Half Marathon Training Plan 3 Days a Week

12 weeks·3 days / wk·half marathon·intermediate

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Weeks: 12
Sessions: 36
Peak week: 28 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	3 · 2 key	16.5 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 5.5 mi 5.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 2 key	18 mi	Long run 7.5 mi
3 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 6 mi 6 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 2 key	19 mi	Long run 8.5 mi
3 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 6 mi 6 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 1 key	14.5 mi	Long run 6 mi
3 sessions Tue Oct 27 Easy + 6 strides 2.5 mi 2.5 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 6 mi 6 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	3 · 2 key	20.5 mi	Long run 9 mi
3 sessions Tue Nov 3 Tempo 16 min 4.5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 16 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 5 Easy run 7 mi 7 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 2 key	22.5 mi	Long run 10 mi
3 sessions Tue Nov 10 Tempo 18 min 5 mi Warm-up · 1.5 mi easy 18 min continuous · @ threshold 7:53/mi Cool-down · 1 mi easy Thu Nov 12 Easy run 7.5 mi 7.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 2 key	24.5 mi	Long run 11 mi
3 sessions Tue Nov 17 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 19 Easy run 8.5 mi 8.5 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 1 key	18.5 mi	Long run 8 mi
3 sessions Tue Nov 24 Easy + 6 strides 3.5 mi 3.5 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 7 mi 7 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	3 · 2 key	26 mi	Long run 11.5 mi
3 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 8 mi 8 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 2 key	28 mi	Long run 12.5 mi
3 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 9 mi 9 mi easy · @ 9:28–10:25/mi, conversational 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	3 · 2 key	21 mi	Long run 9.5 mi
3 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 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	3 · 1 key	6.5 mi	Race 13 mi
3 sessions Tue Dec 22 Easy + 4 strides 3 mi 3 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 3.5 mi 3.5 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 half marathon training plan 3 days a week opens with 16.5 mi in week 1 and peaks at 28 mi in week 10. Halfway, week 6 carries 22.5 mi with a 10 mi long run. That is 236 mi over 36 runs for an intermediate half marathon runner. Cutbacks: week 4 (14.5 mi) and week 8 (18.5 mi).

9 key sessions — 3 hill and 6 tempo — back up a long run that reaches 12.5 mi in week 10. Easy running at 9:28–10:25/mi is 80% of the 236 mi; 6 threshold sessions run at 7:53/mi. Weeks 8–10 add race-pace running at 8:07/mi.

The 2-week taper takes race week to 6.5 mi, 77% under week 10's 28 mi, after 236 mi. Projected finish after 12 weeks and 236 mi: 1:46:22 for the half marathon (8:07/mi).

Week 1 of 12 is 16.5 mi in 3 sessions; the biggest is Sunday's 7 mi, and the key work is hill repeats 6 × 60 s and long run.

The phases run base weeks 1–3 (16.5–19 mi), build weeks 5–7 (20.5–24.5 mi), peak weeks 9–10 (26–28 mi), taper week 11 (21 mi) and race week 12 (6.5 mi).

Questions

FAQ

What weekly mileage does the half marathon training plan 3 days a week build to?

16.5 mi in week 1, 22.5 mi by week 6 and 28 mi at the peak, week 10: 236 mi total.

How fast should easy runs be on the half marathon training plan 3 days a week?

9:28–10:25/mi at VDOT 42, for 80% of 236 mi.

How long does the long run get on this 12-week, 3-day plan?

7 mi in week 1, growing to 12.5 mi by week 10.

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

At 4 days a week the 12-week plan has about 48 runs, not 36.

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