Training Plan Half Marathon Run

A 12-week training program for running your first 13.1 mile race or a faster 13.1, feeling better than ever.

Overview Of The Program

The Objective Of This Program

This training plan is designed to help you:

run 13.1 miles (about 21 km) for the first time with less stress, more enjoyment
run 13.1 miles faster with more ease than before

Covering 13.1 miles for the first time, or running it faster is your quantity objective. Running 13.1 miles with more ease is your quality objective. You acquire more ease, better performance and less injury by accessing then maintaining good running form for the entire distance.

General Schedule

This 13.1 mile Run Training Plan covers 12-weeks and is organized in two tracks of development to accept those at any initial fitness level. You may either time this training plan to finish with a half-marathon race to measure your accomplishment, or do your own test run at the end.

There are a minimum of four recommended practices per week with progressively more challenging assignments to increase skill and fitness. If you can do more practices per week then you are welcome to repeat those practices of that week which have felt most productive to you.

The practices are designed for those who have some experience running and racing at shorter distances. If you have more energy and time, you may increase the challenge of the practices a bit, but you must also maintain adequate recovery each week. It is first recommended that you increase the challenge by increasing your expectations for your form – increase quality. Then you may consider increasing the distance or the intensity of the assignment. Make these increases in challenge small, gradual, and consistent across the weekly practices.

12-week Progression

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4 – Lower volume week
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8 – Lower volume week
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12 – Taper Week, then final 13.1 mile race

The Final 13.1 Race

If you have a regional 13.1 mile running race you’d like to participate in around the end of this training plan, that would serve well as your final test run. There may be a race connected to the specific training group you are a part of.

Your objective in this final is to see how quickly you can cover the 13.1 while holding your best running form. From this ‘loyalty to best form’ we are expecting that you will feel better during the race and afterward as your body recovers.

The final should be done on a day when you feel rested (hence, the reason for the taper week before) and when you have time to properly warm up your body before the run.

Your Training Progression

Regardless of your starting fitness the first priority and limiting factor on your distance and intensity in this course is your ability to maintain your best standard of running form for the entire distance and intensity. Consistency in technical control is the first priority for efficient, injury-free running.

You will work through this training progression in order to cause fitness to build around this improved technical control:

Work up to 13.1 miles of total running, by breaking it into pieces with walk intervals.
Gradually increase continuous running distance to 13 miles.
Gradually increase intensity of runs.

It is possible that you can start on one of the higher levels, depending on your ability to maintain form and remain pain-free. You can progress to the next step of the progression once your body becomes capable of maintaining form consistently in the current goal.

On Track 1 of the program you would be working through #1 and #2 of this progression. In Track 2 you would be working on #3.

Start On Which Track?

Be conservative in your estimate of starting ability. You may start at a lower level to begin, and if you find yourself easily accomplishing the objectives of the practices at that level, you may consider stepping up and starting the next level (at the beginning of that level).

Track 1 Objective

Track 1A : On this track you will be gradually prepared to use run/walk intervals continuously, with good form, for a total of distance of 13.1 miles.

Track 1B : On this track you will be gradually prepared to run continuously, with good form, for a total of distance of 13.1 miles. Fitness will build as your ability to maintain form does.

On Track 1 you will more deeply integrate technical changes in form by gradually increasing the distance and volume of training as you can maintain that form. Greater aerobic fitness and efficiency will develop as you maintain superior form over distance.

The chief challenges you may face at this stage are to hold attention and remain loyal to form even when you feel you could run more but would provoke a compromise in that form to do so.

This track is suitable for those who are in any of the following situations:

Have some injury-free 5 km or 10 km running experience
Currently feel less-than-adequately-fit for 13.1 mile distance
Injury in remission, minor aches and pains
Can maintain some attention on body and form
Require moderate or minor changes in running technique

This stage covers 12 weeks and then you may move to Track 2.

Track 2 Objective

On Track 2 you will develop more speed to run a faster 13.1 miles, with more ease. You will acquire greater efficiency and stamina through more challenging practices.

The chief challenge you may face is to maintain form under higher intensity.

This stage is suitable for those who are in any of the following situations:

Feel basically fit to run 13.1 distance, but could be faster
Injury-free, no aches and pains
Can maintain strong attention on body and form
Require minor changes in running technique

Weekly Practice Schedule

On Track 1 there are four practices assigned each week. On Track 2 there are also four practices assigned each week, of higher intensity. If you have time, energy and have no injury concerns, you may repeat one of those practices, the one you felt he most benefit from.

There are several practice types which will be described just below this section.

On Track 1 there are:

Form Practice
Strength Practices
Distance Runs

On Track 2 there are:

Form Practices
Speed Practices
Strength Practices
Distance Runs

You can arrange these practices any way you like over the course of a week. However, if you would like some guidance on this, we proposed this schedule for how you may arrange your practices.

And, we recommend some general conditioning exercise (on land) to be distributed across the week also. A smaller focus, and a little each day is preferable over trying to do everything in one session, on only a single day. The specific conditioning exercises are not within the scope of this course, but the focus for each conditioning session are suggested below.

Suggested Schedule:

Monday: Form Practice, Strength Excerises
Tuesday: Strength Practice, Core and Mobility Exercises
Wednesday: No run, Strength Exercises
Thursday: Form Practice (T1) or Speed Practice (T2), no additional exercises
Friday: No run, Core and Mobility Exercises
Saturday: Distance Run, Core Exercises
Sunday: No run, Mobility Exercises

Notice how practices of higher intensity have rest days afterwards.

You may repeat practices during the week, if you have time for more.

Our Guiding Values

Part of your progress will be measured in terms of what the training has produced – your ability to run further and run faster. But the equally important, if not more important part of your progress will be measured in terms of how running feels – your ability to do it pain and injury-free. Quantities – what you produce- is not the only thing that matters. Qualities – how you produce – is what matters more.

