Target time: Sub-1hr 45min
Race pace: 8min/mile (5min/km)
This plan is for you if: You run regularly, have finished half marathons and want to shoot for a sub-1hr 45min PB.
This ten-week plan from Soar running coach Ben Noad will put you in the best possible position to run a half marathon in 1hr 45min or less. There are five sessions a week – a mix of intervals, tempo runs and long runs.
There are two options for each training day. The first is the recommended session if you’re in tip-top shape, and the second is a back-up plan if you’re short on time or feeling especially tired. Noad has also provided coaching pointers throughout.
The plan uses “Soar paces” to explain how fast to run in each session. These range from Soar pace 1, which is a comfortable relaxed pace where you can hold a conversation with ease, to Soar pace 5, which is a sprinting pace that you can only sustain for two minutes or so.
In between you have gradual increases in intensity. So Soar pace 2 is faster than 1, but still a pace you can hold for long periods comfortably. Soar pace 3 will be around your half marathon or marathon effort, in that it can be held for long periods but you are working quite hard. Soar pace 4 is faster still – around the effort level you’d put in when running a 5K or 10K race, so pretty tough going even in fairly short bursts.
Your five Soar paces should be personal and reflect your fitness level, and they can also change from day to day depending on how fatigued you are or the terrain you’re running on. It’s about the effort level rather than speed – there’s no point in overdoing it to smash your easy Monday session if it leaves you with nothing in the tank for the rest of the week.
Week 1
Monday
30min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-25min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: Have some fun during this first session and remember you can’t run too slow.
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
35-45min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-30min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: This is your bread and butter run – you should finish feeling you could do a little more.
Thursday
45-50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: At this point, it’s more important to cover the time than to worry too much about pace.
Friday
Rest
Saturday
45min at your current half marathon pace. 5min warm-up and 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1.
Alternative session: 35min at your current half marathon pace. 5min warm-up and 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1.
Coaching points: In this session you’re looking to get comfortable running at pace. Try to relax into it.
Sunday
55-70min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 50-60min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: This is an easy run that builds time on your feet.
Week 2
Monday
40min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-25min at Soar pace 1
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
40-45min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Thursday
45-50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Friday
Rest
Saturday
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 2 x 5K at target half marathon pace with 5min recovery at Soar pace 1 after each effort
- 6 x 1min at Soar pace 4 with 90sec recovery run at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 40min at target half marathon pace. 5min warm-up and 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: This session gives you the opportunity to start exploring your target half marathon pace.
Sunday
60-85min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 60-65min at Soar pace 1
Week 3
Monday
40min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-25min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: Treat this as an easy recovery run after a tough weekend. You should feel you can run a little more at the end of the run.
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
- 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 12 x 1min at Soar pace 4, with 90sec recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session
- 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 8 x 1min at Soar pace 4, with 90sec recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Coaching points: Try to use an out-and-back course for the intervals so you start in the same place for the odd and even number reps. The key to all interval sessions is to remain consistent – you want to be finishing the session stronger than when you started. Think about your pace and whether you can hold it for the entire session. Remember the benefit of the session comes in the second half so try to manage your effort accordingly.
Thursday
35-50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Run your local free 5K parkrun and set a benchmark time. 10min warm-up and 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: Run your local free 5K parkrun and set a benchmark time. 5min warm-up beforehand and 5min warm-down afterwards, both at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: I recommend parkruns because they’re a fun, friendly environment for your first real timed test – you get a chance to see what you can do.
Sunday
80-90min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 70-75min at Soar pace 1
Week 4
Monday
30min at Soar pace 1, or rest if you’re feeling fatigued
Alternative session: 20-30min at Soar pace 1, or rest if you’re feeling fatigued
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
- 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 6 x 3min at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 2min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session
- 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 5 x 3min at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 90sec recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Coaching points: This is in the same format as last week’s session – and will be repeated throughout the plan – so remember to use an out-and-back course, and keep the pace consistent.
Thursday
35-50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: Recovery day. Make sure this is a fun run and don’t go too fast.
