What Pace is a 2 Hour Half Marathon

Are you seeking what pace is a 2 hour half marathon? If so, I am glad you have made it here to Nutrition Geeks. A sub 2 hour half marathon means you need to hold 9:09 per mile for 13.1 miles. You will need to sustain 5:41 per kilometer 21.1 kilometers in order to run a half marathon in 1:59.59. Yes, it is a very competitive time and a time barrier that many runners around the world are working to achieve.

My goal as your coach and mentor is to help you do it. I have run 1:07:06 for the half-marathon and 2:19:35 for the marathon. So, I do respect the sub 2 hour half marathon barrier. Pace sustainment is one of the biggest challenges for runners. The world's top runners make it look easy for a reason. They are running between 35 to 40 percent of their weekly mileage at or below anaerobic threshold. Runners that are seeking what pace is a 2 hour half marathon are already highly motivated and driven individuals.

I already know you know how to work hard. I would much rather you work smarter and run a new personal best. Remember, higher mileage is not a guarantee you are going to break the sub 2 half marathon barrier. You can be running too many miles or kilometers too slow and still miss your goal. So, quality matters to become a sub 2 hr half marathon runner.

Is 2hrs Good for a Half Marathon?

Yes, a sub 2 hour half marathon is a highly competitive time. You may be seeking what pace is a 2 hour half marathon and if so, one day you will be running this pace for a marathon. I know it may seem impossible to you currently but it is definitely achievable. I always tell my athlete's to focus on a longer training block. The reason is you won't be rushing your fitness. You will provide yourself ample time to get in the best possible race shape.

I would recommend on first spending 4 weeks running easy, aerobic mileage first. I would also suggest doing strides twice per week. Strides are too short to build up any significant lactic acid build up. So, you can do these short, 50 to 100 meter sprints on top of your other workouts without getting fatigued.

How Long Does it Take to Do a Half Marathon?

The best time frame to train for a half marathon is a minimum of 16 and preferably 20 to 24 weeks. I have created training plans that range in duration from 8 to 24 weeks. Again, the longer the build up, the better. It takes between 3 to 4 weeks for the body to adapt to the stresses we place on it. So, you have to first adapt to specific intensities for a few weeks before you move to the next higher intensity.

I created a running course for athletes seeking to break the 2 hour half marathon called the 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination course. In addition, have also created training plans for athletes that are training for the mile to the marathon. You can click on any of the green buttons on this post to find out more information about these resources.

I have been very fortunate to have worked with 3 of the world's top distance running coaches. You are also more than welcome to visit the about page if you would like to know more about my background. Again, the best time frame to train properly for the half marathon is between 4 to 6 months.

Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Pacing Strategy

What pace is a 2 hour half marathon? 9:09 per mile or 5:41 per kilometer is the pace you need to sustain for this distance. I always advocate to focus on running a negative split. So, focus on running the second half of your half marathon faster than you run the first half. I wouldn't go out any faster than 9:15 mile pace (or 5:47 kilometer pace) the first half of the race. You can focus on running around 9:00-9:05 mile pace the second half and you will have a sub 2 hour half marathon if you do.

So, proper pacing is absolutely essential in order to run a 1.59.59. You don't want to go out too anaerobic and go into oxygen debt. There are far too many runners who make that mistake. These are areas of our training and racing we can correct. I go in-depth on exactly how to break the sub 2 hour half marathon barrier in the Sub 2 Hour Half Marathon Domination course. I cover the exact strategies and tactics that helped me to run a 1:07:06 half-marathon. In fact, I hit the first half marathon in my 2:19:35 marathon in 1:07:09.

Run Faster Long Runs

My goal is to share the same fundamentals and workouts that helped me run under 2 hours for the half marathon. One of the biggest changes I made was running faster, varied paced long runs. I was able to lower my half marathon from 1.10.29 to 1.07.06. In addition, I also lowered my marathon time from 2.43.36 to 2.19.35 using this tactic. So, I know it works. I teach this in-depth in the sub 2 hour half marathon course mentioned above. I also have created training plans for athletes seeking to break 2 hours that range in duration from 8 to 24 weeks.

Again, 16 to 24 weeks is much better. The main reason is you will be able to train sufficiently without being in a rush. Remember, it takes between 3 to 4 weeks for the body to adapt to the stress load being placed on it. Below are some examples of the varied paced, long runs I was doing prior to breaking 2:20 for the marathon. I always recommend to follow a faster long run the following week with an easy, relaxed long runs.

• 2 mile jog, 7 miles@5:30 mile pace, 2 miles easy, 1 mile in 4:55, 5 miles@5:55 mile pace, 3 miles easy, 1 mile in 5:00, 1 mile cool-down (22 miles)

JOG on Easy Days

One of the best investments you can make is to invest in a heart rate monitor. I use the Garmin 245. It helps me to stay in the correct heart rate zones during tempo runs and long runs. Don't get so caught up with what pace you are running at on easy days.

I have trained with sub 2:10 marathoners who would run 9 minute mile pace on their easy days. Remember, these runners can sustain sub-5 minute mile pace for 26.2 miles. So, if they can slow down on their easy days so can you and I. You should be running around 62 to 65 percent of your max heart rate on easy days.

Longer Tempo Runs

What has been the longest tempo run you have done in the past for your half marathon? One of your problems in breaking 2 may just be you need to lengthen your tempo runs. I would recommend to work toward running around 16 to 20 kilometers or 10 to 12 miles. Of course, you will need to first adapt to running 3 to 4 miles at your anaerobic threshold. We run between 85 to 89 percent of our max heart rate running at this intensity.

You will drop significant time off of your current half marathon personal best by doing this. Yes, it will be a challenge but it is doable. I started doing this myself and started getting new personal bests. I would also highly recommend you start doing a 10-day rather than a 3-week taper. A major mistake I see a lot of runners making is dropping their intensity and volume too soon.

Closing Thoughts

10 days is plenty of time to fully recover from the hard training you have done. I want you going into your next race feeling energized and recovered. What I don't want is for you to feel tired or lethargic. I'd love to keep in touch. Make sure to subscribe to the RunDreamAchieve YouTube channel. I make new videos there each week to help beginner to elite-level runners make major gains in their training and racing.

How much time do you usually devote to mental training? The world's top runners pay close attention to both mental as well as physical preparation. You have to see yourself running 1.59.59 or faster in your mind first. It has to happen there before it becomes a reality in real life.

So, start spending 10 minutes daily before you get up or when you go to bed at night. See yourself passing people, running relaxed and crossing the finish line in under 2 hours. I look forward to hearing about your new personal best. I hope that the resources I have shared on this post will be of assistance to you.