Training for Your First Half Marathon as a New Runner
Summary:
This guide explains how a beginner can prepare for their first half marathon, from choosing a manageable running effort to getting comfortable with longer runs. It includes an example 24-week plan that starts with run-walk sessions and builds towards covering 21.1K.
Looking Ahead to Your First Half Marathon
A half marathon is 21.1 kilometres or 13.1 miles. When you are new to running, the distance can be difficult to picture. You might wonder how a short run near home could ever become enough to carry you through a half marathon. It starts with getting comfortable running for a few minutes at a time. Walk breaks give you a chance to catch your breath and continue, while the longer runs later in training help you learn what it feels like to keep moving as the kilometres add up. You have time to discover a pace that lets you settle into a run without using up all your energy at the beginning.
This guide includes an example 24-week plan that starts with run-walk sessions and gradually builds towards longer runs. You will see shorter weeks along the way, giving you time to recover before the distance grows again. As your runs become longer, you can learn what helps you feel comfortable during them, including when you prefer to eat and drink and whether planned walk breaks work for you. The aim is to reach your first half marathon having practised the kind of running the distance asks for, while knowing you can adjust your approach when you need to.
What You Need to Start Half Marathon Training
You can begin preparing for a half marathon with somewhere you feel at ease running and clothes you can move in comfortably. A simple timer will help you follow the early sessions. You do not need to have a 21.1K route mapped out. The first weeks use short runs and walk breaks, so start by making those sessions easy to follow. As the runs grow, you will learn which parts of your setup need to change.
Running shoes that feel comfortable:
Choose shoes that feel secure when you run and do not press or rub. If you are buying your first pair, a specialist running shop can help you try different options and find a fit that feels right. Pay attention to how the shoes feel during your sessions, especially as you begin spending longer on your feet.Clothes you can run in comfortably:
Wear something that lets you move freely and suits the weather. Running socks and underwear are worth thinking about because a seam or slipping sock can become more noticeable during a longer run. You can make changes as you learn what feels comfortable for you.Somewhere to complete your sessions:
A nearby route can work well for the timed runs. Later in the plan, your longer sessions will have distance targets. You can extend a familiar route or choose somewhere with enough room to keep going. A treadmill is also an option for some of your training if you prefer to run indoors.A way to follow the time and distance:
A phone timer is enough for the early run-walk sessions. When you reach the measured runs, a watch or an app such as Strava can help you check your distance. A marked route works too. Some watches also measure heart rate at the wrist or connect to a separate monitor, which you may find useful as your training develops.
Start with what makes the first session straightforward to complete. You will have plenty of opportunities to notice what works during training. You may find a route you enjoy or realise that a different pair of shoes feels more comfortable as your runs get longer.
Finding Room for Your Training Week
Before you begin, look at where three running sessions could fit into a normal week. The early sessions are short, so they may be easier to arrange around work and other commitments. As your training develops, one run will take longer because you will be covering more distance. It helps to find a day when you can give that run the time it needs without rushing to finish. The day can change when life changes. What matters is leaving at least one day without running between sessions so you have time before heading out again.
The distance target tells you how far to run, but it does not tell you how long the whole trip will take. As those runs grow, allow time to get home and have something to eat afterwards, especially if you have plans later that day. You do not need to clear your whole schedule. Just leave enough space around the longer session that finishing the run does not mean immediately rushing to the next thing.
How Should Your Half Marathon Training Runs Feel?
Most of your runs should feel gentle enough that you can speak in full sentences while you are moving. This is the “talk test”. If you can only get a few words out before needing another breath, ease your pace until speaking feels comfortable again. Check in with yourself during a run, especially when you begin covering longer distances. A pace that felt easy in the opening kilometre may feel harder later on. Slowing down or taking a walk break can help you return to an effort you can manage.
