Beginner Half Marathon Training Plan with Strength Training - 8, 12, 16 Weeks

Taren Gesell

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If you’re looking to train for and run a half marathon and want to include strength training in your plan, you’re in the right place because this article will provide you with a half marathon training plan with strength training.

We’ll provide options for runners who have 8, 12, or 16 weeks to train; the plans will help you avoid a lot of the potential disasters that beginner runners make and get you to the finish line. This training plan is designed for beginner runners so the training plan only has a run workout three times a week, and there is also one strength workout every week.

This half marathon program is adapted from the training plans in our app that are written by coaches who know exactly what it takes for amateur age group runners to overcome challenges and reach their endurance race goals.

To start this plan confidently, you should at least be able to run continuously for roughly an hour, otherwise you’ll be building up too quickly making an injury very likely. We’ll provide guidelines below on how long it takes to train for half marathons.

In this post you will learn:

How long is a half marathon
What’s an average finish time for a half marathon
How to train for a half marathon
What’s a good half marathon finish time
How long you should train for a half marathon
What is your half marathon pace
What is an 8 week half-marathon training program

To train for this half marathon you can absolutely use the training plan below. But if you really want a personalized training program that’s designed for your abilities, your goals, and your schedule, you should check out the MOTTIV training app. You can use it for free and it includes much more detailed and personalized plans than we can include in a blog post.

Training Tips to Successfully Train for a Half Marathon

Before diving into the training plan we need to provide some half marathon training tips that will help you prepare to run a half successfully, while avoiding a lot of the pitfalls that runners encounter.

How Long is a Half Marathon?

The first place to start is by answering the question, “How many miles is a half marathon?” (or “How many kilometers is a half marathon?” for our metric friends around the world.)

A half marathon is 13.1 miles or 21.1 kilometers. But what is an average half marathon finish time? Enter your age and gender into the calculator below to find out what’s a good finish time in the half marathon for your age group.

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How Much Do You Need to Train for a Half Marathon?

Knowing your weekly mileage (how many miles per week you should run in training) depends on your race distance, your athletic background, and your goals. It’ll take more training if you don’t have any endurance sports background and you want to win a marathon than if you’re previously an elite endurance athlete who just wants to finish a 5k. Use the calculator below to get a sense of our recommended training time and miles a week required to meet your goals.

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What Gear Do You Need to Train for a Half Marathon?

There are two items that we recommend all runners have to prepare for a half marathon: proper running shoes and a strap based heart rate monitor. Here’s a video about what to look for in running shoes, and here’s an article on everything you need to know about heart rate training zones and why we use it.

Heart Rate Training Zones for Running

Low intensity running should always be dictated by heart rate, and not pace. This may mean that your easy run training is quite slow, but that’s ok because it’ll mean that you’re building endurance without a lot of physical stress. Calculate your heart rate training zones with this calculator:

Half-Marathon Training Paces

Interval running workouts, also known as “speed work”, should be done using pace as opposed to heart rate. Pace is better than heart rate for intense runs because heart rate will lag by 60-120 seconds while your running pace is instant. Use this calculator to calculate your run training pace per mile and kilometer.

Low Intensity Running

Our training plans are based on the pyramidal model (similar to polarized training, 80/20 running, and the Maffetone Method, but with improvements) of training where 70-80% of the training is done at low intensity Zone 1 and 2. Studies have shown that all athletes will perform better when performing the bulk of their training at a low intensity, it may be difficult to run in Zone 2, but you’ll perform much better if you train at a low intensity.

What to Eat When Training for a Half Marathon

What you eat before running, during your training runs, during your half marathon, and what you take for hydration will make the workouts you perform so much more effective. Physiologists we’ve worked with believe that proper nutrition and hydration can generate the same race results with half the training. This article discusses what to eat before your runs, and this article explains what you should eat during running workouts and races.

BONUS: Check out the example workout below from one of our marathon training plans. You can see that every workout in our app comes with personalized nutrition guidance for your pre and during workout nutrition to maximize the workout effectiveness.

