What half-marathon training plans have you used?

[DisneyRunner]

I officially started my training for a half in June yesterday. In the past, I've used Jeff Galloway's plans. Last year, I used a plan that seemed to be to challenging. I think I was overtrained and not rested. I'm just curious what other plans are out there. Whose plan have you used? Thanks. :wave:

 

[joel_maxwell]

I officially started my training for a half in June yesterday. In the past, I've used Jeff Galloway's plans. Last year, I used a plan that seemed to be to challenging. I think I was overtrained and not rested. I'm just curious what other plans are out there. Whose plan have you used? Thanks. :wave:

I have used the Galloway plan before and felt that on race day, I was in shape enough to finish, but not competitively. I looked at the Hal Higdon schedule before and though that I would be worn out by race day. This is the second time I have used his second tier Novice schedule and I believe, once you get pasted a certain plateau/threshold, you wont be tired on race day if you follow the schedule on taper time. I was logging 35-40 miles a week with long runs on the weekend and have never felt fatigued. I was ready for 26.2

I think it all depends on what your goals are, how much rest you get and what your diet is. I will say this, if you find a schedule you like and it works for you, stick with it. The grass isnt always greener and you dont want to do like I did and be a little disappointed on race day feeling not trained enough.

 

[Fievel]

I'll vouch for Hal Higdon's plan.

Although I didn't have a great time (my only goal was to finish), I didn't feel exhausted at the end of it, either.:shrug:

 

[scorp111]

My first half, I just made up a hybrid plan, mostly based on Hal's run types, even if the mileages were off. But I decided pretty late to run that half, so I didn't do the full plan. I finished my first half with no walking in 2:07:58, and was pretty happy with it.

I am now using his intermediate 1/2 plan for my next 1/2 which is scheduled for 4/30 in Nashville. My time goal is actually going to be unchanged due to the fact that Nashville will be a hillier course than my first half.

My 3rd half on October 1st is where I would really like to show time improvement.

 

[joel_maxwell]

I need to revise my statement about Jeff Galloway. Pulling the biggest positive out of a mediocre experience, Jeff did teach me that I could take walk breaks at certain distances and it wouldnt affect my final time negatively, but actually positively. At one point, Dave did this big diagram math explanation that was really neat on how walking actually increased your time... or at least wouldn't hurt it.

 

[DisneyRunner]

This will be my fourth half-marathon.