Sample plan · Half Marathon · 12 weeks

12-week half marathon training plan

Twelve weeks is the classic length for a half marathon, and this plan is for someone doing their first one. It starts at 15 miles a week with a 5-mile long run, adds one faster session a week once the base is in place, and finishes with a two-week taper. Paces come from a 29-minute 5K.

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This plan at a glance

Runner: 29, first time at this distance
Goal: Finish comfortably
Recent race: 5K in 29:00
Running now: 15 mi a week, longest run 5 mi
Schedule: 4 run days, long run on Sat
Volume: 15 to 29 mi a week (ceiling 30), longest run 11.5 mi
Lighter weeks: 2 cutback weeks, 2-week taper

Dates assume a start on Monday 9 November 2026 with no race date, so the plan ends with a goal run. Your own plan starts the Monday after you build it, and with a race date it counts back from race day.

This plan is general guidance, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting a new training program, and stop and get help if something hurts or feels wrong.

Goal run · Saturday 30 January 2027

Goal run: 13.1 mi at the effort you would race a Half Marathon (13.1 mi) at. There is no race on the calendar, so this is your test.

How we built it

The assumptions behind this plan.

Training paces come from your 5k in 29:00, which projects to about 2:15:20 for the Half Marathon.
Weekly volume peaks at 29 mi in week 10, below your 30 mi ceiling: that is as far as the weekly increase safely goes from 15 mi in the time available.
Long runs stop at about 2.5 hours (11.5 mi at your long-run pace): beyond that the recovery cost outweighs the gain.

Paces

Based on	5k in 29:00
Easy	12:37–14:10 /mi
Long run	11:57–13:17 /mi
Marathon pace	11:04 /mi
Half-marathon pace	10:19 /mi
Threshold (tempo)	9:44 /mi
Interval	8:50 /mi
Repetition	8:27 /mi
Projected half marathon	2:15:20
Projected marathon	4:50:16
Race target pace	10:19 /mi
Race target time	2:15:20

Overview

Weekly training volume in mi. Tap a bar to jump to that week.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Base
Build
Peak
Taper
Cutback week

Week by week

Tap a day for the full session.

Week 1

base 15 mi

Base: easy aerobic running and a steady long run. Strides keep your legs quick.

Mon · Easy run · 3.5 mi

Easy 3.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Also: Strength 30 min: squats, reverse lunges, step-ups, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, calf raises, plank and side plank. 2–3 sets, stop two reps short of failure.

Tue · Easy run · 3.5 mi

Easy 3.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 3 mi

Easy 3 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 5 mi

Long run 5 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 2

base 17 mi

Base: easy aerobic running and a steady long run. Strides keep your legs quick.

Mon · Easy run · 4.5 mi

Easy 4.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 30 min: squats, reverse lunges, step-ups, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, calf raises, plank and side plank. 2–3 sets, stop two reps short of failure.

Tue · Easy run · 3.5 mi

Easy 3.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 3 mi

Easy 3 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 6 mi

Long run 6 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 3

base 19 mi

Base: easy aerobic running and a steady long run. Strides keep your legs quick.

Mon · Easy run · 5 mi

Easy 5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 30 min: squats, reverse lunges, step-ups, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, calf raises, plank and side plank. 2–3 sets, stop two reps short of failure.

Tue · Easy run · 3.5 mi

Easy 3.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 3.5 mi

Easy 3.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 7 mi

Long run 7 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 4

base cutback 14.5 mi

Cutback week: volume drops so the last block can sink in. Keep everything relaxed.

Mon · Easy run · 3.5 mi

Easy 3.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 30 min: squats, reverse lunges, step-ups, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, calf raises, plank and side plank. 2–3 sets, stop two reps short of failure.

Tue · Easy run · 3 mi

Easy 3 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 3 mi

Easy 3 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 5 mi

Long run 5 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 5

build 21 mi

Build: quality sessions start and the long run keeps growing.

Mon · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 25 min, maintenance: the same moves, fewer sets, crisp and controlled.

Tue · Tempo · 3.5 mi

Tempo 3.5 mi: warm up 1 mi easy, then 1.5 mi continuous at threshold (9:44 /mi; comfortably hard, the effort you could hold for about an hour, RPE 7); cool down about 1 mi easy.

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 5.5 mi

Easy 5.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 8 mi

Long run 8 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 6

build 23 mi

Build: quality sessions start and the long run keeps growing.

Mon · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 25 min, maintenance: the same moves, fewer sets, crisp and controlled.

Tue · Intervals · 4.5 mi

Intervals 4.5 mi: warm up 1 mi easy, then 7 × 400 m at interval pace, 2:12 each (hard, around 5K effort, RPE 8–9), 200 m easy jog between; cool down about 1 mi easy.

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 5.5 mi

Easy 5.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 9 mi

Long run 9 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 7

build 25 mi

Build: quality sessions start and the long run keeps growing.

