For those who’re in search of a wise coaching plan that will help you hit your subsequent (or first)half marathon targets, then step proper up! We’ve put collectively a plan that may assist you to progress steadily over the approaching months with out pushing your harm danger. This 16 week half marathon coaching plan does assume you’ve gotten a base already, so chances are you’ll have to drop down the miles if you don’t.
Once I ran my first half marathon, I crossed the end line and swore I’d by no means do it once more. Why? As a result of I didn’t observe any form of coaching plan. My “fueling technique” was a handful of Swedish Fish, and I had no thought how necessary the best gear was. Let’s simply say, I realized quite a bit that day!

That’s why this plan is right here, to information you each step of the way in which.  It’s easy, simple to observe, and versatile sufficient to suit into your life—even for those who’re balancing work, household, and every part in between.

Between Coach Amanda’s decade plus of teaching and my very own 5 years, we consider it is a stable plan for these with slightly expertise and may simply be modified in your wants. In fact, if you’d like one thing really customized…properly that’s why we provide 1:1 teaching!!

One factor I all the time say about coaching is that you just’ve acquired to have enjoyable. Certain, there will probably be days when motivation feels laborious to come back by, but when coaching begins to really feel like a chore, it’s time to modify issues up.

Who’s This 16 Week Half Marathon Plan For?

This coaching plan is ideal in case you have been working constant mileage for not less than a yr, have a selected race objective in thoughts or you’ll be able to run not less than 6-8 miles as a future already.

For those who’re a newbie or seeking to run your first half marathon, try our different free Half Marathon coaching plans:

Coaching for a half marathon isn’t just about protecting distance, it’s the proper time to apply every part from carrying the best gear to testing your fueling technique and strengthening your mindset.

By race day, you’ll really feel sturdy, ready, and able to tackle 13.1 miles.

16 Week Half Marathon Coaching Plan Breakdown

Over 16 weeks, this plan will enable you to construct mileage progressively, develop velocity and endurance, and put together for race day. It is going to embrace a mixture of simple runs, lengthy runs, and velocity exercises like intervals, tempo runs, and strides.

To maintain issues thrilling, this 16-week half marathon coaching plan might be damaged into sections so you possibly can rejoice undertaking smaller targets in your solution to 13.1 miles. These small wins will hold you motivated and remind you why you began this journey within the first place. Let’s make this a problem you’ll take pleasure in each step of the way in which!

For these of you that prefer to examine off packing containers, there’s a spreadsheet you can obtain and even print!

This plan doesn’t offer you particular paces for the exercises or energy coaching plans, however these are included in custom-made teaching plans we create. So for those who want one thing tailor-made to you, attain out about 1:1 teaching!

Straightforward Runs

Do not forget that 80% of your whole weekly quantity must be in your Zone 2 or simple working. That means you must have the ability to keep on a dialog or sing your favourite music out loud throughout these runs.

Some days could really feel simpler than others and that’s okay!

Velocity Exercises

This plan does embrace a velocity exercise each week. It’s completely regular to really feel slightly nervous about velocity exercises, they’re meant to problem you and push you exterior of your consolation zone.  They’re inserted with a gradual construct, however you realize your physique and if it’s wildly new otherwise you’re feeling fatigued then chances are you’ll want to drag again.

It is going to assist enhance your, which may even assist together with your endurance.

Just a few key suggestions:

• Don’t over run the velocity, which means don’t attempt to go sooner than the prescribed paces and don’t attempt to do extra.
• Straightforward days have to actually be simple so you’ve gotten the power to go laborious on these velocity days and future days
• The spreadsheet has hyperlinks within the far proper column to assist clarify exercises for those who’re uncertain
• Anticipate to learn to run strides – a sneaky velocity instrument
• Get snug with Interval Exercises and be taught objective tempo working

On the finish of the 16 weeks, it is possible for you to to look again and see simply how a lot progress you’ve gotten made. These exercises that after felt unimaginable will probably be a reminder of how a lot progress was made.

Lengthy Runs

On this plan, lengthy runs are schedule for Sundays, however be happy to regulate based mostly in your schedule. If Saturday or one other day works higher for you, that’s completely high quality! These days, I’ve been doing my lengthy runs on Mondays, and have liked it.

For those who do transfer your future, attempt to hold your hardest exercise and lower-body energy day a couple of days aside.

It will enable you to to keep away from heading into your future feeling overly fatigued and may get probably the most out of it.

You’ll discover that there are a 13 and 14 mile lengthy runs scheduled, don’t let this intimidate you from attempting the plan! You realize your physique finest, it’s okay to shorten these lengthy runs to 10 and 11 miles. Pushing your self an excessive amount of too quickly gained’t enable you to to enhance and will improve your danger of harm.

What if I Have to Change Days?

Everybody’s private schedule goes to be completely different. This coaching plan will embrace 4 days of working.

The velocity exercise is scheduled in the beginning of every week to provide sufficient time to recuperate earlier than your weekend future. You may transfer the exercises round in order that it matches together with your way of life.

However earlier than you do this, there are a few issues to recollect:

• By no means skip the weekly relaxation day
• You’ll have a deliberate cutback week each 4th week that will help you recuperate
• For those who transfer the schedule round, hold 2-3 days between your laborious exercises, together with your lengthy runs and decrease physique exercises.

What Ought to You Do for Energy Coaching on This Plan?

Energy coaching is a crucial a part of any coaching plan- irrespective of the gap. Energy coaching will scale back the danger of harm, enhance your total efficiency and enable you to preserve higher working kind.

No have to spend hours within the fitness center or observe exercises which are tremendous difficult. 20-Half-hour as soon as per week specializing in full physique exercises with body weight, resistance bands/weights or a mixture will just do high quality. (In fact, we additionally gained’t complain if you’ll be able to squeeze in additional with out over doing it.)

The primary 14 weeks of the plan, you will note 2 days of energy coaching scheduled. This will probably be a decrease physique day and higher physique/core day.

Once more, like with the velocity exercises you’ll want to hold your decrease physique exercise a couple of days aside out of your future so that you just’re not working on tremendous fatigued legs.

If you attain half marathon taper weeks the main focus will shift to body weight workout routines and mobility that will help you put together for race day.

What About Relaxation Days In the course of the 16 Weeks?

First, you’ll discover each 4th week you will note a cutback week to provide your physique time to recuperate and regulate. That is intentional as a result of with out that pull again, you might be simply piling on the stress and never offering time in your muscle mass, joints and tendons to really take up the work and get stronger.

There may even be 1 deliberate relaxation day every week, don’t skip it.

As you undergo coaching, hearken to your physique and for those who’re feeling extra drained than standard, take an additional relaxation day. It’s not value it to push by way of simply to examine one thing off of your listing.

Relaxation days might be full relaxation or lively restoration days.

• Lively restoration days enable you to follow a schedule.
• Similar time you’ll have run, you do 10 minutes of hip mobility or foam rolling.
• It eases your anxiousness about not doing something.
• REST is when the physique grows from the work you do, it’s a part of coaching.

Begin to sit up for your relaxation days and never dread them. Bear in mind you can’t give it your all in a exercise and even on race day  for those who’re consistently pushing on empty.

Able to get began?

👉Seize the total free 16 week half marathon plan right here >>

There may be a lot, SO MUCH, extra that we might let you know to prepare for the half marathon.

We’ve truly damaged it down in to plenty of articles, so save this web page and are available again as you progress by way of levels to get the small print.

All proper, you might be in your approach!! Bear in mind we’re right here for extra suggestions or for that customized teaching to hit your massive targets.