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Hansons Half-Marathon Method: Run Your Best Half-Marathon the Hansons Way
Committed runners from all over the world have set new PRs with the Hansons training program. Now in Hansons Half-Marathon Method, the Hansons-Brooks team shares its unique, winning approach which the New York Times says, "throw[s] out just about every standard of the marathon training program." With half-marathon training programs for intermediate and advanced runners, as well as a welcoming Just Finish Program for newer runners, Hansons Half-Marathon Method prepares all athletes for their best performance. Hansons athlete and coach Luke Humphrey explores the differences between the Hansons method and other training programs and then shows runners how to make the Hansons half-marathon training program their own. He guides runners through choosing the right training plan and offers a practical guide to setting race finish time goals. Humphrey reveals the Hansons approach to precise half-marathon pacing, showing runners how to find their most effective paces for the Hansons SOS ("something of substance") workouts--speed, strength, tempo, long, and easy runs. He coaches runners on how to modify the plans to work around busy schedules and missed workouts. He answers frequently asked questions on switching workout days, managing fatigue, incorporating races into training, and adding mileage. Runners will benefit from the Hansons' advice on finding the best shoes for distance running and their veteran tips on avoiding common stumbling blocks during race week, at the expo, at the start line, and after the race. The Hansons science-based approach to half-marathon pacing, nutrition, and hydration will ensure that runners cross the finish line feeling strong. Hansons Half-Marathon Method lays out the most effective way to train for a half-marathon, developed by one of the most accomplished running groups in the nation. Using the Hansons way, runners can forge a breakthrough half-marathon performance.
296 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2014
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251 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 23, 2016
UPDATE: I followed the plan to the letter as long as I could. I missed about 4 days near the end, because my body could not handle the training load. I feared that I was dealing with a severe injury, so I had to take some time off. To put it in perspective, I ran 200+miles/per month in August, September and October. My goal half was in mid November. While I didn't run the race I really wanted to, I ran pretty fast. Hansons works. However, I wouldn't recommend this program for most master runners. The plan was just too much for me. High mileage along with fast paces twice a week left me mentally spent and physically at risk for injury. I love the Hansons full plan, and I will be using it for my Boston 2017 training. I think almost any serious runner could use the full plan successfully. Unfortunately, I think the half plan would be overwhelming for most recreational runners, especially masters who may need more recovery between tempo runs.
Review:
I will update this review after I use the plan to reflect what I think about the plan. Although I am a big believer in the full plan, I don't have the same confidence in this half plan. There is a lot of extremely fast running packed in 7 days which might not work well for a master runner, like myself.
Whether or not the plan is appropriate for a master runner is one thing to consider, but what is driving my low rating is that this book is an exact copy of the full-marathon book (which was written first). The only difference between the books is that the half plans in this books have less overall mileage than the plans in the full book. The book was worth $13 for me, because (1) I didn’t know that the plans were so similar, and (2) the Hansons' half plans on-line cost significantly more than $13.
The Hanson brothers, definitely, didn’t have enough new information to write a completely different book. If you want the Hansons' half-plan, I don’t know how else you can get it cheaper than buying this book. Unfortunately, you might end up feeling a little bamboozled.
Review:
I will update this review after I use the plan to reflect what I think about the plan. Although I am a big believer in the full plan, I don't have the same confidence in this half plan. There is a lot of extremely fast running packed in 7 days which might not work well for a master runner, like myself.
Whether or not the plan is appropriate for a master runner is one thing to consider, but what is driving my low rating is that this book is an exact copy of the full-marathon book (which was written first). The only difference between the books is that the half plans in this books have less overall mileage than the plans in the full book. The book was worth $13 for me, because (1) I didn’t know that the plans were so similar, and (2) the Hansons' half plans on-line cost significantly more than $13.
The Hanson brothers, definitely, didn’t have enough new information to write a completely different book. If you want the Hansons' half-plan, I don’t know how else you can get it cheaper than buying this book. Unfortunately, you might end up feeling a little bamboozled.
April 21, 2021
It’s a book and I read it. Totally changed my training approach and taught me all the things about pacing and nutrition. I’ll update this review in about 14 weeks after my second race to compare! However thus far, aside from people who have followed the book to a T, I see a lot of people afraid of the mileage as a beginner runner. I consider myself a fairly beginner runner and while the mileage is a bit scary, the pace I’m following which would a half hour (!!) off my half-marathon time, has me running at a super easy pace. It is SLOW and I like it. I’m about to complete my fifth run for the week tomorrow and I haven’t been sore at all. That was NOT my experience on cookie cutter 3-day-a-week plans and, I believe, probably the heart of the cumulative fatigue approach.