You can also give that feeling a number using rate of perceived exertion or RPE. On a scale from 1 to 10, most runs in the example plan sit around RPE 3–4. You can tell you are exercising, but you still feel in control of your breathing. A walk break may feel closer to RPE 1–2. Two later sessions offer short periods at RPE 5–6, where speaking in full sentences becomes harder. Those periods are optional and the longer runs remain easy. You do not have to make a run feel harder simply because it is taking you further. If you would like to understand how different efforts fit into training, Where Do Running Zones Fit Into Half Marathon Training? takes you through them.
Why Does the Longer Run Matter for Your First Half Marathon?
As training develops, one session each week gives you more distance to cover than the other two. This is your long run. It begins at 2K in the example plan and gradually reaches 18K before your half marathon. The shorter runs help you keep running regularly, while the long run lets you experience what changes when you are moving for more time. You can find out whether you prefer to take walk breaks at regular points and how gently you need to begin to feel comfortable later in the run. These are things you learn by spending time on your feet, one manageable distance at a time.
The long run also gives your body practice with the repeated movement of running. You may hear runners call this building durability, meaning you become more accustomed to continuing as a run gets longer. With practice, you can also become more familiar with a stride and effort that feel comfortable to maintain. The distance does not increase every week. Shorter weeks give you a chance to recover before you go further and you can repeat a distance if you need more time with it. Your longest training run does not have to cover the full 21.1K for the training to be useful. Explore Half Marathon Long Runs for a closer look at how longer sessions prepare you for the distance.
How to Use the Example Half Marathon Plan
The example plan starts with short runs and walk breaks for someone who can already walk comfortably for thirty minutes. You will have three sessions each week, leaving at least one day without running between them. Keep most runs at RPE 3–4, where you can speak in full sentences. Weeks 14 and 18 include optional short sections at RPE 5–6, with an easy alternative for each. Every session begins with a five-minute warm-up walk and ends with a five-minute cool-down walk. The timed totals include both. When a run-walk pattern repeats, complete the final walk before your cool-down. From Week 5, Run 3 has a distance target for the main session.
Weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 reduce the running to give you more room to recover. Your longest training run is 18K in Week 22, followed by a taper in Week 23 and your half marathon in Week 24. The distance sessions will take different amounts of time for different runners, so leave room for the pace and walk breaks that work for you. If you need longer with a week’s sessions, repeat it or return to an earlier week rather than squeezing runs together to catch up. Do not continue through pain or exhaustion to meet a distance target. If you choose an event, check that its time limit suits your expected pace.
Read How Recovery Weeks Work in Half Marathon Training to see why the plan gives you lighter weeks before the distance builds again.
Where Should You Start?
If you already run regularly, you may be able to begin further into the plan. Choose your starting week from the running you are currently managing, rather than a distance you completed some time ago.
New to running:
Begin at Week 1, provided you can already walk comfortably for thirty minutes.Comfortable covering 5K:
Consider Week 9 if you already run three times a week and can comfortably cover 5K during your longer session.Comfortable covering 10K:
Consider Week 15 if you already run three times a week and can comfortably cover 10K during your longer session.
Read all three sessions in your proposed starting week. If they ask for substantially more running than you currently do, begin earlier. Allow time to recover from any recent event before joining the plan.
Example 24-Week Beginner Half Marathon Plan
Weeks 1–8: Beginning to Run
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You will begin with one-minute runs and two-minute walks. The running sections grow across the week, reaching three minutes in Run 3. Take the full walk after every running section, including the last one before your cool-down. Begin gently enough that you can still speak while you are running.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 6 × (1 min run, 2 min walk)
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 28 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 5 × (2 min run, 2 min walk)
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 4 × (3 min run, 2 min walk)
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
For now, your task is to get used to beginning gently and running again after a walk. If the three-minute sections feel too difficult, return to the two-minute pattern for another session. There is plenty of training ahead and you can take more time with the opening weeks.
