ADVANCED HALF MARATHON TIPS

Expert advice on how to maximise your 21.1 potential.

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As an experienced runner, you'll have notched up a few halves and will be comfortable with the distance - but perhaps you're yet to do 21.1km justice. "Optimal half prep involves a middle ground between 10K and marathon training," says veteran coach Jack Daniels.

Know Your Threshold

Lactate-threshold (LT) pace is the effort you can sustain for about an hour, and is probably 5 to 10 seconds a kay faster than your goal halfmarathon pace. It's a pace running coach Pete Pfitzinger recommends you work with in your bid for a faster half. "A relatively new approach to tempo runs involves interspersing harder efforts with training at, or slightly slower than, LT pace," he says. The rationale is that the faster segments lead to increased lactate production, while the slower pace improves your body's ability to use that lactate as fuel. Try this: 10 mins easy; 4 mins at LT pace; 4 mins at 10 secs per kay faster than LT pace. Then 4 x 4 mins at LT pace; 2 mins at 10 secs per kay faster than LT pace. Finish with 10 mins easy. Increase the number of intervals or add a minute to the faster segments to progress.

Groove Your Race Pace