What the plan looks like
Two weeks straight from the builder, for a regular runner on 4 days a week whose race time points to about a 1:51 half marathon.
Free half marathon training plan
A week-by-week half marathon plan with paces from your own race time, built in about a minute.
Build my planFree. No account. About a minute.
- Plan length
- 4-24weeks
- Counted back from race day
- Running days
- 3-7a week
- Longest run
- 16-22km
- Set by your level
- Taper
- 2weeks
- Race week included
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7Build | Rest | 3 × 800 m | Rest | 6.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6.5kmeasy | 16.5kmlong | 37km |
| 10Peak | Rest | 20mintempo | Rest | 8kmeasy + strides | Rest | 8kmeasy | 19kmlong, 5.5 km at half marathon pace | 43km |
See all 12 weeks
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Base | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 4.5kmeasy | 12kmlong | 25.5km |
| 2Base | Rest | 6 × 60 s hills | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | 13kmlong | 27.5km |
| 3Base | Rest | 8 × 60 s hills | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | 13.5kmlong | 29km |
| 4Build | Rest | 3 × 5 min threshold | Rest | 5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 5kmeasy | 14.5kmlong | 31km |
| 5Build, easier | Rest | 4 × 400 m | Rest | 4kmeasy + strides | Rest | 4kmeasy | 11.5kmlong | 25km |
| 6Build | Rest | 3 × 5 min threshold | Rest | 6kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6kmeasy | 15.5kmlong | 34km |
| 7Build | Rest | 3 × 800 m | Rest | 6.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 6.5kmeasy | 16.5kmlong | 37km |
| 8Build | Rest | 3 × 5 min threshold | Rest | 7kmeasy + strides | Rest | 7kmeasy | 17.5kmlong | 39km |
| 9Peak, easier | Rest | 2 × 2 km at half marathon pace | Rest | 5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 5kmeasy | 14kmlong | 31.5km |
| 10Peak | Rest | 20mintempo | Rest | 8kmeasy + strides | Rest | 8kmeasy | 19kmlong, 5.5 km at half marathon pace | 43km |
| 11Taper | Rest | 2 × 1600 m at race pace | Rest | 4.5kmeasy + strides | Rest | 4.5kmeasy | 15kmlong | 30.5km |
| 12Race week | Rest | 5kmwith race-pace pickups | Rest | 7kmeasy | Rest | 3kmshakeout | Half marathon race | 36km |
The four phases
Weeks as in the 12-week sample. A longer or shorter plan stretches or squeezes each phase.
Base
Weeks 1 to 3
Easy running with strides, then hill repeats. The long run starts at 12 km for a regular runner.Build
Weeks 4 to 8
Threshold runs and intervals. The long run grows a little each week, with an easier week every fourth week.Peak
Weeks 9 to 10
Half marathon pace work, and the longest run: 19 km here, the last 5.5 km at race pace.Taper
Weeks 11 to 12
Down to about 70% of the peak week, then race week. One short race-pace session stays.
Paces by goal time
| Goal | Pace /km | Pace /mile | Start from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub 1:30 | 4:15 | 6:51 | 1:33:09 |
| Sub 1:45 | 4:58 | 8:00 | 1:49:24 |
| Sub 2 hour | 5:41 | 9:09 | 2:05:50 |
| Sub 2:15 | 6:23 | 10:17 | 2:22:29 |
| Sub 2:30 | 7:06 | 11:26 | 2:39:19 |
Each goal opens its own plan. For any other time, the half marathon pace chart covers 1:05 to 3:00, or see all goal plans.
Who it suits
- Runners who can already run about 10.5 km in one go. That is where a new runner's long run starts.
- New to running? Start with Couch to 5K, then a 10K plan.
- Racing in under 11 weeks? You still get a plan, but the long run will not reach its full length.
Half marathon training FAQ
How many weeks do I need to train for a half marathon?
Run-R builds a plan for any race 4 to 24 weeks away. With 11 weeks or more, your long run has time to reach its full length. With fewer, it builds as far as it safely can, and the plan tells you how far that is.
How long should my longest run be for a half marathon?
It depends on your level: 16 km for new runners, 19 km for regular runners and 22 km for experienced runners, and never more than 150 minutes. It comes in the last weeks before the taper.
How many days a week should I run?
Anything from 3 to 7. On 3 or 4 days, the long run can be up to 50% of the week, as in Hal Higdon's novice plans. New runners are kept to 5 days at most, and nobody gets more than two hard sessions a week.
What pace should my long runs be?
Easy pace, set from your race time. In the peak weeks, every other long run finishes with a block at half marathon pace, unless you are new to running.
How long is the taper for a half marathon?
2 weeks, counting race week. The week before drops to about 70% of your biggest week, with one short race-pace session. Race week is a few short runs, a shakeout the day before, then the race.
Can I run/walk a half marathon?
You can walk parts of the race, and plenty of people do. The plan itself is continuous running, though. If you cannot yet run for 30 minutes without stopping, start with Couch to 5K, which builds up from run/walk, and come back to the half after it.
Weighing up other plans? Compare Run-R with Runna, Hal Higdon and Nike Run Club.