This summer Dave and I are training to run a sub-2 hour half-marathon in September.

The plan I am using will actually be combining 2 plans, but written by the same coach. Which I didn’t know when I was putting them together. I wanted to keep my fitness level up from marathon training, and I wanted to find a half-marathon program that would keep my mileage up so when I train for another full I am not starting as far back as I was for this past one.

I scoured the internet to try and find something that fit into that criteria but was having a lot of trouble. Most plans seem to target those who have never run a half before or are more advanced for those that have but don’t take into consideration someone like me who wants to look to future full marathons and have that incorporated in the training.

Runners Connect Half-Marathon Training Plans

The first half of the training I will follow a plan I found on the internet on a site that unfortunately does not exist anymore. It was written by Jeff Gaudette (of runnersconnect.net). I am a member of his site (not a paid coaching plan, but the free one if you sign up to get the e-mails…which is worth it)!

The second half, also written by him and accessed through the Runners Connect website, has more mileage incorporated into the training (up to a 16 mile long run). That is the kind of training I am looking for. When I ran a half a few weeks before the marathon, it felt easy because I was used to running up to 23 miles on my long run.

I have struggled with half’s in the past, where it felt really hard and I actually had decided to give up racing after a half a few years ago.

The articles accompanying the first half of the plan goes into really good detail about what kinds of runs you will be doing. Things like threshold intervals, hill repeats, tempo, etc.

I haven’t done much beyond easy, tempo or long, so having some specific-type runs has been really fun for us. It is great to stretch the legs and run really fast on some days, and it makes it interesting to break up the mileage with some different drills.

I started my training in Florida while visiting my daughter and grand-kids were in the states for 2 months. If you are a regular reader, you know my daughter and son-in-law live in Antigua in the Caribbean, so I am taking advantage of being able to make some quick jaunts to Florida this summer while they are here.

It has been hot in Buffalo (not complaining), so I am at least acclimated to that. When I go to Antigua in February, it takes a few runs to feel like I am accomplishing anything.

This program has been the best training I have done for a half-marathon by far. I feel like for someone who has run a half before, it is a great step up from a beginner program like Hal Higdon’s (I have used this and really liked it when I was first starting out).

The strategy for the race itself will be the same one I used for the marathon, which was also from Runners Connect and worked like a charm.

There is actually a calculator you can access here that tells you what your pace should be for the miles as you run. This helps keep you focused on the goal, and allows you to relax and not go out too fast.

The Buffalo Marathon was hard for a lot of people this year because of the heat and many people I talked to said they went out to fast and burned up their energy too early.

I credit this strategy (and Dave for keeping me on the pace for the first half) with the marathon not feeling awful for me. I was able to run the entire time, with only a few walk breaks to get through a crowded aid station or two.

Part of that may have been the excitement of a first-time marathon runner, and I know from listening to running podcasts that “bad” marathons will probably be in my future!

However, I do believe having a strategy worked wonders for me and I am not going to change it for the half-marathon.

Here is the link for the Mighty Niagara Half Marathon if you live near Buffalo and would like to run it.

The after-party is fun, and the band Nerds Gone Wild will be playing.

Maybe I’ll see you there!