12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan To Break Two Hours

Target time: sub-2hr

Race pace: 9min 10sec/mile

This plan is for you if… You can run continuously for 30-45 minutes. If you’ve completed a 10K event you’ll be in a strong starting position.

Running 13.1 miles in less than two hours is no mean feat, but follow it closely and this 12-week half marathon training plan will put you on track to achieve your goal. It’s the ideal plan for anyone who has completed 5K and 10K races and is now looking to take a structured approach to their training for a half marathon.

The plan has been put together by Justin Reid-Simms, a UK Athletics-qualified running coach at Alamer Athletic, and like all good running training plans it’s designed to gradually increase your fitness and the distance you cover, because doing too much too fast often results in injury.

We asked Reid-Simms to keep in mind that most runners will be fitting their training around a busy lifestyle, and he delivered a plan that’s easy to scale up and down depending on the opportunities you have to run. There are three runs a week as a baseline – shorter runs on Tuesday and Thursday before a long run on Sunday to build your endurance – plus two optional cross-training strength sessions and a Saturday run you can also do if you do have time.

“Everything after the three main runs is supplementary,” says Reid-Simms, “The other sessions will really help – it’s especially good to have that extra time on your feet with the optional run – but I understand that not everyone can commit to doing that many sessions a week.”

The Thursday run also includes the option to walk at times if needed. “Ideally you’d be running, but if you’ve been out of training for a little while, just take a bit of a breather,” says Reid-Simms. “At that stage it’s all about trying to get your body used to that amount of time on your feet. It depends on how hilly your route is too – hills can really beat you up at the start of a training cycle so it’s just a get-out.”

Take a look at the plan and if you decide it’s not for you, browse our range of half marathon training plans, which also includes advice for a successful race.

How The 12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan Works

The plan is split into three four-week blocks. The first block builds a base of fitness, with slight increases in the distance covered on the Thursday and Sunday runs.

The second block concentrates on building your endurance in a similar vein until the introduction of an intervals session in week seven. If it’s your first experience with interval running, steel yourself – it’s tough to run outside your comfort zone, but they’re a great way to make huge strides in your training.

The final block begins with another tough intervals session, but the good news is that by now you should be feeling comfortable running for over an hour, so it’s time to taper – winding down the amount you do gradually so your body is well rested and ready to go on race day.

“Make sure you do the ‘shake-out’ run the day before the race,” Reid-Simms advises. “It helps loosen the legs so you feel fresher on race day after the taper and can be a great way to settle nerves. Don’t go hard – this is no time for cramming extra training in. Just get out there.”

Each run asks you to complete a set distance, which can take a bit of planning. Reid-Simms recommends the route calculator in Map My Run (you will have to create an account) or an app called Footpath. Or you can try one of our favourite running route planners.

Whatever you do, try not to stick to the same old route for the full 12 weeks. “For the longer runs, jump on a train or bus, get off somewhere and run back home,” says Reid-Simms. “It’s a bit of variety that helps keep training interesting.”

Types Of Training Runs

There are four types of run in this plan, differentiated by the speed you need to run at. If you have a fitness tracker or running watch with GPS or a running app that can piggyback off your phone’s GPS, then you’re all set, but if you don’t fancy the extra expense Reid-Simms recommends using the talk test (in brackets after the breakdown of pace, below), which is essentially how many words you can get out while running at a particular pace. “It correlates really well with effort levels,” says Reid-Simms.

Aerobic Run: Builds to a steady 9min/mile (two/three sentences)

Interval Run: 8min 30sec/mile (two/three words)

Endurance Run: 10min/mile (carry on a full conversation)

Recovery Run: 10min-plus/mile

Block 1: Base Building

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Block 2: Endurance

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Block 3: Endurance And Speed

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12