Health and fitness
Train for a half marathon
Twenty-one kilometres is the best first big running goal: far enough that it counts, close enough that a few months will get you there.
What the plan does
Builds gradually from wherever you are today — run-walk intervals are a fine start — up to race distance, with rest written into the plan.
Who it is for
For beginners and for occasional runners wanting their first real race.
How the plan runs
First the habit of running at all
The early weeks are not about volume but about getting out several times a week. If you barely run now, you start with run-walk intervals — it is the fastest safe way in.
Then one longer run a week
Growing steadily, with two easy runs, at least one rest day, and every fourth week lighter.
Easy means easy
The most common beginner mistake is running everything at the same moderately hard pace and then stalling.
The longest run close to race distance
Unlike the marathon, you can reach it, and it is worth doing for the confidence. Then a short taper of about a week.
When you fall behind
The long run and the rest day stay, one easy run goes. The plan expects a missed week, because there will be one.
What we will ask you
- How much do you run now?
- How many days a week can you run?
- Any injuries or limitations?
The plan is built around your answers: broken down into years, months, weeks and finally today. With rest written into it, and recalculated every time the route and reality part ways.
Start with this template