Advanced half marathon training plan

The following half marathon training plan is made for experienced runners who are aiming to finish a half marathon in under 1 hour, 35 minutes. It assumes you’ve been averaging around 35-40 miles per week for at least the last 6 weeks. If you have not, precede this plan with several weeks of easy running, working yourself up to 40 miles per week by adding no more than 1-2 miles per week to your training – or complete our intermediate 18 week half marathon plan.

This plan maxes out at 70 miles per week and generally requires 6 days of running per week with 2 runs on some days. You’ll run 1 or 2 speed workouts per week. For general fitness and injury prevention, you’re encouraged to devote 1-3 of your easy running days to cross training (cycling, swimming, yoga, etc.) or strength training. It’s okay to occasionally replace an easy run with an equal amount of time cross training. Combining the Myrtl routine, the basic core strengthening routine, the basic leg strengthening routine and the basic upper body routine will go a long way toward keeping you injury free throughout your training, but training with weights or a medicine ball will go further to help improve your performance. Cease strength training after week #15.

For most days, the plan is marked with a number indicating the mileage you should run at an easy, conversational pace. Some days, the number is followed by a superscript letter, indicating a speed workout. You’ll find instructions for those workouts at the bottom of the plan. The instructions will refer to “high aerobic“, “VO2max” and “Threshold” paces. You can determine these paces for your current level of fitness based on a recent race time using our handy pace calculator. Other days, there are two numbers with a ‘+’ between. On those days, run the first workout in the morning and the second in the evening (or vice versa).

Click for a printable version of this plan.

INSTRUCTIONS

A: 1 mile warm-up + 8 x (400 m Economy Pace with 400 m recovery jogs) + 1 mile cool down
B: 1 mile warm-up + 8 x (1200 m VO2max Pace with 2 minute rests) + 1 mile cool down
C: 1 mile warm-up + 4 x (200 m Economy Pace with 200 m recovery jogs) + 2 x (400 m economy pace with 400 m recovery jogs) + 2 x (800 m economy pace with 800 m recovery jogs) + 2x (400 m economy pace with 400 m recovery jogs) + 4 x (200 m economy pace with 200 m recovery jogs) + 1 mile cool down
D: 1 mile warm-up + 6 x (1 mile @ VO2max pace with 3 minute rests) + 1 mile cool down
E: 1 mile warm-up + 4 x (2 miles @ Threshold pace with 3 minute rests) + 1 mile cool down
F: 1 mile warm-up + 12 x (400 m @ economy pace with 400 m recovery jogs) + 1 mile cool down
G: 1 mile easy + 3 miles @ Threshold pace + 1 mile easy + 3 miles @ threshold pace + 4 miles easy
H: 2 miles easy + 4 miles @ threshold pace + 2 miles easy
I: 1 mile warm-up + 5x(1 mile @ VO2max pace with 3 minute rests) + 1 mile cool down
J: 2 miles easy + 3 miles @ threshold pace + 1 mile easy + 3 miles @ threshold pace + 1 mile easy + 3 miles @ threshold pace + 1 mile easy
K: 1 mile easy + 6 miles @ threshold pace + 1 mile easy
L: 2 miles easy + 3 x (3 miles @ threshold pace with 3 minute rests) + 1 mile easy
M: 2 miles easy + 4x(1.5 miles @ threshold pace with 2 min rests) + 7 miles easy
N: 12 miles easy + 6 miles at high aerobic pace
O: 2 miles easy + 4 x (1200 m @ threshold pace with 2 minutes rest) + 1 mile easy

Pace Calculator

Use our pace calculator below to determine your Easy, Economy, VO2max, Threshold and High Aerobic paces.