The half-marathon demands the perfect combination of muscular and aerobic conditioning
Some runners are defined by a single race. Roger Bannister was the first to break four minutes in the mile, and Abebe Bikila won his first Olympic gold medal running barefoot over the cobblestoned streets of the Appian Way in Rome. Ryan Hall might not belong at quite the same level as Bannister and Bikila, but his big breakthrough race ranks way up there.
In it, he smashed a longstanding American record, announced to the world that he had arrived as a road runner, and added more fuel to the already blazing popularity of the half-marathon distance. Since Hall’s astounding performance, half-marathon races have continued their explosive growth.
The distance is halfway to the full marathon, but all-the-way terrific as a race goal for any runner. And Hall’s training, engineered by his brilliant young coach, Terrence Mahon, has served as a model for many runners.
Ryan Hall was so pumped after his recordbreaking performance at the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon in early 2007, he didn’t even bend over to catch his breath. He just started hugging people: his coach, his wife, Sara, and his parents. As they were celebrating, the second-place finisher was still nowhere in sight.
Hall crossed the line in 59:43, taking a minute and 12 seconds off an American half-marathon mark that had stood for 22 years (Mark Curp’s 1:00:55 in 1985). In doing so, he joined a select group of world-class athletes who have broken the one-hour barrier for 13.1 miles. “I remember thinking, I’d love to go under an hour at some point,” says Hall. “So to do it in my first try was huge for me.”
It seemed an unlikely scenario: In his first attempt at the distance, a baby-faced 24-year-old, who had specialized in the mile and 5000 meters at Stanford University, blows away a record that was almost as old as he is—with no one within a quarter-mile of him.
How’d he do it?
For his first half-marathon, Hall trained like a mara thoner. In fact, he ran Houston as preparation for the Flora London Marathon on April 22, where he finished seventh in 2:08:24—the fastest-ever U.S. debut marathon.
That’s one of two approaches taken by his coach, Terrence Mahon, who describes the half-marathon as an “in-betweener.” It pushes runners who focus on 5-Ks and 10-Ks to test their endurance and helps marathoners learn to call upon their speed reserve. Its “in-between” status may also explain its popularity: More than half a million people finished a half-marathon in 2006, and it’s the fastest-growing road-racing distance, according to Running USA.
“I’ve fine-tuned two models,” Mahon says. “I take 10-K training and extend it out, or use a marathon program and take down the long runs a bit.” The 5-K/10-K runner building up to a half stays sharp with faster-paced intervals, but longer recovery times, than marathoners. The marathoner tackles slower intervals with shorter recovery and longer long runs as preparation for both the full and half-marathon. The best plan for you depends on your strengths and goals (see “What’s Your [Half] Type?” on page xx).
Both approaches emphasize the same key workouts: tempo and race simulation runs. Getting used to the comfortably hard pace of tempo workouts, says Mahon, helps you run a fast half. For Hall, extending his tempo run to 12 miles (from 8) made the difference in his preparation for Houston. “Tempos teach you how to gauge your energy,” says Hall. “And they really got my legs used to the pounding.”
Hall, who lives in Mammoth Lakes, California, with his wife, also a professional runner, trains at altitude, where his tempo pace is roughly 4:55 per mile, 10 seconds slower than it would be at sea level. Altitude compounds the importance of pacing because if you go out too fast, you’ll quickly find yourself in oxygen debt. “It’s hard to regroup from that,” says Hall. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone out way too hard on tempo runs. But if you do enough of them, you find the gear you know you can just stick to.”
Hall did long tempo runs every other week as part of a two-week training cycle. On the alternate weeks, he did shorter, faster tempos and—more important—long runs called racesimulation workouts. On these 16-to 20-mile runs, Hall ran the first half at a comfortable pace and the second half at marathon pace, which teaches patience.
Hall maintained his speed with weekly interval sessions, such as two miles at half-marathon pace, one mile at 10-K pace, and a half-mile at 5-K pace, repeating that sequence twice. But he didn’t obsess about his splits like he did when he was racing on the track. “I’m not trying to PR in the workout every single time,” he says. “My mentality with intervals is to go out there, put in the work, and whatever it is, it is.”
Before Houston, Hall got caught in a snowstorm, missed his flight, and arrived in town, frazzled, late in the day before the race. He and Mahon drove the course, spotting landmarks Hall could use to break up the race in his head.
Mahon’s bigger concern, however, was holding Hall back through the first mile. “Ryan is pretty aggressive, and he has to control himself at the start,” says Mahon. “You can burn a lot of energy in that first mile.” The plan was for Hall to go out at about a 4:35 pace—and absolutely no faster than 4:30. He opened in 4:38, which turned out to be one of his two slowest miles that day. “When I saw that he did what he needed to, I knew he was going to be fine,” says Mahon.
