Run Your First Half-Marathon with This Training Plan (2024)

Congratulations on deciding to train for your first half-marathon. As a beginner, your goal should be to make it to the finish line of the 13.1-mile race feeling strong.This 12-week training schedule is perfect for a beginner runner and a first-time half-marathoner.

To start this half-marathon training plan, you should have been running for at least two months and have a base mileage of about eight to 10 miles per week. If you prefer a run/walk program, try arun/walk half-marathon training schedule. If you're not new to running and this training schedule seems too easy, try anadvanced beginner half-marathon training schedule.

Half-Marathon Training Structure

There are manyhalf-marathon training plansthat you can use as you get experience and want to improve your finish time. If you haven't had a recent physical, visit your doctor for medical clearance to train for a half-marathon. Once cleared, dive into this half-marathon training plan for beginners:

• Mondays: Most Mondays are rest days. Rest is critical to recovery and injury prevention, so don't ignore rest days.
• Tuesdays and Thursdays: After your warmup, run at a moderate pace (slightly faster than your long run pace) for the designated mileage. If you feel tired, run at an easy pace. Or run a few miles at a 5k-10k goal pace (tempo run) to test pacing. Cool down and stretch after your run.
• Wednesdays: Some Wednesdays are designated rest days while others are cross-training days when you should do a cross-training activity (biking, walking, swimming, elliptical trainer, etc.) at easy-to-moderate effort for 30 to 45 minutes. It's beneficial to strength train at least once each week to build muscle endurance and reduce injury risk.
• Fridays: Perform a cross-training activity at an easy to moderate effort for 30 to 45 minutes. If you're feeling sluggish or sore on Friday, take a complete rest day. It's important you feel strong and rested for your Saturday long run.
• Saturdays: Today is the day for your distance run. Run the designated mileage at an easy, conversational pace using your breath as a guide. You should be able to breathe easily and talk in complete sentences comfortably during your run.
• Sundays: This is an active recovery day. Your short run should be at a comfortable pace to loosen up your muscles. You can also do a run/walk combination or cross-train. Finish your run with gentle stretching.

It's also helpful to break up long runs by mixing in a few miles at a half-marathon goal pace to ensure your cadence is on target. You might add these quicker miles every other run toward the middle to late part of your half-marathon training program.

Also, you can switch days to accommodate your schedule. So if you're busy on another day and prefer to work out on a Monday or Friday, it's fine to swap a rest day for a run day. If you need to convert the distances to kilometers, see these miles to kilometers conversions.

Beginner'sHalf Marathon Training Plan