Are you searching for a new sub 2 hour half marathon strategy leading into the new year? Have you come close to breaking this time barrier but continue to miss the time standard? If so, I understand. I've been where you are at and know how difficult breaking time barriers can be.
My goal in 2002 was to break the 2.22.00 marathon barrier. My personal best for the distance at that time was 2.43.36. How does an athlete go from running 6.14 to 5.25 per mile pace for 26.2 miles? Well, I'll say that major changes need to be made in order to drop that much time off your best.
A sub 2 hour half marathon is a highly competitive and coveted time. One that you will have to start working smarter in order to break. I created the Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination course for one reason. Domination. I wanted athletes around the world to follow the same principles I did to drop my half marathon and marathon times.
In addition, what I was taught came from some of the world's top distance running coaches. Who? Dr. Joe Vigil, Lisa Rainsberger (1985 Boston Marathon champion) and Jack Hazen. These three professionals are some of the most well-known and respected subject matter experts within our sport.
What Pace is A Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon?
A sub 2 hour half marathon comes out to 9.09 per mile or 5.41 per kilometer. Sure, running long slow miles can build your endurance and general conditioning. That being said, it takes more specific training to become a 1.59.59 or faster half-marathon specialist.
If you currently have a 3 hour half marathon PR then there are some major changes you'll need to make to break 2 hours. I created the Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination course to help athletes to use leverage. Leverage simply means doing more with less. Which will chop down a tree faster with less effort? An axe or a chainsaw? Which of the two will require much more time and effort? We know the answer to this question.
Emulate Success
The goal is to start finding out what the best runners are doing and emulate their work habits. The good news is it can be done. The bad news is it takes time, is painful, involves a great deal of patience and requires commitment. Are you interested or fully committed to breaking the 2 hour half marathon?
The common characteristic of all the great runners I trained with is they do not lose enthusiasm. Furthermore, they will continue to work hard and smart until they reach their goals. So, a sub 2 hour half marathon strategy has to also encompass that mindset of a ninja. It is going to take more than just physical training in order to do this.
Learn More About The Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination Course
What Must A Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Plan Cover?
One, a specific focus needs to be placed on training far below 9.09 mile pace. My recommendation? More time running at 8 minute mile pace. Why? How much easier is 9.09 per mile going to feel when you have trained adequately far below this effort?
So, the goal is to teach the body to clear lactic acid faster than it is building up in the blood stream. This physiological adaptation does not occur by running slow. The fact that you even reading this post already tells me you are an accomplished athlete. In addition, perhaps much of what I will be writing about you may already know.
My hope is that some of what I will be writing you will pick up on and have an “uh huh” moment. You'll know this area is something you may have neglected and can start working to improve.
A sub 2 hour half marathon training plan also needs to have a focus on mindset. We all have become very well-attuned to physical preparation. Often times, what we fail to focus enough of our attention on is the mental preparation leading into our races. How much time are you spending each day visualizing yourself crossing the finish line with 1.59.59 on the clock?
The subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between reality or imagination – Billy Mills, 10,000m Olympic Gold medalist
How Fast Do You Have to Run for a Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon
Well, its more than just 9.09 mile pace and 5.41 per kilometer. The real task is duplicating this over 13 times. It doesn't matter if you were on pace for 10 miles. The end result is all that counts.
I have been on sub-2.20 marathon pace numerous times and failed. In addition, I've been on sub-1.05.00 half-marathon pace on numerous occasions as well. All that matters is the end results. You either did or did not break the 2 hour half marathon barrier.
The same goes for me. My personal bests are 1.07.06 for the half-marathon and 2.19.35 for the marathon. How do you deal with failure? I had to fail numerous times before I ran those times. So, how do you deal with failure?
If you have failed at breaking this barrier in the past it is now time for a new 2 hr half marathon strategy. You have to start working with that chainsaw in the tree analogy I mentioned above. It is time to stop using the ax. We know which one will get the results faster.
Working Smarter Gets Results
It's funny. I often hear of people who think getting rich quick is a bad thing. Is getting rich slow any better? The problem is we all have been taught to work hard. 78 percent of the American population are living paycheck to paycheck. How can so many people be barely making ends meet financially in the richest country in the world? I share some ways around this on my health and nutrition site if you are interested.
Too many have been taught to use an aw rather than a chainsaw. You are not too old and your time is not past for running a new PR. That being said, time waits for no one. So, you have to start changing your training routine now.
Furthermore, it is one thing to run a 9.09 mile or 5.41 kilometer. It is another thing to duplicate this over 13 times and get it right. So, you need to start changing up your training regime. Here are a few of my top recommendations in order to get better results.
Top Recommended Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Strategy Tips
#1
Invest in the Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination course. I built this course specifically for athletes seeking to run 1.59.59 for the half marathon. If you truly want to get under this standard take this course. Personal development is one of the main reasons why I was able to run as fast as I did. I took it very seriously.
#2
Vary up the paces of your long runs. How fast are you running your long run? One of the ways I was able to lower my half marathon from 1.10.31 to 1.07.06 was following this exact advice. In addition, it also helped me lower my marathon from 2.43.36 to 2.19.35.
My recommendation is start running a portion of your long run at 160 beats per minute. Take 220 and subtract your age from it. You will get your approximate maximum heart rate by doing this. The aim is to run a portion of your long run at 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
#3
Do not start running harder long runs without a strong foundation of easy mileage run first. These longer, harder long runs will take a lot out of you. Do not attempt this style of training until you are physically fit and mentally prepared to do so.
#4
Learn and read as much as you can about glutathione. It is the body's master antioxidant and vital for oxygen transport throughout the body. How many of your friends, relatives, and fellow athletes have ever heard about it? Do you want a new sub 2 hour half marathon strategy your competition is not paying attention to?
Honorable Mentions
#5
Do not lose enthusiasm. One of the best characteristic traits I have seen in the best athletes is their level of excitement. The Kenyans I trained with were a great example of this. They could have a bad race and a few minutes later already talking about their next.
They are very quick to lose the disappointment of a poor race effort. How long do you focus on bad performances? Remember, it is alright to feel upset briefly after a bad race. That being said, do not let it consume you. The point is to re-group, re-charge and move on. The focus is to act like a professional. Have you seen the difference between someone who is interested versus someone who is fully committed?
How does the committed individual carry herself or himself? Is there a noticeable difference in how they talk, walk and carry themselves? Of course there is. I know when I see a Special Forces Soldier compared to a new recruit. Their aura is different. People don't become great overnight. Their different because they took their licks and goofed up more times than you and I.
The result? They are polished and perform at the highest level. In addition, they have done the activity numerous times to the point it is now automatic. So, you have to get in that automatic, flow-like state. How? Practice. Yes, easier said than done but in order to break 2 hours you have to get 9.09 mile or 5.41 kilometer pace to feel easier.
Closing Thoughts
This post is a short overview of some of the areas that I cover extensively in the Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination course. The goal is not to help you break 2 hours but destroy the 2 hour half marathon barrier.
Furthermore, the 2 hour half marathon barrier is also a mental barrier the athlete has to overcome. That being said, once you do it you will be certain you can do it again. It is also a great feeling to break our barriers and to do things we didn't think we were capable of.
My hope is that this post has provides some insights and provided a new sub 2 hour half marathon strategy for you follow.
[amazon table=”34612″]
