The Breakdown: Running Types

Coach Annabelle’s 12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan is designed to help you build endurance, improve speed, and optimise your training load with a strategic mix of running sessions. Covering the Half Marathon distance of 21.1 km (13.1 miles), this plan ensures each run serves a specific purpose—from boosting aerobic capacity to enhancing race-day performance. Understanding these sessions is key to maximising your training, preventing injury, and arriving at race day fully prepared.

In this guide, we’ll break down the different types of runs in your program, explaining their benefits and how they contribute to your overall progress.

Easy Run

The Easy Run is exactly as it sounds—a relaxed, comfortable jog at a pace that feels slow and effortless. This run plays a crucial role in allowing your body to recover from intense training sessions while still building endurance and overall performance. It appears in every week of the Half Marathon Program and should be taken at an easy pace to maximise its benefits.

The best way to determine if you’re running at an easy pace is by using the conversational test—if you can speak in full sentences without gasping for air, you’re at the right intensity. Another method is heart rate training, where an Easy Run should fall within Zone 2 (60-70% of your maximum heart rate). You can calculate your Zone 2 heart rate with the following formula:

• 220 - your age = Max HR (e.g., if you're 23 years old: 220 - 23 = 197)
• 60-70% of Max HR (e.g., 197 x 0.6 = 118, 197 x 0.7 = 138)

If you have a smartwatch like an Apple Watch or Garmin, you can track this directly (we will dive into this more deeply at the end!) However, the simplest way is to listen to your body and enjoy running slow!

Tempo Run

Tempo Runs help runners build the ability to maintain a challenging but sustainable pace over a longer duration. These runs, featured in the Build & Peak phases of the Half Marathon Program, train mental toughness and teach you to push through discomfort and fatigue.

Each Tempo Run is based on Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), which measures intensity based on how a workout feels rather than relying solely on heart rate or pace. Here’s a quick RPE guide:

Your tempo pace should feel hard but controlled—pushing you just outside your comfort zone while still allowing you to sustain it for the required duration.

Long Run

The Long Run is a fundamental part of any endurance Program, gradually increasing in distance throughout the Program (except for Deload & Taper weeks). Unlike the Tempo Run, there are no set goal paces—your Long Run should feel comfortable and sustainable, similar to an Easy Run, where you can hold a conversation.

Key Guidelines:

• Keep it slow! Don’t be afraid to take walk breaks if your heart rate spikes.
• Aim to stay in Zone 2 heart rate to maximise aerobic endurance.
• Expect longer runs in Weeks 7 & 9 to include a Long Tempo Run, where you practice holding race pace on fatigued legs.

Interval Run

Interval Runs alternate between high-intensity running and recovery periods, helping improve speed and endurance. These sessions are short, intense, and effective, designed to push your body out of its comfort zone.

Structure:

• Hard running during effort intervals, focusing on speed and power.
• Recovery jogs or walking to bring your heart rate back down before the next effort.
• Found in Weeks 1, 2, 3, 5, & 10 of the Program.

These sessions may feel tough, but they will build the speed and strength needed for race day.

Fartlek Run

Fartlek (Swedish for “speed play”) runs involve varying your pace between fast and slow jogging without stopping. Unlike Interval Runs, where you fully recover between efforts, Fartlek training maintains constant motion, teaching your body to adjust speeds while building endurance and mental resilience.

Key Points:

• Push the pace during fast jog segments, then slow it down for recovery.
• No strict structure—efforts can vary based on how you feel.
• A major part of the Peak Phase (Weeks 7-9) to develop speed endurance.

Tracking your Runs with the Move With Us App

To get the most out of your training, it’s essential to track your runs and monitor your progress. We recommend that before every run, you familiarise yourself completely with the session. Here are some tips to effectively record your runs:

• For Long Runs & Easy Runs: If your session has a distance or time requirement, it's best to record these on a Garmin or Apple Watch or on the Strava App to capture metrics like time, pace, and distance. Annabelle uses the Garmin Vivoactive 4S.
• For Fartlek, Tempo & Interval Runs: If you use a Garmin or Apple Watch, you can pre-program the sessions into your device to follow along with time and pace targets easily. If you don't have a smartwatch, you can keep the Move With Us App open and use the timer features, which are ideal for treadmill runs.
• After each run: Enter your session details in the Workout Notes section of the MWU App, including effort level and how you felt. This helps track progress over the 12 weeks and identify improvements.

By consistently tracking your runs, you’ll gain valuable insights to refine your training and optimise your Half Marathon journey.

Key Takeaways

Each run has its own purpose and should feel different. If you're pushing to your max effort in every session or, on the other hand, always running at a slow pace, you're not approaching it correctly. Be sure to read the description, plan your runs and pacing in advance, calculate your heart rate, and follow the exact stimulus prescribed by Coach Annabelle for the best results.

Coach Annabelle’s 12-Week Half Marathon Training Program is designed for intermediate runners who are ready to push themselves to new levels in endurance and performance. If you are new to running or looking to start your journey, we recommend beginning with Coach Annabelle’s Hybrid Program, which provides a solid foundation before progressing to half-marathon training.

If you are ready to take on the next level in your running journey, start Coach Annabelle’s Half Marathon Program today & take the first step towards discovering your true potential.