The ultimate beginner half marathon training plan

If you ask us, ‘Half marathon’ is a bit of a glass-half-empty term. If these races were rebranded as ‘double 10Ks’ they might get a bit more of the respect they deserve. You may feel a little intimidated after entering your first Half, but with our 12-week training plan for beginners, the miles will fly by on your way to a comfortable, confident race day. Runner’s World experts developed this schedule for those who can already complete a long run of six miles or over. You’ll run three or four times a week and end up feeling good about the 13.1-mile distance when you toe that start line.

Why run a half marathon?

A half marathon is, of course, a bit of a halfway house: 13.1 miles (21km) is certainly long enough to be a genuine challenge, but won’t take nearly as long to recover from as a full marathon.

It’s still worth taking the preparation seriously, though, especially your first time. There are a few different elements to consider, such as the need to slowly and sensibly develop your running endurance without overdoing it and getting injured in the process. Some mental toughness will be required too – you’ll need a strong mindset if you have a goal time in mind. Other aspects including recovery, running kit and race logistics also need consideration.

Given everything you need to consider, it's understandable that many beginners may feel a bit daunted by the half marathon – but the payoff outweighs the challenges. ‘Many beginners actually find running a half marathon to be life-changing,’ says Jenny Hadfield, co-author of Running for Mortals. ‘They never imagined they could go that far.’

So, before you get cracking with your training, here are our best half marathon tips to help you prepare for that life-changing journey…

Respect the distance

A half marathon is obviously half the length but isn’t necessarily half as easy as a full marathon. It’s certainly worthy of a few months’ prep as you gird your loins for your debut. Our plan is 12 weeks long because you shouldn’t launch into the distance at short notice. ‘This is one test you can’t cram for,’ says Janet Hamilton, running coach and exercise physiologist. ‘For this distance, you’ve got to put in the work.’

Take some time to run slowly

While it may seem counterintuitive when your goal might be to run as fast as you can, running slowly can in fact be your ticket to improvement. Running hard all the time can lead to burnout, injury and a training plateau, which can damage your motivation as much as your body. ‘From our research, it’s clear that elite athletes train around 80% of the time at what we’d call low intensity, and just 20% of the time training hard,’ says Dr Stephen Seiler of the University of Agder, Norway – one of the world’s foremost exercise physiologists.

Everyone from top runners to keen amateurs accepts that you shouldn’t be training at a fast pace most of the time. The majority (say 80%) of your training runs should be at a chatty pace, where you can easily hold a conversation with a friend without gasping for air and finish up feeling like you could keep going a bit further if you wished. Try for around 20% of your runs to feel harder and quicker. These are the intervals, sprints and tempo runs described below.

The biggest mistake first-timers make is running too many miles, too fast, too soon. Fast-paced running fatigues the body, which heightens your risk of injury and demands longer recovery periods. ‘If at the end of your run you’re gasping for air, or in pain, then you’re going too fast,’ says Hamilton. Basically, the slower you go on your easy runs, the better. If you run with a friend, use it as an opportunity to have a good chat – talking will naturally moderate your effort to an easy pace!

Climb every mountain (or hill, anyway)

Even if the race you’re planning to do is a flattish course, it’s worth adding plenty of hill training to your preparation. For building power in your lungs and legs, it’s a huge help.

Where we’ve indicated hill work on our half marathon training plan below, you could of course just pick a local incline and run up and down it repeatedly, but such Grand Old Duke of York tactics might get pretty dull pretty fast. Think about planning a route that includes a range of climbs of differing gradients.

Use longer runs to build endurance

It’s traditional for a running training plan for any distance to include a long run every week. Lots of people get into the habit on Saturdays or Sundays when it can be easier to find the time for a lengthier journey. It might also be easier to get together with one or more running buddies on the weekends, to help the miles tick by more easily. In our half marathon training plan for beginners, the week one ‘long run’ is just four miles, but it builds to 10 miles in weeks nine and 10, to gradually acclimatise you to bigger distances. You’ll find that these longer runs also make the short fast ones feel easier. The hills will feel less steep and you should start to feel quicker too.

The body keeps the score

When you push your body to run further or faster than you have done before, you’re likely to get some muscle soreness – particularly in the calves, quads and hamstrings. Expect to take around two days to recover from hard workouts during your half marathon training. If you’re still sore on the third day, rest again. If the soreness persists beyond four or five days, it may be worth checking in with a physio, if you can.

The key thing is to listen to your body. As you become more used to running, you learn to distinguish between stiffness that will ease off and pains that should be rested, as well as moments where you simply feel sluggish or lazy and times where you really need to rest.

Mix things up with cross-training

Our half marathon training plan for beginners includes rest days but also gives you the option of using that space for cross training. You might simply feel the need to put your feet up and do some binge watching, or alternatively it’s worth thinking about moving your body in a different way. Cycling, swimming or some strength and conditioning at home or the gym can help reduce your risk of injury, vary the muscle groups you are using, and crucially stop things from getting too repetitive.

Get the right running shoes for you

It might go without saying, but to successfully run 13.1 miles you’ll need to wear running shoes that are comfortable, supportive and fit your feet properly. We always recommend investing in a decent pair that offers just enough cushioning and push-off to protect your body from impact with the ground, and which keep you going strong mile after mile. We've tested a whole host of running shoes – from beginner-friendly shoes to super-fast road shoes to dependable trail shoes – to help you find something that suits you and the terrain on which you run.

Take the pressure off on race day

It’s not unusual to be worried about race day – it can feel a bit like sitting an exam! But to help quieten the nerves, focus on the minutiae of your race day logistics. This could be checking your travel plans to the start area, making sure your bib is pinned securely to your race top or arranging to meet up with friends once you’ve crossed the finish line. It's also important to remember all the hard work you've put in to get to the start line – and to congratulate yourself on that.

Once the start gun has sounded, try to control the urge to set off too fast. Instead, aim for a negative split, where you gradually quicken in pace and run the first half of the race slower than the second. This conservative pacing strategy will help you to finish feeling strong and in control – starting too fast could make the final few miles feel pretty unpleasant!

Ready to get going? You can find and follow our 12-week half marathon training plan for beginners below. Good luck!