Prerequisites: Are You Ready to Start?
Before beginning this 12-week plan, you should be able to: - Run 5–6km continuously at an easy pace - Complete 3 runs per week without excessive fatigue or soreness lasting more than 48 hours - Have been running consistently for at least 4–6 weeks
If you cannot yet run 5km continuously, spend 6–8 weeks building to that base before starting week 1.
Plan Overview
This plan covers two levels:
- Beginner (targeting 2:15–2:45 finish): 3–4 runs per week, peaks at 45–50km per week
- Intermediate (targeting 1:45–2:15 finish): 4–5 runs per week, peaks at 55–65km per week
Key weekly elements: 1. One long run (the most important session) 2. One tempo run (lactate threshold development) 3. Two–three easy runs (aerobic base, recovery) 4. Optional: one interval session for intermediate runners
Beginner Half Marathon Plan (12 Weeks)
Phase 1: Base Building (Weeks 1–4)
| Week | Tue | Thu | Sat | Sun (Long Run) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Easy 30 min | Easy 25 min | Easy 35 min | 10 km | ~35 km |
| 2 | Easy 35 min | Easy 30 min | Easy 35 min | 12 km | ~40 km |
| 3 | Easy 35 min | Easy 30 min | Easy 40 min | 14 km | ~43 km |
| 4 | Easy 25 min | Easy 25 min | Easy 30 min | 10 km | ~33 km (recovery) |
Phase 2: Development (Weeks 5–8)
| Week | Tue | Thu | Sat | Sun (Long Run) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Easy 35 min | Tempo 35 min | Easy 40 min | 15 km | ~47 km |
| 6 | Easy 40 min | Tempo 35 min | Easy 40 min | 17 km | ~51 km |
| 7 | Easy 40 min | Tempo 40 min | Easy 45 min | 18 km | ~54 km |
| 8 | Easy 30 min | Easy 30 min | Easy 35 min | 13 km | ~40 km (recovery) |
Phase 3: Peak and Taper (Weeks 9–12)
| Week | Tue | Thu | Sat | Sun (Long Run) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Easy 40 min | Tempo 40 min | Easy 45 min | 19 km | ~57 km |
| 10 | Easy 35 min | Tempo 35 min | Easy 40 min | 21 km | ~57 km |
| 11 | Easy 30 min | Easy 30 min | Easy 30 min | 16 km | ~45 km (taper) |
| 12 | Easy 25 min | Easy 20 min | Easy 15 min | Race Day | — |
Intermediate Half Marathon Plan (12 Weeks)
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rest | Easy 45 | Easy 35 | Tempo 40 | Rest | Long 14 km | ~52 km |
| 2 | Rest | Easy 45 | Easy 40 | Tempo 40 | Rest | Long 16 km | ~56 km |
| 3 | Rest | Intervals 45 | Easy 40 | Tempo 40 | Rest | Long 18 km | ~60 km |
| 4 | Rest | Easy 35 | Easy 30 | Easy 30 | Rest | Long 13 km | ~44 km (recovery) |
| 5 | Rest | Intervals 50 | Easy 40 | Tempo 45 | Rest | Long 19 km | ~64 km |
| 6 | Rest | Intervals 50 | Easy 45 | Tempo 45 | Rest | Long 21 km | ~67 km |
| 7 | Rest | Intervals 45 | Easy 45 | Tempo 40 | Rest | Long 22 km | ~68 km |
| 8 | Rest | Easy 35 | Easy 35 | Easy 30 | Rest | Long 15 km | ~48 km (recovery) |
| 9 | Rest | Intervals 50 | Easy 45 | Tempo 45 | Rest | Long 22 km | ~70 km |
| 10 | Rest | Easy 45 | Easy 40 | Tempo 40 | Rest | Long 23 km | ~70 km |
| 11 | Rest | Easy 40 | Easy 35 | Tempo 30 | Rest | Long 16 km | ~52 km (taper) |
| 12 | Rest | Easy 30 | Easy 25 | Easy 20 | Rest | Race Day | — |
Pace Targets by Goal Time
| Goal Time | Easy Pace | Tempo Pace | Long Run Pace | Race Pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:30 (7:06/km) | 8:00–8:30/km | 7:00–7:15/km | 8:00–8:30/km | 7:06/km |
| 2:15 (6:24/km) | 7:15–7:45/km | 6:20–6:35/km | 7:15–7:45/km | 6:24/km |
| 2:00 (5:41/km) | 6:30–7:00/km | 5:35–5:50/km | 6:30–7:00/km | 5:41/km |
| 1:45 (4:58/km) | 5:45–6:15/km | 4:50–5:05/km | 5:45–6:15/km | 4:58/km |
| 1:30 (4:15/km) | 5:00–5:30/km | 4:10–4:20/km | 5:00–5:30/km | 4:15/km |
Critical rule: The long run must be run at easy pace. Running long runs at goal race pace causes excessive fatigue that degrades quality in midweek sessions and accumulates injury risk over the 12-week block.
The Long Run: Most Important Session
The long run is the cornerstone of half marathon preparation. It builds: - Musculoskeletal durability — tendons and connective tissue adapt to prolonged loading - Fat oxidation efficiency — longer runs train the body to spare glycogen - Mental resilience — confidence from completing distances longer than the race
Long Run Rules
Race Week Strategy
Nutrition
Pacing on Race Day
- Km 1–4: Goal pace + 10–15 sec/km (let the field settle)
- Km 4–16: Exactly goal pace
- Km 16–21: Negative split — increase effort if feeling strong, maintain pace if not
For a 2:00 half marathon (5:41/km): start at 5:53–5:56/km, settle into 5:41/km, push to 5:30–5:35/km in final 5km if possible.
In-Race Fueling
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days per week do I need to run for a half marathon? Minimum 3 days — including the long run. Four days produces meaningfully better results. Five days is optimal for intermediate runners. The pattern that consistently works: long run (Sunday), tempo or intervals (Tuesday), easy (Thursday), easy (Saturday). Rest Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Can I walk during the half marathon? Yes — and it's a legitimate strategy. Many runners use planned walk intervals (run 9 min / walk 1 min) throughout the race and finish faster than those who run until they can't. The key is making it a strategy, not a reaction to desperation.
Should I run the full 21.1km in training? No. The longest long run in this plan is 22–23km, run once. Running the full race distance in training removes the freshness benefit of the taper and dramatically increases injury risk in the final weeks. The physical and psychological stimulus from a 19–22km long run is sufficient preparation.
What if I miss a week due to illness or travel? Miss 1–3 days: continue the plan where you left off. Miss a full week: repeat the previous week's schedule before continuing. Miss 2+ weeks: drop back 2 weeks in the plan. Never try to compress missed training into the following week — this is how overuse injuries happen.
