1

hour 45 mins to 2 hour Rugby Half Marathon Training Plan

About the Plan
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If you have chosen this training plan you should be aiming for a half marathon finishing time of between 1:45 and 2:00 hours.
You should be able to run a 10k at between 48 and 55 minutes (without stopping) if you are taking on this plan.
Pacing: before you set out on this plan you should aim to set yourself three running paces/intensities: to give you a guide Green should be a
recovery/easy pace, you should be able to run continuously at this pace for much longer than the duration of a half-marathon! Yellow should be
steady/tempo, and will aim to improve general endurance. You are having to work to some extent to maintain this pace/intensity. Aim to complete your
half marathon running at this intensity. It will be difficult to hold a continued conversation at this pace A Red workout should feel heavy: it is especially
important to take on water and sugars following this intensity of workout. It is at this pace you would aim to run 5-10k, and this pace will be used for
interval sessions during the plan aimed at optimising your speed-endurance.
The plan is set out to be progressive the duration and intensity of each week will gradually increase up to 2 weeks before the race, at which point you
will start tapering this is preparation for your race through decreasing your training load and ensuring you are not fatigued on the day.

Key:

= easy/comfortable

= moderate/steady

=hard/heavy

Week

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

25-minute run at
green pace

Rest

Rest

4.5 miles at yellow

pace

Rest

5.5 miles; first 1.5 at

green pace, the rest
at yellow pace

30-minute run at
green pace

Rest

Rest

5 miles at yellow
pace

Rest

6 miles at yellow
pace

35-minute run at
green pace

Rest

Rest

5.5 miles at yellow

pace

Rest

6.5 miles at yellow

pace

4
[recovery
week]

30 minute run at
green pace

Rest

25-minute interval
session: 3 x 3
minutes at yellow
pace separated by 3
minutes at green
pace. Last 7 minutes
at green pace.
30-minute interval
session: 3 x 3
minutes at yellow
pace separated by 3
minutes at green
pace; 2 x 2 minutes
at red pace
separated by 3
minutes at green
pace; 4 minutes cool
down at green pace.
30 minute interval
session: 5 x 3
minutes at red pace
separated by 3
minutes at green
pace if possible
carry this session out
at an athletics track.
30 minute interval
session: 5 x 3
minutes at yellow
pace separated by 3
minutes at green
pace

Rest

5 miles at yellow
pace

Rest

5.5 miles at yellow

pace

40 minute run: first Rest

20 at green pace,
second at yellow
pace

5 x 1k (red pace/as
fast as possible)
separated by 3
minutes at green
pace if possible
carry out this session
on an athletics track
6 x 1k (as fast as
possible)
separated with 3
minutes at green
pace. Try to maintain
the same pace
(within ~10 seconds)
for all 1k reps.
Track session: 2 x (4
x 400m) as fast as
possible separated
by 1600m (1 mile) at
yellow pace. 200m
brisk walk recovery
between each 400m.
Hill reps: 8 x 1
minute (2 minutes
jog recovery)

Rest

10k starting at
yellow pace and
build up to the last 2
miles, and complete
these at red pace

Rest

7 miles at intended
marathon pace
(aim for 9 minutes
per mile)

45 minute run: 25
minutes at green
pace, the final 20
minutes at yellow
pace

Rest

Rest

11k (6.8 miles) at

yellow pace

Rest

8 miles at intended
marathon pace
(aim for 9 minutes
per mile)

50 minute run: 25
minutes at green
pace, 25 minutes at
yellow pace

Rest

Rest

7.5 miles at yellow

pace

Rest

9 miles at intended
marathon pace
(aim for between
8:30 and 9 minutes
per mile)

35-minute run: 20
minutes at green
pace, 15 minutes at
yellow pace

Rest

Rest

5 miles at yellow
pace

Rest

10 miles (aim for

8:30 9 minutes per
mile)

9 [taper]

35-minute recovery
run at green pace

Rest

6 x 400m with 400m

jog recovery
between each

Rest

5.5 miles at
yellow/8:30 pace

Rest

10k (6.2 miles) at

yellow pace - aim for
50 minutes

10 [taper]

25-minute recovery
run at green pace

Rest

4 miles (alternate 1
mile at green pace 1
mile at yellow pace

Rest

3 miles easy jog at

green pace

Rest

RACE

General Tips
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The plan is set as a guide if you feel as though you are doing too much or too little, alter your training appropriately
When doing interval type sessions and repetitions (red sessions), ensure that each rep in consistent in its pace. Dont go off too fast on the first one,
which could lead to the last one being a lot slower.
Try and mix your routes up a bit aim not to do the same course every week or boredom is bound to set in! If possible closer to the race, try and include
some of the race course into your plan, that way you will know exactly what to expect and how you can adjust your pace at specific points to get the best
possible time!
A good way to plan your routes is using an online mapping tool for example www.mapmyrun.com or will give you run-specific, quiet routes. You can
even save and keep records of your times for each run route!
If you feel aches and pains arent just general tiredness after a run, take a few days off. Alternatively you can include cross training (e.g. cross trainer in the
gym, circuit training, cycling). If you are able to carry on training through these methods there is no reason why you cannot just jump straight back into
your training plan, feeling stronger and fresher!

Nutrition
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While training: include a diet with plenty of slow-release carbohydrates (e.g. pasta, rice, potato, porridge). It is important after training sessions to eat a
protein-rich meal (e.g. lean meat such as chicken) and replace sugars lost through exercise this can be done through consuming fast-release
carbohydrates (e.g. cereal bars, fruit, cake, it can even be as simple as highly-concentrated cordial!).
During the race: everyone has their own preferences it is important to try different strategies that work best for you, especially in your long runs. It is
vital to remain hydrated, and because water stations are set out regularly along the course, all the water you should need will be provided here. Simply
consuming little and often will keep you going: half a cup every ~15 20 minutes (roughly every 2 miles) is all that is needed. If you drink too much you will
feel heavy, and majorly excessive water consumption can lead to a dangerous condition known as hyponatremia. Any solid food you eat should be kept to
a minimum to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort; gels alongside water should generally suffice, but again this should be tried and tested during your
training before you implement it in a race. It is generally advised that events lasting longer than 90 minutes will require additional sugars however do
NOT take too much too early or you will experience what is generally known as a sugar crash the increase in blood sugar will result in increased insulin
action, so you will go very rapidly from feeling extremely good (sugar high) to crashing. It is best to take on your sugars 50 minutes to an hour into the
event (roughly half way) so they can act at the point where you would otherwise struggle i.e. around about the 90-minute mark.

Good luck and happy training!

Produced by Bangor University Applied Sport and Exercise Science Masters student Sam Green.
Before partaking in exercise training ensure you are medically fit to do so. Seek medical advice if you are unsure.