8 Week Half Marathon Training Plan

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

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
Weeks 2–8 locked Unlock the full plan. Every session, every week Paces and loads from your numbers PDF, calendar and Garmin export Re-plans when you miss a key session Billing period$79 / year$14 / month Annual works out at $6.58 a month Secure checkout with Stripe · Cancel any time
02	Base: aerobic volume, hills and stridesLong run 10.5 mi	4 · 3 key	28 mi	Long run 10.5 mi
03	Build: threshold + intervalsLong run 11 mi	4 · 3 key	29.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
04	Cutback: absorb the trainingLong run 8 mi	4 · 1 key	22 mi	Long run 8 mi
05	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 11.5 mi	4 · 3 key	31 mi	Long run 11.5 mi
06	Peak: half marathon-specific paceLong run 12.5 mi	4 · 3 key	33.5 mi	Long run 12.5 mi
07	Taper: volume down, race pace sharpLong run 9.5 mi	4 · 2 key	25.5 mi	Long run 9.5 mi
08	Race week — half marathonRace 13 mi	4 · 1 key	11.5 mi	Race 13 mi

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.

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