Hall covered the next two miles in nine minutes, and led the field by 41 seconds at the 5-K mark. His form never broke—until he started waving his arms at the end to urge more cheers from the crowd. “A ton of emotion came out in the last 100 meters,” says Hall. “I’ve had this belief that God has given me a gift to run, and I can run at a world-class level. I’ve seen glimpses of it, but never felt like I was starting to arrive. To see that dream begin to come true is unreal, like a little kid finally walking into a major-league baseball stadium.”
On the following pages, Ryan Hall offers his advice on training for and racing your best half-marathon.
Don’t be afraid of mistakes. That’s what training is—practice for the real thing. “You’ve got to expect you’re going to screw up sometimes,” says Hall, who frequently goes out too hard on tempo runs. “When I do, I think this is good practice for when I go out too fast in a race and have to regroup.”
Simulate race conditions. If you want to run fast on the roads, skip the track and do your interval workouts on the roads.
Know the purpose of each workout. Make the hard runs hard and the recovery runs easy, says Hall. Many runners make the mistake of running too hard on their easy days, which is counterproductive. You’ll only tire yourself for the quality days that really matter.
Inspect the course. Familiarize yourself with landmarks, so you have some mental breaks in addition to the mile markers. Look for places to run the tangents if you’re going for a PR.
Let the terrain dictate your pace. If you want to average seven-minute miles, it’s okay to run 7:10s up the hills and 6:50s down, rather than expending extra energy forcing yourself to stick to 7s the entire way.
Run the mile you’re in. “Focus on the moment,” says Hall. “I avoid thinking about how far I have to go early in the race, because that can be overwhelming. Late in the race I try to forget about how far I have gone, because that would give me an excuse to give in to fatigue.”
Of course, few runners can train and race like Hall. But you can still set a personal record with this 10-week plan, which follows the same principles as Ryan Hall’s routine—minus the five-minute miles and 120-mile weeks.
In this training plan, you can choose between two different programs: an extended 10-K (or “short”) program, or a modified marathon (or “long”) program. To determine which is best for you, see “What’s Your (Half) Type?” on page xx. The short program includes slightly fewer total miles, but faster repeats and tempo runs, which will keep your speed sharp for shorter-distance events. Longer long runs and slower tempo and interval paces characterize the long program, building a solid endurance base for runners with a marathon in their near future. Both approaches will prepare you to finish the half and finish fast. (The short program is best for first-timers because the long run does not exceed 14 miles.)
Build up to an eight-mile long run before starting either program. Consult the Pace Guide for details of each workout, and warm up and cool down for a mile before and after each interval and tempo session. Monday is always a rest day.
Short program: Run moderate-paced tempos at half-marathon goal pace*; hard tempos at half-marathon goal pace minus 10 to 15 seconds per mile.
Long program: Do moderate tempos at half-marathon goal pace* or slightly slower; hard tempos at half-marathon goal pace or slightly faster.
Short program: Run the first half comfortably, then drop down to your half-marathon goal pace plus 20 to 30 seconds per mile.
Long programs: Same as short program
Short program: Run your repeats at 10-K race pace; drop to 5-K race pace the last three weeks.
Long program: Run your repeats at half-marathon goal pace; drop to 10-K race pace the final three weeks.
Short program: Comfortable pace, or 50 to 90 seconds slower than your half-marathon goal pace
Long program: Same as short program
*Goal Pace: Don’t know your half-marathon goal pace? Try this: Run for an all-out mile and add 20 percent. For example, if you run a mile in seven minutes, your half-marathon goal pace would be 8:24 (7 x 1.2 = 8.4, which is 8:24 pace).
Use this quiz to decide which program is best for you.
According to Terrence Mahon, who coached Ryan Hall to his breakthrough 13.1-mile debut, you can approach the half-marathon in one of two ways—extend a 10-K program, or modify a marathon program. Whether you should use a short or long program depends on your strengths, preferences, and goals.
1. Which race scenario best describes you?
A) You struggle in the middle, but outkick other runners with a fast final quarter-mile sprint.
B) You pass a lot of people during the middle miles.
Most runners know intuitively if they’re geared toward speed or built for endurance, says Mahon. Your body responds to workouts in your strength area, meaning doing those runs enhances your training.
2. Which workout are you more psyched for?
A) Fast 400-meter intervals
B) A two-hour easy run or a long tempo workout
Doing what you like increases your motivation.
3. Which workout leaves you feeling more beat up the next day?
A) Long tempo runs
B) Short sprints
“If I give short, hard intervals for Ryan, he fatigues and it takes a couple days to recover,” says Mahon. Needing more recovery time can affect the quality of your other key workouts.
4. What races are on your calendar this summer and fall?
A) 5-Ks and 10-Ks
B) A full marathon
Like Hall, who knew he’d run the London Marathon just three months after his half, your goals should factor into your decision on whether to use the short or long training program.
Answer Guide: If the majority of your answers were “a,” the short program is best for you; if “b,” go with the long program.
