Gonna do exactly that in Dec feeling like "as long as I finish, I'm gonna PB YAYYY!" Takes off all the stress. I mean I know I can do a sub-2 hour, I train for a sub-1:50, perhaps even sub 1:45 but honestly If I pull sth and hobble to the finish line I'll still be all smiles.
Agree with you Ben, faster sessions is the key. I always did 2x hills a week, one long, one short and steep . Never followed the 80/20. Mine was more 50/50 😂. I managed 64:14 for a half. Long reps (1k +) too - hated them but they work and I think 10 mile races are great and it’s a shame there are so few .
I miss being able to include hills as part of my training. I moved from Wellington to Levin 6 years ago. Running 10k around the hilly/winding streets of the suburbs of Wellington does wonders for overall fitness. Levin on the other hand is COMPLETELY flat. So I have to rely more on intervals/fartleks and what I grew up knowing as Commando sprints. Jog 50m, sprint 50m (between 2 lamp posts) for the distance of the run. That and spending money in the gym to do hill sessions on a treadmill, which isn't quite the same.
To achieve my sub-90 I did a weekly progression run on my commercial treadmill (@ 1% incline). 16km in total. 4km each @ 12km'h, then @ 12.7km/h, then @ 13.4km/h, then @ 14.1km/h. That final 4km was tough, especially having already run 12km and continually bumping up the pace. My other speed session was 11x reps of 400m on the treadmill @ 3% incline, @ 14.5km/h.
@@thepsychologist8159 sounds about what I do on the treadmill once a week. Progressive speed sessions starting at 12kmh, then a "hill setting" session at a constant 12kph. Both for an hour or so total.
@@RatelHBadger I bought my treadmill in August 2022 and it's one of the best investments I've ever made. And I say investment, because it has transformed my running. I especially love it for doing easy runs (especially when the weather outside is crap). I found in the earlier days I was either running my easy days too fast, or I'd speed up during the run. With a treadmill, it's 'set and forget'. Just put on some music and off you go.
@@thepsychologist8159 yeah it's fantastic for the variations. Unfortunately with a young family I don't have the luxury of space for a treadmill. All my gear is packed into a corner of the garage. Still, $10 a week at the gym is reasonable enough for 2 treadmill and a weights session a week, to not break the bank or eat into too much spare/family time outside of work.
I did a 1:49:37 half in April and just used two GU gels. One I brought with me and used in mile 6, and one I picked up at the 8.5 mile station. I have sinus issues on long runs, so I brought 5 hankies with me and dropped 4 of them in the trash cans along the way, so I was shedding weight as I went.
Did my first HF last year after an ACL recovery. Did 1h58 as I normally do a lot of alpine hiking. Now I am looking to beat myself, these insights are super nice! Thanks for all the information, I hope to be able to keep 4:58 min per km. Which at the moment seems crazy to me, but I am training for it. I will definitely apply this info to my training.
Good things as always, Ben! I used your half marathon plan last year to drop my BP from a 1:43 to a 1:35 in a single training block. I lost some fitness recovering from an ankle injury early this year, but am building back and aiming to break that 1:35 barrier in my next race. Cheers!
Good advice. I would add getting used to heat. Do not only train at cool hours during summer, train at the hottest ones too and you get used to it. Good idea to even wear a bit more clothes during some of the training if you the weather is nice and cool for weeks before and you might get hit by a heatwave in the event.
Speed work, yoga, strength training, and easy runs are in my coach’s recipe. Thank you for all your videos, you are an inspiration. From a fan “on the other side of the pond”. 😂
My fastest time is here in Taiwan; I completed a half marathon in 2 hours and am now aiming for 1:45. That's why I joined your channel for my next goal. Kudos to you! ❤️
Always so well rounded, comprehensive and explained in an easy going way 🎉 Classic Ben Parkes - thank you! From my perspective the proposed volume seems to be on the high end. But I can understand that it’s both the optimal high end as it’s written in the plans as well as a well rounded guarantee-the-finish-time approach for everyone. But I’ve known lots of runners achieving the respective times with less runs per week and less total volume.
