10K to Half Marathon Plan

10 weeks·4 days / wk·half marathon·beginner

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Weeks: 10
Sessions: 40
Peak week: 24.5 mi; week 8
Long run: 11 mi; week 8
Taper: 2 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Paces assume a beginner runner (VDOT 31). Enter a recent race to personalise them.

Week-by-week training plan
Wk	Focus	Sessions	Volume	Biggest session
01	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 5 mi	4 · 1 key	17 mi	Long run 5 mi
Tue Oct 6 Easy + 4 strides 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi 4 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 8:55/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 8 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Oct 9 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Oct 11 Long run 5 mi 5 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 6 mi	4 · 1 key	18 mi	Long run 6 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 13 Easy + 5 strides 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi 5 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 8:55/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 15 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Oct 16 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Oct 18 Long run 6 mi 6 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
03	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 7 mi	4 · 1 key	19.5 mi	Long run 7 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 20 Easy + 6 strides 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 8:55/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 22 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Oct 23 Easy run 4.5 mi 4.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Oct 25 Long run 7 mi 7 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 5 mi	4 · 1 key	15 mi	Long run 5 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 27 Easy + 6 strides 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 8:55/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 29 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Oct 30 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Nov 1 Long run 5 mi 5 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
05	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 8 mi	4 · 2 key	20.5 mi	Long run 8 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 3 Tempo 21 min 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 21 min continuous · @ threshold 10:03/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 5 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Nov 6 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Nov 8 Long run 8 mi 8 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
06	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 9 mi	4 · 2 key	21.5 mi	Long run 9 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 10 Tempo 22 min 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 22 min continuous · @ threshold 10:03/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 12 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Nov 13 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Nov 15 Long run 9 mi 9 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
07	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 10 mi	4 · 2 key	23.5 mi	Long run 10 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 17 half marathon pace 2 × 2 mi 6.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 2 × 2 mi · @ half marathon pace 10:29/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 19 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Nov 20 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Nov 22 Long run with half marathon-pace finish 10 mi 6.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi Last 3.5 mi @ half marathon pace · 10:29/mi
08	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 11 mi	4 · 2 key	24.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 24 half marathon pace 2 × 2 mi 6.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 2 × 2 mi · @ half marathon pace 10:29/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 26 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Nov 27 Easy run 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Nov 29 Long run with half marathon-pace finish 11 mi 7.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi Last 3.5 mi @ half marathon pace · 10:29/mi
09	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 8.5 mi	4 · 2 key	19 mi	Long run 8.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 1 half marathon pace 2 × 2 mi 6.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 2 × 2 mi · @ half marathon pace 10:29/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 3 Easy run 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Dec 4 Easy run 2 mi 2 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Dec 6 Long run 8.5 mi 8.5 mi steady · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
10	Race week — half marathonRace 13 mi	4 · 1 key	8.5 mi	Race 13 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 8 Easy + 4 strides 2.5 mi 2.5 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi 4 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 8:55/mi, full recovery Thu Dec 10 Easy run 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Fri Dec 11 Easy run 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 12:00–13:10/mi, conversational Sun Dec 13 Race day: half marathon 13 mi half marathon — target 2:17:30 · even pace 10:29/mi; first mile no faster than goal pace

Your paces

Easy / long: 12:00–13:10/mi62–70% VO2max, conversational
Marathon (M): 10:46/mi
Threshold (T): 10:03/micomfortably hard, ~60 min race effort
Interval (I): 9:15/mi3–5 min reps, ~97.5% VO2max
Repetition (R): 8:55/mishort fast reps, mile race pace
half marathon race pace: 10:29/mifinish 2:17:30

The numbers

About this plan

This 10k to half marathon plan opens with 17 mi in week 1 and peaks at 24.5 mi in week 8. Halfway, week 5 carries 20.5 mi with a 8 mi long run. That is 187 mi over 40 runs for a beginner half marathon runner stepping up from the 10K. Cutbacks: week 4 (15 mi).

The long run tops out at 11 mi in week 8; 5 key sessions include 5 tempo workouts. Easy running at 12:00–13:10/mi is 85% of the 187 mi; 5 threshold sessions run at 10:03/mi. Race-pace reps at 10:29/mi arrive once the long run passes 9 mi, late in the 10-week block.

The 2-week taper takes race week to 8.5 mi, 65% under week 8's 24.5 mi, after 187 mi. Projected finish after 10 weeks and 187 mi: 2:17:30 for the half marathon (10:29/mi).

Week 1, shown in full above, is 17 mi: Tuesday — easy + 4 strides, 3 mi; Thursday — easy run, 4.5 mi; Friday — easy run, 4.5 mi; Sunday — long run, 5 mi.

Structure: base weeks 1–3 (17–19.5 mi), build weeks 5–6 (20.5–21.5 mi), peak weeks 7–8 (23.5–24.5 mi), taper week 9 (19 mi) and race week 10 (8.5 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the 10k to half marathon plan?

17 mi in week 1, 20.5 mi by week 5 and 24.5 mi at the peak, week 8: 187 mi total.

How fast should easy runs be on the 10k to half marathon plan?

12:00–13:10/mi at VDOT 31, for 85% of 187 mi.

What is the longest run in the 10k to half marathon plan?

11 mi in week 8, up from 5 mi in week 1.

Can I run the 10k to half marathon plan on 3 days a week instead of 4?

30 runs instead of 40: switch to 3 days and the 11-mi long run stays.

Keep exploring

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