1:30 Half Marathon Training Plan
Running a 1hour and 30minute half marathon is the first “checkpoint” for many amateur runners on their way to faster full-marathon PR times.
It’s *very* doable, especially when compared to the coveted 3-hour full marathon, which features the same min/mile pacing.
Many who achieve their “Sub-3” marathon first attempt to run a 1:30 half marathon, to prove to themselves that they can run at the pace needed (<:6:52) for a long distance. It proves you at least have the foot speed in order to hit the needed splits, and that more overall training miles are needed to complete the full at the same pace.
Moreover, we are able to play around with speed *a lot* more in a half marathon build, which helps us increase the capacity of our anaerobic system. It adds a bit of “spice” to training, which you don’t always get to do when training for a full marathon.
But the benefits of doing this first are overlooked by many. There are two ways of looking at full-marathon racing:
Start slow at longer distances, and gradually get faster.
Start faster as shorter distances, and gradually get longer in distance.
Completing a half marathon PR before chasing your full marathon PR is in the latter camp. (No choice is right or wrong, just giving options.)
Let’s dive in!