Hey Ben, keep up the amazing work, I recently finished my first marathon 🎉. It was tough but followed your marathon plan and smashed my goal!! Highly recommend your plans.
I used one of bens programmes after failing to go under 1:30:00 twice… completed the programme which was really great and got under 1:25:00. Great programme.
"after failing to go under 1:30:00 twice" - I get what you're saying, I missed the first time by 1:02. But in my opinion it was never failure, I always knew I could do it, it was just working out the correct formulae, both in training and for the race.
Really nice video, and especially nice with all the different levels you go through. It really helps putting things in perspective. Also just en general a lot of good helpfull knowledge in the video. Thanks for great content as always Ben! 🙏
I will run the cph half in 3 weeks and hope to get under 1:40 hour. My current pb is 1:42 hour. I heard that the course there is very flat, so maybe i can achieve a pb. 🙏 i tried your half marathon training plan for this, but honestly the volume was way to high for me and i had to adjust it a bit for me. But i love the intervall sessions. Intervalls were always something i tried to avoid, but the sessions in your plan, are real fun. 💪🏻 wish you all the best. 🤙🏻
2:20 - leaving this comment to see how I track. I ran my first half in Feb '24 after 16 years, in 2hrs:14min. I'm doing another in 2 weeks, where I've been training between 30&40k per week. Come December, my aim is to crack the 50min 10k time again, so I can do 4 hour long runs a week and boost that weekly total to close to 50, as well as trying to improve that 10k time. Currently sitting at 57mins on the road and 55mins on a treadmill (ave 11kph). I'm going to come back in Feb '25 after the flat-track Half and see if I have A) cracked 50mins 10k on the road B) cracked 2hrs for the half C) averaged 50ks per week for the 13 weeks prior to race day D) cracked the 20min 5k. Wish me luck! See you in Feb!
One of my personal favourites is the Northumbria Costal half an amazing race across beaches and coastal paths . This year from Beadnell to Alnmouth not a pb course just a chance to see the much neglected east coast .
Done my first half marathon yesterday at St Neots. Very hilly for a first one but I finished it… yes it was a steady 1:54:41…. But least it gives me a reasonable time to try and smash next year!! May the training commence!!
5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1
I generally watch youtube videos x2 speed except Ben Parkes's videos 🤣
Dorney Lake Half in January. They do them regularly throughout the year but the temperature in January helps a lot for a PB if it isn't terribly windy. It's a fast course but very exposed.
The 10 Miler I ran was the first time I ever used a gel. Usually I just drink whatever is at the water stations. They usually have some kind of sports drink.
The comparison between a 1:30 half and 43mins 10k is the same tempo around 4:18/km pace.. you must mean a 1:35 half right? Anyway perfect timing for this video since im 6 weeks out from my HM!
As some one that lived in a hillly town also I rarely did track workouts usually the team would find a nice half a mile hilly loop and just push hard during the uphill and cruise into the finish usually mostly down hill of the loop rest for a couple minutes and repeat. Start of the season building fitness we would do 2-3 loops then cool down for a mile or so by the end of the training block peak weeks you build up to 7-8 loops maybe even 10 if your really fit For flat work we always ran at the local high school when no one was around !
@@UrbanBryanI live in Atlanta. There are lots of tracks but few of them are free to anyone but college and high school athletes. Atlanta is a college town.
I am due to do another half marathon in May next year - during this summer I have been running daily 10k in zone 2 to build up running volume. Since my next half marathon is still quite long time away should I build up to 20k long run and maintain it afterwards or what is the best option?
I just ran a PB this weekend.. 30 seconds faster than my first 2 years ago... 2 years to gain 30 seconds thanks to losing a full year and any progress plus having to come back due to long covid -_-
The 1h45-2h level 2 plan is more dedicated towards the 1h45 than the 2. It all depends on how often you run right now, your paces, recovery etc. but I would say the 1h35-1h45 level 3 plan is probably too intense for you currently. I used the 1h45 plan from Global Triathlon Network and ended up with a 1h46. Ben's plan is very similar but slightly more intense so should get you that 1h45 PB if you really put work into it.
