How long to train for a half marathon
How long to train for a half marathon: 10 to 12 weeks if it is your first, about 8 weeks if you already run three or four times a week. This page matches your starting point to a number of weeks and a plan, and shows what changes with two, three or six months to go. The generator below counts the weeks back from your race date.
How long to train for a half marathon by starting point
The number of weeks depends on one thing more than any other: how far your longest run is today. The long run has to reach about 10 to 12 miles before the taper, and it should grow by only a little each week. Count the gap between your current longest run and that mark, and you have your answer.
| Where you start | Weeks | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Not running yet, or a mile or two at a time | 16 | Couch to half marathon |
| Running two or three times a week, longest run 3 to 4 miles | 12 | 12-week plan |
| Running three or four times a week, longest run 6 miles or more | 8 to 10 | 8-week or 10-week plan |
| Finished one before, want a faster time | 8 to 12 | Intermediate plan |
The plan generator builds half marathon plans from 8 to 24 weeks, defaults to 12, and caps the long run at 14 miles. Enter your race date and it picks the length for you, then sets the weekly growth so your starting volume reaches a 25-mile peak week before the taper, with a cutback every fourth week.
Build your free half marathon plan
Same engine as every plan on this site, but with your race date, your run days and your longest recent run. Prints to PDF, exports to your calendar. No signup.
Can you train for a half marathon in 2 months?
Yes, if you already run regularly. Eight weeks is the shortest plan the generator builds for this distance. It works when your longest run is already 5 or 6 miles and you run three or four days a week. The plan spends most of those weeks building the long run and leaves two weeks to taper.
If you are not running yet, two months is enough to finish with walk breaks, not to run the whole way comfortably. Pick a finish goal rather than a time, keep every run easy, and consider a race a month or two later if you have the choice.
How to train for a half marathon in 3 months
Twelve weeks is the default for a reason: it leaves room for a base phase, a build phase, a short peak and a two-week taper without rushing any of them. In the 12-week plan the first weeks are easy running only. The long run grows through the middle of the plan, and the longest one lands in week 10, two weeks before the race.
- Weeks 1 to 4: easy runs on three or four days, long run growing a little each week.
- Weeks 5 to 8: volume keeps rising; runners who have raced the distance before add one tempo session a week.
- Weeks 9 and 10: the peak, with the longest run of the plan in week 10.
- Weeks 11 and 12: taper, race.
How many months to train for a half marathon when you have more time
Four to six months is 16 to 24 weeks, and the right use of that time is a longer base, not a longer peak. Start with a few weeks of easy running until three or four runs a week feel normal, then let the plan begin. The 16-week and 20-week plans do this with more cutback weeks, so the same long-run ceiling arrives with less strain.
If you are coming back from a break or an injury, choose the Comeback preset in the generator. It aims at a lower peak, slows the weekly growth and starts the volume a little lower.
How long does it take to run a half marathon once you are trained?
Two hours is the round target many runners aim at, but your own number comes from the pace you can hold for 13.1 miles: 1:58 at 9:00 per mile, 2:11 at 10:00, 2:37 at 12:00. The half marathon pace chart turns any finish time into pace per mile and per kilometer. The finish-time guide shows how to set a realistic target from a recent race.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to train for a half marathon?
10 to 12 weeks for a first half, about 8 weeks if you already run three or four times a week with a longest run of 6 miles. Beginners starting from no running need about 16 weeks.
Can you train for a half marathon in 2 months?
Yes if you already run regularly and can cover 5 or 6 miles. If not, two months gets you to the finish with walk breaks; a later race is the better choice.
How many months to train for a half marathon?
Three months is the standard answer. Two months is the minimum for a regular runner, four to six months suits a complete beginner or anyone who wants a longer base.
How long does it take to prepare for a half marathon if I have never run?
About 16 weeks with a gradual plan such as the couch-to-half-marathon schedule, which starts with short runs and keeps the growth gentle.