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This 12-week training plan will get you to the start line strong and ready. The mileage is totally doable because no week goes over 25 miles. There is speedwork to break up the monotony of easy miles but nothing that will stress your body out too much.
Finally, your longest long run is 11 miles. First-timers might be wondering: will I be able to complete the last two miles? The answer is YES, don't stress—those last two miles will come from the work you put into all the training days.
The JOGGO Running App is personalized training and nutrition to help you reach your goals:
Glossary Of Terms
- Easy runs: This is the pace where you can still speak in full sentences.
- Strides: Brief spurts of quicker running where you pay attention to your form and leg turnover. Think of your hips like an engine with your feet propelling you forward. A great way to work on stride form is to watch how the elites run and try to mimic what they're doing.
- Cross-training: Other cardio activities besides running. Great options are swimming, biking, hiking, elliptical, and low-impact aerobics. Stay away from high-impact activities during half marathon training.
- Intervals: Speedwork meant to improve your anaerobic capacity. To find the paces you are supposed to hit, plug your last race time into an online pace calculator.
- Taper: The two-week period before the race with lower mileage and intensity that is intended to help your body recover.
Week 1
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 3 miles easy pace + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: Cardio cross-training
- Thursday: 3 miles easy pace + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace
- Sunday: Long run – 4 miles
Week 2
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 3 miles easy pacer + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 2 miles easy pace or 20 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: 3 miles easy pace + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 4 miles
Week 3
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 3 miles easy pace + 6 x 25-sec. strides with 40 walking sec. rest + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 2 miles easy pace or 20 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: 3 miles easy pace + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 5 miles
Week 4
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 3 miles easy pace + 8 x 25-sec. strides with 40-sec. walking rest + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 2 miles easy or 20 min cardio cross train
- Thursday: 4 miles easy pace + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 6 miles
Week 5
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 4 miles easy pace + 6 x 25-sec. strides with 40-sec. walking rest + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: 4 miles easy pace + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 6 miles
Week 6
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 4 miles easy pace + 8 x 25-sec. strides with 40-sec. walking rest + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 3.5 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: Intervals - 800m warm-up, 10 x 400 at 5K pace, 800m cool-down + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 5 miles
Week 7
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 4 miles easy pace + 6 x 25-sec. strides with 40-sec. walking rest + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 3.5 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: Intervals - 800m warm-up, 4 x 800 at 10K pace, 800m cool-down + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 7 miles
Week 8
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 4.5 miles easy pace + 6 x 25-sec. strides with 40-sec. walking rest + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: Intervals - 800m warm-up, 5 x 1K at 10K pace, 800m cool-down + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 8 miles
Week 9
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 5 miles easy pace + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 4 miles easy pace or 40 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: Intervals - 1 mile warm-up, 2 x 1 mile at 10K pace, 800m cool-down + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 9 miles
Week 10
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 5 miles easy pace + 8 x 25-sec. strides with 40-sec. walking rest + strength training (lower body and core)
- Wednesday: 4 miles easy pace or 40 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: Intervals - 800m warm-up, 12 x 400 at 5K pace, 800m cool-down + strength training (back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 10 miles
Taper Begins: Week 11
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 3 miles easy pace + strength training (bodyweight only, lower body, and core)
- Wednesday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: Intervals - 3 miles easy pace + strength training (bodyweight only, back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Sunday: Long run – 11 miles
Week 12
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 3 miles easy pace + strength training (bodyweight only, lower body, and core)
- Wednesday: 3 miles easy pace or 30 min. cardio cross-training
- Thursday: Intervals - 3.5 miles easy pace + 8 x 25-sec. strides with 40-sec. walking rest + strength training (bodyweight only, back, chest, arms, and shoulders)
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 2-mile shakeout run
- Sunday: Race Day!