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Run 1 repeats the three-minute sections you have already tried. The next two sessions extend them to four and then five minutes. The walks become three minutes long in those sessions, giving you time to settle before running again. Keep the running at the same gentle effort as last week.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 4 × (3 min run, 2 min walk)
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 3 × (4 min run, 3 min walk)
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 31 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 3 × (5 min run, 3 min walk)
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 34 min
Let the opening minute of each running section feel unhurried. Five minutes gives you more time to notice if you have started too quickly, so slow down while you are still running if you need to. Use the full walk afterwards rather than shortening it because the first repetition felt comfortable.
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The first session gives you two eight-minute runs with a walk between them. Runs 2 and 3 introduce ten and twelve minutes without a planned walking break. Their total times are shorter because less of the session is spent walking. Continuous running is the aim, with a walk still available whenever you need one.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 8 min run at RPE 3–4, 3 min walk, 8 min run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 29 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 10 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 20 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 12 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 22 min
Choose a pace that lets you settle into the longer running section. You may need to go more slowly than you did during the short repetitions. If you take a walk, you can begin running again when ready. Repeat this week if you would like more practice before continuing.
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This week reduces the running in all three sessions. You will run for eight minutes twice, then ten minutes in Run 3. These are durations you have already experienced, so there is no new longest run to work towards. Keep the effort comfortable even if the shorter sessions leave you feeling able to do more.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 8 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 18 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 8 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 18 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 10 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 20 min
Leave the extra minutes for another week. This reduction is part of the training and gives you a break from extending the sessions. If you still feel unusually tired when the next week arrives, spend longer at this level before adding distance.
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Runs 1 and 2 return to ten and twelve minutes. In Run 3, you will cover 2K rather than stop at a set time. Begin measuring after your warm-up walk and start the cool-down once you reach the distance. Any walk breaks within the main session count towards your 2K.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 10 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 20 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 12 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 22 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 2K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
The distance may take longer than your earlier continuous runs. Give yourself room to cover it at an easy effort. If walking helps you manage the session, use it. You are still gaining experience of spending longer on your feet.
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Both shorter runs now last fifteen minutes. Your longer session moves to 3K, so allow more time for it when choosing your running days. Keep the same conversational effort across the week. The extra distance does not come with a faster pace to reach.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 15 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 25 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 15 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 25 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 3K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Think back to how you felt near the end of the 2K. If keeping going became difficult, begin the 3K more gently and use a walk break earlier. If you have not yet recovered comfortably from that session, repeat the previous week before adding the kilometre.
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Run 1 stays at fifteen minutes and Run 2 extends to twenty. The longer run moves to 4K. You now have a shorter session to repeat and a little more running in the other two, with a day without running between each session.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 15 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 25 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 4K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
The twenty-minute run is another opportunity to practise starting at a manageable effort. Carry that approach into the 4K without trying to match a particular pace. If you use walk breaks, notice whether taking them before you feel very tired helps you finish more comfortably.
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The timed runs come down to twelve and fifteen minutes. Run 3 returns to 3K, giving you a shorter distance than last week. This is your second easier week, with less running in every session and no reason to increase the pace.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 12 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 22 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 15 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 25 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 3K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
You may recognise parts of the 3K that felt unfamiliar the first time. Let that familiarity make the session easier to approach without turning it into a faster run. Keep the reduction in place so you can begin the next part of the plan feeling ready to build again.
Weeks 9–14: Growing Beyond 5K
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The first two sessions are twenty-minute easy runs. Your longer run reaches 5K, one kilometre beyond your longest distance before the easier week. Choose a route you can measure and give yourself time to follow it without rushing towards the finish.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 5K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Reaching 5K is a meaningful part of preparing for your half marathon. You do not need to run it as a race or finish without walking. Notice how your chosen effort feels in the final kilometre and use that experience when planning how gently to begin the next longer run.
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Run 1 repeats twenty minutes and Run 2 grows to twenty-five. The longer run moves to 6K. Keep the weekday sessions easy so the additional time gives you more practice at running comfortably, rather than leaving you tired before the longer distance.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 6K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
There is no need to reach 5K as quickly as you did last week. Begin with the whole 6K in mind and let the early part feel comfortable. If you plan to use regular walk breaks, begin that pattern early enough to practise it throughout the session.