WEEK 1
Tuesday: Short Program: 5 x 800 meters at 10-K pace; recover after each repeat for half of the interval time. Long Program: 6 x 800 meters at half-marathon goal pace; recover after each repeat for a quarter of the interval time
Wednesday: Off, cross-train (XT), or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Friday: Tempo Run (moderate): 4 miles, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Saturday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Sunday: Short: Long run, 8 miles. Long: long run, 10 miles
Totals: Short: 23 to 35 miles. Long: 25 to 37 miles
WEEK 2
Tuesday: Short: 5 x 1000 meters, 2 minutes rest between each Long: 5 x 1000 meters, 1 minute rest between each
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Tempo (hard): 20 minutes, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Friday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Saturday: Race-Sim: 9 miles, 6 easy/3 at goal race pace plus 20 to 30 seconds
Sunday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Totals: Short: 22 to 35 miles. Long: 22 to 35 miles
WEEK 3
Tuesday: Short: 7 x 800 meters; recover for half of the interval time. Long: 8 x 800 meters; recover for a quarter of the interval time
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Friday: Tempo Run (moderate): 5 miles, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Saturday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Sunday: Short: long run, 10 miles. Long: long run, 12 miles
Totals: Short: 27 to 39 miles. Long: 29 to 41 miles
WEEK 4
Tuesday: Short: 2 miles at 10-K pace, 2 x 1 mile at 5-K pace, 2 x 800 meters at slightly faster than 5-K pace, with 5 minutes recovery after the 2-mile and 3 minutes recovery after the miles and 800. Long: 2 miles at half-marathon pace, 2 x 1 mile at 10-K pace, 2 x 800 meters at 5-K pace, with 3 minutes recovery after the 2-mile and 2 minutes recovery after the miles and 800
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Tempo (hard): 25 minutes, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Friday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Saturday: Race-Sim: 10 miles, 6 easy/4 at goal race pace plus 20 to 30 seconds
Sunday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes Totals: Short: 25 to 39 miles. Long: 25 to 39 miles
WEEK 5
Tuesday: Short: 6 x 1000 meters; recovery is half of the interval time Long: 7 x 1000 meters; recovery is a quarter of the interval time
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Friday: Tempo Run (moderate): 6 miles, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Saturday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Sunday: Short: long run, 12 miles. Long: long run, 14 miles
Totals: Short: 30 to 42 miles. Long: 33 to 45 miles
WEEK 6
Tuesday: Same as week 4
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Tempo Run (hard): 30 minutes, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Friday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Saturday: Race-Sim: 11 miles, 6 easy/5 at goal race pace plus 20 to 30 seconds
Sunday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Total: Short: 27 to 41 miles. Long: 27 to 41 miles
WEEK 7
Tuesday: Short: 5 x 1200 meters; recover for half of the interval time. Long: 6 x 1200 meters; recover for a quarter of the interval time
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Friday: Tempo Run (moderate): 6 miles, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Saturday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Sunday: Short: long run, 14 miles. Long: long run, 16 miles
Totals: Short: 32 to 44 miles. Long: 34 to 46 miles
WEEK 8
Tuesday: Short: 5 x 1000 at 5-K pace; 3-minute recovery. Long: 6 x 1000 at 10-K pace; recover for a quarter of the interval time
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Tempo Run (hard): 35 minutes, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Friday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Saturday: Race-Sim: 12 miles, 6 easy/6 at goal race pace plus 20 to 30 seconds
Sunday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Totals: Short: 27 to 41 miles. Long: 27 to 41 miles
WEEK 9
Tuesday: Short: 5 x 800 at 5-K pace; 3-minute recovery. Long: 6 x 800 at 10-K pace; recover for a quarter of the interval time
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Easy run: 30 to 45 minutes
Friday: Tempo Run (moderate): 6 miles, plus a mile warmup and cooldown
Saturday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Totals: Short: 27 to 39 miles. Long: 27 to 39 miles
WEEK 10
Tuesday: Short: Tempo Run. 1-mile warmup, 20 minutes at half-marathon goal pace plus 10 to 15 seconds. Finish with 4 strides and a mile cooldown. Long: Same as short program
Wednesday: Off, XT, or easy run of 30 to 45 minutes
Thursday: Intervals: 6 x 400 between your 5-K and 10-K pace; recovery equals interval time
Friday: Easy run: 30 minutes
Saturday: Off
Sunday: RACE!!!
Totals: Short: 24 to 31 miles Long: 24 to 31 miles
Ryan Hall proved to be the glamour boy of American distance running in the late 2000s, setting records not just in the half-marathon but also in the marathon. And no wonder. That first half-marathon in Houston in January 2007 proved the perfect stepping-stone.
Many other runners who didn’t appear on the covers of popular running magazines also followed Hall’s approach. It soon turned out that the half-marathon wasn’t just a great way to get in shape for the marathon. It’s a terrific focal point for any racing distance from the 5-K to the marathon.
You can use half-marathon training to build endurance. You can use it to build speed. Or you can use it as the ideal maintenance program for those times (whether for family or business or other reasons) when you simply can’t concentrate on being your best.
If you revert to your half program at those times, you’ll be more than halfway to your final goal when you decide to ramp up. In fact, you’ll be about 80 percent there. Half-marathon training is that effective.