Rest & Recovery

Your training plan will have complete rest days. Also, every third or fourth week will be a rest week with reduced training hours. It’s critical that you take these as days to truly rest and recover. If you do a pile of heavy yard work, or spend the recovery days on your feet walking around a mall, you won’t be resting and you won’t actually be improving from your training. Remember that

WORKOUTS + REST = PROGRESS

so take rest days seriously to make sure you avoid overtraining and actually progress in your training.

Taper Week

The training plan will have a taper period in the week prior to race day where training volumes will be reduced by roughly 50-60%, while some intense bursts of speed will be maintained. This process will allow your body to flush out all the training fatigue, and have lots of energy in the race. Take the taper process seriously, resting and sleeping as much as possible during taper week.

Half Marathon Race Pace

Workouts in a good training plan will have race pace intervals where you’ll develop the ability to run fast without getting tired. You can use the calculator below to calculate your approximate half marathon race pace for these intervals.

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Strength Training for Runners

Strength training also helps improve the health of runners by strengthening the bones and joints, which in turn helps to prevent injuries. Additionally, it helps to improve the overall health of the body, which is important for runners who want to maintain a high level of fitness.

One of the most concrete pieces of evidence of the benefits of strength training for runners is a meta-analysis published in the journal "Science Translational Medicine" in 2017 that looked at a broad sample of many studies and confirmed that strength training reduced the amount of energy required to swim, bike, or run. These improvements were seen in both beginners and advanced athletes.

Another commonly associated benefit of strength training is the reduced likelihood of injury. While this is difficult for researchers to study due to the many variables involved, coaches and physiotherapists often report observational evidence that strength training reduces the likelihood of injuries. However, a study published in 2018 found evidence that running reduces the likelihood of injury.

One piece of equipment that we particularly recommend for running strength training is the kettlebell. Kettlebells are inexpensive and the most versatile piece of equipment we’ve ever identified, making them the perfect addition to any runner's home gym.

Kettlebells are particularly effective for runners, who need to create stability in the body, because the center of mass in a kettlebell is off center from where you hold it. The nature of this design of a kettlebell requires you to stabilize your core and build stability with every strength movement you perform.

Additionally, most people find kettlebell training is a lot more fun than most forms of traditional strength training because they need to develop a lot of technique to handle the kettlebell. Developing technique engages the brain and people find this surprisingly interesting.

Here are a couple of examples of exercises found in the guided video strength workouts inside the MOTTIV training app.

A side squat (aka Cossack squat) is an ideal exercise to improve both strength and flexibility in the glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

Kettlebell crunches are a tremendously good core strength exercise, and a strong core is critical to a solid run technique.

The Best Half Marathon Training Plan for Every Runner

Our run training plans are written by the excellent coaches at Run Free Training who know what it takes to help amateur athletes reach their goals. While the coaches are elite runners themselves, they have a great understanding of how to create training plans that are time efficient and overcome the obstacles most age group runners face in their training.

Beginner Half Marathon Training Plan Workouts

The beginner half marathon plan has runs on three days a week and maxes out at just over five hours of running per week.

Beginner runners are athletes who are one of the following:

Athletes who are tight on time and want a training plan with as little training as possible
Brand new athletes to running who want to ease into running slowly and safely for their first half marathon
Athletes who just want to finish the half marathon and don’t care about their finish time

Athletes who want more workouts than we outline in this training program should check out our intermediate training plans.

Long Run (50mins - 2:15hrs)

The most important run in a run training plan is the weekly long run that most runners do on the weekend when they have more time available. The long run is low intensity, building up gradually to eventually reach 2:15 hours for a half marathon training program. This run will build endurance and teach your body to produce the energy necessary to complete the distance of your race. You can learn all about the long run, how to execute it well, and what to eat before and during the long run in this article.

Here is an example of what a long run looks like from a half marathon training plan in our app.
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Interval Run (40-80mins)

The second most important run in a run training plan is a weekly interval run, which we call the “Intense Run” in our training plans. Most athletes do this run during the weekday. The interval run will build your top end speed and be based on your run pace determined in the calculator above. You can learn all about how to execute an interval run, and what to eat before and during the workout to get the most out of it in this article here.

This is an example of an Interval Run from the MOTTIV training app.

