8 Week Half Marathon Training Plan

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

FREEEvery week of this plan is free while PlanByWeek is in beta— including PDF, calendar and Garmin export.

ExportPDF Calendar Garmin TCXMissed a key session? Mark it and the plan re-balances.

Weeks: 8
Sessions: 32
Peak week: 33.5 mi; week 6
Long run: 12.5 mi; week 6
Taper: 2 wk

BaseBuildCutbackPeakTaperRace

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 9.5 mi	4 · 3 key	26 mi	Long run 9.5 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 9 mi 9 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 9.5 mi 9.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 10.5 mi	4 · 3 key	28 mi	Long run 10.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 13 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 15 Easy run 9 mi 9 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 16 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 18 Long run 10.5 mi 10.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
03	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 11 mi	4 · 3 key	29.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 20 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 Oct 22 Easy run 7 mi 7 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 23 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 Oct 25 Long run 11 mi 11 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 8 mi	4 · 1 key	22 mi	Long run 8 mi
4 sessions Tue Oct 27 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 Oct 29 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Oct 30 Easy run 5 mi 5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 1 Long run 8 mi 8 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
05	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 11.5 mi	4 · 3 key	31 mi	Long run 11.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 3 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 Nov 5 Easy run 7 mi 7 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 6 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 Nov 8 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
06	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 12.5 mi	4 · 3 key	33.5 mi	Long run 12.5 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 10 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 Nov 12 Easy run 7.5 mi 7.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 13 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 Nov 15 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
07	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 9.5 mi	4 · 2 key	25.5 mi	Long run 9.5 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 8:07/mi, 400 m float Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 19 Easy run 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 20 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 Nov 22 Long run 9.5 mi 9.5 mi steady · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, fuel every 45 min if over 90 min
08	Race week — half marathonRace 13 mi	4 · 1 key	11.5 mi	Race 13 mi
4 sessions Tue Nov 24 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 Nov 26 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Fri Nov 27 Easy run 4 mi 4 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational Sun Nov 29 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 8 week half marathon training plan opens with 26 mi in week 1 and peaks at 33.5 mi in week 6. Halfway, week 4 carries 22 mi with a 8 mi long run. That is 207 mi over 32 runs for an intermediate half marathon runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (22 mi).

11 key sessions — 2 hill, 2 fartlek, 4 tempo and 3 interval — back up a long run that reaches 12.5 mi in week 6. Easy running at 9:28–10:25/mi is 71% of the 207 mi; 4 threshold sessions run at 7:53/mi. Race-pace reps at 8:07/mi arrive once the long run passes 10 mi, late in the 8-week block.

The 2-week taper takes race week to 11.5 mi, 66% under week 6's 33.5 mi, after 207 mi. Projected finish after 8 weeks and 207 mi: 1:46:22 for the half marathon (8:07/mi).

4 sessions and 26 mi open this 8-week plan, topped by a 9.5 mi Sunday.

The phases run base weeks 1–2 (26–28 mi), build week 3 (29.5 mi), peak weeks 5–6 (31–33.5 mi), taper week 7 (25.5 mi) and race week 8 (11.5 mi).

Questions

FAQ

How many miles a week is the 8 week half marathon training plan?

26 mi in week 1, 22 mi by week 4 and 33.5 mi at the peak, week 6: 207 mi total.

What pace are the easy runs on this 8-week half marathon plan?

9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42, for 71% of 207 mi.

What is the longest run in the 8 week half marathon training plan?

12.5 mi in week 6, up from 9.5 mi in week 1.

Does the 8 week half marathon training plan work with 3 runs a week?

24 runs instead of 32: switch to 3 days and the 12.5-mi long run stays.

Keep exploring

All running plans