I've been trying to do running drills but even after watching videos and such I have no real clue what I'm doing trying it on my own. And all the running clubs have a fairly pricey fee
Ben said a while back when he was injured "focus on what you can do, not what you can't". Things like swimming, bike, elliptical and strength training. Then when it's healed you'll still have retained most fitness and maybe even be stronger in some ways
I don't think a sub 43 minute PB is not going to get you a 1:30 half marathon. You'd have to run two 42:40 10ks twice within your half marathon! I would think you'd have to be under 40 minutes on your 10k at least to get to 1:30.
Its just the pace you need to be hitting to start the training block, not get the sub 1:30 half. By the end of the training block which is 12 weeks away, you'll be hitting the sub 1:30 half.
The first answer explains what is meant in the video. From my personal experience: I didn’t manage to run a 40min for the 10k, but did a 1:29 in the HM.
Saying you need 12 weeks of training for a half-marathon is highly dependent on your current fitness level. If you’ve only run 5Ks and occasionally a 10K, 12 weeks may be far too short to safely prepare for a half-marathon. While it’s possible to complete it, the risk of injury is significantly higher due to the sudden increase in training load over a short period. Ideally, you should spend at least 12 weeks building a solid base, gradually increasing your distance to 10-15 km. Only after that foundation should you begin a half-marathon-specific training program.
Easiest way to pr in the half is to run your first one
🤣🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍🏴
You've unlocked the running secret. We should have all have just run a single 5k, 10k, half and full marathon then retired. Guaranteed PBs
Gonna do exactly that in Dec feeling like "as long as I finish, I'm gonna PB YAYYY!" Takes off all the stress. I mean I know I can do a sub-2 hour, I train for a sub-1:50, perhaps even sub 1:45 but honestly If I pull sth and hobble to the finish line I'll still be all smiles.
@@TheWeightliftingTriathlete Hahaha
Run your first one slowly, for fun, and to say you completed it, then when you train for the next one, you will almost certainly beat your last one
Agree with you Ben, faster sessions is the key. I always did 2x hills a week, one long, one short and steep . Never followed the 80/20. Mine was more 50/50 😂. I managed 64:14 for a half. Long reps (1k +) too - hated them but they work and I think 10 mile races are great and it’s a shame there are so few .
I miss being able to include hills as part of my training. I moved from Wellington to Levin 6 years ago. Running 10k around the hilly/winding streets of the suburbs of Wellington does wonders for overall fitness.
Levin on the other hand is COMPLETELY flat. So I have to rely more on intervals/fartleks and what I grew up knowing as Commando sprints. Jog 50m, sprint 50m (between 2 lamp posts) for the distance of the run.
That and spending money in the gym to do hill sessions on a treadmill, which isn't quite the same.
To achieve my sub-90 I did a weekly progression run on my commercial treadmill (@ 1% incline). 16km in total. 4km each @ 12km'h, then @ 12.7km/h, then @ 13.4km/h, then @ 14.1km/h. That final 4km was tough, especially having already run 12km and continually bumping up the pace. My other speed session was 11x reps of 400m on the treadmill @ 3% incline, @ 14.5km/h.
@@thepsychologist8159 sounds about what I do on the treadmill once a week. Progressive speed sessions starting at 12kmh, then a "hill setting" session at a constant 12kph. Both for an hour or so total.
@@RatelHBadger I bought my treadmill in August 2022 and it's one of the best investments I've ever made. And I say investment, because it has transformed my running. I especially love it for doing easy runs (especially when the weather outside is crap). I found in the earlier days I was either running my easy days too fast, or I'd speed up during the run. With a treadmill, it's 'set and forget'. Just put on some music and off you go.
@@thepsychologist8159 yeah it's fantastic for the variations. Unfortunately with a young family I don't have the luxury of space for a treadmill. All my gear is packed into a corner of the garage. Still, $10 a week at the gym is reasonable enough for 2 treadmill and a weights session a week, to not break the bank or eat into too much spare/family time outside of work.
