Brooklyn Half Marathoners,
4 weeks to go! You’re now in the most focused and specific period of the season. You’ve build the base, gathered the tools, and you’re in the process of refining. This work is specific, sophisticated, and consuming. It will carry you on race day.
Let’s take a moment to look forward to the rest of the season: This week you’ll run your longest stretch of miles at Half Marathon Goal Pace. Next week you’ll run your longest long run. Then, your last long run will be shorter and easier, a part of the 10-day taper that will rest you up for peak performance on race day.
You also have three serious speed runs left, each of which is very different—miles, 400s and pace-work. Each represents a peak expression of fitness in a different bodily system, all of which will be put to use on the race course. Then, on race-week you’ll run an easy workout not to build fitness, but rather to spin your legs and get you to the start line feeling crisp and responsive.
All of that to say: we’re getting close. From here on out, every speed run serves a specific purpose. Show up to practice rested, fueled, focused, and ready to go.
LFG
This week you will run 3-6 times, with 1-2 Speed Run(s) + 1 Long Run
These runs may be done on any days, with two caveats: 1) The Speed Run must be run earlier in the week than the Long Run, and 2) follow the hard-easy-hard principle, which means never run back-to-back hard days. Instead, separate hard (speed or long) runs with at least one easy run or rest day.
This week you’ll take a 10% step back in mileage! This recovery week should be based on your previous season high. Look to the charts on page 7-9 of the Coach + Coffey Half Marathon Plan for help deciding exactly how much to run.
Speed Run: 4x1 mile @ 10k pace w 2:00 rest + 6x200 FAST with 1:00 rest
Method:
Run 5-20 minutes of easy warmup running.
Do 5-10 optional minutes of dynamic warmups + strides.
This is a tough workout. It’s simple, effective and fast. The most important thing to know for this one is that will be hard, and you’re strong enough to weather the storms of self-doubt. Go in to this workout armed with positive self talk, and be prepared to learn some lessons. You’re going to meet some demons out there.
Plan to run the first mile about :10 slower that 10k pace. Over that first rep, you’ll get the feel of the workout, and better be able to disperse your energy over these long intervals. The remaining three can call be right at 10k pace, or slightly under. No need to force a negative split on these, but if you’re feeling strong you can open up a little.
Be prepared to go through waves of energy, and trust that a second (and third) wind will come to you. We suggest taking a sports drink or a gel with water, if possible. The mid-run boost will help keep you focused and energized.
After your last mile interval, take your time recovering. You want to be in good, speedy form for the 200s. These will help bring your form back to peak athleticism, and begin the recovery process with a flush. Don’t be afarid to run fast on these!
5-20 minutes easy cooldown running + dynamic cooldown, just like at the start.
Aerobic Runs — 1-4 runs @ 3-9 miles
Find your aerobic pace on page 6 in Coach + Coffey Half Marathon Program. This wide pace range is determined by your prospective Marathon pace, and is the pace at which your system is fueled almost exclusively by aerobic metabolism. That means at this pace your energy comes from an oxygen-based system; any faster and it start to rely on chemical reactions within your muscles, which produce byproducts that are measured by lactate. The majority of your training miles should be run in this aerobic, oxygen-powered pace window. This will develop your body's reliance on oxygen-based metabolism, build out the capillary “infrastructure” for delivering oxygen-rich blood, and coax your body away from the production of leg-burning muscular byproduct.
Put a different way, at this pace your body can both recover from your hard runs and develop your endurance at the same time. Some people refer to these days as recovery runs or easy runs. We like to use the technical term: aerobic—adj, relating to, involving, or requiring free oxygen, to keep at the front of our minds that even though these miles are easy, they are just as purposeful and essential as any speed day.
Optional Tempo — n/a
Experienced runners running at least four days a week may opt for a second speed workout most weeks. However, during this demanding week you should swap this run for an easy Aerobic run.
Long Run — 7-10 miles @ Aerobic Base Pace with last 6 miles @ Half Marathon Goal Pace
Let’s gooooooo!!!!!
You’ve done this before! Two weeks ago you ran the last 4 miles of your Long Run at Half Marathon Pace. Three weeks before that, you ran 3 miles at the same pace. NOW, it’s time for your most specific challenge yet. This will be the longest stretch of race pace before race day.
What is this week, right?! It’s an intense one. You know why? We want you to wake up Sunday morning a month from now capable. We want the arrow that floats between excited and afraid to be in your control. Big, intimidating, exhausting weeks like this—before the race, out of the spotlight, just you and the miles and your watch—give you that power. These weeks will help you understand your talents, your body, your mind, and the way they all cooperate as one.
Go into this run assuming you’ll still be tired from the mile repeats. It will feel hard. That’s by design. After a very easy first mile(/s), with 6 miles left, shift gears. Lower your head, fix your eyes on the road ahead of you, and eat up that pavement. If you have company for any portion of this run, amazing! This is a good day to call up a faster buddy to pace you, or a friend who could run a mile or two. Summon up a slice of race excitement, and go fly!
7-10 miles is a big range, what should you do?
You should run 2-5 miles shorter than you did last week, as long as you hit at least 7 miles for the day.
We suggest everyone take gels today! Your body typically carries enough glycogen to fuel about 1:30 of sustained effort, so after that you need to fuel as you go. Because today is quicker you’ll use up your sugars quicker, so even if you’ll not running more than 1:30, pack gels! Plan on taking 60-90 grams of carbs, 500-1000mg of salt (electrolytes), and 16-30oz of water per hour—we suggest you take a gel + water every 30 minutes to accomplish these amounts.