This is my half marathon training week 9 recap covering every run from April 20–27, 2026. Half marathon training week 9 was a high-mileage week with nearly 30 miles across four runs — all easy except for one speed work session. I kept my pace slow and intentional all week, pushed through PFPS knee pain, and finished with my longest run since my last half marathon: 12 miles. If you are training for a spring half marathon and wondering whether you can get through a big week when your body is already tired, here is how week 9 went for me.
Week of April 20, 2026 · 4 runs · Nearly 30 miles, one speed session, and my longest run since my last half marathon
Thursday’s speed work fit. Knee pain and all — still hit the paces. 💪
Week 9 is done and I am genuinely proud of this one. Nearly 30 miles, four runs, and a 12-mile long run that I was honestly a little scared of going into. This was not a glamorous week. My knees were giving me trouble, life is still incredibly busy and stressful, and there were moments mid-run where I really, really wanted to stop. But I did not stop. And that matters.
The thing that defined this week more than the mileage was the pace. I actually ran slow. Like, intentionally, consistently slow. Every easy run stayed easy. It sounds simple but for me it is genuinely hard to let go of the urge to push, and I am glad I finally did it for a full week.
Chicago Half Marathon Training Week 9: The Runs
| Day | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Apr 22 | 6 Miles Easy | Moved from Monday for recovery — felt strong and controlled 🌿 |
| Thursday, Apr 24 | Speed Work | ~5 miles total, 3×6 min HM pace — hit paces despite knee pain 🔥 |
| Friday, Apr 25 | 6 Miles Easy | Bloated, some knee pain — glad it was just easy miles 😮💨 |
| Sunday, Apr 27 | 12 Miles Easy | Longest run since my last half — hurt, but finished without stopping 🏃♀️ |
Letting Go of the Pace Comparison Spiral
This week I actually ran slow. Every easy run, I held back. And it made a noticeable difference in how my body felt, especially heading into back-to-back run days and a long run at the end of the week.
It is something I have been working on mentally too. When I glance at my watch and see a pace that used to be my “fast,” there is this instinct to feel like I am sliding backwards. Like I am back to where I started. But I have to remind myself that those paces are easy now because I have gotten stronger, and running easy on easy days is what actually builds the fitness. It is not regression. It is the work.
Tuesday: 6 Miles Easy
Monday was still recovery from Sunday’s 10-mile long run, so we shifted Tuesday’s run to give my legs one more day. It was the right call. By Tuesday I felt genuinely good. Strong and controlled, nothing forced. Exactly how an easy run is supposed to feel. Keeping the pace slow meant I was not digging into any reserves I would need later in the week, and it set a good tone for everything that followed.
Spring is really showing up on the trail. These tulips made an appearance this week. 🌷
Thursday: Speed Work
Speed work is always the run I go into with the most nerves and come out of feeling the most accomplished. This week was no different, except I added PFPS knee pain to the mix. My PT routine has slipped lately. Life has been genuinely overwhelming and the first thing that goes when everything piles up is the stuff that feels optional, even when it is not. My guess is that is exactly why the pain has been creeping back in.
I used some Tiger Balm before heading out, hoped for the best, and the run actually went well. Three sets of six-minute half marathon pace intervals, and I ended up running faster than the target paces. The knee held up well enough to get through it. I will take that.
Out on the intervals. Knee was grumpy, paces were not. 🔥
Friday: 6 Miles Easy
This run was tough. I was bloated, my knee was still bothering me, and I was just not feeling it. But it was a slow easy six miles. Low pressure, low stakes. I kept the effort light, got through it, and was genuinely relieved that the schedule did not ask anything more of me that day.
Chicago Half Marathon Training Week 9: The Long Run
Sunday was 12 miles and I will be honest, I was intimidated going into it. After the 11-mile DNF a few weeks ago, something about a bigger number on the schedule felt like a test I was not sure I would pass.
A little river view to keep me going at mile 4 — I needed it. 🌊
Halfway through, I was hurting. My knees ached, my lower back was starting to feel my posture breaking down, and my legs were heavy and tired. I wanted to walk and rest more times than I can count. But I kept going. Slow, steady, and deliberate, but moving forward the whole time. I crossed the finish without stopping once to rest, and the relief and pride I felt in that moment was real.
This run also handed me the clearest lesson of this entire training block: I have to strength train. When my legs are this fatigued and my posture is breaking down at mile 6 of 12, I know exactly what the fix is. Two days a week during my next block leading into the Indianapolis Monumental, and at minimum once a week during the block itself. If I do not prioritize that before I start training for 26 miles, I genuinely do not know how I will get through it.
Honest Check-In
This week was a big one. Bigger mileage, more back-to-back days, and a long run that pushed me to a place I had not been since my last half marathon. My knees are still not happy, life is still incredibly busy, and PT has not been getting the attention it needs. Those are real things I have to keep working on.
But I ran nearly 30 miles this week. I kept the easy runs easy. I hit my speed work paces even when I was hurting. And I ran 12 miles without stopping. That is the week I needed to have going into our last peak week before taper.
You can follow along with the full journey on my Training & Progress page.
- Tuesday: 6 miles easy
- Thursday: Speed work — 15 min easy, 3×1 mile at interval pace with 3 min walk recovery, 10 min easy
- Friday: 6 miles easy
- Sunday: 13 miles — 8 easy, 4 at half marathon pace, 1 easy
