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Training plan pace help
Hi All, this is my first post so please go easy on me! I've been running regularly for around 6 months and completed my first race a few weeks ago (10k in 58:08). I am now training for the Windsor half in around 12 weeks and am using a training plan from this site(sub 2:15 plan), however I have a few things I am unsure of and was hopeful someone could give me some advice.
I'd like to complete the half in around 2 hours so this would mean a goal pace of around 9:09 a mile, do you think this is achievable at this point given my recent 10K time or should I lower my expectations?
The plan stipulates different paces (10k, 5K), is this my goal pace rather than what I can run now?
The plan has entries like this-
Distance: 4M (inc 2M THR), Pace: 1/2M, Time: 50 mins (20 min THR)
Does this mean I should run the first mile at my goal 1/2M pace, then 2M threshold pace, then the final mile at 1/2M pace?
Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance for any answers! 
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Comments
Use McMillan running http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/
You can plug in a recent race time and it will tell you your times for other distances (obviously supposing you tain for that distance e.g you couldn't run the marathon time they suggest off 5k training!).
Anyway, McMillan suggests 2.09 for a half based on that 10k time. BUT, if you haven't been running for long your fitness could improve quite dramatically over a few weeks of consistent training. I would follow the plan but aim to do a 10k race about 3 or 4 weeks out from the half which will give you a better idea of where your fitness is and traget pace.
The different paces the plan stipulates should be based on CURRENT fitness. You'll hurt yourself if you try to run much faster than your current ability and it won't give you additional benefits - will just wear you out. Again, McMillan will tell you what your training paces should be for various types of run which is really helpful.
ANY faster running in the plan should always be preceded by a warm up of at least 1 mile easy running and be rounded up with 1mile of cool down running, again at easy pace. So in the example you cite:
Distance: 4M (inc 2M THR), Pace: 1/2M, Time: 50 mins (20 min THR)
Mile 1: warm up, easy pace. Mile 2 and 3: Tempo/threshold pace (two words that mean the same thing for this purpose, use McMillan to work this out (9:14-9:29 per mile); Mile 4: Cool down mile.
Hope this makes sense. And good luck with your race!
HI McFlooze and Flob - Thank you both for replying I really appreciate it. I would have said thanks earlier but I have only just seen that I had some replies to my questions!
I've got a 10K in Bushy Park on Sunday to see how my training is progressing, although I'm not sure how well I will do in this heat!
Again, thanks for the responses it has made things clearer for me.