How to train inbetween races?

Hi all, bit about me - I have some experience of running as I have raced two half marathons. This January I decided to focus my training and enter more races as previously my training consisted of just steady jogging over similar distances.

I have entered the following races:

Feb 24th - 10k hilly (non-pb friendly)

March 17th - 10k off road water adventure race (again non-pb friendly!)

March 24th - 10k (pb friendly)

April 13th - 8k off road water adventure race (non-pb friendly)

May 12th - Half Marathon (pb-friendly)

I have followed a 7 week training plan, training 3 times per week including runs of different distances, intensities, speed work, circuit training and the occasional gym visit once a week.

My question is - after the first race shall I follow a longer race plan and just taper it for each race or should I try to stick to a fresh plan leading up to each race?

My focus is really the half marathon in May - the lenghts of my runs will have to increase at somepoint yes?

How much can I step my training up between races over the weeks/months?

Many thanks.

Follow a single training plan designed to get you prepared for your HM in May.  Swap the non-pb races between now and then for "hard" sessions within your plan (e.g. if you have a tempo session on the Tuesday, substiture the Sunday race for it and then do your "Sunday" session on the Tuesday).

If you really want to go full out in the Mar 24th race, maybe start your plan a week early (i.e. if its a 12 week plan, start it 13 weeks before the HM) and then take the week off from the plan after the 10k to recover (e.g. just have a few easy runs that week) 

i would keep your focus on your May HM and follow the training plan to this race.

When you get to the other races you can juggle the sessions to suit.  for example drop your tempo/speedwork run and replace it for the 10k race in that week.  Maybe move your LSR to another day if you need to recover from the 10ks.  Just be flexible with the longer plan.

Nice one, cheers for the advice guys. I think will complete the plan I'm on now up til the first 10k race & then sort out a 12/13 week plan leading to the HM and try to smash the PB friendly 10k in March.

I guess its just a case of tapering the runs slightly leading up to each of the other races?

I wouldn't taper for anything other than the HM.  Most plans will include "tune up" races as part of your preparation, and you accept that you won't be running them in optimum condition (as you'll have some accumulated fatigue from your training).  As most of your races aren't PB attempts that shouldn't be a problem and focussed training is good preparation for getting a PB at lesser distances (e.g. my HM PB was set whilst training for a marathon).

For your March 10k, just don't run anything more than a couple of gentle miles on the day before, but follow your plan for Mon to Fri.