The highest value of this program is to create and sustain healthy, longevity-promoting motion. Running can be a good contributor to longevity when it is done well and the body is respected. So, we will measure progress more in terms of how running feels – your ability to enter into a more pleasant state of motion and emotion and maintain that for the entire distance. These sensations are indications of proper motion and energy efficiency,

To this end, we measure progress and success by how well you held your best form during a workout or race, and then observing how it increases from practice to practice. Good form will create more pleasant sensations in the body, and make you feel more ease in motion, more pleasure in emotion, and make you feel like energy can last much longer.

You gain points (toward longevity) when you back off or stop a workout or run when your form deteriorates and you can no longer restore and protect it. You lose points when you persist running farther or faster while allowing form to deteriorate.

But you can maintain, restore and protect your form for longer distances and higher speeds by increasing the strength of your attention. Hence, building strength of attention in order to improve quality is the chief objective of this program.

Our Training Rules

Always listen and respond to body signals. Never ignore.

Protect posture.

Posture – Lean – Pull.

Take every step mindfully.

Use gravity more than muscle.

Never neglect your warm up.

Attention leads to control. Control leads to efficiency. Efficiency leads to speed.

Our Group Training Sessions

Most weeks we will meet for a live training session for about 60 or 90 minutes, scheduled at a time suitable to most people in the group.

In these sessions we will examine particular skills, drills and practice patterns. This is your opportunity to have the coach review your form and offer feedback.

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Practice Instructions

General Practice Instructions

Please read these instructions before your first practice:

Specific Practice Instructions

Please read these instructions before your first practice:

Track 1 – Your First Half-Marathon

Track 1 Week 1

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘5 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Tempo Practice

3 miles total distance
Alternate 5 min run easy, 5 minute at race tempo
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘5 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

4 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 2

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘5 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Strength Practice

3 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘5 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

5 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 3

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘5 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Tempo Practice

3 miles total distance
Alternate 5 min run easy, 5 minute at race tempo
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘5 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

6 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 4

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Strength Practice

3 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

4 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 5

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Tempo Practice

3 miles total distance
Alternate 5 min run easy, 5 minute at race tempo
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

7 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 6

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Strength Practice

3.5 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

8 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘6 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 7

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Tempo Practice

3.5 miles total distance
Alternate 5 min run easy, 5 minute at race tempo
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

9 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 8

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Strength Practice

4 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

4 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 9

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Tempo Practice

4 miles total distance
Alternate 5 min run easy, 5 minute at race tempo
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

10 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘7 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 Week 10

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Strength Practice

4.5 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously, alternate focal points every half mile
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

11 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 (Taper) Week 11

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Tempo Practice

4.5 miles total distance
Alternate 5 min run easy, 5 minute at race tempo
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

5 miles total distance
Track 1A: ‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Track 1B: run continuously for total distance
Use same focal points

Track 1 (Taper) Week 12

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points on each run/walk interval

Practice 2

Tempo Practice

3 miles total distance
Alternate 5 min run easy, 5 minute at race tempo
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
‘8 minute run – 1 minute walk’ intervals
Use same focal points

Race Day

Insert a no-run day before the race day, or a gentle run up to 1 mile.

Track 2 – A Better Half-Marathon

Track 2 Week 1

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

4 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘1 minute fastest aerobic run, 1.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Tempo Practice

4 miles total distance
After half mile, alternate ‘5 minute at race tempo, 2 minutes easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

6 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 2

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

4 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘1 minute fastest aerobic run, 1.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Strength Practice

4 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

7 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 3

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

4 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘1 minute fastest aerobic run, 1.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Tempo Practice

4 miles total distance
After half mile, alternate ‘5 minute at race tempo, 2 minutes easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

8 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 4

Practice 1

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

3 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘1.5 minute fastest aerobic run, 2 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Strength Practice

3 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

4 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 5

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

4.5 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘1.5 minute fastest aerobic run, 2 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Tempo Practice

4.5 miles total distance
After half mile, alternate ‘6 minute at race tempo, 2 minutes easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

9 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 6

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

4.5 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘1.5 minute fastest aerobic run, 2 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Strength Practice

4.5 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

10 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 7

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

4.5 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘2 minute fastest aerobic run, 2.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Tempo Practice

4.5 miles total distance
After half mile, alternate ‘6 minute at race tempo, 2 minutes easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

11 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 8

Practice 1

Form Practice

3 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

3 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘2 minute fastest aerobic run, 2.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Strength Practice

3 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

4 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 9

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

5 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘2 minute fastest aerobic run, 2.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Tempo Practice

5 miles total distance
After half mile, alternate ‘7 minute at race tempo, 2 minutes easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

12 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Week 10

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

5 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘2 minute fastest aerobic run, 2 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Strength Practice

5 miles total distance
Aim to run about half that distance on hills, up and down
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

13 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Taper Week 11

Practice 1

Form Practice

4 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

3 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘2 minute fastest aerobic run, 1.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Tempo Practice

3 miles total distance
After half mile, alternate ‘7 minute at race tempo, 2 minutes easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 4

Distance Run

5 miles total distance
Use same focal points

Track 2 Taper Week 12

Practice 1

Form Practice

2 miles total distance
Choose 2 focal points, alternate between focal points every 5 minutes

Practice 2

Speed Practice

3 miles total distance
After 1 mile, alternate ‘2 minute fastest aerobic run, 1.5 minute easy’
Use same focal points

Practice 3

Tempo Practice

2 miles total distance
After half mile, alternate ‘7 minute at race tempo, 2 minutes easy’
Use same focal points

Race Day

Insert a no-run day before the race day, or a gentle run up to 1 mile.