Half marathon training: a proven approach for female masters

Periodization matters

With a good training background and participating in competitions, these women were obviously committed runners and had enough knowledge to perform quite well in their chosen events. But the question the researchers wanted to know was whether these runners could perform better if they followed a long-term, periodized training plan that was also adaptable to each runner’s abilities and lifestyle? The concept of periodization was particularly important. Periodization in a program entails continually varying the workload and intensity in repeated cycles to provide the right balance of training stimulus but with optimum recovery and training adaptation⁽¹²⁾ – see this article for a more in-depth discussion.

Despite the proven benefits of periodization, research shows that many half marathon runners default to a non-periodized strategy, running a fixed number of kilometres or using fixed intensities throughout a training cycle. In one study on distance runners, researchers discovered that 56% of runners become injured during training or competitions, or engaged in demanding training exceeding 100kms per week, which was often followed by excessive fatigue, making it difficult for the runners to maintain their levels of motivation and diminishing running satisfaction⁽¹³⁾. And as mentioned earlier, amateur runners who do attempt to structure their training using the principles of periodization typically follow programs for or adapted from those developed for elite runners, which may be far from ideal⁽¹⁴⁾.

The goal of this new research therefore was to develop, apply, and confirm the efficiency of a staggered (periodized) physical training program over one year (macrocycle) for female master (+45) half marathoners. In particular, the researchers aimed to introduce the elements of experience and good practices of nationally and internationally recognized runners, but in a way that was adapted for amateur runners by manipulating volume and intensity.

What they did

Six female amateur masters runners were recruited and underwent initial medical screening and fitness testing. Following this, the runners were given a 12-month periodized training program to follow. This consisted of 12 mesocycles (one per month) and 52 microcycles (one per week), with each microcycle consisting of 4-5 training sessions per week, depending on the training period. During the year-long program, the runners perform assigned road race events, which were used for monitoring and testing. In these events, the runners were given individual target times, calculated on meaningful gains in running fitness. These events were:

·        January - road run 10km

·        February - road run 21km

·        March - road run 21km, plus testing

·        April - road run 21km plus testing

·        May – competition in the European Masters Athletics Championships (21km)

The overall structure of this 12-month program was as follows:

·        General preparatory period (4^th October 2021 to 1^st November 2021)

·        Specific physical preparation period (1^st November 2021 to 30^th January 2022)

·        Pre-competition period (31^st January to 3^rd April 2022

·        Competition period (4^th April to 18^th September 2022)

·        Transition period (19^th to 30^th September 2022).

During the general preparation phase, training volume and intensity increased gradually, while in the specific preparation and pre-competition periods, the volume decreased to medium, and intensity increased to an optimal level. In the competition period, the intensity fluctuated from high (submaximal) to optimal for the half marathon event, while volume fluctuated from high to medium, depending on runners’ performances and test results in the assigned events listed above. The periodized volume and intensity variations throughout the year can be seen in figure 1. For a detailed breakdown of the types of training sessions performed in each mesocycle, readers are directed to table 4 of the study.

Figure 1: Periodized 12-month half marathon training plan

Each mesocycle (blue bar) represents the volume (kms run) in a month’s training. Each microcycle = one week’s training. PFG = general preparation; PFS = specific preparation; PCP = pre-competition; PC = competition; PT = transition. Orange plot = average intensity of each mesocycle in terms of % of max heart rate (MHR). Note that apart from the competition period, increases in volume are accompanied by decreases in intensity and vice versa. Totals: training days = 235; training sessions = 235; macrocycles = 1; mesocycles = 12; field tests = 5.

What they found

Although the runners were given this periodized program to follow, they self-trained – ie they were NOT coached, but were simply left to apply it in their own training (as would be the case for most amateur runners). The first finding was that the average total running volume achieved by the runners through the year was around 2,350km – about 90% of the volume proposed in the training program. This was an encouraging result as it meant that by and large, the runners had largely met the volume demands placed on them, without needing to take time off for illness or injury.

Secondly, the training intensity achieved by the runners was around 95% of that prescribed in the program – again, encouraging because it meant that the runners had by and large managed to complete their high-quality sessions. Thirdly and perhaps most importantly, the athletes’ performances in the five tests were either better than or equivalent to the proposed times, which meant that despite having around ten year’s training experience, the athletes were achieving better times than in previous years. This was evidence by the results of the European Masters Athletics Championships held in May 2022 in Italy. In the over-50 category, one runner recorded her personal best time of 01:45:52, while another placed 3^rd in the over-45 category. A third runner placed 8^th in the over-55 category, another placed 12^th in the over-50 category while another placed 17^th in the over-45 category.

Using this information

The authors concluded that implementing this 12-month periodized plan can provide amateur runners with a safe and effective training structure, contributing to improved health and athletic performance, and serve as a guideline model for amateur runners who do not have access to coaching. What makes these findings interesting and relevant for amateur runners is that the periodized training plan used was tested on amateur runners who self trained, so is likely to be high transferable to other amateur distance runners without access to coaching.

How can you adapt this program to your own half-marathon training? The first thing you need to do is to identify which event(s) you want to excel in during the next season and work backward from there. In the program above, the initial conditioning began six months before the competitive phase began, and that’s when you should aim to start with this year-long program. For example, if your first event or only is in early July, you need to begin this program in January. In the program above, the runners were averaging around 160-170kms per month, which equates to just under 40kms or 24 miles per week. Peak volume during the competitive phase was around 80kms or 50 miles per week – ie roughly double.

You can use these ratios to adapt the plan to your own mileages and intensities. For example, if you are currently trotting out around 30 miles per week and have been for many months or even years, that’s around 25% more than the mileage shown in the program. Therefore you can adapt the mileages shown by increasing each mesocycle mileage by 25%. When it comes to intensity, the % of maximum heart rate shown in the program will already be personalized to you because you will use your own maximum heart rate. As a rough guide, maximum heart rate is around 220 – your age in years, but ideally, you need to actually check this with a maximal test. In terms of how to break down your 4-5 training sessions per week, you can use table 4 of the study as mentioned above to help flesh out your sessions!

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