A half marathon plan that builds patiently

Our planner treats the half marathon as the distance where the build, the easier weeks and the taper matter most, and it will not squeeze them into a short timeline. It will tell you when the weeks you have are not enough, and suggest a date or distance that works.

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When it does build a plan, mileage grows in small steps from what you run now, the long run lengthens gradually, and the final two weeks taper before race day.

Build my Half marathon planCheck my timeline

Free preview, no account. Answers stay on your device. General training information, not medical advice.

Who this plan suits

  • You already run regularly and can commit to three or more runs a week.
  • You have a good number of weeks. The half marathon asks the most of a timeline, with the highest minimums of the three goals.
  • You can fit a long run of up to a couple of hours at the weekend or another day you choose.

How the plan is shaped

  • The highest weekly mileage and long-run targets of the three goals.
  • A two-step taper: a reduced week, then a short easy race week.
  • Frequency can rise by one run every four weeks, never beyond your available days.

What a half marathon build looks like

A real plan generated by our planner for a regular runner at 20 miles a week, 4 runs a week, training 14 weeks with a recent 10K of 55:00, with regular runs capped at 60 minutes and the long run at 2 hours. Easier weeks are outlined. This is an illustration, not a prediction for any runner.

  1. 20
  2. 22
  3. 23
  4. 18
  5. 23
  6. 25
  7. 26
  8. 21
  9. 27
  10. 27
  11. 27
  12. 27
  13. 21
  14. 11

Miles per week, weeks 1 to 14. Engine version 0.3.1. Peak week 26.5 miles, longest run 10.6 miles.

A sample week

Week 5 of the plan above. Every run says how hard it should feel, and rest days are part of the plan. Gradual build. A bit more mileage and one controlled harder session. Keep every other run easy.

  1. MonRest day
  2. TueEasy run · about 4.9 mi, 55 minEasy, conversational (about 3–4 out of 10) · 10:35 to 11:55 /mi (estimate)
  3. WedRest day
  4. ThuTempo run · about 4.9 mi, 55 minComfortably hard (about 6–7 out of 10): short phrases only · 8:50 to 9:15 /mi (estimate)
  5. FriRest day
  6. SatEasy run · about 4.9 mi, 55 minEasy, conversational (about 3–4 out of 10) · 10:35 to 11:55 /mi (estimate)
  7. SunLong run · about 8.4 mi, 1 hr 35 minEasy and relaxed (about 3–4 out of 10) · 10:35 to 11:55 /mi (estimate)

What the planner needs for a half marathon

The planner will not recommend this goal if a gradual build from your current running cannot reach a peak week of at least 20 miles and a longest run of at least 8 miles. A base of at least 2 runs and 3 miles a week is needed to start any plan. When a goal does not fit, you get the reasons and options, not a squeezed plan.

Try the race readiness checker to see whether your timeline fits, or the race time predictor to estimate times from a recent result.

Half marathon plan questions

Can a beginner run a half marathon?

It depends on your starting mileage and the weeks you have. If the weeks are not enough, the planner says so and offers a later race or a shorter distance.

How long should I allow?

It depends on your starting mileage. Our Running Science analysis tabulates the weeks the planner needs from different starting points, and the readiness checker answers it for your numbers.

Is there a marathon plan?

Not yet. The 5K, 10K and half marathon come first so each can be done carefully.

Related reading

Other distances

5K training plan · 10K training plan · All training plans

Free tools that help with any plan: Pace calculator, Race time predictor, Training pace calculator, Race readiness checker.