Half Marathon Training Programs
If you're training for the half marathon, make sure that you're capable of finishing a 5k or a 30 min run without stopping and without feeling that tired. If you aren't there yet, you need to build a good foundation in order to take the proper steps to run this race, so I would suggest that you follow the first week a few times before you get yourself into training for the half marathon. Having run my first half marathon without training, I can say that it can be done with a good foundation on 5ks, but make sure that you pace yourself well during the race if you are attempting to do that. The programs I have below are 12 week programs that will prepare you to have a successful half marathon. Should the half marathon be on Sunday, just add an easy run on Friday and rest on Saturday.
As with all my other training programs, these plans are made to help you develop a healthy running lifestyle. Doing the M/W/F/S should be sufficient enough for you to get to the next level; however, I do encourage you to build a healthy lifestyle that goes beyond just 4 days a week of exercise.
As with all my other training programs, these plans are made to help you develop a healthy running lifestyle. Doing the M/W/F/S should be sufficient enough for you to get to the next level; however, I do encourage you to build a healthy lifestyle that goes beyond just 4 days a week of exercise.
Half Marathon: Beginners Training Program
If you're a first timer and you're training for a half marathon, just understand that finishing one isn't hard. All it takes is willpower. However, if you want your first half marathon to be a successful race, you get there through training. In the next 12 weeks, you could be preparing yourself to run your first half marathon with this program. How much do you need to commit? Most days, you only need 30-40 minutes. We do have the Saturday long runs and one week where we go to 45 minutes... but is that really a large time commitment? I think not.
Week | Sun | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Building a Foundation | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | 2 miles fast | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (4 miles or 45 min) |
2. Slowly Increasing | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | 2.5 miles fast | 40 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (5 miles or 55 min) |
3. Another Step Forward | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | 3 miles fast | 40 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (6 miles or 65 min) |
4. Slow Down | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | 2.5 miles fast | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (5 miles or 55 min) |
5. Stepping it Up | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | 3 miles fast | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (6 miles or 65 min) |
6. Double Time | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | 3.5 miles fast | 40 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (7 miles or 75 min) |
7. Longer and Stronger | Rest | 40 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | 4 miles fast | 40 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | Long run (8 miles or 85 min) |
8. Slow Down | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | 3.5 miles fast | 40 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (7 miles or 75 min) |
9. Stepping it Up | Rest | 40 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | 4 miles fast | 40 min: easy run | 40 min: easy run | Long run (8 miles or 85 min) |
10. Double Time | Rest | 45 min: easy run | 45 min: easy run | 4.5 miles fast | 45 min: easy run | 45 min: easy run | Long run (9 miles or 95 min) |
11. Taper Period | Rest | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | 2.5 miles fast | 30 min: easy run | 30 min: easy run | Long run (5 miles or 55 min) |
12. Race Week | Rest | 3 miles | 2 miles | Rest | 20 min: easy run | Rest | Race |
Half Marathon: Advanced Training Program
If you think you have what it takes to go beyond just finishing a good half marathon, and instead, focus on not just finishing but annihilating the half marathon, here's the program that could take you to that level. Remember that if you truly want to conquer it, you're going to have to take the training up to the next level. This training may seem a little overkill, but it allows you to sculpt your body in a safe way, so you wouldn't be training to just a 'peak' but beyond that, where you could continue to train your body and get even faster and stronger. For the longer runs on Saturday, you can divide it into 2 separate runs
Week | Sun | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Building a Foundation | Rest | 8x400m @90% effort | 30 min: easy run | 2x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 30 min: easy run | 3 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (6 miles or 60 min) |
2. Slowly Increasing | Rest | 1 mile jog, sprints up a hill… til you’re tired, 1 mile jog | 40 min: easy run | 3x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 40 min: easy run | 4 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (8 miles or 80 min) |
3. Another Step Forward | Rest | 20 min easy run, 30 min hard run, 10 min easy run | 50 min: easy run | 4x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 50 min: easy run | 5 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (10 miles or 100 min) |
4. Slow Down | Rest | 1 mile jog, 10x100m strides, then go on an easy run | 30 min: easy run | 3x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 30 min: easy run | 4 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (8 miles or 80 min) |
5. Stepping it Up | Rest | 12x400m @90% effort | 40 min: easy run | 4x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 40 min: easy run | 5 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (10 miles or 100 min) |
6. Double Time | Rest | 1 mile jog, sprints up a hill… til you’re tired, 1 mile jog | 50 min: easy run | 5x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 50 min: easy run | 6 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (12 miles or 120 min) |
7. Longer and Stronger | Rest | 20 min easy run, 30 min hard run, 10 min easy run | 60 min: easy run | 6x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 60 min: easy run | 7 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (14 miles or 140 min) |
8. Slow Down | Rest | 1 mile jog, 10x100m strides, then go on an easy run | 40 min: easy run | 5x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 40 min: easy run | 6 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (12 miles or 120 min) |
9. Stepping it Up | Rest | 16x400m @90% effort | 50 min: easy run | 6x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 50 min: easy run | 7 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (14 miles or 140 min) |
10. Double Time | Rest | 1 mile jog, sprints up a hill… til you’re tired, 1 mile jog | 60 min: easy run | 7x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 60 min: easy run | 8 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (16 miles or 160 min) |
11. Taper Period | Rest | 1 mile jog, 10x100m strides, then go on an easy run | 30 min: easy run | 3x1 mile repeats @ 10k pace | 30 min: easy run | 3 miles @ Half Marathon Pace | Long and Easy (6 miles or 60 min) |
12. Race Week | Rest | 3 miles | 2 miles | Rest | 20 min: easy run | Rest | Race |