September 7, 2014
I actually own both this book and the marathon plan book. I finished reading the marathon method today and compared it to this one (which I hadn't yet read) and they are identical save for the actual training plans.
I still give it 5 stars because it's well written with good information. I am starting the marathon method this week, and my husband will be starting the half plan. We are running in January, so I will update my review when I can tell you what I think of the plan as well as the book!
I still give it 5 stars because it's well written with good information. I am starting the marathon method this week, and my husband will be starting the half plan. We are running in January, so I will update my review when I can tell you what I think of the plan as well as the book!
December 25, 2019
Well I didn’t follow the plan 100%
But I did run my time goal of a sub 2 hour half! Managed to do it in 1 hour and 57 minutes. Extremely happy with my time, and I probably will give this plan another go just to see if I can do a better time. I didn’t do speed workouts as much as I was supposed to, maybe once or twice if I’m being honest. Did manage to commit to those longer runs on the weekend. Every now and then I’d throw in a tempo run. Most of all this book helped me understand the difference between the runs. Understanding what cumulative fatigue is.. and more about rest and hard workout.
Defiantly recommended.
But I did run my time goal of a sub 2 hour half! Managed to do it in 1 hour and 57 minutes. Extremely happy with my time, and I probably will give this plan another go just to see if I can do a better time. I didn’t do speed workouts as much as I was supposed to, maybe once or twice if I’m being honest. Did manage to commit to those longer runs on the weekend. Every now and then I’d throw in a tempo run. Most of all this book helped me understand the difference between the runs. Understanding what cumulative fatigue is.. and more about rest and hard workout.
Defiantly recommended.
June 5, 2016
Easy to read and I'd recommend to anyone looking to amp up their training.
I skimmed some areas (gear, race day prep) and focused on the science behind the plan, workouts, and paces to use. I haven't used Hanson's yet, but I have mapped out a potential 18 week plan. The milage is high for a half marathon plan. I do believe goals can and will be reached if one adheres to the plan (which is based on cumulative fatigue), but I'm not quite sure if I want to devote my free time this summer to training (and it may not sync up with my running group's workouts). I think the basis is solid and if followed to a T, I think a PR is almost guaranteed.
My only gripe: I think Hanson's could use one more plan between Just Finish and Beginner. Just Finish is too bare bones and the Beginner is already a big jump in milage and feels more Intermediate. Based on the plan descriptions I should use Advanced, but there is no way I can fit in that kind of milage and maintain sanity.
I skimmed some areas (gear, race day prep) and focused on the science behind the plan, workouts, and paces to use. I haven't used Hanson's yet, but I have mapped out a potential 18 week plan. The milage is high for a half marathon plan. I do believe goals can and will be reached if one adheres to the plan (which is based on cumulative fatigue), but I'm not quite sure if I want to devote my free time this summer to training (and it may not sync up with my running group's workouts). I think the basis is solid and if followed to a T, I think a PR is almost guaranteed.
My only gripe: I think Hanson's could use one more plan between Just Finish and Beginner. Just Finish is too bare bones and the Beginner is already a big jump in milage and feels more Intermediate. Based on the plan descriptions I should use Advanced, but there is no way I can fit in that kind of milage and maintain sanity.
February 14, 2022
Good tips for people approaching their first half-marathon. Most of the book is pretty similar to Hansons Marathon Method, which makes sense since it's the same general training philosophy, but with the training plans tailored to the half-marathon distance. If you've read Hansons Marathon Method, you can just skip to the training plan-specific section for the new information. For both true beginner runners and advanced runners, I think there are better training books than this one out there but this is a solid, clear intro to road-running training with a consistent, easy-t0-follow training philosophy. The emphasis on not cutting corners with low-mileage is an important point but I think the method undervalues cross-training.
September 25, 2016
Just a quick review from me but I wanted to say that 'yes' it does work. There are lots of reviews from people who have read the book but not actually completed the training so I wanted to save my review for after I ran the race - which I now have! Yippee!
I followed the plan almost to the letter with just about 5 days off when I pulled a muscle in my back.
The workouts are intense and it is very time consuming so if you cannot commit to 6 days a week running up to 52 miles per week (at the peak) then it may not be for you.
However, if you fancy giving it a go, have a goal in mind and can commit to the training I highly recommend it.
The speed and strength sessions are quite gruelling and I also found the tempo runs really tough. I never believed I would be able to keep the pace up in the actual race - however, I did and I was very impressed.
