Your plan in four answers
Maple Leaf Half has not announced its next date, so we have estimated September. Change the date below once you know it.
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Field
- Capped at 500 runners and walkers across the half and 5K
Course
The Maple Leaf Half course
Both races start and finish at the Dana Thompson Recreation Park on Route 30 in Manchester Center, with an 8:00 a.m. start. The half heads along Route 30 and south on Route 7A toward the Equinox, then snakes through village settings and quiet backcountry roads past farmland before returning to the park, with the Taconic Range to the west and the Green Mountains to the east.
Read the full course notes
The organizers say it plainly: the half is hilly, and the signature climb is Wind Hill, which starts at mile 8 and tops out around mile 9, with a water stop at the bottom and another at the top. Expect some dirt and loose gravel sections, and most roads stay open to traffic, so headphones are discouraged. The 5K shares the start and finish on a much gentler loop, and early fall foliage usually colors the whole route.
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Field
- Capped at 500 runners and walkers across the half and 5K
- Weather on race day
- The organizers expect anything from the mid-40s to the high 70s °F in early September, with the start usually in the mid-50s. Sun, cloud and rain can all show up in the same morning, so pack sunscreen and a cap, and drink at the six water stops if it warms up before Wind Hill.
What to train for
Wind Hill decides this race, so train for a full mile of climbing on tired legs: once a week, run 6 to 8 x 2 to 3 minutes uphill at 10K effort, and plan long runs that reach a sustained hill around mile 8.
Build long runs to 10 to 12 miles on rolling roads, including some dirt or gravel to get used to looser footing.
After the climb, practice settling back into goal pace on the rolling miles home instead of chasing lost time. The time limit is 3.5 hours, so run-walkers have room to finish.
Sample week
A sample Maple Leaf Half training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Hill repeats: 8 × 90 s up a steady grade, jog back down
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 5–6 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 7 mi with 4 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 10–12 mi on hilly ground, steady effort on the climbs
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Taper
Tapering for the Maple Leaf Half
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar.
Also in Claude
Ask Claude for this plan
Add AthleteSpace to Claude once, then paste this prompt and put in your own numbers.
Build me a training plan for the Maple Leaf Half Marathon and Kotler 5K in September. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Maple Leaf Half training questions
How long should I train for the Maple Leaf Half?
Most runners give a half marathon twelve to sixteen weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Maple Leaf Half course hilly?
Hilly. Both races start and finish at the Dana Thompson Recreation Park on Route 30 in Manchester Center, with an 8:00 a.m. start.
What is the weather usually like at the Maple Leaf Half?
The organizers expect anything from the mid-40s to the high 70s °F in early September, with the start usually in the mid-50s. Sun, cloud and rain can all show up in the same morning, so pack sunscreen and a cap, and drink at the six water stops if it warms up before Wind Hill.
When should I start tapering for the Maple Leaf Half?
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar.
Do I need an account to get a Maple Leaf Half training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.