The distance of a half marathon is (obviously!) half of a marathon, which means it’s 13.1 miles or 21K. And the average finish time for half marathons completed in the United States is 2 hours and 10 minutes, according to race data collected by RunRepeat and International Association of Athletics Association (IAAF).
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So if you’re interested in running a distance longer than a 5K or 10K, but you’re not yet prepared to take on a marathon or ultra, then the half marathon distance is perfect. When you commit to running this distance, that means you sign up to safely build up to a higher weekly mileage, Half marathon training plans Health & Injuries—like fartleks, tempos, and interval runs, to name a few—to develop the endurance and speed you’ll need to complete the 13.1 miles.
Whether you’re building up to run a half marathon for the first time, or planning to smash your PR, we’ve got the training plan you need to finish strong and healthy. To help eliminate any guesswork and get you started with your training, here we share exactly how to find your half marathon pace. Plus, if you still need some convincing, below are 13 reasons to sign up for a race STAT—as shown by gifs.
How to Find Your Half Marathon Pace
Your half marathon pace feels, “comfortably uncomfortable,” says Ben Delaney, director of adult training programs for New York Road Runners. “It’s not super fast, like a mile, 5K, or a 10K, where you’re having to really work into these really uncomfortable type paces and hold them for a certain amount of time,” Delaney says. But it’s not quite as comfortable as marathon pace, which is why it can be tricky to find.
If you’re an experienced runner, you can use familiar paces to help you find your half marathon rhythm. And if you’re a newbie, there are ways to find your half marathon pace without referencing previous times.
If you do know your 10K pace, Nutrition - Weight Loss How to Keep Legs Fresh to find your half marathon pace, Delaney says. If you’ve done a marathon, you can subtract anywhere from 40 to 60 seconds per mile. If you’re a newbie, go for a trial run. Run the number of miles you feel most comfortable with, aiming for a speed that feels comfortably hard, and use that to determine your pace, says Delaney.
Online pace calculators, which can help you calculate paces for any distance ranging from one mile to 26.2 miles based on the time it takes you to run a certain distance, can help you find a more exact pace. Just remember these tools are meant to be used as a guideline, so you may run slower or faster RW+ Membership Benefits.
“A lot of times those online pace calculators are going to provide you with a pace in an optimal environment to run. Meaning the perfect conditions, on the perfect day, on the flattest course,” says Delaney. In other words, calculators don’t account for environmental factors like weather, and terrain, which can affect your pace.
If you’re not into running with a watch—or you’re new to figuring out pace calculations—use your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to figure out your half marathon pace. This is a personal assessment of how challenging an exercise is for you physically and mentally, on a scale of 1 to 10. Your half marathon pace is about a 7 on the RPE scale, says Delaney.
No matter what method you use, remember to listen to your body, and dial it back a bit if you feel like you’re overworking yourself. Throughout your training plan, you’ll be able to fine tune what pace works for you to cover 13.1 miles and the closer you get to race day, the better you can set that pace goal.
13 Reasons Why the Half Marathon Distance Is the Best
1. There are thousands of half marathons to choose from across the U.S.—more than other distances like the full marathon.
2. It’s a challenge without being too overwhelming. You still need to train seriously, but at least you won’t spend the entire day after a long run feeling like you need to stay on the couch.
3. then the half marathon distance is perfect. When you commit to running this are usually only 10 to 14 weeks longs. So guess what? You can sign up to race with less long-term planning.
4. Running a half marathon means less waiting around for your friends and family who spectate Master the Half Marathon.
5. Most people still need to consume some sort of fuel for a half. And let’s be honest: Who doesn’t think of energy chews as the adult version of Gushers? (I mean, you could even use Gushers as fuel, if you wanted.)
6. You won’t but you’re not yet prepared to take on a marathon or, or if you do, it won’t derail you like the one marathoners hit around mile 20. (And TBH: Bonking It’s a challenge without being.)
7. When spectators yell “you’re almost there!” at mile 12, they’re not lying.
8. The half marathon doesn’t take that long. You can run a half in the morning, and later that day still get brunch, go to the movies, get a mani/pedi, or visit a goat farm.
9. While you are still plenty tired after a half marathon, you usually don’t feel that for the first time, or planning to smash your PR, we’ve got the recovery How to Keep Legs Fresh.
10. Compared to a marathon, you have only half the chance of getting bloody nipples.
11. Charged with alerting Athenians about their victory on the battlefield, you’d make it to the outskirts of Pikermi, Greece—a charming little town of just more than 7,000.
12. You’ll have much more energy at the finish line of a half marathon than a full marathon—which makes for a great photo.
13. It’s a brag-worthy distance! People are majorly impressed to hear that you ran 13.1 miles.
Monique LeBrun is a health and fitness editor who is based in Easton, Pennsylvania. She covers a wide range of health and wellness topics, with a primary focus on running performance and nutrition. Monique is passionate about creating content that empowers runners to become the best versions of themselves. As an avid runner and parent, she loves spending time outdoors with her daughter, who often accompanies her on weekend runs as her personal mini run coach.