Mon · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 25 min, maintenance: the same moves, fewer sets, crisp and controlled.

Tue · Tempo · 4.5 mi

Tempo 4.5 mi: warm up 1 mi easy, then 2.5 mi continuous at threshold (9:44 /mi; comfortably hard, the effort you could hold for about an hour, RPE 7); cool down about 1 mi easy.

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 6.5 mi

Easy 6.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 10 mi

Long run 10 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5). Carry fluids and take fuel every 30–45 min, as you will on race day.

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 8

peak cutback 19.5 mi

Cutback week: volume drops so the last block can sink in. Keep everything relaxed.

Mon · Easy run · 4.5 mi

Easy 4.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 25 min, maintenance: the same moves, fewer sets, crisp and controlled.

Tue · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 7 mi

Long run 7 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 9

peak 27 mi

Peak: the biggest weeks, with race-specific work and the longest long runs.

Mon · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 25 min, maintenance: the same moves, fewer sets, crisp and controlled.

Tue · Tempo · 5.5 mi

Tempo 5.5 mi: warm up 1 mi easy, then 3 × 1 mi at threshold (9:44 /mi; comfortably hard, the effort you could hold for about an hour, RPE 7), 90 s easy jog between; cool down about 1 mi easy.

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 6.5 mi

Easy 6.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 11 mi

Long run 11 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5). Carry fluids and take fuel every 30–45 min, as you will on race day.

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 10

peak 29 mi

Peak: the biggest weeks, with race-specific work and the longest long runs.

Mon · Easy run · 4.5 mi

Easy 4.5 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 25 min, maintenance: the same moves, fewer sets, crisp and controlled.

Tue · Race pace · 6 mi

Race pace 6 mi: warm up 1 mi easy, then 4 mi continuous at half-marathon pace (10:19 /mi; half-marathon effort: strong but sustainable, RPE 7). Lock into the rhythm you will race at; cool down about 1 mi easy.

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 7 mi

Easy 7 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 11.5 mi

Long run 11.5 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5). Carry fluids and take fuel every 30–45 min, as you will on race day.

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 11

taper 20 mi

Taper: volume comes down, a little intensity stays so you feel sharp.

Mon · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Also: Strength 20 min, light: core, mobility and a few calf raises. Nothing that leaves you sore.

Tue · Race pace · 4.5 mi

Race pace 4.5 mi: warm up 1 mi easy, then 2 × 1 mi at half-marathon pace (10:19 /mi; half-marathon effort: strong but sustainable, RPE 7), 2 min easy jog between; cool down about 1.5 mi easy.

Wed · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Thu · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Fri · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Sat · Long run · 7.5 mi

Long run 7.5 mi (11:57–13:17 /mi; relaxed and steady, RPE 4–5).

Sun · Rest

Rest after the long run.

Week 12

taper 11.5 mi

Race week: very little running, plenty of sleep, and carbohydrate in the last two days.

Mon · Easy run · 4 mi

Easy 4 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4).

Tue · Rest

Rest. A walk or some stretching is fine.

Wed · Race pace · 4.5 mi

Race pace 4.5 mi: warm up 1 mi easy, then 2 × 1 mi at half-marathon pace (10:19 /mi; half-marathon effort: strong but sustainable, RPE 7), 2 min easy jog between; cool down about 1.5 mi easy. Short and sharp: you should finish feeling you could do much more.

Thu · Easy run · 3 mi

Easy 3 mi (12:37–14:10 /mi; conversational, RPE 3–4). Finish with 6 × 20 s strides: quick and relaxed, full walk-back recovery.

Fri · Rest

Rest. Lay out your kit, eat a carbohydrate-rich dinner, sleep early.

Sat · Race · 13.1 mi

Goal run: 13.1 mi at the effort you would race a Half Marathon (13.1 mi) at. There is no race on the calendar, so this is your test.

Sun · Rest

Recovery: rest, walk, eat well. No running for a few days.

● = hard day. Cutback weeks are 20–25% lighter so the body can absorb the training.

Questions about this plan

How many miles a week do I need to start a 12-week half marathon plan?

About 10 to 15 mi a week, with a long run of at least 3 mi. This plan starts at 15 mi and reaches 29 mi at its biggest week.

How long is the longest run?

11.5 mi. You do not need to cover the full 13.1 miles before race day: a long run in this range plus the rest of the week prepares you to run the distance.

What is the taper?

The last two weeks get lighter (about 70 and then 45 percent of the peak week) so you start the race fresh. A few short faster runs keep your legs sharp.

Can I run it in kilometres?

Yes. Switch the units to km when you build your own plan; every distance and pace is converted.

Make it yours

Start from these answers and change your mileage, run days, long-run day, race date or anything else. Your plan gets its own private link.

Build your own plan from these answers