Richmond Half Marathon Training Plan

After doing one week of the training program and seeing that I can actually hit the targets set, I'm ready to spill the beans.

On November 10, 2012, I am going to attempt to run a 1:50 half marathon.

If you do the math, this requires a 8:30 pace for the entirety of the race.

Woah.

I'm turning to a formal training program to help me get there. Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Hal Higdon's Intermediate Half Marathon Training Program:

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Stretch & strengthen	3 m run	5 x 400 5-K pace	3 m run + strength	Rest	3 m run	5 m run
2	Stretch & strengthen	3 m run	30 min tempo	3 m run + strength	Rest	3 m pace	6 m run
3	Stretch & strengthen	3.5 m run	6 x 400 5-K pace	3 m run + strength	Rest	Rest	5-K Race
4	Stretch & strengthen	3.5 m run	35 min tempo	3 m run + strength	Rest	3 m run	7 m run
5	Stretch & strengthen	4 m run	7 x 400 5-K pace	3 m run + strength	Rest	3 m pace	8 m run
6	Stretch & strengthen	4 m run	40 min tempo	3 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	Rest	10-K Race
7	Stretch & strengthen	4.5 m run	8 x 400 5-K pace	3 m run + strength	Rest	4 m pace	9 m run
8	Stretch & strengthen	4.5 m run	40 min tempo	3 m run + strength	Rest	5 m pace	10 m run
9	Stretch & strengthen	5 m run	9 x 400 5-K pace	3 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	Rest	15-K Race
10	Stretch & strengthen	5 m run	45 min tempo	3 m run + strength	Rest	5 m pace	11 m run
11	Stretch & strengthen	5 m run	10 x 400 5-K pace	3 m run + strength	Rest	3 m pace	12 m run
12	Stretch & strengthen	4 m run	30 min tempo	2 m run	Rest	Rest	Half Marathon

The reason I chose this program is 1) its rough correlation to my current running schedule preferences and 2) the amount of flexibility that is built into the plan.

The extensive notes Higdon provides on his page puts even a procrastinator like me at ease. The main tenets as summarized by me are:

1) Don't skip speed work or long distance runs.
2) Easy runs are substitutable with cross-training.
3) Mix and match to fit your schedule.

My main changes are going to be:

1) Keep my Sunday LSD runs up at a minimum of 8 miles.
2) Swap out Thursdays runs with yoga sometimes.
3) Try to make every Saturday a Pace run.

Here goes nothing!