Are you an experienced runner hoping to take your half marathon training to the next level? Use this 12-week half marathon advanced training schedule (see table below) to help you run a personal record (PR) in your next half marathon.
To start this plan, you should already be running four or five days a week and can run up to 8 miles comfortably.
If you’re not up to that, you may want to try the Intermediate Half-Marathon Training Schedule or this 3 Runs a Week Half Marathon Training Schedule.
Types of Workouts
Easy Pace (EP) Runs: Your run should be at an easy, comfortable pace for the designated mileage. Do your long runs (LR) at the same pace.
Cross-training (CT): Cross-training activities allow you to give your joints and running muscles a break, while still working on your cardio. When the schedule calls for CT, do a cardio activity other than running (biking, swimming, elliptical trainer) at moderate effort for 45 to 60 minutes. You’ll also benefit from doing 15 minutes of strength-training 2x a week, with a focus on your lower body and core.
Tempo Run: Tempo runs are done at a harder effort than easy pace runs, after a warm-up. For a 40-minute tempo run, start your run with 5 to 10 minutes of easy running, then continue with 15 to 20 minutes of running at about 10 seconds slower than your 10K pace. Finish with 5 to 10 minutes of cooling down. If you’re not sure what your 10K pace is, run at a pace that feels “comfortably hard.”
Interval workouts (IW): After a warm-up, run 400 meters (one lap around most tracks) hard, then recover by jogging or walking 400 meters. For example, 3 x 400 would be three hard 400s, with a 400 meter recovery in between. For the 800 meter intervals, run 800 meters (two laps around most tracks) at your 5K race pace and then recover for 800 meters in between intervals.
Race Pace runs: After a 10-minute warm-up, run at your anticipated half marathon pace for the designated mileage. If you’re not sure what your half marathon pace is, check out: How Long Will It Take Me to Run a Half Marathon?
Hill repeats: Start with a 5- to 10-minute warm-up of easy running and then find a gradual slope. Run uphill at your 10K race pace, then turn around and recover downhill at an easy pace. One complete repeat includes an uphill and downhill, so 7 repeats would be 7 uphills and 7 downhills. Finish with a 5 to 10-minute cooldown of easy running or walking.
Tune-up Race: This schedule recommends a 10K tune-up race at Week 8 so you can practice racing, get a sense of your fitness level, and more accurately predict your half marathon time. If you can’t find a 10K race that weekend, you can do a shorter distance race, or do it during Week 9 or 10.
Rest: Rest is critical to your recovery and injury prevention efforts, so don’t ignore rest days. Your muscles build and repair themselves during your rest days.
Half Marathon Advanced Training Schedule
Week 1
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 35 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: 5 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 8 miles LR
Day 7: 3 miles EP
Week 2
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 6 x 400 IW
Day 3: Rest or CT
Day 4: 35 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest or CT
Day 6: 9 miles LR
Day 7: 3 miles EP
Week 3
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 35 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 3: Rest or CT
Day 4: 5 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 10 miles LR
Day 7: 3 miles EP
Week 4
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 4 x 800 IW
Day 3: Rest or CT
Day 4: 40 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 8 miles LR
Day 7: 3.5 miles EP
Week 5
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 6 hill repeats
Day 3: CT
Day 4: 35 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 9 miles LR
Day 7: 3.5 miles EP
Week 6
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 7 hill repeats
Day 3: CT
Day 4: 40 min tempo run (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 11 miles LR
Day 7: 3 miles EP
Week 7
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 8 x 400 IW
Day 3: Rest or CT
Day 4: 40 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 13 miles LR (last 3 at race pace)
Day 7: 4 miles EP
Week 8
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 5 x 800 IW
Day 3: Rest or CT
Day 4: 35 min tempo run (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: 3 miles EP
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: 10K race
Week 9
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 8 hill repeats
Day 3: Rest or CT
Day 4: 45 min tempo (20 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 10 miles LR
Day 7: 4 miles EP
Week 10
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 7 x 400 IW
Day 3: Rest or CT
Day 4: 35 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 14 miles LR (last 4 at race pace)
Day 7: 4 miles EP
Week 11
Day 1: CT
Day 2: 40 min tempo (15 min @ tempo pace)
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: 4 miles race pace
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 5 miles LR
Day 7: 3 miles EP
Week 12
Day 1: Rest
Day 2: 4 miles EP
Day 3: 30 minutes 10K pace
Day 4: 3 miles EP
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: 20 minutes
Day 7: Race Day!
More on Half Marathon Running
- 13 Things to Know Before Running a Half Marathon
- 8 Tips for Running Your Best Half Marathon
- What to Do After a Half Marathon
- Half Marathon Mistakes to Avoid
