This 16-week training plan (one of five) from running coach and co-founder of Advent Running James Poole will help you cover the 13.1-mile (21.1km) distance comfortably. It’s designed for beginner runners who are just looking to get around the course, rather than aiming for a particular time. You’ll build speed and endurance gradually, so there’s less chance of injury, and you’ll arrive at the start line feeling fresh, confident and ready to enjoy – yes, you heard us right – your half marathon.
Each plan has you heading out three or four times a week, but don’t worry if that sounds daunting. Every session involves periods of running interspersed with walking, and the work you’ll do builds up gradually. It’s not the end of the world if you miss the odd session – life happens – but avoid falling too far behind then trying to catch up with a mammoth session. That’s a recipe for doing yourself a mischief and falling even further behind.
The plan follows four key phases. Within each phase there are three weeks of progression and one easier week to give your body chance to recover. The four phases are:
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Base phase: This is the most important stage of your training as you’ll build an aerobic base and get into the habit of running regularly.
Build phase 1: In this stage you’ll work on endurance and start to increase the distance of your longer runs.
Build phase 2: Now you’ve got a solid base and can cover longer distances, it’s time to up the intensity with quicker runs to build aerobic endurance and speed.
Hone and taper: You’re on the home stretch and you’ll start to decrease distance and dial down the intensity so your legs are fresh for race day.
There are four different types of run – easy, steady, tempo and long – plus rest days. Each run has a specific purpose and should be completed at a different pace, detailed below. Make sure you warm up before and warm down after each run.
Easy run – run for 4min, walk for 2min, repeat: Designed to give you a good aerobic engine, these should be easy and enjoyable. You should be able to hold a conversation on an easy run, so they’re a good one to do with friends.
Steady run – run for 5min, walk for 2min, repeat: Harder than easy runs, steady runs should be similar to your half marathon pace. Steady runs leave you more fatigued than easy runs so they feature less in your training.
Tempo run – run for 5min, walk for 1min, repeat: These improve your aerobic endurance and speed, and should be run at a challenging pace – if you can hold a conversation then you’re going too slow. If you find you’re struggling to complete tempo runs at first, try alternating between five minutes at tempo pace and five minutes at easy pace.
Long run – run for 4min, walk for 2min, repeat: Long runs should be slower than race pace to minimise wear and tear on your body. These runs are a great opportunity to test your nutrition and clothing to make sure everything works on race day.
Rest: The best day of the week, rest is vital to give your body time to recover. Rest days on this plan are scheduled for Mondays, to give you a break after Sunday’s long run.
