You’re 4 Minutes Away From Sub-2 Hour Half (Here’s What’s Missing)

[00:00:00] You’ve tried twice, maybe even three times, and every single time you hit mile 10 kilometer 16 and watch that sub two hour dream slip away, you tell yourself, next time I’ll just go harder. But deep down, you know, that’s not the answer. You’re not failing because you’re not tough enough. You’re failing because you’re training for the wrong race.

[00:00:17] The half is in a marathon, and the moment you stop training like it is sub two hours becomes a reality. In this episode, you’ll learn why a sub two hour marathon that’s nine minutes and nine seconds per mile or 5 41 per kilometer is an aerobic race that most people train wrong for. You’ll get the three workout system that builds sub two fitness.

[00:00:37] Without wrecking you the exact pacing strategy. So Mile 10 kilometer 16 doesn’t kill you anymore, and a free 12 week training plan that’s built different than the cookie cutter marathon disguised as half training plans. I’m Daren D Lake certified running coach and lifelong runner of almost 30 years. I figured out all the ways and not to run a half marathon by doing one a year and focusing on getting better 1% each race.

[00:01:02] I started at one hour and 35 minutes almost 20 years ago, and now I’m at. One hour and 22 minutes. That’s 14% over 20 years, and I actually did the majority of that in the last seven years. And it wasn’t from one big three month training block, it was from showing up year after year, sorting out all the variables and adjustments and trusting the process.

[00:01:24] And I’ll come back to that story later because it’s exact mind shift that you need to run sub two hours. But first, let’s talk about what sub two actually means and why most plans get it. Wrong. Alright, so sub two means holding nine minutes, nine seconds per mile, or again 5 41 per kilometer. Just drill in that number in your head ’cause you need to memorize it.

[00:01:43] It’s for 13.1 miles or 21.1 kilometers. Sounds fast and yeah it is. So what makes sub two different for a sub two hour finisher? Your’re cruising at about 75 to 80% of max aerobic capacity, sustainable and controlled. Compare that to an hour 30 runner. Pushing 85 to 90%. Same distance, different suffering, different training needed.

[00:02:04] Research by Paul Gaston shows aerobic contribution climbs. As events get longer by 1500 meters, you’re at 84% aerobic at 90 minutes, almost exclusively oxygen burning. Think sprinting stairs versus a two hour hike, that’s the half marathon metabolically, all the stuff happening inside your body. It’s long, steady, and aerobic.

[00:02:25] So how do you actually build that efficiency? Four days a week of running is the sweet spot. It allows you to hit that 80 20 split. 80% easy volume, 20% hard work. That’s the model that’s backed by decades of coaching and research in my own experience and coaching other people. And the more running you can do safely without injury, the better your running economy gets, which is basically free speed.

[00:02:47] Here’s a sample week. Monday easy, 40 minutes plus strides Wednesday threshold or VO two max Work Thursday easy, 30 minutes. Saturday long run, 90 to a hundred minutes. Two easy runs, one quality session, one long run, and the total distance about 25 to 28 miles per week. That’s 40 to 45 kilometers. It’s efficient, not excessive.

[00:03:07] Only have three days to run per week. Skip Thursday’s easy run. While I’d say, Hmm, not the best, but. If you gotta do it, you gotta do it. Keep the quality session in the long run. It’s not ideal, but it will work. Maybe if you can every other week, you can do four runs a week. Here’s a quick win for you to take right now.

[00:03:25] If you’re currently running three days a week, try to fit in one more easy run this week. 30 minutes. That’s easy. Conversational pace. You can even walk. Run it. That’s it. Watch your body adapt and get better at low heart rate training, which is a whole nother episode. Why 12 weeks? If you want that exact 12 week plan with paces, workouts, and recovery mapped out.

[00:03:45] I’ve got you. The QR code is here, right there. Again, it’s free or the link below and the show notes are description, but. Why 12 weeks? Because it gives you enough time to build aerobic base, add race specific work, and taper properly without burning out. And here’s the difference. This isn’t a water down marathon plan.

[00:04:01] It’s built for the half lower volume, smarter speed effort placement recovery baked in from day one. Get it. Let’s go into the three workouts that matter. All right. Workout number one. I’m gonna explain all of the workouts that are in that, that free training plan. Go and get that. So it’s the aerobic base runs.

[00:04:18] You should get one or two of these per session, depending on whether you are three or four day runner. These are 30 to 45 minutes each, getting longer as you get deeper into training, but I kept them usually at about. 50, 55 minutes for most people that I coach. And in that training plan, and this is easy, conversational pace zone one’s on tune.

[00:04:35] If you use a five heart rate zone model, you should be able to nose breathe if you can for most of it. And it builds up mitochondria, which allows you to improve blood stroke volume. Improve your capillary density, which are the small roads that lead to your muscles so you can actually get more oxygen delivered faster, which means that you run at a lower heart rate and easier.

[00:04:56] ’cause the half marathon, it’s two hours. That’s a long time to be running. You need to actually be running with oxygen in aerobically so that you don’t burn up your glycogen system. This is 75 to 80% of your weekly volume. Don’t skip these. They’re not jump miles there at the foundation. Alright, workout number two threshold and VO two max.