Friday
Rest
Saturday
12km at your target half marathon pace. 10min warm-up and 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 10K at your target half marathon pace. 10min warm-up and 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: You’ll be carrying training fatigue so this session asks if you can still hold that target half marathon pace.
Sunday
65-75min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 55-65min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: You’ll have been increasing the duration of these runs in the first three weeks. This week you reduce the length so you can absorb the training benefit.
Week 5
Monday
30min at Soar pace 1 – or rest if you’re feeling fatigued
Alternative session: 20-25min at Soar pace 1 – or rest if you’re feeling fatigued
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
- 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 9 x 2min at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 90sec recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session
- 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 7 x 2min at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 90sec recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Thursday
35-50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Friday
Rest
Saturday
14km at your target half marathon pace. 10min warm-up and 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 12km at your target half marathon pace. 10min warm-up and 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Sunday
90-100min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 75-80min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: This session takes the long run up a notch. Eat a good breakfast beforehand and make sure you are well hydrated.
Week 6
Monday
30-35min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-25min at Soar pace 1
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 6 x 4min at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 2min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 4 x 4min at Soar pace 4, with 2min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Thursday
35-50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Friday
Rest
Saturday
25-40min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: Take today easy ahead of tomorrow’s race.
Sunday
Find a 10K event and race it all-out. 10min warm-up and 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1. (No alternative session)
Coaching points: This is a chance to get your legs moving quickly in preparation for your half marathon PB.
Week 7
Monday
35-40min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-30min at Soar pace 1
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 5 x 5min at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 2min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 4 x 4min at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 2min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Thursday
30-35min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-25min at Soar pace 1
Friday
Rest
Saturday
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 2 x 5K at target half marathon pace with 5min recovery at Soar pace 1 after each effort
- 6 x 1min at Soar pace 4 with 90sec recovery run at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 40min at target half marathon pace. 5min warm-up and 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1.
Coaching points: This is a repeat of the week two session – it’s a good time to prove to yourself how much your fitness has come on.
Sunday
1hr 45min-1hr 50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 90min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: Hydrate well and eat a good breakfast before you start this run, the longest so far. This is a good chance to form good nutrition habits for race day.
Week 8
Monday
30-35min at Soar pace 1 – or rest if you’re feeling fatigued
Alternative session: 20-30min at Soar pace 1 – or rest if you’re feeling fatigued
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
- Empty 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 6 x 1km at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 2min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session
- 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 4 x 1km at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 90sec recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 10min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Thursday
30-50min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-35min at Soar pace 1
Friday
Rest
Saturday
15km at your target half marathon pace. 10min warm-up and 10min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 12km at your target half marathon pace. 10min warm-up and 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: You’ll be carrying training fatigue so this session tests your ability to hold that target half marathon pace for the longest distance yet.
Sunday
1hr 45min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 95min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: This is the last long run. Keep it nice and easy.
Week 9
Monday
Foam roller and stretching session
RECOMMENDED: The Foam Roller 101
Tuesday
35-40min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-30min at Soar pace 1
Wednesday
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 3 x 3km at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 4min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 3 x 2km at Soar pace 3 or 4, with 3min recovery at Soar pace 1 between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Thursday
Rest
Friday
30-35min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-30min at Soar pace 1
Saturday
70-85min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 60-70min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: The goal is to feel that you have plenty of bounce left at the end of this run.
Sunday
Rest
Week 10
Monday
25-30min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 20-30min at Soar pace 1
Coaching points: We’re into the tapering phase so you’re as fresh as possible for race day.
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 10 x 1min at Soar pace 4, with 90sec walk recovery between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Alternative session:
- 5min warm-up at Soar pace 1
- 10 x 45sec at Soar pace 4, with 75sec walk recovery between efforts
- 5min warm-down at Soar pace 1
- 5min of stretching, focusing on the hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings
Coaching points: This is the final hard running session before race day.
Thursday
Rest
Friday
15-25min at Soar pace 1
Alternative session: 12-15min at Soar pace 1
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
Race day! 10min warm-up at Soar pace 1