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Both shorter sessions now last twenty-five minutes. Run 3 moves to 7K, your longest distance so far. Allow for the additional time when arranging your week and leave the usual day without running before your next session.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 7K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
The final kilometre may ask for more patience than the opening ones. Slow down or walk if that helps you keep the effort manageable. How you feel afterwards matters too. If tiredness carries into the next session, take more recovery rather than trying to keep every planned running day.
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This week brings both timed runs down to twenty minutes. The longer session returns to 5K, a distance you have already covered. Follow the same easy effort and keep the shorter distances in place even if you feel ready to do more.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 5K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
You are halfway through the schedule, but there is no halfway test to pass. Use the week to notice how the familiar sessions feel. If the recent increases still feel demanding, repeat a manageable week before moving into the longer distances that follow.
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Run 1 returns to twenty-five minutes and Run 2 moves to thirty. Your longer session reaches 8K, one kilometre beyond the 7K you covered before the recovery week. The shorter runs are developing alongside it so your preparation is spread across the week.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 8K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Keep the thirty-minute run comfortable all the way through. It is useful practice for holding an easy effort without needing a distance target. In the 8K, use the approach to pacing and walking that has worked for you so far rather than trying to remove every break.
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Run 1 stays easy. Run 2 offers three short sections at RPE 5–6, with easy running between them and afterwards. This is an optional change of effort within a thirty-minute run. Choose thirty minutes entirely at RPE 3–4 instead if you are still finding the longer runs demanding.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 10 min easy run at RPE 3–4, then 3 × (2 min run at RPE 5–6, 2 min easy run at RPE 3–4), then 8 min easy run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Easy alternative: 30 min easy run at RPE 3–4. Total time remains 40 min, including the warm-up and cool-down walks.
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 9K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
The two-minute sections should feel noticeably firmer than your easy running, with shorter phrases possible. They are not sprints. Slow down if the effort becomes harder than intended. Keep the 9K entirely easy and retain walk breaks whenever they help you manage the longer session.
Weeks 15–24: Getting Ready for 21.1K
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Both shorter sessions are thirty-minute easy runs. Run 3 takes you to 10K, giving you a substantial distance to recognise within your half-marathon preparation. There are no faster sections this week. Give the longer run the time it needs at your usual comfortable effort.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 10K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Take a moment to enjoy reaching ten kilometres. You have built towards it from short running sections with walks between them. Keep this session focused on covering the distance comfortably. You can learn more from how well you manage the full run than from pushing the final kilometre for a quicker finish.
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Run 1 reduces to twenty minutes and Run 2 to twenty-five. The longer session comes down to 7K. All three runs are easy, giving you a lighter week after reaching a new distance and before the next part of the build.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 7K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
There is no need to prove that you can cover 10K again straight away. Let the 7K be a comfortable session at a familiar distance. If the previous week left you unusually tired, take the recovery you need before beginning the next increase.
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Run 1 returns to thirty minutes and Run 2 extends to thirty-five. Your longer session moves to 11K, one kilometre beyond the distance you reached before the easier week. Keep the weekday running conversational so you arrive at Run 3 ready for the additional distance.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 35 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 45 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 11K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
The 11K gives you more time to practise the approach you might use in your half marathon. If regular walk breaks have helped, keep them in the session. You do not need to wait until you are struggling before walking or slow your recovery by trying to finish faster.
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The shorter sessions keep last week’s durations. Run 2 offers three optional three-minute sections at RPE 5–6, separated by easy running. Your longer run moves to 12K. If you would rather keep the whole week easy, the alternative for Run 2 has exactly the same duration.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 10 min easy run at RPE 3–4, then 3 × (3 min run at RPE 5–6, 2 min easy run at RPE 3–4), then 10 min easy run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 45 min
Easy alternative: 35 min easy run at RPE 3–4. Total time remains 45 min, including the warm-up and cool-down walks.
