Choose Your Half-Marathon Plan by Goal

What Makes the Half-Marathon Different From Other Distances

The half-marathon is where training philosophy shifts. Short-distance racing (5K/10K) is dominated by VO2 max and threshold work. Marathon training is dominated by aerobic volume and race-pace endurance. The half sits between the two, requiring meaningful amounts of both.

Physiologically, a well-run half-marathon is sustained at roughly lactate threshold pace, the fastest pace you can hold without lactic acid accumulating faster than your body can clear it. This is a different zone from the 10K (which sits above threshold) and the marathon (which sits below). Training for a half-marathon well means training the threshold zone specifically, and that’s where most recreational runners get it wrong.

How Long Does It Take to Train for a Half Marathon?

Complete beginner (not currently running): Don’t attempt a half-marathon from zero. Build up through a 5K and a 10K first. Jumping straight to a half-marathon from scratch is one of the most common injury patterns we see.

Active but not a runner: 16 weeks minimum for a safe first half-marathon.

Currently running but never raced longer than 10K: 12 weeks is the standard block, and why most of our half-marathon plans are 12 weeks long.

Experienced runner targeting a PR: 12 weeks is ideal. Some runners benefit from 14–16 weeks to fit in more base-building before the structured portion begins.

The 12-week block exists for a reason. It’s the minimum time to build the aerobic base, add threshold volume, execute a race-specific peak, and taper properly. Shorter than 12 weeks means compromising at least one of those phases.

Half Marathon Training Plans by Level and Goal

For first-time half-marathon runners

Half Marathon Beginner Plan (12 weeks) — For runners who can already comfortably run a 10K and want to step up to 13.1. Long runs grow gradually to 10–11 miles. Weekly volume builds from around 15 miles to 25+. Simple structured workouts introduce quality without overwhelming the schedule. Designed for finish-line success, not PR chasing.

For runners who’ve raced 10K and are ready for real structure

Half Marathon Intermediate Plan — For runners comfortable with the distance who want to train properly. Adds tempo runs, threshold intervals, and pace-specific long runs. This is the plan for runners stepping up from “I finished a half” to “I raced a half.”

For goal-time breakthroughs

Each half-marathon goal time is a meaningful barrier requiring specific pacing, specific volume, and specific readiness.

• Sub-1:45 Half Marathon Plan — 8:00/mile pace. A major milestone for improving runners. Required starting fitness: current half under 1:55 and comfortable running 25 miles per week.
• Sub-1:40 Half Marathon Plan — 7:37/mile pace. The “I’m getting fast” breakthrough. Required starting fitness: current half under 1:48 and 30+ miles per week.
• Sub-1:35 Half Marathon Plan — 7:15/mile pace. Serious amateur territory. Required starting fitness: current half under 1:42 and 35–40 miles per week.
• Sub-1:30 Half Marathon Plan — Sub-6:52/mile pace. A genuine accomplishment top-5% at most open half marathons. Required starting fitness: current half under 1:36 and 40+ miles per week.

How Half-Marathon Training Actually Works

Every plan on this page uses the same proven four-phase structure tuned specifically for the demands of 13.1 miles.

Phase 1: Base building (weeks 1–4)

Aerobic foundation. The first four weeks are predominantly easy-paced running with long runs that grow gradually. This phase is not optional even experienced runners need it to build the mileage tolerance that everything else depends on. Strides appear at the end of some easy runs to preserve leg speed without adding training stress.

Phase 2: Threshold development (weeks 5–8)

The heart of half-marathon training. Key workouts during this phase:

• Tempo runs: 25–45 minutes at a comfortably hard pace. The most important single session type for the half-marathon.
• Cruise intervals: 1–2 mile repeats at threshold pace with short jogged recovery. Accumulate threshold time with less cumulative fatigue than a continuous tempo.
• Progression long runs: Long runs where the final 3–4 miles accelerate to marathon or half-marathon pace. Build late-race strength.

Phase 3: Race-specific peak (weeks 9–11)

Sharpening the exact demands of race day:

• Half-marathon-pace segments: Long runs with 4–6 miles embedded at goal pace. Build confidence in the actual race effort.
• Threshold + pace-specific combinations: Longer workouts that combine 15K-pace running with goal-pace finishing miles. Teach the body to shift gears under fatigue.
• One tune-up race: Typically a 5K or 10K two to three weeks out, as both a fitness check and a dress rehearsal for race-day logistics.

Phase 4: Taper (week 12)

The final 10 days reduce volume by about 30–40% while maintaining intensity. Two short, sharp workouts in the final week keep the legs fresh without adding fatigue. Race day: you arrive rested, confident, and fit.

Half Marathon Pacing: The Most Important Skill You’ll Train

The half-marathon punishes pacing mistakes more than any other distance except the marathon itself. A 5K runs fast enough that early-race enthusiasm is survivable. A 10K exposes early mistakes by mile 5. The half-marathon delivers the consequence at mile 10 and there’s no hiding from the last 5K.

The rule: even splits or negative splits always, always outperform positive splits. Runners who run the first 10K too fast by even 10 seconds per mile pay for it by more than 10 seconds per mile in the final 5K.

Every goal-time plan on this page teaches pacing specifically through tempo work at target pace, progression long runs, and the final peak workouts. You don’t guess on race day you execute the pace your training has made feel natural.

The Six Most Common Half-Marathon Training Mistakes

1. Running the long run too fast

The single most common mistake in half-marathon training. The long run is for aerobic development, not fitness testing. Easy, conversational pace 60–90 seconds per mile slower than goal race pace. If you can’t hold a conversation, you’re going too fast.

2. Skipping or shortening threshold work

Tempo runs and cruise intervals are the most important sessions for half-marathon fitness. Runners who skip them because they’re uncomfortable or because “I’d rather run longer” plateau at this distance. You don’t train threshold by accident.

3. Racing every training run

The cumulative fatigue from running hard on easy days compounds invisibly. By week 8 or 9, runners who’ve been running too hard on easy days are flat, heavy-legged, and unable to execute the quality workouts that matter most. Easy days are EASY.

4. Under-fueling the long run

Any long run over 90 minutes should include carbohydrate fueling mid-run. Practicing race-day nutrition in training is non-negotiable. Your race-day gel strategy should be fully tested by week 8 at the latest.

5. Inadequate long-run length for goal-time plans

A sub-1:30 half requires a long run of at least 15 miles. A sub-1:45 half requires at least 13. Runners chasing fast times with short long runs (10 miles for a sub-1:40, for example) don’t build the aerobic depth required to hold pace through the final 5K.

6. Overdoing the taper

A half-marathon taper is shorter than a marathon taper. Ten days with modest volume reduction is standard. Runners who take two full weeks of a drastic taper often arrive at the start line heavy and sluggish rather than fresh. The body needs enough stimulus to stay sharp.

What You Need Besides a Training Plan

• Running Calculator — Turn your current race times into precise training paces
• Running Shoes — Training shoes vs. racing shoes for a half-marathon distance
• GPS Watches — Critical for threshold and goal-pace work
• Nutrition for Runners — Long-run fueling, race-day nutrition, and hydration
• Injury Prevention — Stay healthy through 12+ weeks of training
• Recovery — How to absorb 30–40 mile weeks
• All Training Plans — See plans for all distances

FAQ