Your plan in four answers
Secret City Half is on November 14, 2026, under four weeks away, so we have set next year's race in November. Change the date below if you are running this one.
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Sport
- Running
Course
The Secret City Half course
The Secret City Half Marathon starts at 9:00 a.m. on the Melton Lake Park peninsula in Oak Ridge, with the 5K following at 9:15 a.m. The USATF certified half heads south along Melton Lake Drive, passes an operational quarry, follows a tree-lined private road and winds through Oak Ridge on streets such as Illinois Avenue, Laboratory Road and the Oak Ridge Turnpike before finishing along the water's edge back on the peninsula.
Read the full course notes
The organizers call it a great PR course. The 5K follows the water's edge to Elza Gate Park and doubles back on the walking trail. Aid stations come roughly every 2 miles, and walkers are welcome to start at the back.
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Weather on race day
- Mid-November in Oak Ridge is cool and comfortable: WeatherSpark lists average highs near 62 °F and lows near 41 °F around that time of month. The 9:00 a.m. start means the air has usually warmed a little from the overnight low. About one day in four brings measurable rain, so pack a light jacket and gloves for the start area by the lake.
What to train for
A course billed for personal records invites a steady, even effort, so practice long runs of 10 to 12 miles with the final 3 miles at goal pace.
Add weekly tempo runs of 4 to 6 miles and some strides to keep your legs quick through the fall.
The time limit is 3.5 hours (about 16:02 per mile), and anyone reaching halfway after 10:50 a.m. is offered a ride back, so walkers should practice a steady 15 to 16 minute mile. Because the start is later in the morning, rehearse your breakfast timing on a few weekend long runs.
Sample week
A sample Secret City 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
- Intervals: 5 × 1 km at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- 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 easy
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Taper
Tapering for the Secret City 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.
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 Secret City Half Marathon & 5K in November. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Secret City Half training questions
How long should I train for the Secret City 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 Secret City Half course hilly?
The Secret City Half Marathon starts at 9:00 a.m. on the Melton Lake Park peninsula in Oak Ridge, with the 5K following at 9:15 a.m.
What is the weather usually like at the Secret City Half?
Mid-November in Oak Ridge is cool and comfortable: WeatherSpark lists average highs near 62 °F and lows near 41 °F around that time of month. The 9:00 a.m. start means the air has usually warmed a little from the overnight low. About one day in four brings measurable rain, so pack a light jacket and gloves for the start area by the lake.
When should I start tapering for the Secret City 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.
Do I need an account to get a Secret City 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.