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 12K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Aim to finish the third firmer section with the same control as the first. If you cannot settle during the easy running between efforts, complete the rest gently. The 12K stays at RPE 3–4, with no faster finish to add after the distance.
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Runs 1 and 2 repeat thirty and thirty-five minutes at an easy effort. Run 3 moves to 14K, adding two kilometres to last week’s longer session. There are no faster sections this week, leaving the longer distance as the main change.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 35 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 45 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 14K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Begin the 14K at an effort you can imagine keeping well beyond the opening kilometres. Use walks before you become exhausted if they are part of your approach. If the 12K still felt like more than you could comfortably manage, repeat that week before adding these two kilometres.
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Both timed sessions come down to twenty-five minutes. Your longer run returns to 10K. Keep everything easy and use a familiar route if that helps the week feel straightforward. The reduction applies to the whole week, including the longer session.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 10K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Ten kilometres is now a distance you can return to after going further. That does not mean it has to feel effortless. Give it the same patient start and walking options as your other longer runs. Avoid adding distance simply because the finish feels more familiar.
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Run 1 returns to thirty minutes and Run 2 extends to forty. Your longer run moves to 16K, two kilometres beyond the 14K you covered before the easier week. All three sessions remain at RPE 3–4. Allow enough time for the longer run without trying to hurry through it.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 40 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 50 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 16K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Use the 16K to practise a steady approach from the beginning, including any planned walk breaks. The distance will take different runners very different amounts of time. If completing 14K left you struggling to recover, spend longer at a manageable level before taking this next step.
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Run 1 stays at thirty minutes and Run 2 comes down to thirty-five. The longer session reaches 18K, your peak training distance. Keep the shorter runs easy and give yourself room around Run 3 so you can complete it without rushing straight into another demanding session.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 30 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 40 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 35 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 45 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 18K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
The aim is to finish with useful experience of managing a long session, rather than to see how fast you can cover 18K. Follow the run–walk approach you intend to use on the day. By now, you should have a good sense of your fuelling and hydration needs, so use this run to practise what you plan to do during your half marathon. If 16K was still difficult to manage and recover from, repeat that stage before extending it.
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Your longest training distance is complete. Run 1 reduces to twenty minutes and Run 2 to twenty-five. The longer session comes down to 10K. Keep all three comfortable so the week contains substantially less running than the peak week.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 20 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 30 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 25 min continuous run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 35 min
Run 3
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Run 10K at RPE 3–4, taking walk breaks as needed or using your planned run–walk pattern
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
You do not need another 18K to confirm that the training counted. Keep this week’s shorter sessions in place and resist turning the 10K into a test of pace. The remaining training gives you a little running while leaving more room to recover before the half marathon.
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The first two sessions are short easy runs. Arrange them early enough to leave at least two days without running before your half marathon. Begin the final session at the comfortable effort you have practised, with walk breaks available from the start if that is how you have prepared.
Run 1
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 15 min comfortable run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 25 min
Run 2
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: 10 min comfortable run at RPE 3–4
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: 20 min
Run 3: Your Half Marathon
Warm-up: 5 min walk
Main session: Cover 21.1K at a manageable effort, starting around RPE 3–4 and using walk breaks as practised in training
Cool-down: 5 min walk
Total time: Depends on your pace, including both five-minute walks
Beyond 18K, you will be covering distance you have not reached in training. Keep responding to how you feel rather than trying to hold the pace of people around you. Slow down or walk when you need to. Whether you run continuously or combine running with walking, completing 21.1K is an achievement you have spent months working towards.
Food and Drink as Your Runs Get Longer
A short run may be over before you give much thought to eating or drinking. A longer run can feel different, particularly when you have been moving for well over an hour. You may notice that the time since your last meal affects how comfortable you feel. As your runs get longer, you will need to think about fuelling during them, whether with gels or other sources of carbohydrate. Your hydration needs will change with how long you are out and the conditions you are running in. Electrolytes may also be worth considering for longer sessions. There is no single routine that will feel right for every runner. Your training runs give you a chance to notice what suits you as the distance grows, rather than making those decisions for the first time on half marathon day.
