Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network half-marathon training plan takes you up to a regular 40 miles a week, though many runners would still be able to do themselves justice by substituting one easy run for a rest day and running closer to 35 miles a week.
What different training sessions are involved?
The key here is to get used to good-quality sessions, particularly repetition runs, where you are running fast (at about 10K pace) for several minutes at a stretch.
Slightly less strenuous are the ‘zapping’ sessions, which are a type of interval training. You put in a fast burst lasting either 30 seconds or one minute, then drop to a steady jog to recover for the next one. If you don’t like using a watch, you can base the burst on a certain number of strides; 50 double strides are equivalent to a 30-second burst.
What everyone's reading
You’re allowed one low-mileage week to let your body absorb the training. This can be taken at any point in the schedule, but it’s best to do it when you have a race at the end of the week.
What you do in the last two weeks depends very much on how your body has reacted to Weeks 7 and 8. If you’re feeling tired, take Week 9 very easily. The Week 10 schedule is very light, and by the time the race comes around, you should be fully recovered and feeling bouncy.
The most useful thing you can do in these weeks is to get your pace judgement right. Work out the pace you need to achieve your best possible race time. Practise this over a measured mile, in your racing shoes, so that you know what it feels like. The first mile of your race should not be faster than this. The closer you can get to level pace, the more efficiently you will be running.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK 1 | 5M easy | 5Half marathon training plans | 5M, inc 15 mins of 30 secs fast, 60 secs jogging | 5M easy, off-road | Rest | 5M easy, inc some strides | 7-8M easy |
| WEEK 2 | 4M easy | 6Health & Injuries | 5Repetitions: 4 x 3 mins fast, with 2-min recoveries | 5M easy | Rest | Warm up, then 3M fast (timed). Warm down | 7-8M easy |
| WEEK 3 | 4M easy | 6M, inc 16 x 1 min fast, 1 min slow | 4M easy | Warm up, then 3M fast timed. Warm down | Rest | Warm up, then 4 x 800m (or 4 x 3 mins), with 3-min recovery jogs | 7-8M slow |
| WEEK 4 | 4M easy | 6Runners World Club: Sub-4:00 marathon plan | Warm up, then 2 How slowing down can help you speed up | 5M easy | Rest | 1M easy, inc 6 x 30 secs fast | 10M slow |
| WEEK 5 | 5M easy, off-road | 6Train like a pro | 3 x 5 mins fast, with 5-min jog recoveries | 5M easy, inc 6 x 150m fast strides | Half marathon training plan for beginners | 2Repetitions: 4 x 3 mins fast, with 2-min recoveries | Warm up, then 10K race or 5M pace run (timed) |
| WEEK 6 | 5M easy | 5M easy, inc 6 x 150m fast strides | 2 x 2M (approx), timed, at threshold pace | 5-6M easy | Half marathon training plan for beginners | 1Runners World Club: Sub-4:00 marathon plan | 10M steady |
| WEEK 7 | 5M easy, off-road if possible | Rest | 8Runners World Club: Sub-4:00 marathon plan | 4M easy | Half marathon training plan for beginners | 4Half marathon training plans | Couch to 5K: How to start running in six weeks |
| WEEK 8 | 5M easy, off-road | 6Warm up, then 2 How slowing down can help you speed up | 3 x 1M (or 3 x 5 mins), with 5-min recoveries | 5M easy | 5M easy | 6-7Warm up, then 2M at race pace, then 2M jog | 10-12M steady |
| WEEK 9 | 5M easy | 5M easy, inc 6 x 150m fast strides | Warm up, then 2 x 2M (approx), timed, at threshold pace | 5-6M easy | Half marathon training plan for beginners | 1Runners World Club: Sub-4:00 marathon plan | 10M steady |
| WEEK 10 | 5M easy | 6-7How to train for a hilly race | Warm up, then 2M at race pace, then 2M jog | 5M jog, then 5M fairly fast, then 1M jog | Rest | 3Warm up, then 3M fast timed. Warm down | Race day |
How to prepare for a half-marathon:
Although nothing like as taxing as a full marathon, the 21K distance does need to be treated with respect, particularly if the weather is hot. You should finish your breakfast three hours before the start, but there is nothing wrong with drinking tea, coffee, water or squash up to an hour before the start, and if it is really hot, experts suggest drinking half a pint of water five minutes before the start. Don’t drink half an hour before the start, or you’ll be bursting for a pee while waiting for the gun!
If you’re aiming to run fast, you should go through a gentle warm-up routine during the 20 minutes leading up to the start – jogging, stretching and striding. If you’re doing an event with a large field, you’ll probably find yourself running very fast in the first mile, so try to keep warm and loose during the final few minutes when you are wedged in the crowd.
