Half-Marathon 12-Week Program
“Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don’t have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.”
– Amby Burfoot, Author Journalist and Winner of 1968 Boston Marathon
– Amby Burfoot, Author Journalist and Winner of 1968 Boston Marathon
Monday: Active Rest or Total Rest
Tuesday: Intervals or hills (see below)
Wednesday: Moderate, Easy, Cross Training or Active Rest
Thursday: Weightlifting
Friday: Easy, Cross Training or Active Rest
Saturday: Long run or Tempo Run (see below)
Sunday: Long run or Temp Run
Beginners: Swap the Tuesday intervals for another Moderate run and follow the "easy" run schedule for Saturday
Intermediate: Run the Tuesday intervals and follow the "easy" run schedule for Saturday
Advanced: Run the Tuesday intervals and follow the "drop-down" run schedule for Saturday
Tuesday: Intervals or hills (see below)
Wednesday: Moderate, Easy, Cross Training or Active Rest
Thursday: Weightlifting
Friday: Easy, Cross Training or Active Rest
Saturday: Long run or Tempo Run (see below)
Sunday: Long run or Temp Run
Beginners: Swap the Tuesday intervals for another Moderate run and follow the "easy" run schedule for Saturday
Intermediate: Run the Tuesday intervals and follow the "easy" run schedule for Saturday
Advanced: Run the Tuesday intervals and follow the "drop-down" run schedule for Saturday
Week |
Tuesday |
Saturday |
1 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 2-mile LYD – 1 Mile Cool down |
5 miles easy OR 2 miles L, 2 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 1-miles L |
2 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 12 x 200 meters with 45 sec rest – 1 Mile Cool down |
6 miles easy OR 2 miles L, 2 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 2-miles L |
3 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 8 x 400 meters – 1 Mile Cool down |
7 miles easy OR 3 miles L, 2 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 2-miles L |
4 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 400, 400, 800, 400, 400, 800 meters – 1 Mile Cool down |
8 miles easy OR 3 miles L, 3 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 2-miles L |
5 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 400, 600, 800, 800, 600, 400 – 1 Mile Cool down |
9 miles easy OR 3 miles L, 3 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 3-miles L |
6 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 400, 400, 800, 400, 400, 1200 – 1 Mile Cool down |
10 miles easy OR 4 miles L, 3 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 3-miles L |
7 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 3 x 400 @ base minus 3 seconds, 3 x 400 @ base plus 3 seconds, 3 x 400 @ base minus 3 seconds – 1 Mile Cool down |
11 miles easy OR 4 miles L, 4 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 3-miles L |
8 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 2 x 400, 2 x 800, 1 x 800 – 1 Mile Cool down |
8 miles easy OR 3 miles L, 3 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 2-miles L |
9 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 2 x 400, 2 x 800, 1 x 1600 – 1 Mile Cool down |
12 miles easy OR 4 miles L, 4 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 4-miles L |
10 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 10 x 400 – 1 Mile Cool down |
8 miles easy OR 3 miles L, 3 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 2-miles L |
11 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 3 x 400 @ base minus 3 seconds, 3 x 400 @ base plus 3 seconds, 3 x 400 @ base minus 3 seconds – 1 Mile Cool down |
6 miles easy OR 2 miles L, 2 miles drop-down run at T-pace, 2-miles L |
12 |
1-mile warm-up – Cone drills – 2-mile LYD – 1 Mile Cool down |
Race |
Types of running and pacing
Depending on your current fitness, you will have 2-5 prescribed runs per week. Each run will have purpose in physiologically improving your fitness. The types of days you will be prescribed:
- E = EASY: Runs at your easiest pace L-pace (see below) that last for 30 minutes or less.
- M = Moderate: Runs at your easiest pace L-pace that last for 30-60 minutes
- L = Long: Runs at your easiest pace L-pace that last for 60+ minutes. L runs may include a mile or two at T or I pace and the end.
- T = Tempo: Runs that incorporate a warm-up at L-pace, a steady run at T-pace or MP-pace, and a cooldown at L-Pace
- I = Interval: Runs either on the track or another surface that include a warm-up at L-pace, workout with intervals at I-pace or R-pace and cooldown at L-pace.
- H = Hills: Runs that involve either steady or intervals on hills.
- CT = Cross-Training: Ride a bike or elliptical machine, swim or some other activity that gets your heart rate up.
- AR = Active rest: Go for an easy walk or something active but doesn’t get
- your heart rate up too much
- TR = Total rest
For each workout, we’ll use the below terminology to describe the desired effort for each run. For some people, I will be very specific on the pace, for others we’ll use rough estimate effort. Beginners might do a majority of running at L=pace, where
more experienced runners or runners with the ability will mix all types of speeds. Each speed has a specific physiological goal, therefore it’s imperative to stick to the pace assigned.
- L = Long run, easy run pace - Your slowest running speed.
- MP = Marathon race pace
- T = Tempo - Roughly equivalent of 10K race pace.
- I = Interval – Roughly equivalent of 5K or faster race pace
- R = Repetition – Roughly equivalent to what you would run all out for one mile
- LYD = Laps of the track repeating 100 meters at I on the straightaways, and 100 meters at E on the turns
Workout Paces
- Click here to estimate your base pace.
- Run your base 400 pace for 200s and 400s
- For 800 add 1 sec per lap to your base 400 time
- For 1200 add 2 sec per lap to your base 400 time
- For 1600 add 3 sec per lap to your base 400 time
- For 2000 add 4 sec per lap to your base 400 time
Standard Rest
Rest is after running each interval
- 200 – 0:45
- 400 – 1:30
- 800 – 2:30
- 1200 – 3:30
- 1600 – 4:30
Strength Training
In addition, you should do strength training in the form of either traditional weight lifting, Tabata, HIIT training, Rexercise or the like at least once a week, but ideally twice. Focus of the lifting should be on core strength: abs, glutes, quads etc. This
type of work will both improve your performance/speed but will also help to prevent injuries.
- Stride Sports Runner Strong
- Tabata = 8 sets of 8 x 20 sec on 10 sec off
- HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training
- Rexercise = Any strength training weightlifting that is done one set per exercise, twelve reps per set at 12 seconds per rep.
Equipment
- Shoes: Don’t skimp on shoes. Marathon training is a 2-3 pair process and half-marathon and 10K is 1-2. Improperly fitting or improperly supportive shoes will derail your training.
- Socks: Foot blisters and abrasions will also derail your training. Don’t wear cotton socks (or any cotton while exercising, EVER!). Buy wool or polyester blend socks. Wool is the best moisture absorber and evaporator.
- Hydration belt or backpack for longer runs.
- Properly fitting sports bra.
Other recommendations
- Drink plenty of fluids all day long, not just while or after exercising. Recommendations for amount of fluids in a day range depending on the study. I recommend a goal of the number of ounces equivalent of 50% of your body weight i.e. a 150 lbs. person would drink 75 ounces of fluid.
- Get a free injury screen. RET Physical Therapy clinics offer a free injury screen. It’s a good idea to get ahead of your potential injuries.
- Don’t skimp on sleep.
- Don’t sit all day long. If you have a desk job, set an alarm for yourself to walk around at least 5 minutes every hour.
- Start experimenting with eating, hydrating and running now. You want to know way in advance what food and beverage you can stomach while running. Running burns 200-300 calories per hour that needs to be replaced. A standard serving of Gu, Skratch, Tailwind or another sports nutrition food is about 90-200 calories.
