Half marathon training plan

Before you start

This plan assumes you can run 5 to 10 km comfortably and are running three or four times a week. If 5 km is still a stretch, start with the 10K training plan and come back in two months. If you already run a comfortable 10K, eight to ten weeks can be enough.

12-week outline

A typical week in the middle of the plan

Goal pace

The pace you need to hold, per kilometre, to finish under each time:

A 10K race in week 8 is the best way to check your target. Most of your running should still be slower than goal pace, often by 45 seconds to a minute and a half per kilometre.

Long runs

• Build by a kilometre or two a week, with an easier week every third or fourth week.
• Keep them easy. You should be able to talk in full sentences.
• You don't need to run 21.1 km in training. 16 to 19 km for a first half, or up to about 22 km for a goal time, is plenty.

Fuelling

If you will be running for more than about 75 to 90 minutes, take a gel or sports drink every 30 to 40 minutes, roughly 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate an hour. Practise with the same products on your long runs. You don't need a full carb-load for a half: eat normally with a carbohydrate-rich dinner the night before and a familiar breakfast two to three hours before the start. The nutrition tracking guide covers fuelling the training.

The taper and race day

• In the last ten days, cut your running by about a third, keeping a few short efforts at goal pace.
• Start the first two or three kilometres a little slower than goal pace, then settle in.
• The race begins at about 15 km. If you still feel good there, that is the time to push.

Half marathons in South Africa

The Two Oceans Half Marathon is on Saturday 3 April 2027 in Cape Town, the day before the Ultra. A half is also a good fitness check in the middle of a marathon build, and many marathon and Comrades plans include one.

How SportMentor builds your half marathon plan

Tell your mentor your race date, your goal and how many days a week you can run. It builds the plan from your own training, whether that comes from Garmin, COROS, Polar, Suunto, Intervals.icu, Strava or Fitbit, or from runs you log yourself, sets your paces from what you are actually running, and adjusts it each week.

• If your goal turns out to be too ambitious or too soft, the plan says so and adapts.
• Guided home strength sessions are built in to keep niggles away.
• Race-week fuelling follows the calendar: taper, the night before, race day and recovery.

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Questions runners ask

How many weeks do I need to train for a half marathon?

Twelve weeks suits most runners who can already run 5 to 10 km. If you run a comfortable 10K now, eight to ten weeks can work. If you are starting from very little running, give yourself sixteen weeks or more.

How long should my longest run be?

For a first half marathon, build to 16 to 19 km. If you are chasing a time, long runs of 18 to 22 km are common. You don't need to run the full 21.1 km before race day.

How fast should my long runs be?

Easy: a pace at which you could hold a conversation, usually 45 seconds to a minute and a half per kilometre slower than your goal race pace. Later in the plan, some long runs can finish with a few kilometres at goal pace.

Do I need gels for a half marathon?

If you will be running for more than about 75 to 90 minutes, a gel or sports drink every 30 to 40 minutes helps. Practise with the same products on your long runs so your stomach knows them.

What is a good half marathon time?

Finishing your first one is the achievement. Many recreational runners finish between 1:45 and 2:30, and going under two hours is a popular goal. Use a recent 10K to set a realistic target.

This guide is general training information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting a half marathon build, especially if you have a heart condition, an injury or another health concern.