Best Half Marathon Training Plan To Go From 10km To Half Marathon FAST

There are plenty of claims of “best half marathon training plan” out there to tell you that you can train for a half-marathon in just 12 weeks. Yes some people can do it IF they already have a baseline. But in reality, going from the couch(no running at all) to half-marathon in 12 weeks will lead to injury!
However going from running 10km to half-marathon runner in 12 weeks- no problem!

I will assume for this best half marathon training plan that you can easily run 10km:
You will have established a decent baseline of at least 3 runs a week.
You will have been through slow long runs, tempo runs, hill running, sprints, some race pace training and done some races.
You will have some concept of good nutrition, hydration, and after care (stretches, ice baths, rest days, compression socks).
Not many runners actually take much notice of this after-care at the 10km level(!) though you will need to for the half marathon distance.

If you have signed up to a half marathon from no running at all- please extend your base training to at least 8 weeks, plan out a couple of 5km and 10km races along the way to get some race practice.

Tuning up and extending the distance is totally achievable in 12 weeks depending on how solid your baseline is.
Just to be clear, this article is just discussing the best half marathon training plan… not a full Half Ironman triathlon in 12 weeks ☺. If you are stepping up to from Olympic distance triathlon to Half Ironman triathlon, there is a lot more involved than simply increasing the distance.
Get my book Triathlon: Winning at 70.3: How to Dominate The Middle Distance

This book will help you get to grips with everything you need to do to get prepared mentally, physically, tactically and physiologically for this significantly greater challenge.

For those who just want to tackle the half-marathon at this stage- read on for the best half marathon training plan….

The half marathon is a great distance. For the majority of entrants, the aim is to break 2-hour barrier. For fit athletes, the aim is to go sub 1.30 hours.
It is a distance everyone can achieve without disrupting life, work and family schedules too much once you follow the best half marathon training plan.

There are 4 phases to training for any endurance event:

For this 12 week program, I have split them up into 4 week blocks. If you have more time extend each block, but still be logical and intentional about which block you are in and what your goals are for each one.

BASE TRAINING

The first 4 weeks of your 12-week training schedule are designed to increase your weekly mileage and your aerobic capacity. You will be improving your aerobic fitness but also training your bones, joints and tendons to handle the stress of harder training and greater distance.
Always include rest days. This is important for recovery and will allow you to continue improving on your program. Athletes who are impatient, skip the rest days and think “more is better”, end up getting injured and not even making the start line.

Gradually increase your weekly mileage up over the 4 weeks from 10 miles a week(assumed) to around 18-20 miles a week. Aim to run 3-4 times a week with 2-3 runs approximately 4-6 miles in length and one long run up to 8-9 miles at an easy aerobic pace. No hard stuff yet, no sprints or hills. Think about improving your form, and mastering your cadence.

Aerobic pace means EASY. It means maintaining a pace you can comfortably chat at. It means not being sore or fatigued the next day. The energy demands of the half-marathon are 98% aerobic, it is critical that you do the majority of your training in the aerobic zone and continue to train the aerobic system as race day approaches.

STRENGTH TRAINING

The next 4-week block, do 3 weeks of focusing on improving strength, then 1 week rest. Start to push the intensity.
Mix it up between adding hill sessions, strengthening sessions( at home or gym) and threshold intervals.

For example: Add 2 x hill repeats a week. Find a hill you can run up for 45 seconds -1 minute then walk or jog back down. Repeat 6-10 times.

Strengthening sessions: These may include squats, lunges, leg press, deadlifts, burpees and core exercises to strengthen your muscles and improve your resistance to fatigue. If you are new to strength work, doing a routine at home just with body weight is fine. Check out this article on the #1 mistake made in strength training. If you are seasoned athlete, getting to the gym and using weights will accelerate your results. Or you could do some awesome workouts at home with simple equipment like TRX

Add threshold intervals. These are longer repeats of 7-10% higher than tempo runs to help you develop the ability to go faster for a longer time. For example: warm up with 10 minutes easy jogging. Then do 3 x 3 minutes at threshold pace, 1 minute easy jogging. Repeat 5 times, then 10 minutes cool down.
These are tough sessions that should have you gasping for breath. Tempo runs help improve your body’s ability to clear lactate, a byproduct of your body breaking down glucose for energy.

After the 3 weeks block, take an easy week.. relative rest. Still do some easy runs but lower the mileage.

This allows your legs, joints, bones and muscles to recover and improve and will allow you to train harder in the next block. Get a sports massage if you need one. Wear your compression socks. Do some stretches, hydrate. Do some easy/fun cross training. As a triathlete, you may enjoy some swims, cycles.
The best half marathon training plan includes no hard sessions this week.

SPEED WORK AND RACE-SPECIFIC TRAINING

The next 4 week block involves 3-weeks with a focus on speed work and race-specific training then a 1-week taper. Overall mileage does not increase. Maintain around 20-25 miles a week. Do one long, steady run per week of 10-12 miles.
The other sessions focus on sprints. For example find a track or an oval and do 30 second sprints.
Or 200m repeats.
Or jump on a treadmill with the speed up as fast as your legs can carry you and do Tabata-style training: 20 seconds flat out, 10 seconds recovery. Or get outside and sprint 2 lamp posts, jog 2 lampposts.
Focus on good form, good biomechanics.

Also do race specific runs. You may book a 5km or 10km race in this block.

Or add one run a week that increases the effort with every mile to prepare you to run when you are tired and keep going. For example you may run 1 mile at 9 min miling, the next mile at 8 min miling, the next at 7 min miling… and so on.. then sustain the highest pace you can for the rest of the effort.