I did a 1:49:37 half in April and just used two GU gels. One I brought with me and used in mile 6, and one I picked up at the 8.5 mile station. I have sinus issues on long runs, so I brought 5 hankies with me and dropped 4 of them in the trash cans along the way, so I was shedding weight as I went.
Did my first HF last year after an ACL recovery. Did 1h58 as I normally do a lot of alpine hiking. Now I am looking to beat myself, these insights are super nice! Thanks for all the information, I hope to be able to keep 4:58 min per km. Which at the moment seems crazy to me, but I am training for it. I will definitely apply this info to my training.
Good things as always, Ben! I used your half marathon plan last year to drop my BP from a 1:43 to a 1:35 in a single training block. I lost some fitness recovering from an ankle injury early this year, but am building back and aiming to break that 1:35 barrier in my next race. Cheers!
Wow, awesome job!
That’s really impressive.
You're nearly at 200k, have you got a special video planned yet? Great to see your channel growing! 🥳
Good advice. I would add getting used to heat. Do not only train at cool hours during summer, train at the hottest ones too and you get used to it. Good idea to even wear a bit more clothes during some of the training if you the weather is nice and cool for weeks before and you might get hit by a heatwave in the event.
Just downloaded! I’ve done two marathons but never a half. Aiming for 1:30. Perfect timing Ben. My race is on Dec 1.
Auckland Half Marathon in November and Sydney Half Marathon in September are awesome races
I did the Wellington Round The Bays half in Feb this year. How does the Auckland course compare?
Waterfront Half in Auckland is even faster!
1:44:00 pb last Sunday in 3 days it will be exactly 1 year from my running journey start
Speed work, yoga, strength training, and easy runs are in my coach’s recipe. Thank you for all your videos, you are an inspiration. From a fan “on the other side of the pond”. 😂
My fastest time is here in Taiwan; I completed a half marathon in 2 hours and am now aiming for 1:45. That's why I joined your channel for my next goal. Kudos to you! ❤️
❤❤ LOVE THIS!! 👏👏 i will try these !!
Always so well rounded, comprehensive and explained in an easy going way 🎉
Classic Ben Parkes - thank you!
From my perspective the proposed volume seems to be on the high end.
But I can understand that it’s both the optimal high end as it’s written in the plans as well as a well rounded guarantee-the-finish-time approach for everyone.
But I’ve known lots of runners achieving the respective times with less runs per week and less total volume.
Hey Ben, keep up the amazing work, I recently finished my first marathon 🎉. It was tough but followed your marathon plan and smashed my goal!! Highly recommend your plans.
I used one of bens programmes after failing to go under 1:30:00 twice… completed the programme which was really great and got under 1:25:00. Great programme.
"after failing to go under 1:30:00 twice"
- I get what you're saying, I missed the first time by 1:02. But in my opinion it was never failure, I always knew I could do it, it was just working out the correct formulae, both in training and for the race.
Wow, nice jump in time😊
i did my first race last week new PB 5KM 27:30 ( my last PB was 32:00) but i did get new running shoes so that helped alot.
Really nice video, and especially nice with all the different levels you go through. It really helps putting things in perspective. Also just en general a lot of good helpfull knowledge in the video. Thanks for great content as always Ben! 🙏
Great video as always ! Anyway to get these plans over on the garmin watch?
I will run the cph half in 3 weeks and hope to get under 1:40 hour. My current pb is 1:42 hour. I heard that the course there is very flat, so maybe i can achieve a pb. 🙏 i tried your half marathon training plan for this, but honestly the volume was way to high for me and i had to adjust it a bit for me. But i love the intervall sessions. Intervalls were always something i tried to avoid, but the sessions in your plan, are real fun. 💪🏻 wish you all the best. 🤙🏻
How did you do??
I am I the middle of a program. I got for chicago marathon , which is on the 13th October The plan is pretty good and simple to follow 👌👌
Santa Rosa marathon / Half marathon. Santa Rosa, CA. Good weather (55-60F and dry race time) Flat and fast, shaved 5 minutes off my PB.