[00:05:14] Work one session per week and if you’re on a three day plan, you’ll alternate between threshold and VO two max. Week to week threshold work is 20 to 30 minutes at a pace slightly slower than race pace. It teaches your body to handle discomfort. VO two max work is faster. It’s around 5K pace, maybe even a little bit faster.

[00:05:30] Sometimes think intervals like 12 by 400 or four by five minutes at around 5K pace and it builds your top. And aerobic power alternate these week to week and workout number three, long run once a week, 90 to 120 minutes total. This isn’t a race. The whole thing will never be done at sub two hour pace as you get closer to race.

[00:05:52] This will mimic the race, which I call dress rehearsal, as you’ll do anywhere from 50 to 70 minutes at your. Half marathon pace to get you ready, but an example of this long run, three miles easy, you’re getting into it. Then six miles at goal, half marathon pace. Again, that’s 9 0 9 per mile, or 5 41 per kilometer, and then three miles easy.

[00:06:12] You’re teaching your body what race pace feels like when you’re tired during that type of long run. But then there’s a lot of other long run variations. During this long run, so something quick that you can take away and do on your next long run, hopefully this week. If you can run the last three miles, five kilometers at your goal pace, nine minutes, nine seconds per mile.

[00:06:31] 5 41 per kilometer. See how it feels. You’re already tired. Can you hold it? If you can, then you’re on track. If you can’t, it means you got some work to do and go check out that training plan. The link is below. So you built the engine. Now, how do you actually race it? Here’s pacing. This is where a lot of new runners, novice runners, even intermediates, they blow it all up and mess it all up.

[00:06:51] I like to break a race up into thirds. The first third is the first three miles or the first five kilometers. I call it the patience zone. Have patience. Target pace, nine 15 to nine 20 per mile. That’s 5 45 to 5 48 per kilometer. Yes. Slightly slower so that we can negative split and make sure we don’t blow up if our GPS or watch is off.

[00:07:10] If you start in the city, in a busy city, the buildings can throw it off or distance markers could be off. This happens more than you think. This will feel too easy, and that’s what we want. Most people, they nuke it here because of caffeine, their hype playlist, adrenaline, crowds, lack of experience. The list goes on and on.

[00:07:27] They go out at eight 50 per mile, five 30 per kilometer thinking this is the day. Feel amazing for six miles. Then mile 10 at kilometer 16, everything falls apart. Trust the plan and trust yourself. You need to have restraint and hold the line. Hold the line. Second, third miles, kilometers six to kilometers 14.

[00:07:46] This is when as Gen Z kids say, you lock in, let’s lock lock in target pace, 9 0 5 to nine 10 per mile. That’s 5 38 to 5 42 per kilometer. Cruising, you’re controlled. This is where aerobic base pays off. Should feel like a six or even a seven out of 10 effort. You’re working, but you’re okay. This is where all the training shows up and even.

[00:08:08] Shows off a bit. You’re like, yo, I’m flexing. I’m running fast, and I’m feeling good. And the last third miles, 10 to 13 kilometers. 16 to 21. I’ll call this the gauntlet. This is where your target pace is gonna be. Nine minutes flat to 9 0 5 per mile, and that’s 5 35 to 5 38 per kilometer. Yes, that is faster than race pace, but we need to make up for the slightly slower than race pace earlier.

[00:08:32] This also gives you some buffer in case hills heat, humidity, or wind Throw off your pacing for the first thirds, your legs are saying no bueno, and your brain’s saying alto. That’s stop in Spanish, but your training is carved a spot in your brain that reads. You’ve been here before. Keep going. I got this.

[00:08:48] I can push. And the last quarter mile of your race, 400 meters, just one lap around the track. You want to empty the tank. This is where you can go a hundred percent go sub nine minutes, even touch eight. Eight thirty’s if you want sevens, if you got it in you a per mile or. Five 30 or even five minutes per kilometer.

[00:09:07] This is when you do it in the race, not in the first two or three miles. What about the week leading up to the race though? You might be asking. So this is where people can mess it up because what you do before in the pre-planning is what helps you do the actual execution of the race. So the last 10 to 14 days, you wanna do a taper.

[00:09:23] I like 10. Some people like 14, some people like seven, but 10 seems to be the sweet zone for a half marathon. It’s less volume, but the same intensity running. You wanna respect it. So you’re dropping things down by about 30 to 50% overall, but you’re keeping that VO two max sharp. You’re keeping that threshold run or that half marathon pace run exactly where it needs to be.

[00:09:44] We’re not slowing down, we’re not being lazy. We need to make sure that our body remembers how to run fast, just not so much of it. 48 hours out from the race, you wanna add 20% more carbs to your meals, less fat, less fiber, so you don’t need that. Salad the night before, even the day. And you wanna make sure you’re getting simple carbs.

