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Beginner Half Marathon
Running Program

Use this Beginner Half Marathon program to get in shape for your first race. You'll build strength and endurance as you increase your weekly miles.

Join some friends and train together. Enter a big city race or support a local fun run. Aim to cross the finish line feeling good and you'll have a time that you can work on improving.

Get going with Coach Dr. Cathy Utzschneider's Beginner Half Marathon
12-week program.

You're ready to tackle this distance after you've built up a good base of running. Ideally you've already got some 5K and 10K training under your belt.

Notes on the Beginner Half Marathon Program

Calculating Your Mileage
To follow the mileage suggestions in this Beginner Half Marathon Program measure your run course with your car odometer. Websites like "MapMyRun.com" and "www.gmap-pedometer.com" allow you to open a free account to track your running routes. There are GPS watches that give readings of your mile pace and total distance covered.

Otherwise, go to a track and time yourself running an easy mile (four laps) or 1K (2 and half laps). Calculate your run on time e.g. a 10 minute mile pace runner would take around 20 minutes to run an easy 2 miles.

Covert Mileage
The workouts are in miles. Click here for distances in kilometers.

Flexibility
Some days we feel tired, other days we feel good. With the ranges in this Beginner Half Marathon program, choose what's best for you. Swap the running and rest days so they fit into your life. If you need extra days off take them, don't feel pressure to hit the mileage totals every day or week.

Running Together
Training with others can help you get out the door or finish a workout. Adjust this program so you can run together and all get to your Half Marathon goals. Some days you might run a few miles with a running partner who's having a shorter run, and then keep going.

Hard/Easy Rule
You'll see that each hard day e.g. speed or long run is followed by easy running or a rest day. Sticking to this habit will help you recover from these workouts and stay injury free.

Rest Days
Giving your muscles a day off from running helps them get stronger. These days are important to prevent injuries. If you want to do something on rest days try a low-impact cross training workout.

Stretching
As you increase your miles it's worth spending extra time to stretch, especially after your long runs. Try to get into the habit of stretching after every workout. You'll reduce muscle soreness and prevent injuries. Have a look at these tips on stretching.

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Cross Training
If your legs are really tired or you feel a muscle twinge think about cross training. Substitute a run day with a low impact cross training exercise e.g. water running, elliptical trainer, cycling, etc. The best day for this is Wednesday.

Spend as much time cross training as you would running. You'll still get a good workout and you'll give your body a rest from the pounding of running.

Hydration
As you up your distance running it's important to increase your fluids. Read these tips on staying hydrated before, during and after your runs.

Soft Surfaces
To help avoid injuries, choose soft surfaces for your runs. Where you can, pick dirt roads over asphalt and asphalt over concrete (the hardest surface).

Warm Up and Cool Down
The daily distances include your 5-10 minutes of easy running to warm up and cool down. Get started with some warm up exercises.

Run Easy
You'll run most of your runs at a relaxed and conversational pace. If you can't talk to your running partners you're probably moving too fast.

Long Run (LR)
These runs help increase your strength and endurance for the Half Marathon. Run them at an easy pace as you're working on building distance not speed. It's fun to run your long run with friends of similar ability so you can chat and support each other to help the miles tick by.

Fartlek Training
You'll use fartlek runs for some of your faster workouts. Read these tips on fartlek training.

Hill Running
To build strength and endurance you'll run some hill workouts. Here's advice on how to run hills.

Intervals
Click here for the run down on interval training. For your 400m (one lap of the track) intervals run one at a good hard effort (for you). Jog an easy lap to recover and start again.

Finding a balance between running fast but not so fast that you can't finish your workout takes time. You'll get the hang of it as you do more of this training.

For your 800, 1200 and 1600m intervals recover with an easy jog for at least the same amount of time as it took for you to run the interval.

Strides
These are short bursts of 30-40 seconds of quicker running to boost fast leg turn over. Do the strides towards the end of your easy run, before your cool down. Make sure you run them on a flat and even surface. Run them relaxed, with good running form and without straining. Jog easy between each one catching your breath and then start again.

Warm up Races
Get ready for your Half Marathon race with some 5K and 10K races. You want to run these comfortably hard but not all out. It'll give you a chance to get a feel for racing. You can also practice getting ready, eating, drinking, warming up, etc.

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Beginner Half Marathon 12-week Running Program

Week	Mon	Tues	Wed**	Thurs	Frid	Sat	Sun	Total Miles
1	Rest	Fartlek 6x2Mins DT=5M	Easy 3M	Easy 3M	6x30sec strides DT=4M	Easy 3M	LR=6M	24
2	Rest	Fartlek 5x3Mins DT=5M	Easy 3M	Easy 4M	6x30sec strides DT=4M	Easy 3M	LR=7M	26
3	Rest	Intervals 6x400m DT=6M	Easy 3M	Easy 4M	6x Long Hills 3-5mins each DT=4M	Easy 3M	LR=8M	28
4	Rest	4x800m DT=6M	Easy 5M	Easy 4-6M	Easy 5M	Rest	5K Race DT=8M	28-30
5	Rest	Easy 4M	Easy 5M	Fartlek 6x3mins DT=5-7M	Easy 4M	Easy 3M	LR=9M	30-32
6	Rest	5x800m DT=6M	Easy 4M	Easy 5-7M	8x30sec strides DT=4M	Easy 3M	LR=10M	32-34
7	Rest	Intervals 2x1200m 2x800m DT=6M	Easy 4M	Easy 5-7M	6x Long Hills 3-5mins each DT=6M	Easy 3M	LR=12M	36-38
8	Rest	Intervals 6x800m DT=7M	Easy 6M	6x30sec strides DT=8M	Easy 5-7M	Rest	10K Race DT=10M	36-38
9	Rest	Easy 6M	Easy 5-7M	Fartlek 5x4mins DT=5M	Easy 4M	Easy 3M	LR=13M	36-38
10	Rest	Intervals 1x1600, 1x1200, 2x800, 1x400 DT=6M	Easy 5M	Easy 6-8M	6x Long Hills 3-5mins each DT=4M	Easy 3M	LR=10M	34-36
11	Rest	8x30sec strides DT=4M	Easy 6M	Intervals 5x800m DT=5M	Easy 4M	Easy 3M	LR=8M	30
12	Rest	6x30sec strides DT=6M	Easy 5M	Easy 4M	Easy 3M or Rest	Rest	Half Marathon Race	15-18 plus Race

**Best Day for Cross Training
DT=Daily total of miles
LR=Long run

Try the Intermediate program if this Beginner Half Marathon program seems too easy.

Subscribe to our Running Shorts ezine for more free advice.

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