Today I was meant to be running the Silverstone Half Marathon. It was only race I’d booked since the return to racing and, although I hadn’t followed a training schedule, I was looking forward to testing myself since my last official race (and PB), the Big Half way back in March. As expected, not long after the lockdown 2.0 announcement, the race was postponed until 14th February 2021…
Rather than wallow (as I’d done with Manchester), I cancelled my Sunday long run, enjoyed a long lie in, went out for lunch with my family and got planning a training schedule. As a side note, we went to The Holt Hotel near Bicester and I devoured smoked salmon, roast beef dinner and profiteroles for dessert – all washed down with a few cold glasses of Sauvignon Blanc!
From the cancellation to the 14th February was 14 weeks so I soon set to looking for a training plan. Having completed most of Hansons Marathon Method back in spring I’d already bought a paper copy of Hansons Half Marathon Method in preparation for when the time was right!
As an 18 week plan, it was perfect timing to get started and push myself beyond the base-building that it feels like I’ve been doing forever. The first four weeks are purely easy miles to build your running base so dropping in at week four wasn’t a problem for me. Though the training plan is intense and mileage high, I really like that Hansons plan is mostly easy runs with just two high-intensity speed sessions throughout the week and a rest, dropped in on a Wednesday.
I’ve come to the end of my second official week on the plan and now the plan really starts to pick up and the speed/tempo sessions creep back in. It’s been some time since I’ve done any proper sessions, so it feels good to get back to it!
I plan to update on how the plan’s going and how I’m feeling every few weeks or so.
So here it goes – Hansons Half Marathon method is on!
What’s your experience of Hansons Method? Are there any other half marathon plans that you’ve had success with? Let me know in the comments!
Images from the Silverstone Half Marathon 2016 in the build up to the London Marathon.
Running Abby 