenght and heel lift.
No other rest time.
Doing that 4 to 6 times is an absolute killer!
Also because it quickly gets to be a lot of Km's.

[jamesh]

Thanks Philly, this is just what I need!!

[shinizzle]

hi, whats the difference between session 1 and 4 ? isnt threshold between hm and 10k pace? im a bit confused with these two sessions about pace... can some1 please help? :D

[jseales]

Great job on the video. I shared this with some folks I know doing some HM training. (funny enough, I was explaining 'float' to a buddy yesterday during a long run).

[maggieprobst]

I love these! Are you planning to come out with a half marathon training plan we can follow? I followed your 10k plan in the spring and loved it, and got a huge PB!

[donovanmifsud]

Anaerobic threshold base, is the foundation to all training, we always start the season with this pace
Tomorrow got 15*300m at Anaerobic threshold pace with 100m jog recoveries