12 Week Half Marathon Training Plan

12 weeks·4 days / wk·half marathon·intermediate

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Weeks: 12
Sessions: 48
Peak week: 33 mi; week 10
Long run: 12.5 mi; week 10
Taper: 2 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTaperRace

Paces assume an intermediate runner (VDOT 42). 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 7 mi	4 · 3 key	19.5 mi	Long run 7 mi
Tue Oct 6 Hill repeats 6 × 60 s 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 6 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 8 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 9 Fartlek 5 × 1 min 3.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 5 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 11 Long run 7 mi 7 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 7.5 mi	4 · 3 key	21 mi	Long run 7.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 13 Hill repeats 7 × 60 s 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 7 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 15 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 16 Fartlek 6 × 1 min 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 6 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 18 Long run 7.5 mi 7.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
03	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 8.5 mi	4 · 3 key	22.5 mi	Long run 8.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 20 Hill repeats 8 × 60 s 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 8 × 60 s uphill · hard but controlled (5K effort), jog back down Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Oct 22 Easy run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 23 Fartlek 7 × 1 min 4 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 7 × 1 min on / 1 min easy · "on" near 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Oct 25 Long run 8.5 mi 8.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 6 mi	4 · 1 key	17 mi	Long run 6 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 27 Easy + 6 strides 3 mi 3 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Oct 29 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 30 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 1 Long run 6 mi 6 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
05	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 9 mi	4 · 3 key	24.5 mi	Long run 9 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 3 Tempo 19 min 5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 19 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 5 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 6 Intervals 3 × 1000 m 5.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1000 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 8 Long run 9 mi 9 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
06	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 10 mi	4 · 3 key	26.5 mi	Long run 10 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 10 Tempo 21 min 5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 21 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 12 Easy run 6 mi 6 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 13 Intervals 3 × 1000 m 5.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1000 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 15 Long run 10 mi 10 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
07	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 11 mi	4 · 3 key	28.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 17 Tempo 23 min 5.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 23 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 19 Easy run 6 mi 6 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 20 Intervals 4 × 1000 m 6 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 4 × 1000 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 500 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Nov 22 Long run 11 mi 11 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
08	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 8 mi	4 · 1 key	22 mi	Long run 8 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 24 Easy + 6 strides 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Nov 26 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 27 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 29 Long run 8 mi 8 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
09	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 11.5 mi	4 · 3 key	30.5 mi	Long run 11.5 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 8:07/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 3 Easy run 6.5 mi 6.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 4 Intervals 3 × 1200 m 6 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 3 × 1200 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 600 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Dec 6 Long run with half marathon-pace finish 11.5 mi 8 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Last 3.5 mi @ half marathon pace · 8:07/mi
10	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 12.5 mi	4 · 3 key	33 mi	Long run 12.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 8 half marathon pace 2 × 2 mi 6.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 2 × 2 mi · @ half marathon pace 8:07/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 10 Easy run 7 mi 7 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 11 Intervals 4 × 1200 m 7 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy + 4 strides 4 × 1200 m · @ I pace 7:15/mi, 600 m jog recovery Cool-down · 1 mi easy Sun Dec 13 Long run with half marathon-pace finish 12.5 mi 8.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi Last 3.5 mi @ half marathon pace · 8:07/mi
11	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 9.5 mi	4 · 2 key	25 mi	Long run 9.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 15 half marathon pace 2 × 2 mi 6.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 2 × 2 mi · @ half marathon pace 8:07/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Dec 17 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 18 Easy + 6 strides 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 6 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Sun Dec 20 Long run 9.5 mi 9.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
12	Race week — half marathonRace 13 mi	4 · 1 key	11.5 mi	Race 13 mi
4 sessions Tue Dec 22 Easy + 4 strides 3.5 mi 3.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi 4 × 20 s strides · quick and relaxed, near 6:49/mi, full recovery Thu Dec 24 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Dec 25 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Dec 27 Race day: half marathon 13 mi half marathon — target 1:46:22 · even pace 8:07/mi; first mile no faster than goal pace

Your paces

Easy / long: 9:28–10:25/mi62–70% VO2max, conversational
Marathon (M): 8:25/mi
Threshold (T): 7:53/micomfortably hard, ~60 min race effort
Interval (I): 7:15/mi3–5 min reps, ~97.5% VO2max
Repetition (R): 6:49/mishort fast reps, mile race pace
half marathon race pace: 8:07/mifinish 1:46:22

The numbers

About this plan

This 12 week half marathon training plan opens with 19.5 mi in week 1 and peaks at 33 mi in week 10. Halfway, week 6 carries 26.5 mi with a 10 mi long run. That is 282 mi over 48 runs for an intermediate half marathon runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (17 mi) and week 8 (22 mi).

The long run tops out at 12.5 mi in week 10; 17 key sessions include 3 hill, 3 fartlek, 6 tempo and 5 interval workouts. Easy running at 9:28–10:25/mi is 68% of the 282 mi; 6 threshold sessions run at 7:53/mi. Peak weeks add 8:07/mi race-pace repeats and a fast finish to the 12.5-mi long run of week 10.

Taper: from 33 mi in week 10 down to 11.5 mi of running in race week. On these numbers the half marathon projects to 1:46:22, 8:07/mi from start to finish, off a 33-mi peak.

Week 1, shown in full above, is 19.5 mi: Tuesday — hill repeats 6 × 60 s, 4 mi; Thursday — easy run, 5 mi; Friday — fartlek 5 × 1 min, 3.5 mi; Sunday — long run, 7 mi.

The phases run base weeks 1–3 (19.5–22.5 mi), build weeks 5–7 (24.5–28.5 mi), peak weeks 9–10 (30.5–33 mi), taper week 11 (25 mi) and race week 12 (11.5 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the 12 week half marathon training plan?

19.5 mi in week 1, 26.5 mi by week 6 and 33 mi at the peak, week 10: 282 mi total.

How fast should easy runs be on the 12 week half marathon training plan?

9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42, for 68% of 282 mi.

What is the longest run in the 12 week half marathon training plan?

12.5 mi in week 10, up from 7 mi in week 1.

Can I run the 12 week half marathon training plan on 3 days a week instead of 4?

36 runs instead of 48: switch to 3 days and the 12.5-mi long run stays.

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