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Half Marathon Intermediate Training Plan
You are an avid runner committed to improving your time at your next half-marathon. Here you find sub 1:45, 1:40, 1:35, and 1:30 minute time goal plans in 8, 12, 16, and 20-week versions.
Not an intermediate runner? Check out the beginner or advanced plan.
The key to running a faster half marathon lies in superior endurance, lactate threshold, VO2 max, and speed. These physiological abilities can be developed by adjusting 3 training variables:
- Puposeful running workouts
- A balanced training week
- Smart training progression
Purposeful Running Workouts for the Half Marathon
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 intermediate 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
The Half Marathon Intermediate Training Week
The 5-day running week features 2 key workouts and 1 long run. One easy run 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.
- Key workout 1
- –
- Easy
- Key Workout 2
- –
- Long Run
- Easy
Smart Training Progression for the Half Marathon
The marathon intermediate training plans consist of four phases: conditioning, base, support, and race-specific. That means the training intensity gradually transitions from general to race-specific efforts.
Conditioning
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.
- Easy + hill sprints
- –
- Easy + hill sprints
- Moderate
- –
- Long Run
- Easy
Base Training
The 6-week base phase aims to increase overall mileage and the long run further and includes Fartleks with short segments of 3K to 1500m pace. Additionally, moderate and marathon paces are introduced for aerobic work.
- Fartlek
- –
- Easy
- Moderate / Marathon pace
- –
- Long Run
- Easy
Support Training
The support phase spans six weeks and enhances your VO2 max and lactate threshold. It commences with shorter segments and gradually increases in number and duration towards the end of this training block.
- Intervals 10K/5K pace
- –
- Easy
- Tempo HM/15K pace
- –
- Extended Long Run
- Easy
Race-Specific
As the race day approaches, it is crucial to concentrate on maintaining your half marathon goal pace for extended periods. The most demanding workouts are concluded two weeks before the race day. After that, it is time for race tapering, where you reduce the training volume to ensure that you are well-rested and prepared for the race.
- 10K pace
- Moderate
- Easy
- Half-Marathon pace
- –
- Long Run
- Easy
Customizing the Half Marathon Intermediate Training Plan
You can choose from 48 different versions based on 4 criteria:
- Time goal 1:45, 1:40, 1:35, or 1:30 h
- Plan duration 8, 12, 16 or 20 weeks
- Imperial or metric (miles or km)
- TrainingPeaks or FinalSurge
Half Marathon Intermediate Training Plans
IN MILES
IN KM
Sub 1:45 h
Half Marathon
sub 1:45 plan in miles
-
22 - 35 miles per week
-
5 runs per week
-
8, 12, 16, 20 weeks
Choose Plan
Set any time goal for this plan
to personalize your pace.
to personalize your pace.
Sub 1:40 h
Half Marathon
sub 1:40 plan in miles
-
25 - 37 miles per week
-
5 runs per week
-
8, 12, 16, 20 weeks
Choose Plan
Set any time goal for this plan
to personalize your pace.
to personalize your pace.
Sub 1:35 h
Half Marathon
sub 1:35 plan in miles
-
27 - 41 miles per week
-
5 runs per week
-
8, 12, 16, 20 weeks
Choose Plan
Set any time goal for this plan
to personalize your pace.
to personalize your pace.
Sub 1:30 h
Half Marathon
sub 1:30 plan in miles
-
30 - 45 miles per week
-
5 runs per week
-
8, 12, 16, 20 weeks
Choose Plan
Set any time goal for this plan
to personalize your pace.
to personalize your pace.
Choose a plan according to your time goal but make sure you are realistic about it. If you current half marathon PR is 2:00 hours then you are unlikely to succeed with a sub 1:25 hour plan.
That said, the weekly mileage of the plan isn’t exact science to achieve a certain time goal. Rather, it is based on experience of what’s necessary to achieve a certain time. For example, you may choose a 1:50 hour plan and achieve 1:40 hours on race day — or vice versa. That means you could use the lower mileage 1:50 hour plan and personalize its zones for for a 1:40 hour time goal or use a 1:40 plan for a 1:50 h time goal (if you are already comfortable with the weekly mileage).
But don’t worry, if a plan turns out to be too easy or too hard for you, I’ll change it for you free of charge within 14 days of your purchase.
Yes, you can fully adjust the plan to your needs.
Training zones
You can personalize the training zones of based on your fitness level for any plan with a click of a mouse button. Take a recent race result (or an educated guess) for your current ability and then update your zones as needed toward your goal race pace.
Training days
You can move your workouts easily with the drag and drop feature. For instance, if you prefer your long run on a Sunday instead of a Saturday, you can change the order of workouts. Just make sure you don’t have any hard back-to-back sessions.
You can also skip or replace some of your easy runs with aerobic cross-training, such as cycling or swimming. But I recommend a minimum of 4 running days per week.
Race Day
By default my plans assume the race is on a Sunday. Should your race fall on a Saturday, then remove Wednesday’s easy run and bring the workouts that follow 1 day forward.
TrainingPeaks and FinalSurge are the leading online training platforms for endurance athletes. Here you can upload your workouts to your running watch and follow the instructions in real-time. Post-workout it syncs your training data where you can observe your progress over time.
Both platforms come in free and paid versions. The free versions work just fine with any of my training plans.
If you want a maximum of training metrics then I suggest you use TrainingPeaks. But for an easy-to-use and beautiful interface I recommend FinalSurge.
You can contact me anytime via email if you have questions about the training plan or training in general.
But for personalized training consider my 1-on-1 online coaching.