Hey from America! We have jam and jelly! 😂 Jam is better. Less processed. Jelly looks like jello.
Great video!
2:20 - leaving this comment to see how I track.
I ran my first half in Feb '24 after 16 years, in 2hrs:14min. I'm doing another in 2 weeks, where I've been training between 30&40k per week.
Come December, my aim is to crack the 50min 10k time again, so I can do 4 hour long runs a week and boost that weekly total to close to 50, as well as trying to improve that 10k time. Currently sitting at 57mins on the road and 55mins on a treadmill (ave 11kph).
I'm going to come back in Feb '25 after the flat-track Half and see if I have
A) cracked 50mins 10k on the road
B) cracked 2hrs for the half
C) averaged 50ks per week for the 13 weeks prior to race day
D) cracked the 20min 5k.
Wish me luck! See you in Feb!
I am training for my half marathon thanks for the advice.
One of my personal favourites is the Northumbria Costal half an amazing race across beaches and coastal paths . This year from Beadnell to Alnmouth not a pb course just a chance to see the much neglected east coast .
I'm running galway half in 3 weeks. I'm aiming for 2 hours 15 as my first 5k was only 50 days ago! I probably went in too fast but I'm so excited
Done my first half marathon yesterday at St Neots. Very hilly for a first one but I finished it… yes it was a steady 1:54:41…. But least it gives me a reasonable time to try and smash next year!!
May the training commence!!
I generally watch youtube videos x2 speed except Ben Parkes's videos 🤣
Oxford is a good one Ben mate.Got a 1.28 finish there,a P.B
Im running the Great North Run in a few weeks so this is helpful.
Dorney Lake Half in January. They do them regularly throughout the year but the temperature in January helps a lot for a PB if it isn't terribly windy. It's a fast course but very exposed.
Love a Ben Parkes plan used them to get a PB in the half 80:29 and marathon 2:58 need to get myself a 2025 MP plan .
Nice one Ben! Guys, coming from the tropics, what should be my running attire late September in UK? Gloves? 😅
The 10 Miler I ran was the first time I ever used a gel. Usually I just drink whatever is at the water stations. They usually have some kind of sports drink.
Great Eastern Run in Peterborough (October) is a good PB course. Fast and flat.
Hi Ben. Do you have a maintenance training plan available? Not currently training for an event but still looking for some structure. Thanks!
Hoping for London half this year looking at 1:55-2:00 😊
The comparison between a 1:30 half and 43mins 10k is the same tempo around 4:18/km pace.. you must mean a 1:35 half right? Anyway perfect timing for this video since im 6 weeks out from my HM!
Be in a place to train for it I believe.
That makes sense.. you must be right. 🫨
Are you doing Ealing?
Hi Ben. Where can I get that pink gloves that you use all the time? 😁
I live in a hilly area. How am I supposed to do speed work on a flat surface when there are no flat surfaces?
As some one that lived in a hillly town also I rarely did track workouts usually the team would find a nice half a mile hilly loop and just push hard during the uphill and cruise into the finish usually mostly down hill of the loop rest for a couple minutes and repeat. Start of the season building fitness we would do 2-3 loops then cool down for a mile or so by the end of the training block peak weeks you build up to 7-8 loops maybe even 10 if your really fit
For flat work we always ran at the local high school when no one was around !
@@UrbanBryanI live in Atlanta. There are lots of tracks but few of them are free to anyone but college and high school athletes. Atlanta is a college town.
I am due to do another half marathon in May next year - during this summer I have been running daily 10k in zone 2 to build up running volume. Since my next half marathon is still quite long time away should I build up to 20k long run and maintain it afterwards or what is the best option?
hi bro.. love from Malaysia. 🤝
I just ran a PB this weekend.. 30 seconds faster than my first 2 years ago... 2 years to gain 30 seconds thanks to losing a full year and any progress plus having to come back due to long covid -_-
A PB is a PB buddy, congratulations on it!
But you kept going and came back despite your setbacks. Keep up the good work that's the important thing
Watching this 3 weeks away from my first half marathon race realising I may have fucked up
Good luck (this weekend?)!
