You are an advanced half marathon aiming for a 1:25, 1:20, 1:15, or 1:10 hour time goal.

Not an advanced runner? Check out the beginner or intermediate plan.

The key to a faster half marathon is superior endurance, lactate threshold, VO2 max, and speed. You develop these physiological abilities by optimizing the following 3 training variables:

1. Effective running workouts
2. A balanced training week
3. Intelligent training progression

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Effective Running Workouts for the Half Marathon

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A fast half marathon time allows no weakness in any training zone. However, half marathon preparation emphasizes endurance and lactate threshold training more than is typical for 10K and 5K races.

The following 12 training zones and sub-zones are part of the half marathon advanced training plan:

• Recovery run
• Easy run / Long run
• Moderate pace
• Marathon pace
• 30K pace (aerobic threshold)
• HM pace
• 15K pace (lactate threshold)
• 10K pace
• 5K pace
• 3K pace (VO2 max)
• 1500m pace
• Power

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The Half Marathon Advanced Training Week

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The 6-day running week features 2 key workouts and 1 long run. One or two easy runs can be replaced with aerobic cross-training. You can also move the workout days (e.g. long run on Sunday instead of Saturday) as long as they don’t result in hard back-to-back workouts.

1. Key workout 1
2. Easy
3. Easy
4. Key Workout 2
5. –
6. Long Run
7. Easy

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Intelligent Training Progression for the Half Marathon

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The half marathon advanced training plans consist of conditioning, base, support, and race-specific phases. In other words, the training intensity gradually transitions from general to race-specific efforts.

Conditioning

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The 4-week conditioning phase gradually increases your weekly mileage to develop general endurance and includes hill sprints on two of your easy runs to build muscular strength.

1. Easy + hill sprints
2. Moderate
3. Easy + hill sprints
4. Moderate
5. –
6. Long Run
7. Easy

Base Training

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The 6-week base phase continues to build your overall mileage and the long run. Fartleks add short segments of 3K—1500m pace. For aerobic work, moderate and marathon pace are introduced.

1. Fartlek
2. Moderate
3. Easy
4. Moderate / Marathon pace
5. –
6. Long Run
7. Easy

Support Training

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The 6-week support phase develops your VO2 max and lactate threshold. It starts with shorter segments that will increase in number and duration towards the end of this mesocycle.

1. Intervals 10K/5K pace
2. Moderate
3. Easy
4. Tempo HM/15K pace
5. –
6. Extended Long Run
7. Easy

Race-Specific

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In the last few weeks before the race, it’s essential to focus on running at your half marathon goal pace for longer periods of time. The most challenging workouts take place 2 weeks before race day. After that, the race taper, with a reduced training volume, is in effect.

1. 10K pace
2. Moderate
3. Easy
4. Half Marathon pace
5. –
6. Long Run
7. Easy

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Personalizing the Half Marathon Advanced Training Plan

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You can choose from 48 different versions based on 4 criteria. You may pick a 20, 16, 12, or 8-week training plan. If you have a solid foundation of endurance and speed from recent training and racing, you can opt for the 12 or 8-week plan.

• Time goal 1:25, 1:20, 1:15, or 1:10 h
• Plan duration 8, 12, 16 or 20 weeks
• Imperial or metric (miles or km)
• TrainingPeaks or FinalSurge