[00:10:02] So a little bit of sugar is cool. Uh, you could do white rice, white bread, white potatoes, et cetera, hydrate properly, not just water. Make sure you’re doing electrolytes, salt, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc. All of those do not overdo the water though. You wanna make sure you’re peeing about lemonade ish.

[00:10:19] Color is fine. For those two days before, and then race morning, eat your normal breakfast about three hours before, and I would stop drinking about two hours before so you can drink about 700 meals to one liter. That’s about one to one and a half quartz for most people. And you stop drinking at two hours and you’ll actually end up peeing three times, two to three times.

[00:10:43] It’s a little hack. You won’t need to use the bathroom right before the race. You won’t be standing in the stalls. You won’t have to stop in the middle ’cause you have to pee so bad. Two hours, remember? Alright, so quick win. Practice the two hours, uh, a couple weeks before your long runs, the two hour drinking thing, that’s a huge one.

[00:10:58] And practice taking a gel mid run, you want to take gels in. So right before the race, I’d say about a five to 10 minute easy jog. Do about 20 to 30 seconds at half marathon pace twice and you’re good to go. Some dynamic stretches like swings, and you want to take one gel at 30 minutes and another at 75 minutes.

[00:11:17] Caffeine is fine for both, if you like that. And water just a little bit. In your mouth, every two or three miles, whatever you can get easily. You don’t have to take any water for the two hours, really. You’ll be fine. You won’t die of dehydration. You got the system, you got the plan. So why do runners still fail?

[00:11:33] Here’s the three traps that keep you stuck and how the 1% better thinking fixes them. Alright, so why do most plans keep you stuck at. Two hours, three minutes. There’s three traps trap. One training for a marathon when you’re racing a half 32 miles, 40 miles a week, 50, 60 miles a week. Uh, you know, that’s like 50, 80 kilometers, 12, 16 week blocks that look like.

[00:11:55] Identical to marathon prep. You show up at the start line, exhausted. You can do this if you’ve been doing this for a while. But most two hour half runners, they actually don’t need as much volume as they think the half. It’s not a short marathon. It’s a different race. Very different race. So lower volume smarter effort does work the 1% better fix.

[00:12:14] Cap your mileage at 28 to 30 miles, about 45 to 48 kilometers, and put effort where it matters. The aerobic base, one quality session, one long run. Recovery, strength training, rest, sleep, et cetera. That’s the whole system trap. Two threshold overload. You do three hard threshold of VO O2 max workouts a week, or your long runs are just basically races.

[00:12:36] You fry your nervous system, you’re building speed. You can’t sustain because your aerobic base is weak. The 80 20 rule exists for a reason and most plans, they probably ignore it or the runners, they see it and they ignore it. They go, I’ll just go fast. Alright? The 1% better fix one hard day per week, maybe two if you’re advanced.

[00:12:52] The rest. Easy trust the easy days, I promise they do work. Give it 4, 6, 8 weeks. They’re doing work in the background. It’s the bamboo growing trap. Number three, no pacing strategy. This is a huge one going out way too fast. So you just go 9 0 9 per mile, or 5 41 per kilometer the whole way. It sounds simple, but it fails at mile 10 kilometer 16.

[00:13:15] Most of the time the 1% better fix negative split. You wanna start patient and finish strong. Hope is not a plan. Pacing is a plan. So for the last nine years, I’m going on 10 total. I try to improve 1% better each year in the half marathon. So that’s where the whole 1% better thing came from. And I just wanted to just move a couple variables around, try new different things.

[00:13:37] And it actually has worked extremely well. I, I technically, about nine years ago, I started at 1 31 and then went down to 1 22 at like the fifth or sixth marathon. So still trying to get down to 1 21 that would. Be a nice little round 10 minutes and actually secretly, I’m trying to get down to 79 minutes, one 19, but it’s all sustainable and I’m making sure that it’s slow growth because it’s not, it’s not sexy.

[00:14:01] And the half marathon taught me all that. And sustainability is actually how you get fast. So you gotta do the slow stuff, the boring stuff, the monotonous stuff, the consistency, the habits, that’s where it all comes from. And it’s not a perfect race. Let’s say you do two marathons in a year. You might do one well and then two bad, but it’s like, you know, two steps forward.

[00:14:19] Five steps back, 20 steps forward, 10 steps back. That’s how it works. Trust the system, trust the process, and give it time. Give it time. Alright, if you haven’t already, make sure you grab that 12 week half marathon training plan where I break down everything I said into weekly and daily actions for you to follow.

[00:14:32] You also get signed up for my 1% better run injury email course. Six lessons over 18 days. That would help you become a 1% better runner each year, season, month, week, day out, whatever you want. This will do that. Get it all the QR code here or the link below in the episode description of the show notes.

[00:14:50] I’ve talked a lot about aerobic base and I will until I die ’cause it’s the one true hack in distance running. It’s not even a hack. It’s actually hard mentally and discipline wise. If you wanna go deeper on that and get a head start for your 12 week half marathon training, I did a deeper dive on that.

[00:15:05] Get it at the video below if you’re on YouTube or the link in the description if you’re watching or listening on another platform. Happy Sub two hour marathon. All the best. Peace.