Tempo Run (45mins - 2hrs)

The weekly tempo run (which we call the steady run) bridges the gap between the endurance you’ll build in the long run, and the speed you build in the interval run, it teaches you how to run fast without getting tired. Tempo runs have been proven to be a key component of a successful run training plan. You can learn all about tempo runs in this article here.

Here is an example of what a tempo run looks like from our half marathon training plan.

Strength Workout (30 minutes)

Cross training with strength workouts is critical for athletes who don’t want to simply finish their race and want to finish feeling strong. Strength training for runners has been proven to improve race performances, and athletes tend to feel much better physically. We believe so strongly in strength training that our app has 25 hours of guided strength workouts designed specifically for the needs and imbalances of endurance athletes. You can read all about strength training for runners here.

Here is an example of what a strength workout looks like from our half marathon training plan.

Recovery Run (30-60mins)

A recovery run is a very low intensity run that’s meant to be a low stress way to add a little additional run fitness without risking overtraining or injury. Recovery runs have been proven to not actually enhance recovery, which is why we call them General Runs. You can read more about recovery runs in this article here.

This is an example of what a recovery run looks like from a half marathon training plan in our app.

Beginner Half Marathon Training Plan With Strength Training

WEEK 1: Adapt to Half Marathon Training. (3:35-4:15hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x3min at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:10-1:30hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3×2 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (60mins):
Warm Up: 10min easy jog warm up
5mins of dynamic stretching and 5x50m strides building to Zone 4
Running time trial: 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) as fast as possible. Enter this time into our pace calculator to get your training paces
Run the remainder of the run in Zone 2 until you reach a 60min total run.
WEEK 2: Adapt to Half Marathon Training. (4:10-5:10hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x800m at 5k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 4x15min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:30-1:50hrs):
90-110min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 3: Build Half Marathon Training. (4:20-5:20hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10-12x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (70-90mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3×3 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:40-2:00hrs):
100-120min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 4: Rest Focused Week. (3:05-4:00hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-60mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 12-16x200m a little faster than 5k race pace, with 60-90 sec easy walk/jog recovery between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (45-65mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 25min at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a very light 30 minute strength workout focusing on stretching and some core muscle activation
Sunday. Long Run (1:00-1:20hrs):
60-80min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 5: Start Larger Half Marathon Workouts. (4:25-5:15hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10-12x2min at 10k race pace, with 1 minute easy jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 7-8×1 mile (1600m) the bottom of your Zone 4 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:40-1:50hrs):
100-110min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 6: Build Endurance and Speed. (4:50-5:45hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort.
Main Set: 4-5×1 mile at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:40-2:00hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 4×3 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:45-2:00hrs):
105-120min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 7: Peak Training Week. (4:45-5:40hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort. Main Set: 10-12x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:15-1:35hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 7-8 miles continuous at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (2:00-2:15hrs):
120-135min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 8: Taper to Rest up for Race Day. (1:50-2:10hrs)
Monday: Rest Day take a complete day off where all you do is rest
Tuesday. Interval Run (25mins):
25min easy run with heart rate in Zone 2 with 8x30sec fast pick ups at Zone 4 pace spread throughout.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3x1k at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 2min jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday. Run Primer (15mins):
15 minute run. Entire run is easy effort besides 3x1min at race effort, take whatever rest you need between efforts to feel totally recovered.
Saturday. Easy Run (10mins):
Just run easy for 10 minutes
Sunday. Long Run: Race Day! You’re ready!

