IMPROVERS' TRAINING PLAN

Already have a half or two under your belt, and want to get faster? Here's how.

Push The Tempo

"Your aerobic system provides over 99% of the energy for a half, so working on that system is your highest priority," says Pete Pfitzinger, coach and author of Faster Road Racing. But a diet of easy kays won't cut it. Coach Jeff Gaudette says the 21.1km distance is "a blend of speed, endurance and stamina - the ability to hold a fast pace for a long time". He suggests balancing tempo runs with long-interval speedwork. "You also need quality long runs, so you can teach your body how to run fast late in the race, when you're tired," he says.

Start Where You Are

"Runners interested in going for a PB need to know how fast they can run," says coach and author Hal Higdon. Plug one or two of your most recent race times (the closer they are to half marathon distance, the better) into an online pace calculator to establish a goal pace, which you can then review after any races in your build-up.