Or you may do some negative splits… eg an 8-10 mile run then run the second half of the distance faster than the first half. Practice fast finishes.

Now- there is a LOT of training to get done here. Obviously in just 3 weeks you will not be able to do ALL these sessions. But these are ideas of training methods that work. In the ideal world, you plan out a 6 month training program however if you only have 12 weeks for the best half marathon training plan, pick one or two of these sessions.

TAPER

1 week
Drop the mileage down below 10 miles. Continue aerobic training and continue a few sprints to keep the central nervous system active.

Do NOT make the mistake of going out for an easy 9 miler just 3 days before your race. You cannot increase your fitness a few days before. All you will do is risk injury or get fatigued. Read this for more tapering secrets.

Use the extra time this week to develop your mental toughness: visualise good running form, build your confidence, think positive thoughts. Do your flexibility work, keep your core active and alert. Avoid any active that could cause an injury like a “harmless” game of kick around soccer, basketball, frisbee etc. Eat well, hydrate.

EXTRA CONSIDERATIONS FOR TRIATHLETES

While this is the best half marathon training plan to get you from 10km to half marathon fast, this program will not set you up to break a world record. (No 12 week program can do that!) Consistency over months and years will help you be able to do this. There is a ton of work to get done in a short space of time. However it will help you complete a half in 12 weeks. If you do have longer, extend each of the blocks out for longer and your foundations in each one will get stronger.

If you are training for your half marathon and continuing to train for triathlon, you have a two edged sword. On one hand, you might see it as a disadvantage in that you may not have time to do ALL the running sessions you would like as you still have to fit in two other sports as well.

Most triathletes will struggle to fit in 4-5 runs a week. Pure runners may easily do 5-6 runs a week. However the cycling and swimming that triathletes do, will continue to help develop aerobic fitness, strength and is fantastic cross training. Many running programs these days now do encourage cross training like bike, swim, step machine or rowing to give the legs a break from the pounding. So do not see this as a disadvantage. In fact, consider it your secret weapon.

In addition, if you have been doing your brick sessions for your normal triathlon training you should be fairly used to running on tired legs. Many triathletes do a 10-20 mile bike with a hard run off the bike.

Throughout your training, remember to listen to your legs. One or two days of normal muscle soreness is OK but if you have any pain longer than this or feel pain deep in the shin bone or plantar fascia (arch of the foot), or knee pain– get advice quickly…. Do not run through the pain…

As long as you have a foundation of running, you can certainly get to a great half marathon time in 12 weeks following the best half marathon training plan. Ideally, longer preparation is better. Remember to allow rest days. Allow time in your program for illness, injury, unexpected work or family commitments.

Eat well, sleep well and do recovery techniques…

Best Half Marathon Training Plan

Here is an example best half marathon training plan.
Assume you can easily run 6 miles and have a good baseline fitness.

Build the Aerobic Base

Week 1
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 3 miles Easy
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: 4 miles Easy
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 6 miles Easy

Week 2
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 3 miles Easy
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: 4 miles Steady
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 7 miles Easy

Week 3
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 4 miles Easy
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: 5 miles Steady
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 7 miles Easy

Week 4
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 4 miles Easy
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: 5 miles Steady
Friday: 3 miles Easy
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 8 miles Easy

Strength Training

Week 5
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 4 miles Tempo
Wednesday: Strength work- at home or gym- squats, lunges, core, upper body
Thursday: 5 miles Steady
Friday: Strength session: Hill repeats
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 8 miles with middle alternating miles at threshold

Week 6
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 4 miles with hill repeats in the middle
Wednesday: Strength work- at home or gym- squats, lunges, core, upper body
Thursday: 5 miles increasing pace each mile
Friday: Strength session: Hill repeats
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 9 miles with middle alternating miles at threshold

Week 7
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 5 miles Tempo
Wednesday: Strength work- at home or gym- squats, lunges, core, upper body
Thursday: 6 miles Steady
Friday: Strength session: Hill repeats
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 10 miles Easy

Rest week

Week 8
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 5 miles Easy
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: 4 miles Easy
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 6 miles Easy

Speed Training

Week 9
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 1 mile Easy, 10 x 400m repeats FAST, 1 mile Easy
Wednesday: Strength work- at home or gym- squats, lunges, core, upper body
Thursday: 1 mile Easy, 4 x 1 mile FAST with 1 min rest between each mile, 1 mile Easy
Friday: 1 mile Easy, 10 x 200m repeats FAST, 1 mile Easy
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 11 miles

Week 10
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 1 mile Easy, 10 x 400m repeats FAST, 1 mile Easy
Wednesday: Strength work- at home or gym- squats, lunges, core, upper body
Thursday: 8 miles with increasing tempo each mile between each mile
Friday: 1 mile Easy, 10 x 200m repeats FAST, 1 mile Easy
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 12 miles or 10km race ( if booked)

Week 11
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 1 mile Easy, 8 x 400m repeats FAST, 1 mile Easy
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: 6 miles Easy
Friday: 1 mile Easy, 10 x 200m repeats FAST, 1 mile Easy
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Long run: 7 miles

Week 12
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: 3 miles Easy
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: 3 miles Easy
Friday: 1 mile Easy, 4 x 200m repeats FAST, 1 mile Easy
Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: RACE

I hope you enjoyed reading the best half marathon training plan. Remember this is a program for pure running. If you are doing triathlon at the same time, you will need to assess what your focus is and alter the program somewhat to fit in your swim and bike sessions.

Sometimes it is good to focus more on one sport for a while and make great improvements with that, then return to a more balanced program. I hope you enjoyed it and continue to train hard and get great success.

Happy Training

Dan