How to Run a Half Marathon

Whether you’re looking to run your first half marathon, or set a new PB, this guide will get you there.

Running 13.1 miles is a big deal. It probably feels a bit daunting, whether it’s your first time or not. But with a bit of support and guidance, you can enjoy your training and turn up to your race feeling confident.

Whatever pace you’re aiming to run your half-marathon, you’ll need to set aside a couple of months for training and include a mixture of sessions into your week. Your easy runs, long runs, intervals and tempo runs all work together to prepare you for race day. I’ll explain why you’re doing these runs and how to do them.

Training doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t need to be daunting – I’ll show you how.

This guide will offer you three training plans to follow and explain everything you need to know to prepare for your race. It also includes videos on warming up, stretching after your run and some pointers on good running form.

Included in this guide are three training plans to choose from:

  • Beginner plan
    If you’re a regular runner looking to take on your first-half marathon, this plan is for you. This plan begins with 13 miles in total in week one. Before getting started, you should be comfortable running 5km non-stop, and training three or four times per week. If you’re not yet running 5k, you can use the How to Start Running guide first. 
  • Improver
    This plan is designed for runners who may already have a half marathon or two under their belt and are looking to improve their time.  This plan starts with 16 miles in total in week one.
  • Advanced plan
    If you’re an experienced runner comfortably running 4-5 times per week and used to doing speedwork, you may like to try this plan. It can help you run anything up to a 1:50 half. This plan starts with 23 miles in total in week one.

This pack includes:

  • A 25-page ‘How to Run a Half Marathon’ training guide.
  • Three 12-week half marathon training plans.
  • Video guides to warming-up and stretching.
  • A video explaining good running form.
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