Lethality, Structure, and the Half Marathon Program
Merry Christmas: another free program
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*If you don’t feel like reading, you can download the new AG HMP completely for free here! Now let’s get into it:
Merry Christmas fam. The fun thing about running is each one of you can and will have completely different goals, different backgrounds, and different levels of current fitness. As a result, I like to build a lot of programs. But rather than have them be dispersed and unorganized, I like that they feed into each other. It’s all a progression. This allows you to take your time in one zone, continue/repeat as needed, and blend in other methods of training. I fully recognize that not everyone wants to just be a runner (myself included). Running is my endurance sport of choice, and many of you use it to supplement other activities, such as martial arts, your careers (military/law enforcement/firefighting), weightlifting/bodybuilding, etc. That’s why these programs progress to different levels. Should you hit the threshold for the next level, you can then increase volume while maintaining training volume in the other area of focus (lifting, for example).
Of course I generally recommend to only focus on ONE goal at a time, but over the course of a year of training there will most definitely be overlap in training. This will require balance and understanding your body’s capacity for overall training. Using this progression will allow your capacity for overall work to grow.
This brings us to the general framework from a complete beginner runner to completing your first race or goal you set for yourself:
Ultimate Beginner’s Running Guide (currently running 0-10 miles per week) →
You are more than welcome to stay here if the balance is good for other sport/activity, or progress to phase 2.
Intermediate Run Program (currently running 5-15 miles per week) →
You are more than welcome to stay here if the balance is good for other sport/activity, or progress to phase 3.
Personal Goal, Maintenance, or Race Prep (15+ miles per week, this program)
Here is where the ramp begins. If entering this phase, generally speaking this should be your main priority where you expect to make progress in, while expectations in other areas should be limited. For example, if you are a primary BJJ athlete looking to improve running and test out a half marathon - I wouldn’t schedule any BJJ competitions during this time until after your half marathon - simply look to maintain and continue rolling regularly.
So where do you start? The above 3-phase system makes it easy based on where you currently are physically. You must be HONEST with yourself and your body. You do yourself no benefit by assuming you are ready to jump into a high intensity program when really you need to focus on easy base building. EVERYONE benefits greatly from base building, and is what most top athletes do in their off-season. Whether you are in special operations returning from a deployment, just ran your first 5k, or have never run consistently before, evaluate your current physical fitness and then resume training.
For example, this summer I finished a short bout of training to drop my 1-mile time below 5 minutes. I then took a week of easy training and immediately started the Hybrid Cohort on discord. This is a combined block of training including a PPL cycle with ramping up total Z2 running per week, and went from around 15 miles per week to 40 per week. But it doesn’t have to be running centric! If you take nothing else away from Acid Gambit, it is how to structure your training to achieve your goals (and be a tanned, jacked FREAK). The reason I write so much about running is 1) I love it and 2) I get the most amount of questions and comments around it.
I believe everyone can benefit from being a better runner and including it in their life in some capacity, whether it’s just a few easy miles a week or completely turning yourself into an ultra-endurance stud (and I have seen this - one of the first people I coached just wanted to do a half marathon. Now he’s regularly doing ultras from 32-100 milers). Another example would be using one of my levels to get yourself to a running baseline while training for another goal. Some of you are focused on martial arts - in which case running takes a backseat and should act to bolster your endurance for competitions. Another example are members of the military/special operations or LEOs. Your running should not get in the way of training. It should bolster your ability to move quickly under load and operate effectively. You don’t need 40+ miles per week, but even 10-15 miles per week structured well and paired with lifting, METCONs, and mobility will make you extremely lethal.
Let’s return to the roadmap. Build your base. Train for an event/goal. De-load. Repeat. That’s it, there is no reason to overcomplicate training. If you are in the “train for an event/goal” category, then this program is for you. A distinctly focused half marathon prep program that can be run individually or paired with the style of lifting of your choice. Even in the depths of a tough training block it is crucial to continue to lift and maintain/improve your mobility, even if only 1-2 sessions per week. But to keep the program simple, I leave out strength training so you can implement the style your body responds best to currently. If you have questions on how to implement lifting with your program, reach out to me on instagram or email me @ director@acidgambit.com.
The half marathon program starts at 20-25 miles per week and runs for 12 weeks, capping out at 40+ miles in the final weeks before the taper. My general recommendation is to be completely comfortable running 20-25 miles per week for at least 4 weeks straight before starting this program. This means if you finish the intermediate run program, keep doing easy mileage weeks in the 20-25 mile range for a couple weeks, then begin the half marathon program. It will ramp quickly and brutally. But it differs by utilizing long distance repeats, threshold runs, and half marathon simulation runs at distances less than 13.1 miles. You will be uncomfortable, especially if you’ve never properly trained for a hard event before.
But the question comes down to one question: would you rather be uncomfortable in training or on race day? You are going to push yourself the day of the race and there is no doubt it will suck. But proper training will expose you to the feeling of race day. It won’t be foreign, and you’ll be able to lean into the suffering rather than struggle through a race to end up with an undesirable time. It’s just stress exposure training, something many of you in the military and first responders have experienced. We want to train as close to the real thing as possible so when going through the event you are unfazed and able to perform extremely well.
This program is also excellent even if you aren’t preparing for a half marathon. If you just want to be faster, build your mileage to the next level, and challenge yourself, you should do it. Coming from the ultimate beginner’s running guide, to the intermediate run guide, to this, you pretty much have an entire year’s worth of training to become an absolute freak. Do you want it?
You can now download the AG Half Marathon Program (HMP) for free here!
If you’d like to support AG in other ways, I would love to have you subscribe on Instagram, or upgrade to a paid subscriber here on substack.
Regardless, I’m grateful if you’ve read this far, and come along on the AG Journey over the last couple years. Merry Christmas! I wish you a wonderful day with your families and a happy new year. I am more than pumped for 2024.
Cheers.
DISCLAIMER
This is not Legal, Medical, or Financial advice. Please consult a medical professional before starting any workout program, diet plan, or supplement protocol.