Free Half Marathon training plans
Community-sourced Half Marathon training plans for every level, laid out week-by-week. Free to follow — no login, no paywall. Not sure which to pick? Compare them, or get your paces from a recent time.
Beginner
Hal Higdon — Half Marathon Novice 1
The classic 'finish your first half' plan: 12 weeks, no speedwork, just steadily building your long run to race-ready.
12 weeks / 4 days a week
Read the method and find its official source
Intermediate
Hal Higdon — Half Marathon Intermediate 1
A step up from Novice: adds pace runs and longer long runs for runners who want to race the half, not just finish it.
12 weeks / 5 days a week
Read the method and find its official source
Half Marathon training guides
What Is a Tempo Run? The Workout Every Distance Runner Needs
What a tempo run is, why running at threshold pace makes you faster, how to structure the workout, and how often to add it to your training week.
Hill Training for Runners: How to Use Hills to Get Faster
Why hill training makes you faster on flat ground, how hill repeats and hill strides differ, and how to add them to any training plan without injury.
How to Fuel for Long Runs
What to eat before, during and after a long run, with carbohydrate targets, a worked gel example, hydration guidance and original sources.
The Run/Walk Method: How to Use Walk Breaks to Run Farther and Faster
What the run/walk method is, which ratios to use, how walk breaks let beginners and veterans cover more distance — and whether they slow you down.
Negative Splits: How to Run the Second Half of a Race Faster
What negative splits are, why running the second half faster leads to better times, and how to pace a race so you finish strong instead of fading.
How to Run in the Heat: Summer Running Tips That Actually Work
How heat and humidity slow you down, when to adjust your pace, how to stay safe, and the practical changes that keep training on track through summer.
Running Training Paces Explained: Easy, Tempo, Interval
What easy, marathon, threshold (tempo), interval, and rep paces mean, why they matter, and how to find your own paces from a recent race time.