Half marathon plan From your first half to sub-1:45
Half marathon training plan, at just the right pace.
13.1 miles don’t come down to talent: you prepare for them. RunMorph calculates your exact paces in min/mi from your race times (threshold, race pace, easy running) and builds your long run week after week. Not a generic chart.
Coming soon in English · Free to start · No credit card needed
Three goals, three different plans
Your plan depends on where you’re starting from: tell us where you are, RunMorph builds the rest.
- FinishFirst half
Finish your first 13.1
Your first true endurance distance. A long run that grows gently, goal-pace blocks to get a feel for the rhythm, and plenty of easy miles. Finishing between 2:15 and 2:30 is already a great race.
3-4 runs/week · 10 to 12 weeks · goal 2:15-2:30 - < 2:00The big milestone
Break 2 hours
The goal the whole field chases: only about half of men get there. The key: threshold work every week and goal pace practiced on your long runs. Race-day pace: 9:09/mi.
3-5 runs/week · 8 to 12 weeks · 9:09/mi pace - < 1:45Experienced runner
Break 1:45
Roughly the top 10% of finishers. Threshold at 7:53/mi, intervals, long runs with race-pace blocks and enough easy mileage to absorb it all. Goal pace: 8:01/mi.
4-6 runs/week · 10 to 12 weeks · 8:01/mi pace
What a week of training looks like
Two excerpts from generated half marathon plans: same engine, two very different runners.
Every session spells out the warm-up, the main set and the cool-down, with your paces in min/mi. Your plan is generated in about 2 minutes, and your first week is ready right away.
The half is the threshold distance. Train for it that way.
Your exact paces, not abstract percentages
Your race times (entered manually or picked up from Strava and Suunto) give your VDOT and your maximal aerobic speed. RunMorph derives 7 pace zones in min/mi: the half is raced just below threshold, and your threshold is calculated, not guessed.
A long run that’s dialed in, never a slog
It builds gradually and peaks at 10.5-12 miles, with goal-pace blocks to get your body used to race rhythm. Running the full 13.1 before race day is pointless: freshness does the rest.
Progress that doesn’t break you
80% of the volume easy, mileage up 10% a week at most, a lighter week every 4 weeks, a taper over the last 2. Give us your race date and the last session lands on race day.
What pace for what finish time?
The basic half marathon benchmarks. Race pace isn’t everything: it’s the full range of your training paces that makes you faster.
| Half goal | Pace | Speed | VDOT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:15 | 10:18 /mi | 5.8 mph | 31.7 |
| 2:00 | 9:09 /mi | 6.5 mph | 36.5 |
| 1:50 | 8:23 /mi | 7.1 mph | 40.4 |
| 1:45 | 8:01 /mi | 7.5 mph | 42.6 |
| 1:30 | 6:52 /mi | 8.8 mph | 51.0 |
For reference, the average half marathon finisher runs ~2:10-2:15 (men ~2:00, women ~2:24). VDOT is Jack Daniels’ fitness index: RunMorph calculates yours from your actual race times, not from a generic chart.
4 mistakes that sink a half marathon
And how a structured plan fixes each one.
- 01
Running your easy days too fast
Over 13.1 miles, your aerobic system does 95% of the work. Blowing through the easy zone wrecks the 80/20 balance and gets you to race day worn out. The plan gives you a precise easy pace in min/mi, so you know exactly when to ease off.
- 02
Getting the long run wrong
Either skipping it or insisting on running 13 miles before race day. Both backfire: the plan peaks your long run at 10.5-12 miles, with goal-pace blocks. Freshness takes care of the rest.
- 03
Chasing speed and neglecting threshold
The half is raced just below lactate threshold: it’s the weekly threshold session, not all-out 30/30s, that brings your time down. At 1:45, race pace (8:01/mi) and threshold (7:53/mi) are nearly identical.
- 04
Starting at 10K pace on race day
15 to 25 seconds per mile too fast over the first 3 miles gets paid back in full around mile 10. Your plan includes a complete race-day pacing strategy: first half right at goal pace, not faster.
They leveled up
Real results from runners training with RunMorph.
“I finally understood why I kept hitting a wall at 1:50. Well-dosed tempo sessions made all the difference.”
“I had never run more than 7 miles. The long run scheduled every Sunday took away my fear of the distance. First half finished in 2:08, without walking.”
Your half marathon plan in 3 steps
Create your account
Free, in 1 minute, no credit card. Email or Google.
Tell us where you’re starting
A recent race time, the days you can train, your race date. Or connect Strava / Suunto: your PRs are detected automatically.
Get your half marathon plan
Generated in about 2 minutes, session by session, at your paces. The first 3 weeks are included.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to train for a half marathon?
Plan on 8 to 12 weeks of structured training: 10 to 12 weeks for a first half (as long as you can already run 45 minutes to an hour without stopping), 8 to 12 weeks for a time goal. Give us your race date and the plan sets its length accordingly, with the last session on race day.
What pace do I need to run a 2-hour half marathon?
A 2-hour half means holding 9:09 per mile (6.5 mph) for 13.1 miles. Only about half of men finish under 2 hours: it’s THE milestone of the distance. The plan builds your ability to hold that pace, with threshold work and a long run that progresses.
What is the average half marathon time?
Around 2:10 to 2:15 on average across men and women (men ~2:00, women ~2:24). Finishing your first half between 2:15 and 2:30 is perfectly normal, and 1:45 puts you in roughly the top 10%.
Do I need to run 13 miles in training before a half marathon?
No. The consensus is a long run that peaks at 10.5-12 miles (about 1:30-1:45): beyond that, the fatigue costs more than it gives. The freshness from your taper and the race-day atmosphere cover the missing miles.
Can I train for a half marathon on 3 runs a week?
Yes, it’s actually the most common setup for a first half: an easy run, a quality session (threshold or goal pace) and a long run. To aim for 1:45 or faster, plan on 4 to 6 runs. The half offers the best ambition-to-commitment ratio in road running.
Is the half marathon plan really free?
Yes: creating an account is free, with no credit card, and the first 3 weeks of your plan are included. To unlock every week and AI coaching for each session, Premium is €9.99 a month (or €99 a year), cancel anytime. RunMorph is currently available in French; the English version is coming soon.
13.1 miles. At your pace.
Personalized plans in English are coming soon. First half or sub-1:45, yours will start at your level.
Coming soonComing soon in English · Free to start · No credit card needed
Train for another distance