Half marathon training plan from base to race day
21.1 km is far enough that you can't fake it, but close enough that most regular runners can train for it in 12 weeks. This prompt has your todo.is agent build a half marathon training plan around your race date and current running: a long run that grows each week, one quality session, paces, fuelling practice and a proper taper.
The prompt
- Create a 12-week half marathon training plan. My race is [RACE NAME AND DATE]. I currently run [CURRENT RUNNING] and my recent race result is [RECENT RESULT]. Goal: [GOAL]. I can run [RUNS PER WEEK] days a week, with long runs on [LONG RUN DAY] and a max of [MAX WEEKDAY TIME] on weekdays. Build the long run up to 18 to 19 km, add one tempo or interval session a week, a lighter week every 4th week and a 2-week taper. Give me paces from my recent result, a fuelling plan to practise on long runs, and a race-day plan. Put it in Excel with dates, and add each run to my Google Calendar.
What to change
- [RACE NAME AND DATE]: E.g. "Riverside Half, Sunday 6 April".
- [CURRENT RUNNING]: E.g. "3 runs, about 20 km a week, longest run 10 km".
- [RECENT RESULT]: E.g. "10K in 55:00" or "5K in 26:00".
- [GOAL]: E.g. "finish strong", "under 2:00:00".
- [RUNS PER WEEK]: E.g. "4".
- [LONG RUN DAY]: E.g. "Sunday".
- [MAX WEEKDAY TIME]: E.g. "50 minutes".
Example result
- 12-week half marathon plan: goal under 2:00
- Riverside Half, Sunday 6 April · 10K in 55:00 · 3 runs, 20 km a week now · 4 runs a week · long run Sunday
- Paces (from a 55:00 10K)
- • Easy and long runs: 6:30 to 7:00 min/km
- • Half marathon goal pace: 5:40 min/km (about 1:59:30)
- • Tempo: 5:25 to 5:30 min/km
- • Intervals (1 km repeats): about 5:10 min/km
- Weekly structure
- • Tue: quality session · Wed: easy 5 to 7 km · Fri: easy 5 km + strides · Sun: long run
- Long run and quality session by week
- • Week 1: long 10 km · 5 x 1 km intervals, 2 min jog
- • Week 2: long 11 km · tempo 20 min
- • Week 3: long 13 km · 6 x 1 km intervals
- • Week 4, lighter: long 10 km · easy runs only
- • Week 5: long 14 km · tempo 25 min
- • Week 6: long 15 km, last 3 km at goal pace · 4 x 1.5 km at tempo
- • Week 7: long 16 km · tempo 30 min
- • Week 8, lighter: long 12 km · 5 x 1 km
- • Week 9: long 18 km · 3 x 3 km at goal pace, 3 min jog
- • Week 10: long 19 km, last 5 km at goal pace · tempo 25 min
- • Week 11, taper: long 14 km · 3 x 2 km at goal pace
- • Week 12, race week: Tue 4 x 1 km at goal pace · easy 4 to 5 km midweek · rest Saturday · race Sunday
- Fuelling practice (long runs over 75 min)
- • Take a gel or a few chews every 30 to 40 minutes with water
- • Practise the same breakfast you'll eat on race morning, 2 to 3 hours before
- • Nothing new on race day: no new shoes, socks, gels or breakfast
- Race-day plan
- • First 5 km at 5:45, a little slower than goal
- • 5 to 16 km at 5:40, settle in, fuel on schedule
- • 16 km to the finish: hold or push if you feel good
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your race, current running, recent result, goal, days and time limits.
- Connect Google in todo.is so your agent can add runs to your calendar, then paste the prompt on the Today screen.
- You get an Excel plan with dates and paces, and every run appears in Google Calendar.
- Missed a week through illness? Tell your agent and it rebuilds the remaining weeks rather than cramming.
Tips for a better result
- Run most of your kilometres at an easy, chatty pace. The long run is about time on your feet, not speed.
- Practise fuelling on every long run over 75 minutes so your stomach is used to it on race day.
- Don't add a missed long run to the next week. Skip it and move on.
- Ask your agent to read the race website and summarise the course, aid stations and start logistics.
half marathon training plan: FAQ
- How long does it take to train for a half marathon? Most runners who can already run about 30 to 45 minutes need 10 to 14 weeks. Complete beginners usually start with a 5K plan first.
- What should my longest run be before a half marathon? Many plans peak at about 16 to 20 km, two to three weeks before the race. You don't need to run the full 21.1 km in training.
- How many days a week should I run? Three to five. Four runs a week with one long run and one quality session suits most recreational runners.
- Do I need gels for a half marathon? Not always, but many runners finishing in over 1:45 feel better with one or two gels or some sports drink. Practise in training first.
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