WEEK 1: Start Half Marathon Training. (3:20-4:00hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace.
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:00-1:20hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 2x20min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (60mins):
Warm Up: 10min easy jog warm up
5mins of dynamic stretching and 5x50m strides building to Zone 4
Running time trial: 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) as fast as possible. Enter this time into our pace calculator to get your training paces
Run the remainder of the run in Zone 2 until you reach a 60min total run.
WEEK 2: Adapt to Half Marathon Training. (3:55-4:50hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 5-6×1 mile at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:10-1:30hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3 miles, 2 miles, 1 mile at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:15-1:30hrs):
75-90min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 3: Build Your Half Marathon Training. (3:55-4:55hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 20x1min at Zone 5 pace, 1min slow jog
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:05-1:25hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3x15min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
80-100min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 4: Rest Focused Week. (3:00-3:40hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-60mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 12-16x200m a little faster than 5k race pace,, with 60-90 sec easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 30min at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a very light 30 minute strength workout focusing on stretching and some core muscle activation
Sunday. Long Run (50-60mins):
50-60min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 5: Build Half Marathon Training. (4:05-4:55hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x3min at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:10-1:30hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3×2 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:30-1:40hrs):
90-100min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 6: Build Half Marathon Training. (4:10-5:10hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x800m at 5k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 4x15min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:30-1:50hrs):
90-110min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 7: Build Half Marathon Training. (4:20-5:20hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10-12x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (70-90mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3×3 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:40-2:00hrs):
100-120min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 8: Rest Focused Week. (3:05-3:55hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-60mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 12-16x200m a little faster than 5k race pace, with 60-90 sec easy walk/jog recovery between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (45-65mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 25min at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a very light 30 minute strength workout focusing on stretching and some core muscle activation
Sunday. Long Run (1:00-1:20hrs):
60-80min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 9: Start Larger Half Marathon Workouts. (4:15-5:15hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10-12x2min at 10k race pace, with 1 minute easy jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 7-8×1 mile (1600m) the bottom of your Zone 4 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:40-1:50hrs):
100-110min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 10: Build Endurance and Speed. (4:50-5:45hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort.
Main Set: 4-5×1 mile at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:40-2:00hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 4×3 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:45-2:00hrs):
105-120min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 11: Peak Training Week. (4:45-5:40hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort. Main Set: 10-12x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:15-1:35hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 7-8 miles continuous at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (2:00-2:15hrs):
120-135min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 12: Taper to Rest up for Race Day. (1:50-2:10hrs)
Monday: Rest Day take a complete day off where all you do is rest
Tuesday. Interval Run (25mins):
25min easy run with heart rate in Zone 2 with 8x30sec fast pick ups at Zone 4 pace spread throughout.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3x1k at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 2min jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday. Run Primer (15mins):
15 minute run. Entire run is easy effort besides 3x1min at race effort, take whatever rest you need between efforts to feel totally recovered.
Saturday. Easy Run (10mins):
Just run easy for 10 minutes
Sunday. Long Run: Race Day! You’re ready!

