Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon

SVHM Training » Coach Jenny's RUN-WALK Training Schedule

Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon 2011 — Coach Jenny's RUN-WALK Training Schedule

The "Run-Walk" Training Program is best suited for first-time half marathoners with a base of less than 10-12 miles per week, those who are new to running, injury prone, or who love run-walking.

Click here for Schedule Key.

WEEK # Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
MODE Run-Walk Cross-Training + ST Run-Walk Cross-Training + ST Run-Walk/Rest Run-Walk Rest Day
INTENSITY Easy Effort Moderate Effort Easy Effort Moderate Effort Moderate Effort Conversational Effort  
HEART RATE 65-75% 70-75% 65-75% 70-75% 70-75% 70-75%  
I-RATE 6-7 7+ 6-7 7+ 7+ 7+  
Week 1
March 21 - 27
35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes 35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes Rest 5K / 3 miles
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 2
March 28 - April 3
35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes 35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes Rest 7K / 4 miles
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 3
April 4 - 10
35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes 35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes Rest 7K / 4 miles
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 4
April 11 - 17
40 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 8 times
30-45 minutes 40 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 8 times
30-45 minutes Rest 8K / 5 miles
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 5
April 18 - 24
40 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 8 times
30-45 minutes 40 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 8 times
30-45 minutes Rest 10K / 6 miles
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 6
April 25 - May 1
42 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes 45 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 9 times
30-45 minutes 35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
7K / 4 miles
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 7
May 2 - 8
42 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
30-45 minutes 45 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 9 times
30-45 minutes 35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
10K / 6 miles
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 8
May 9 - 15
45 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 9 times
30-45 minutes 50 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 10 times
30-45 minutes 35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
12K / 7 miles
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 9
May 16 - 22
45 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 9 times
30-45 minutes 50 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 10 times
30-45 minutes 35 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 7 times
13K / 8 miles
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 10
May 23 - 29
45 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 9 times
30-45 minutes 50 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 10 times
30-45 minutes Rest 10K / 6 miles
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 11
May 30 - June 5
50 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 10 times
30-45 minutes 54 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 9 times
30-45 minutes 40 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 8 times
15K / 9 miles
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 12
June 6 - 12
50 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 10 times
30-45 minutes 54 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 9 times
30-45 minutes 40 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 8 times
16K / 10 miles
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 13
June 13 - 19
48 minutes
Run 5 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 8 times
30-45 minutes 50 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 10 times
30-45 minutes 40 minutes
Run 3 min/Walk 2 min
Repeat 8 times
10K / 6 miles
Run 5 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat continuously
Rest
Week 14
June 20 - 26
42 minutes
Run 5 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 7 times
30 minutes 35 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 7 times
30 minutes 30 minutes
Run 4 min/Walk 1 min
Repeat 6 times
Rest Race Day!
Walk-Run 5/1
Recovery Week 1
June 27 - July 3
Rest XT 20 minutes Rest XT 30 minutes Rest 5K / 3 miles R/W: 4/2 Rest
Recovery Week 2
July 4 - 10
42 minutes R/W: 4/2 30 minutes Rest 42 minutes R/W: 4/2 30 minutes 7K / 4 miles R/W: 4/1 Rest
Recovery Week 3
July 11 - 17
42 minutes R/W: 5/1 40 minutes Rest 42 minutes R/W: 5/1 40 minutes 8K / 5 miles R/W: 5/1 Rest
Recovery Week 4
July 18 - 24
48 minutes R/W: 5/1 40 minutes Rest 48 minutes R/W: 5/1 40 minutes 10K / 6 miles R/W: 5/1 Rest

Schedule Key

Warm-up: walking 5 minutes at an easy pace prior to every walk-run workout to gradually increase circulation to working muscles, heart and breathing rates.

Cool-down: walking 5 minutes at an easy pace after to every walk-run workout to gradually bring heart rate and breathing back to normal levels.

i-Rate Scale: A way to rate your effort level by your perception or perceived exertion. Rate your level of intensity by how you feel, 1-10. 1 being at rest and 10- being an all out level. Use this system to stay in the smart training range listed on the training program (i.e. 6-7)

Heart Rate: If you have a heart rate monitor, maintain a range between the prescribed percentages…I.e.65-75% of estimated maximum heart rate.

Run-Walk Workout: Warm-up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run at a pace that you can still talk or a "conversational pace" for prescribed number of minutes and follow with walking at a brisk pace for prescribed minutes. Example: Run 3 minute - Walk 2 minutes - repeat sequence 8 times for a total of 40 minutes. Cool-down walking 5 minutes at an easy pace.

Cross-Training: Include activities that are non-running or walking. Cycling, swimming, pilates/yoga, strength training, elliptical trainer, stairmaster, spinning are great cross training modes for 10K training. Cross-training allows you to rest your running muscles while training opposing muscle groups and reducing the risk of overtraining and injury. It helps speed recovery and reduces burnout. Cross-training activites should be done at a moderate pace at an i-Rate Scale of 6-7 or heart rate of 60-70%.

Flexibility: Stretch after every workout when the muscles are warm to maintain or improve flexibility and prevent injuries.

Strength-Training (ST): Strength train with machines, weights, resistance tubes/bands or classes like pilates, toning or yoga. Include strength training exercises for your upper body, core (abdominal and trunk) and lower body twice per week. This will increase the lean muscle tissue, boost metabolism at rest and prevent the dreaded muscle loss with age. The more muscle we lose, the lower our metabolism sinks. Start the Strength Training session by warming up with 10 minutes of cardio activity [i.e. cycling, elliptical trainer, or stairmaster] or strength train after walk-running. If you are new to strength training, begin with 1 set per exercise for 12-15 repetitions. The goal is to fatigue the muscle as you reach the repetition range or until you can no longer perform the exercise with good, controlled form. Stick with this program for at least 4 weeks and then progress to 2-3 sets per exercise for 8-12 repetitions. Another option for your strength workout is to take a class at your gym, work with a personal trainer, perform a machine circuit. There are many ways to include resistance training in your life, find the one you enjoy the most.

Conversational Pace: Conversational pace should be at a slow, and comfortable-conversational pace. You should be at a pace where you can hold a conversation easily. Heart rate zone of 65-75% of maximum or I-Rate of 6-7.5. Note: heart rate will gradually climb due to fatigue and dehyration. Allow for a 5% increase and max heart rate of 75% of maximum rather than slowing pace to stay within zone.

Easy Pace: Easy to moderate pace at 70-75% of maximum heart rate or an iRate level of 7+. A pace you could go at for along time easily.

Moderate Pace: Moderate pace at 75-80% of maximum heart rate or an iRate level of 7-8. A pace where you can hear your breathing, but not breathing hard.


Training schedules developed by Coach Jenny Hadfield, co-author Marathoning for Mortals.

Top