Prerequisites
This plan assumes you can comfortably run 6 miles and are logging 15–20 miles per week. You should have completed at least one 10K race or training cycle. If you're running fewer than 15 miles per week, spend 4–6 weeks building your base before starting.
You'll need:
- Good running shoes — Consider having two pairs to rotate, which extends shoe life and reduces injury risk.
- A GPS watch — Essential for pacing long runs and quality sessions.
- Fuel for long runs — Energy gels, chews, or sports drink for runs over 75 minutes.
- 4–5 days per week — Including a long run that builds to 90+ minutes.
The 12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan
This plan has 4–5 run days per week: 2–3 easy runs, 1 quality workout, and 1 long run. Cross-train or rest on remaining days.
| Week | Easy Runs | Quality Workout | Long Run | Weekly Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3–4 mi × 3 | 20 min tempo | 6 mi | ~20 mi |
| 2 | 3–4 mi × 3 | 5 × 800m at 5K pace | 7 mi | ~22 mi |
| 3 | 4 mi × 3 | 25 min tempo | 8 mi | ~24 mi |
| 4 | 3–4 mi × 2 | Easy 3 mi + strides | 5 mi easy | ~16 mi (recovery) |
| 5 | 4 mi × 3 | 4 × 1 mi at 10K pace, 2 min jog | 9 mi | ~26 mi |
| 6 | 4 mi × 3 | 30 min tempo | 10 mi | ~28 mi |
| 7 | 4 mi × 3 | 5 × 1K at 5K pace, 2 min jog | 8 mi | ~24 mi |
| 8 | 4–5 mi × 3 | 35 min tempo | 11 mi | ~30 mi |
| 9 | 4 mi × 3 | 3 × 2 mi at half marathon pace | 12 mi | ~30 mi |
| 10 | 4 mi × 3 | 30 min tempo | 10 mi | ~26 mi |
| 11 | 3–4 mi × 3 | 4 × 800m at 5K pace | 8 mi | ~22 mi |
| 12 | 3 mi × 2 | 20 min easy + 4 strides | Race day — 13.1 mi! | ~16 mi |
Week 4 is a planned recovery week (reduced volume). Weeks 11–12 are the taper. Don't skip recovery or taper — they're when your body absorbs the fitness you've built.
The Long Run: Your Most Important Workout
Your weekly long run builds the endurance foundation for 13.1 miles. Key principles:
- Pace — Run 60–90 seconds per mile slower than your half marathon goal pace. Long runs should feel comfortable and controlled.
- Increase gradually — Add no more than 1 mile per week. The plan already follows this progression.
- Practice fueling — Use long runs over 75 minutes to test your race-day nutrition strategy. Try the same gels, chews, or drinks you'll use on race day.
- Don't race your long runs — Save your speed for quality workouts. The long run is about time on feet, not pace.
Fueling and Hydration
The half marathon is the first distance where mid-race fueling meaningfully affects performance:
Before the Race
Eat a familiar, carb-heavy meal 2–3 hours before the start. Classic choices: oatmeal with banana, toast with peanut butter and honey, or a bagel with jam. Avoid high-fiber and high-fat foods. Drink 16–20 oz of water 2 hours before, then sip as needed.
During the Race
- Hydration — Drink at every aid station (roughly every 2 miles). Take small sips, not big gulps. In hot weather, pour water on your head and neck.
- Fuel — Take an energy gel or a few chews at miles 4–5 and 8–9. Practice this in training first. If gels don't agree with you, try sports drink instead — it provides both hydration and carbohydrates.
After the Race
Eat a meal with protein and carbs within 60 minutes. Chocolate milk is a popular recovery drink for good reason — it has the right ratio of carbs to protein. Continue hydrating throughout the day.
Pacing Your Half Marathon
The half marathon rewards disciplined, even pacing. The biggest mistake is going out too fast in the first 3 miles.
- Miles 1–3 — Run 10–15 seconds per mile slower than goal pace. Bank energy, not time.
- Miles 4–8 — Settle into goal pace. Feel smooth and controlled. This is your rhythm section.
- Miles 9–11 — This is where the race starts. Maintain pace as others slow down. Your tempo training pays off here.
- Miles 12–13.1 — Give everything you have left. The finish line is earned in these final miles.
Use the splits calculator to generate your mile-by-mile pacing plan, and the training pace calculator to know your exact goal pace from a recent race.
Common Half Marathon Mistakes
1. Going Out Too Fast
Race-day adrenaline and the crowd will push you to run your first mile faster than planned. Resist it. Every second you "save" in mile 1 costs you 5–10 seconds in the final miles. Start conservatively.
2. Not Practicing Fueling
Trying a new gel or sports drink on race day is a recipe for stomach problems. Use your long runs to test exactly what you'll eat and drink during the race — same brand, same timing, same amount.
3. Skipping Recovery Weeks
Week 4 and the Weeks 11–12 taper aren't wasted time. They're when your body absorbs the training stress and gets stronger. Runners who skip recovery weeks are more likely to arrive at the start line fatigued or injured.
4. Running Long Runs Too Fast
Your long run pace should feel genuinely easy — 60–90 seconds per mile slower than race pace. If you're racing your long runs, you'll be too tired for your quality workouts and too worn down for race day.
Sample Week: What Training Looks Like
Here's an example of Week 6:
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday | Rest or 30 min walk |
| Tuesday | 4 mi easy run |
| Wednesday | Warm-up 10 min → 30 min tempo → Cool-down 10 min |
| Thursday | 4 mi easy run |
| Friday | Rest or cross-train |
| Saturday | 4 mi easy run |
| Sunday | 10 mi long run at easy pace (practice fueling at mile 5) |
After the Half Marathon: What's Next?
- Get faster — Maintain your mileage and add more quality sessions. See what counts as a good half marathon time for benchmarks.
- Go the full distance — Transition to marathon training by building your long run to 18–20 miles over 16+ weeks.
- Predict future races — Use the race time predictor to set goals for your next distance.
- Compare your performance — Check your age-graded percentage to see how you rank among runners of all ages.