WEEK 1: Start Half Marathon Training. (3:10-3:50hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10x1min fast Zone 5 pace, 1min slow
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3x8min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace.
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (60mins):
Warm Up: 10min easy jog warm up
5mins of dynamic stretching and 5x50m strides building to Zone 4
Running time trial: 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) as fast as possible. Enter this time into our pace calculator to get your training paces
Run the remainder of the run in Zone 2 until you reach a 60min total run.
WEEK 2: Adapt to Half Marathon Training. (3:20-4:15hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10-12x400m at 5k race pace, with 1-2min easy walk/jog in between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:00-1:20hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 2x12min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:00-1:15hrs):
60-75min long run in Zone 2 heart rate.
WEEK 3: Adapt to Half Marathon Training. (3:15-4:05hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 12-15x1min hills Zone 5 Rate of Perceived Exertion, with an easy jog back down recovery. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (45-65mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 25min at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:10-1:20hrs):
70-80min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 4: Rest Focused Week. (3:00-3:55hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (45-65mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 5mins, 4mins, 3mins, 2mins, 1min fast Zone 5 pace, with half time recovery jog in between intervals (i.e. 5min fast, 2:30 easy jog, 4min fast, 2min easy jog…)
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3x10min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals.
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (50-60mins):
50-60min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 5: Build Half Marathon Training. (3:20-4:00hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace.
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:00-1:20hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 2x20min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (60mins):
Warm Up: 10min easy jog warm up
5mins of dynamic stretching and 5x50m strides building to Zone 4
Running time trial: 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) as fast as possible. Enter this time into our pace calculator to get your training paces
Run the remainder of the run in Zone 2 until you reach a 60min total run.
WEEK 6: Build Half Marathon Training. (3:55-4:50hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 5-6×1 mile at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:10-1:30hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3 miles, 2 miles, 1 mile at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:15-1:30hrs):
75-90min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 7: Build Intensity in Your Half Marathon Training. (3:55-4:55hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 20x1min at Zone 5 pace, 1min slow jog
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:05-1:25hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3x15min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
80-100min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 8: Rest Focused Week. (3:00-3:40hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-60mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 12-16x200m a little faster than 5k race pace,, with 60-90 sec easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 30min at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a very light 30 minute strength workout focusing on stretching and some core muscle activation
Sunday. Long Run (50-60mins):
50-60min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 9: Build Half Marathon Training. (4:05-4:55hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x3min at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:10-1:30hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3×2 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging at Zone 2 pace
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:30-1:40hrs):
90-100min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 10: Build Half Marathon Training. (4:10-5:10hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-70mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 6-8x800m at 5k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 4x15min at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:30-1:50hrs):
90-110min long run in Zone 2 heart rate
WEEK 11: Build Half Marathon Training. (4:20-5:20hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10-12x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (70-90mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3×3 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:40-2:00hrs):
100-120min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 12: Rest Focused Week. (3:05-3:55hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (50-60mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 12-16x200m a little faster than 5k race pace, with 60-90 sec easy walk/jog recovery between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (45-65mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 25min at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a very light 30 minute strength workout focusing on stretching and some core muscle activation
Sunday. Long Run (1:00-1:20hrs):
60-80min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 13: Start Larger Half Marathon Workouts. (4:15-5:15hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 10-12x2min at 10k race pace, with 1 minute easy jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:20-1:40hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 7-8×1 mile (1600m) the bottom of your Zone 4 pace, with 1min walk/jog between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:40-1:50hrs):
100-110min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 14: Build Endurance and Speed. (4:50-5:45hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (55-75mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort.
Main Set: 4-5×1 mile at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:40-2:00hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 4×3 miles at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 1-2min walk/jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (1:45-2:00hrs):
105-120min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 15: Peak Training Week. (4:45-5:40hrs)
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday. Interval Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort. Main Set: 10-12x1k at 10k race pace, with 2-3min easy walk/jog recovery between intervals. End when you feel like the next interval is the last one you could possibly do at the same pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (1:15-1:35hrs):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 7-8 miles continuous at the top of your Zone 3 pace
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday: Rest day
Saturday (30mins): Perform a 30 minute light strength workout focusing on activating muscles and creating mobility
Sunday. Long Run (2:00-2:15hrs):
120-135min long run with your heart rate in Zone 2
WEEK 16: Taper to Rest up for Race Day. (1:50-2:10hrs)
Monday: Rest Day take a complete day off where all you do is rest
Tuesday. Interval Run (25mins):
25min easy run with heart rate in Zone 2 with 8x30sec fast pick ups at Zone 4 pace spread throughout.
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday. Tempo Run (60-80mins):
Warmup: 10-20min easy jogging Zone 2 Pace, include running drills, and 5x15sec strides Zone 4 Effort
Main Set: 3x1k at the top of your Zone 3 pace, with 2min jog between intervals
Cooldown: 10-20min easy jogging.
Friday. Run Primer (15mins):
15 minute run. Entire run is easy effort besides 3x1min at race effort, take whatever rest you need between efforts to feel totally recovered.
Saturday. Easy Run (10mins):
Just run easy for 10 minutes
Sunday. Long Run: Race Day! You’re ready!

Wrap-Up

Once you've achieved your race goal, it might be time to move on and start training for your first full marathon, or your next half marathon where you give yourself more time and see if you can run the half marathon faster. We find that taking 12 weeks or more, and following the entire half-marathon training plan will help you pick up the pace and nail the half marathon distance.

If you're looking to set big personal goals, and you want the best for your body, check out our app with unlimited options for half marathon training. You can choose a training plan setup that's personalized specifically for you, and will get you training as well as you could possibly imagine.

You're ready to take on that big challenge, and when you train with MOTTIV, you're ready for race day!

Sources/Links

Written on:

2024-01-06

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