Think about what will be available when you cover the full distance. At an organised event, you can find out where the drink stations are and what they provide. If you plan to carry a drink or use running gels, longer training runs give you an opportunity to see how they feel while you are moving. What matters is becoming familiar with your own approach to food and drink during training, so it is one less thing to work out during your first half marathon.
Recovering as Your Runs Get Longer
As your longer run grows, notice how you feel in the days afterwards. You may finish a new distance feeling pleased with the run and still find that your legs need more time before they feel ready to go again. The days without running give you that space. Sleep and eating enough across the training week matter too, particularly when the longer sessions begin taking more out of you. Pay attention to how you feel when the next run comes around. If you are still unusually tired, there is no need to force the session just because it appears on the schedule.
The example plan includes shorter weeks after periods of building. Keep those reductions in place even when you feel ready to do more. They give you a chance to recover before the distance increases again. You can also repeat a manageable week if a new distance has left you struggling to recover. Training for a half marathon means returning to running regularly over time, so how you feel between sessions deserves as much attention as the distance you cover during them.
After Your First Half Marathon
You have covered 21.1K. Think back to the first time you ran for a few minutes and how far away the half marathon felt then. Somewhere along the way, you learned what helps you settle into a longer run and how to respond when it begins to feel harder. You may have used walk breaks from the start or decided you needed one later. However you covered the distance, give yourself time to enjoy what you have done. It took many training days to bring you to this one.
You do not need to choose another distance straight away. Once you have had time to recover, you might enjoy running a half marathon again with a familiar course and a better sense of what to expect. You may prefer to keep running shorter distances for a while.
If the idea of going further appeals to you, A Beginner’s Guide to Your First Marathon can help you explore what preparing for 42.2K involves.
FAQ: Your First half marathon
Do I need to run a 10K race before my first half marathon?
A 10K event can give you experience of running around other people and finding your way through a start area, but it is not a requirement. You can cover 10K during training without entering a race. If you would enjoy trying an event before your half marathon, choose one that fits comfortably into your training rather than treating it as another distance you have to race.
How do I choose my first half marathon event?
Look at the course before signing up. A route with a lot of hills may feel quite different from the flatter routes you used in training. Check the event’s time limit and where the drink stations are. Find out what fuel is available on the course, especially whether the gels are a brand you have tried in training. Think about how you will get to the start, too. Those details can help you choose an event where you feel comfortable following the approach you have practised.
Can I complete my first half marathon without entering an event?
You can cover 21.1K on a route you choose yourself. Plan the route and how you will measure the distance. Think about what you will drink and how you will fuel yourself along the way. An organised event gives you a marked course and other runners around you, while your own route lets you choose when and where to start. Either way, covering the distance is a half marathon.
Is a trail half marathon different from a road half marathon?
The distance is the same, but the experience can be quite different. Trail courses may have uneven ground and steeper climbs. You might walk some sections that would be difficult to run. A road half marathon is often easier to measure against the routes and pace you have practised, though road courses can have hills too. Read the course description before choosing, so you know what kind of ground you will cover.
Final Thoughts
Your first half marathon will be built through the runs you make time for each week. Some will feel comfortable from the start. Others may show you that you need a gentler pace or another week at the same distance. You can learn from those runs without treating them as setbacks. As you spend longer on your feet, you will get to know how to manage the distance in a way that works for you.
When you reach 21.1K, take a moment to recognise what it took to get there. You began with short running sections and built towards a distance that once felt hard to imagine. You may run the whole way or use the walk breaks that helped you in training. Either way, completing your first half marathon is an achievement to be proud of.
Always consult with a medical professional or certified coach before beginning any new training program. The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized advice.