@roses7688 yeah it is, crammed as much training in short term full of cold but I'm sure il be fine
@@fraserhanvey9739 any update?
@fraserhanvey9739 Same scenario but I take it as a gauge for the future races
How was your experience, coz now I'm in this position
2:23 I have to question needing to run up to 54 miles per week. I maxed at 25 miles, age 48 and did 1 hr 27 for a half, and I am not a gifted runner.
Just PB’d the GNR. 1:27:20. Following a 5k PB the day before @ 18:24
No fuel,no training and stress fracture😅
Next goal is sub 1:20 half
Can you get faster for the 5k 10k hm and even the marathon distance by training in fat max mostly
Or do u really need the faster runs
Maybe a stupid question but how does 3 × 8' half marathon pace helps me to run that same pace for 90 minutes long?
Ben, you won't be selling long sleeve shirts anymore?
Wouldn't it be better to spread your strides out during your easy run in example a stride every kilometer instead for doing a bunch at the end?
Do both , this is generally my go to during the base stage or just running before any specific training
Hi, if i ran my first half marathon in 1.57 and my goal for next one is 1.45, which plan do I choose 1.35-1.45 or 1.45-2h ?
The 1h45-2h level 2 plan is more dedicated towards the 1h45 than the 2. It all depends on how often you run right now, your paces, recovery etc. but I would say the 1h35-1h45 level 3 plan is probably too intense for you currently.
I used the 1h45 plan from Global Triathlon Network and ended up with a 1h46. Ben's plan is very similar but slightly more intense so should get you that 1h45 PB if you really put work into it.
The 1:35 ... good luck 👍
I've been trying to do running drills but even after watching videos and such I have no real clue what I'm doing trying it on my own. And all the running clubs have a fairly pricey fee
Running clubs and a fee?!there are a lot of free run clubs in different cities
@@itsevelinakp Yea all the ones I see in my town have a membership requirement and they charge a monthly fee for the membership.
I thought your Marathon was rapid until I saw this mate! Is your Half time your ‘fastest’ race equivalent?
What’s throwing me with the audio sync here? 😂.
How do you define " OLD ?"...old enough to know better...??😂😂
Love your videos Ben but I can assure you that 50km per week to run sub 2 is excessive
He said it’s only peak week or 2 in training not the entire training time
Calf strain is ruining my running life…. 😢
Ben said a while back when he was injured "focus on what you can do, not what you can't". Things like swimming, bike, elliptical and strength training. Then when it's healed you'll still have retained most fitness and maybe even be stronger in some ways
@@TheWeightliftingTriathleteit’s a fabulous point. Thank you
”Warm down”??? As if I would do a ”cool up” in the beginning of the run… 😂
I don't think a sub 43 minute PB is not going to get you a 1:30 half marathon. You'd have to run two 42:40 10ks twice within your half marathon! I would think you'd have to be under 40 minutes on your 10k at least to get to 1:30.
Its just the pace you need to be hitting to start the training block, not get the sub 1:30 half. By the end of the training block which is 12 weeks away, you'll be hitting the sub 1:30 half.
From what I have experienced, running sub 40 is much more difficult
The first answer explains what is meant in the video.
From my personal experience: I didn’t manage to run a 40min for the 10k, but did a 1:29 in the HM.
In terms of difficulty it's 40min 10k, then 1:30 HM, then 20min 5k
FIRST😁
Saying you need 12 weeks of training for a half-marathon is highly dependent on your current fitness level. If you’ve only run 5Ks and occasionally a 10K, 12 weeks may be far too short to safely prepare for a half-marathon. While it’s possible to complete it, the risk of injury is significantly higher due to the sudden increase in training load over a short period. Ideally, you should spend at least 12 weeks building a solid base, gradually increasing your distance to 10-15 km. Only after that foundation should you begin a half-marathon-specific training program.
No way you need to do 4-5 runs a week for sub 1:45 😂 u can do it off 2 easily. I just ran a 1.33 off 3 runs a week highest weekly km was 42.