Our 12 Week Half Marathon Training Plan is our most popular training plan for the half marathon event!
This 12-week half marathon training plan with PDF included is designed to get you to the finish line comfortably while building your training in a structured way to minimize the risk of injury or burnout.
12 weeks give ample time for beginner and intermediate runners to get ready for their half marathon. Therefore, we’ve built this training program with a focus on building your endurance first, without too much concern about speed.
As long as you have some running ability, it’s entirely possible to get ready to cover 13.1 miles in 12 weeks.
12 weeks is about right for most people; it’s enough time to allow you to gradually increase your mileage without overdoing it.
It’s also not too long a training period that you get fatigued or overtrain – it’s right in the sweet spot.
Our 12-week half marathon training schedule also includes a 2-week half marathon taper: in other words, you do your longest training run 2 weeks before your actual event, then wind down your training somewhat over those final two weeks, so you’re rested and ready when you line up at the start line!
12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan: Essential Info
Who Is It For?:
This plan is for beginners and intermediate runners preparing for their first half marathon.
You should ideally be able to run 3 miles (or 5km) without stopping before committing to the plan.
(If this seems like a lot, you can adopt arun/walk approach in your training and race.)
If you’re looking for a great plan to get you through your first half marathon, then this is it!
How Long?:
12 weeks // 3 months.
How Many Days Per Week?:
The plan includes 4 runs a week, consisting of three different types of running.
Training Breakdown – What Will Your Weekly Training Consist Of?
The schedule will consist of 4 runs per week, 1 day of cross training, and two days of rest.
The plan is designed to cover the required mileage and hours on your feet to get you ready for your half marathon!
2 Regular Training Runs
All of the regular runs should be done at a comfortable, sustainable, conversational pace; don’t worry about your pace or finishing time if this is your first half-marathon effort.
1 Tempo Run (or another regular training run, if you prefer)
For the Wednesday Tempo Run, you can choose whether you want to increase the pace a little and target a specific race pace, or simply hang back and stick to your comfortable conversational pace.
1 Long Run At The Weekends
Long runson Sundays are there to increase your maximum mileage and time on your feet. The whole purpose of these is to run slowly – at a conversational pace – no faster.
If you are struggling during these long runs, feel free to take walking breaks, no worries. The important thing is to cover the mileage necessary.
Cross Training And Rest Days
The plan includes one day of cross-training and two rest days. The rest days are especially important for letting your body recover.
Feel free to download the plan and change it up to suit your schedule!
Your Week-by-Week Training Schedule
Here’s the complete week-by-week breakdown. Monday and Thursday are rest days throughout. All distances are in miles.
Week
Tue
Wed
Fri
Sat
Sun
Total
1
Training Run 3 miles
Race Pace Run 2 miles
Training Run 3 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 4 miles
12 miles
2
Training Run 3 miles
Race Pace Run 2 miles
Training Run 3 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 5 miles
13 miles
3
Training Run 3.5 miles
Race Pace Run 2 miles
Training Run 3.5 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 6 miles
15 miles
4
Training Run 3.5 miles
Race Pace Run 2 miles
Training Run 3.5 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 4 miles
13 miles
5
Training Run 4 miles
Race Pace Run 2.5 miles
Training Run 4 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 6 miles
16.5 miles
6
Training Run 4 miles
Race Pace Run 2.5 miles
Training Run 4 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 7 miles
17.5 miles
7
Training Run 4 miles
Race Pace Run 2.5 miles
Training Run 4 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 8 miles
18.5 miles
8
Training Run 5 miles
Race Pace Run 3 miles
Training Run 5 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 6 miles
19 miles
9
Training Run 5 miles
Race Pace Run 3 miles
Training Run 5 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 9 miles
22 miles
10
Training Run 5 miles
Race Pace Run 4 miles
Training Run 5 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 10 miles
24 miles
11
Training Run 5 miles
Race Pace Run 3 miles
Training Run 5 miles
Strength Training
Long Run 7 miles
20 miles
12
Training Run 3 miles
Rest Day
Rest Day
Easy Run
HALF MARATHON 13.1 miles
21 miles
Want a printable version? Download the free PDF or Google Sheets version below.
Download The 12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Free In PDF, Printable, Or Google Sheets Format:
Marathon Handbook
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When you combine them in with the long runs and increasing mileage of our 12 week half marathon training plan, you’re placing a lot of stress on your body. You’re not only trying to build endurance, but speed at the same time. And you’re massively increasing the risk of suffering from an injury, or burn-out, or exhaustion.
So my main advice for beginner half marathon runners is to choose a pace that you are comfortable and confident with. If that means it’s a relaxing jog, then so be it. It’s better to get to the finish line of your half marathon than burn out during training and not even start.
When you’re ready, you can check out our Half Marathon Pace Calculator to help plan your race speed based on your finish time goal.
2. Prioritise The Long Run
Some people love their weekly long run.
Others get restless and uncomfortable when trying to keep running for so long.
Whether you love it or hate it, you should prioritise your weekly long run.
In fact, it’s the most important run of your entire week.
The long run is the workout which really builds your endurance. It teaches your muscles to keep going for longer and longer, it trains your cardiovascular system to keep delivering oxygen efficiently to your muscles, and tells your body that it needs to get good at fuelling for longer periods.
For the 12 week half marathon training plan, remember that it’s not necessary to run your entire long run. Feel free to take walking breaks, or even adopt a structured run/walk approach to your training.
But if you need a break from your training and want to skip a workout, try not to skip the long run.
Putting aside time to focus on rest and recuperation allows your body to relax, heal, and re-build – so it will be ready and stronger for the next workout.
The 12 week half marathon training plan includes 2 rest days a week, but remember that the plan should be flexible and based around your life; not the other way around.
So if you get to Friday and are totally burned out by a heavy week – whether in training, work life, or at home – never feel bad about granting yourself an additional rest day.
Perhaps the most important thing to do when training for a half marathon is to listen to what your body is telling you – if you find that training is getting harder and takes more and more effort, it’s probably a sign you need a break.
4. Strength Training Is Your Secret Weapon
The 12 week half marathon schedule includes one day of cross training per week. While cross training can include any activity which complements your run training, I highly recommend doing a simple strength training workout.
Strength training, especially when focussed on the upper legs, core, and back, can have a huge impact on your running abilities.
Not only does it make you lessinjury-prone (those exercises tend to address muscular imbalances), it also makes you a more economical runner. In other words, you get more miles per gallon out of your legs, so you’ll find you can go a little faster.
Can a beginner complete a half marathon in 12 weeks?
Yes, if you can currently run 3-4 miles comfortably, 12 weeks gives you enough time to build up to half marathon distance. The plan gradually increases your long run each week while keeping overall mileage manageable.
How long should my longest training run be before a half marathon?
Your longest run during a 12 week half marathon plan should reach 10-12 miles, typically 2-3 weeks before race day. You do not need to run the full 13.1 miles in training to finish on race day.
How many days per week should I run on a 12 week half marathon plan?
Most 12 week half marathon plans include 3-4 days of running per week, with additional cross-training days. This allows enough volume to build endurance while minimizing the risk of overuse injuries.
Thomas Watson is an ultra-runner, UESCA-certified running coach, and the founder of Marathon Handbook. His work has been featured in Runner's World, Livestrong.com, MapMyRun, and many other running publications. He likes running interesting races and playing with his three little kids. More at his bio.
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