[rnate]

Hi,

In the last 6 months I’ve trained for and completed a 50K and two marathons using the training strategies from TFTNA, Uphill Athlete, and Luke Nelson’s Intro to Ultra Running Training Plan. I would like to thank you for helping me accomplish goals I would have never even dreamed of before.

The question is, can I train for a fast 1/2 marathon, sub 1:30, without derailing all the hard work I’ve put into optimize my body for endurance? I’ve been participating in this local half marathon race for the past 7 years and was hoping to PR this year, April 5th. I feel prepared for a 50K, or even 50 miler, but I’m slow pace wise to PR in this 1/2 marathon. I feel like I would have to do a lot of high intensity running to accomplish this PR. I’ve worked hard to cure myself of ADS, is 2.5 months of high intensity training going to reinfect me?

Thanks

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on January 22, 2020 at 10:59 am #36712

…is 2.5 months of high intensity training going to reinfect me?

Yes it would, but there’s good news. You shouldn’t train for a half-marathon that way anyway.

If your goal event is longer than 90 seconds, then the training methods are largely the same. (Ask Michael Phelps… His coach has a philosophy similar to ours here at UA.)

For a 90-minute event, you should limit high-intensity training to 5-7% of your total training time. So in a 10-hour training week, high-intensity should be no more than 30-45 minutes in order to maintain your aerobic capacity (base).

For example, when Moses Mosop ran 2h03m in his first marathon, only 5% of his training was high-intensity (above aerobic threshold).

[rnate]

rnate on January 23, 2020 at 4:43 am #36756

I’ll carry on the good fight then!

Thank you

[l.tregan]

l.tregan on January 24, 2020 at 1:50 am #36816

So in a 10-hour training week, high-intensity should be more than 3

Small typo: *no* more I guess ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on January 24, 2020 at 10:36 am #36833

Thanks for catching that! #corrected