I was aiming for a 1:30 half which was over 3 mins quicker than my previous PB. In the end I got 1:30:18 however my garmin measured the distance as slightly over and the actual half marathon distance was timed at 1:29:23. My average pace was 6:50 mins per mile which was the target pace. If I had known the course already I would have pushed a bit faster to ensure I could make up for the extra distance that was involved.
By the way, I also improved my 5K PB too.
I would also say that just following the speed, strength and tempo sessions would be valuable too general running even if you did not want to follow the whole plan.
Hope this helps.
I followed the plan almost to the letter with just about 5 days off when I pulled a muscle in my back.
The workouts are intense and it is very time consuming so if you cannot commit to 6 days a week running up to 52 miles per week (at the peak) then it may not be for you.
However, if you fancy giving it a go, have a goal in mind and can commit to the training I highly recommend it.
The speed and strength sessions are quite gruelling and I also found the tempo runs really tough. I never believed I would be able to keep the pace up in the actual race - however, I did and I was very impressed.
I was aiming for a 1:30 half which was over 3 mins quicker than my previous PB. In the end I got 1:30:18 however my garmin measured the distance as slightly over and the actual half marathon distance was timed at 1:29:23. My average pace was 6:50 mins per mile which was the target pace. If I had known the course already I would have pushed a bit faster to ensure I could make up for the extra distance that was involved.
By the way, I also improved my 5K PB too.
I would also say that just following the speed, strength and tempo sessions would be valuable too general running even if you did not want to follow the whole plan.
Hope this helps.
August 25, 2014
They made a lot of good points, but it's a lot of running, and I don't know how an injury-prone runner could follow this plan.
September 2, 2014
Great book. I've always been a person who just went out and ran a random distance with no care for pace. This book has showed me how to do all the different things required to be a better runner.
July 29, 2015
Agree with some other reviewers--even the "beginner" plan is way more running/week than most other programs.
October 15, 2015
An interesting, but advanced, program. I wouldn't feel comfortable even considering these programs without at least a year of running. The jump from 28 to 37 mpw in week six strikes me as insane.
May 29, 2016
Good read with lots of advice.
September 24, 2016
Really comprehensive. So excited to start this training!
December 27, 2023
Another book that could have been a pamphlet. The basic strategy is to run a lot. Specifically, 6 days a week, with 1 speed/strength workout, 1 tempo run, and one long run, with easy runs the other days. In other words, the same approach used by virtually every programme out there. The one big difference is the deemphasis of the long run, which is limited to 25% of total weekly mileage. Instead of resting before/after and making it the focus of training, it is only a bit longer than the "easy" runs, but meant to be run on somewhat tired legs. This approach aims to provide high volume with lower risk of injury.
There are three versions of the training plan, which are somewhat confusingly labeled (the "beginner" is actually intermediate), and all assume a baseline level of fitness and the ability to run several miles at least a few times a week. So this is not a "couch-to-13.1" approach, but meant for runners who have already built up to the 10k distance and looking to progress from there, or marathoners looking to improve performance at the relatively shorter distance.
The rest of the book is fairly standard running advice, likely too rudimentary for anyone able to complete the training programme. The nutrition section is predictably a bit weird, as these things tend to be. While generally sound, it's clearly meant for the elite runner who weighs 140 lbs and runs 95 miles per week and is looking only to improve their finish times, not at all concerned with overall fitness or strength or worried about losing weight. As such, it is high in carbs, which is fine, but at the expense of protein, which comprises a mere 10-15% of calories. For a 2000 calorie diet, that means only 50-75 grams of protein per day, which is at best half of the general recommended range to preserve or increase muscle mass. Another minor yet weird anomaly is favouring fruit over vegetables, which brings in a lot of extra sugar.
But worst of all, there is almost no mention of heart rate or zones. Instead, the plans rely solely on pace, based on goal time and previous race results. As if we were back in the 80's before heart rate monitors were a thing. And for the more elite athletes, there is no real discussion of lactate thresholds, VO2_max, or the other metrics that are commonly used in almost every modern competitive traininig system. While the results may ultimately end up doing the same thing, and this approach is arguably simpler and hence easier to follow, it's a lot less scientific and doesn't optimize training based on environmental or factors or physiology.
There are three versions of the training plan, which are somewhat confusingly labeled (the "beginner" is actually intermediate), and all assume a baseline level of fitness and the ability to run several miles at least a few times a week. So this is not a "couch-to-13.1" approach, but meant for runners who have already built up to the 10k distance and looking to progress from there, or marathoners looking to improve performance at the relatively shorter distance.
