14 Week Improver Half Marathon Training Plan
You should do the improver schedule if you plan to run 4 times per week and would consider yourself to be a regular runner.
Former elite athlete, Martin Yelling, suggests a routine to help you improve your running – maybe you’re looking to get faster over the half marathon distance, or maybe you just want to take your running routine to the next level.
You should do the improver schedule if you plan to run 4 times per week and would consider yourself to be a regular runner.
Monday is for ‘miles in the bank’. Just do the running.
Tuesday is for quality intended to help you run faster.
Thursday is for building your tolerance to race pace and the weekend for developing your stamina to go the distance!
Wednesday and Sat or Sun are active recovery’ days.
Friday is a total rest day.
Remember, if it’s easier for your own situation you can change the days of the schedule around to best fit with your specific needs. So, instead of running Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, you might run Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The type of running should stay the same, just on different days of the week.
14 week improver plan
- 14 weeks to go
M: 5 mins easy walk, 15 mins easy run, 5 mins easy walk
T: 5 mins brisk walk, 20 mins easy run, 5 mins brisk walk
W:
T: 25 mins easy running
F:
S: 40 mins easy running
S:
- 13 weeks to go
M: 20 mins easy run
T: 40 mins easy run
W:
T: 30 mins easy run
F:
S: 50 mins easy run
S:
- 12 weeks to go
M: 30 mins easy run
T: 10 mins easy run, (2 min tempo pace, 2 mins walk/run) x 6, 10 mins easy run
W:
T: 5 mins easy run, 20 mins steady run, 10 mins faster, 5 mins easy run
F:
S: 60 mins easy run
S:
- 11 weeks to go
M: 40 mins easy run
T: 10 min easy run, (3 min fast run, 2 min easy run.) Repeat x 5, 10 min easy run
W:
T: 5 mins easy running, 15 mins steady run, 5 mins faster run, 10mins easy.
F:
S: 70 mins easy run
S:
- 10 weeks to go
M: 35 mins easy run
T: 10 mins easy, (4 mins tempo pace, with 2 mins jog rec) x 5, 10 mins easy run
W:
T: 5 mins easy running, 10 min steady run, 10 min tempo run, 5 min faster run, 10 min easy run.
F:
S: 80 mins easy run
S:
- 9 weeks to go
M: 40 mins easy run
T: 10 mins easy: Hills: 5 x 60 secs hills tempo, with a jog down rec. 10mins easy jog
W:
T: 10 mins easy running, (5 mins steady, 5 mins tempo, 2 mins jog) x 3, 10mins easy
F:
S: 90 mins easy run
S:
- 8 weeks to go - do a race or have a lighter training week
M: 40 mins easy run
T:
W: 30 mins easy
T:
F: 20 mins easy
S: Race a 10k/5 mile road race
S:
- 7 weeks to go
M: 40 mins easy run
T: 10 mins easy run. Hills: 7 x 60 secs hill, jog down to recover. 10mins easy
W:
T: 10 mins easy. (4 x 10 mins tempo running, 2.5min jog/walk recover), 10 mins easy
F:
S: 1 hour 40 mins easy
S:
- 6 weeks to go
M: 40 mins easy run
T: 10 min easy, fartlek run for 40 min, run hard up hills. Run 10 min easy.
W:
T: 10 min easy run, (5 min fast run, 2 min easy run) Repeat 5 x 10 min easy
F:
S: 1 hour 50 mins easy
S:
- 5 weeks to go: Low intensity week
M: 30 mins easy run
T: 60 mins easy run
W:
T: 40 mins easy running
F:
S: 2 hours easy running ‐ time on feet.
S:
- 4 weeks to go
M: 40 mins easy running
T: 60 mins easy run
W:
T: Jog 15 min easy, (3 min fast run, 1 min easy run, 2 min fast run, 1 min easy run,1 min fast run, 1 min easy run) Repeat 2 x, 15 min easy run.
F:
S: 90 mins (30 mins easy, 30 mins at your half marathon pace, 30 mins easy)
S:
- 3 weeks to go
M: 30 mins easy running
T: 10 min easy, (6 min fast run, 2 min easy run) Repeat 4 x, 10 min easy run
W:
T: 40 mins steady run
F:
S: 90 mins easy running
S:
- 2 weeks to go
M: 30 mins easy running
T: Run 10 min easy. (3 min fast run, 2 min easy run) Repeat 3 x
Walk 5 min brisk. (3 min hard run, 2min easy run) Repeat 2x
10 min easy run.W:
T: Run 5min easy. Run 20min in at half marathon race pace, run 10 min easy.
F:
S: 1 hour easy running
S:
- 1 weeks to go: A light week to make sure you feel energized on the start line
M: Rest
T: Jog 10 min easy, (run 3 min at half marathon race pace, 3 min easy.) Repeat 2x. Jog 10 min easy
W: 15 mins easy
T: Rest
F: 10 mins easy
S: Rest
S: Half marathon race: Good luck!
