Before you start: Intermediate plans assume you have a few successful training blocks behind you and have already raced the plan's distance (for this plan, at least one half marathon). This plan also assumes a current base of roughly 35–40 mi/wk. Over 12 weeks you'll build aerobic fitness, learn good running form through strides and weekly strength work, then add race-specific half marathon workouts in the final weeks so you reach the start line confident and ready.
12-week half-marathon plan for grinders: intermediate runners (many in their 40s) who thrive on long, sustained work. Speed work is the foundation (intervals, tempo and cruise work, race-pace segments, strides), and easy running is short recovery between quality days. About 40–48 mi/wk, the long run peaks at 14 mi, and the plan uses effort bands scaled to your threshold.
The foundation is speed work. Every week is built around two or three quality sessions (intervals, tempo and cruise work, race-pace segments) plus strides on two easy days, and the easy running in between is short and exists only for recovery. Grinders get fit by grinding, so the quality leans to long tempos, long cruise intervals, sustained HM-effort segments, hill tempos and progression long runs with marathon- and HM-effort miles. Shorter, faster work (strides, sprints, 400s, 800s, CV 1000s, a 20-minute Moneghetti) shows up every week too. Every pace is a Daniels zone written as a conservative % of your threshold pace, so the plan scales to you. Health comes first: down weeks in weeks 4 and 8, a 10K tune-up four weeks out, a two-week taper, weekly strength, and the 3-day pain rule.
How to read your workouts: every pace is a % of your threshold pace, so set your run threshold pace in Training Peaks (Settings > Zones) and every target scales to you. Bands: recovery/float 72-78%, easy 78-84%, steady 84-90%, fast steady 90-94%, MP 94-97%, M+ 95-98%, HM pace 97-100%, T pace 99-102%, 10k pace 102-105%. Easy runs use heart rate: easy 80-88% of threshold HR, recovery 75-83%, LT tempo reps 95-100%, strides 80-110%. Heart rate is a guide, not a rule. Ignore brief spikes, and if your HR keeps climbing while an easy run still feels easy, walk/jog until it settles. Cross-check effort, pace and breathing. Health first: if pain would cost you 3 days of training, stop and call it a day (the 3-day rule).
Certifications:
USATF Marathon Specialist, 2024
Safesport, 2024
USATF Cross Country Coaching Certification, 2022
NFHS Interscholastic Head Coach Certification, 2012
Coaching Honors
2 x MVL Coach of the Year, 2012, 2013
Sierra Ridge Academy Coach of the Year, 2013
10+ years of experience coaching youths and adults in events ranging from the mile to the marathon.
Whether you're just starting to run, looking to set PRs, or just want to feel good running, I'm ready to help you reach your goal!