The rest of the book is fairly standard running advice, likely too rudimentary for anyone able to complete the training programme. The nutrition section is predictably a bit weird, as these things tend to be. While generally sound, it's clearly meant for the elite runner who weighs 140 lbs and runs 95 miles per week and is looking only to improve their finish times, not at all concerned with overall fitness or strength or worried about losing weight. As such, it is high in carbs, which is fine, but at the expense of protein, which comprises a mere 10-15% of calories. For a 2000 calorie diet, that means only 50-75 grams of protein per day, which is at best half of the general recommended range to preserve or increase muscle mass. Another minor yet weird anomaly is favouring fruit over vegetables, which brings in a lot of extra sugar.
But worst of all, there is almost no mention of heart rate or zones. Instead, the plans rely solely on pace, based on goal time and previous race results. As if we were back in the 80's before heart rate monitors were a thing. And for the more elite athletes, there is no real discussion of lactate thresholds, VO2_max, or the other metrics that are commonly used in almost every modern competitive traininig system. While the results may ultimately end up doing the same thing, and this approach is arguably simpler and hence easier to follow, it's a lot less scientific and doesn't optimize training based on environmental or factors or physiology.
January 27, 2019
It’s been a while since I have been coached, and I forget a lot of what I used to know about training. I also may have considered myself a distance runner in the past when I was training for 6Ks in college XC and 800s in college for indoor/outdoor track...but now I know better. Haha This book was great to get me back into consciously training for a race. I’ve done a few half marathons and I have certainly covered the distance (and more) in training. But what I was missing was the speed workouts. I’m about halfway through training for a half, and I’m enjoying the speed workouts along with the explanations for why you’re doing what you’re doing. It’s easy to read, and you’ll like it if you’re into running/racing.
I can’t imagine the marathon version will be much different in content aside from the workouts, but I will be checking it out soon.
I can’t imagine the marathon version will be much different in content aside from the workouts, but I will be checking it out soon.
January 16, 2019
While I'm sure how to prepare for a half-marathon is highly subjective (I read this preparing for my 5th after all, and have used a different training method each time), I thought this was a very valuable book to read for anybody interested in running half-marathons. The most valuable part of the book for me wasn't so much the chapter on the actual training program, but the most valuable one was a chapter on running physiology which was both scientific but easy to understand, and was connected with the training program so readers would understand the WHY of different runs in a training program. The hydration/nutrition and race day technique chapters were also very valuable.
April 22, 2022
Like the suggested training program, which focuses on LOTS of mileage, but the proof will be in the pudding - I'll try to update this review when I can say how the program has panned out for me. Even with little pre-existing knowledge, the sections giving the biological details as to precisely how their program works made sense, and almost all the questions I had when reading through were answered. A few odd omissions stop it from being 5 stars - for example, they lay out the pros and cons of buying shoes at different price points but just describe these as 'affordable', 'mid-range' etc, without explaining how that correlates to actual costs.
April 16, 2020
Trained with this for Berlin Halfmarathon 2020.
And while the race did not happen - thanks to COVID19 - the method made me a stronger, better and in fact so much faster runner!
Got the marathon method for Munich this year and highly recommend for every runner who is willing to put in the work - and reap the results!
And while the race did not happen - thanks to COVID19 - the method made me a stronger, better and in fact so much faster runner!
Got the marathon method for Munich this year and highly recommend for every runner who is willing to put in the work - and reap the results!
January 2, 2025
Ne gustó mucho y lo apliqué para correr el medio maratón de Roma 2024, baje mis tiempos 30 minutos, corrí en 1 hora con 56 minutos el medio maratón, lo cual para mi fue un buen resultado a través de entrenar con este libro.
December 2, 2017
This was the exact same book as Hansons Marathon Method. Literally word-for-word on most parts.
October 12, 2018
Clear and interesting Time will tell of its effectiveness
January 3, 2020
very insightful
February 9, 2021
Great book that changed the way I thought about it training and trained.
December 15, 2022
Awesome book! Now it’s time to work on this. Wait, no! After my first, the work would be started!
June 21, 2023
Interesting philosophy of training with cumulative fatigue.
November 19, 2023
Great book
December 8, 2023
Higher rating TBD if I PR my half in March
May 12, 2024
If new to running, read this.
February 1, 2025
Maybe too simple at times? Can't judge the philosophy until I try it, though.
June 9, 2025
Consistently refer to this book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews