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Polar Guides

Half Marathon Running Plan for Beginners

This program assumes you have already run a few 10k runs comfortably are running three or four times per week. The buildup will be gradual, but before long, you’ll be tackling serious long runs and increasing your weekly mileage.

Week 1

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday10-15min easy run. Zone 2
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min
ThursdayRest
FridayEasy jog 20-30min. Zone 2
SaturdayRest
SundayLong run: 5-8km. Zone 2

Week 2

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday30-40min easy run. Zone 2
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min
ThursdayRest
FridayEasy jog 20-30min. Zone 2
Saturday5km race, time trial. Zone 4-5. Run a longer warm down so all up you will total 10km for the day.
SundayRest

Week 3

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday35-50min easy run. Zone 2
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min
ThursdayRest
FridayInterval session: 4 x 1min efforts zone 4 with 2min slow jog recovery . Start first rep @ 5km pace (so use the pace from your race or ParkRun last Sat) and aim to get faster with each rep
SaturdayRest
SundayLong run: 10-12km. Zone 2

Week 4

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday30min easy run. Zone 2
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min
ThursdayRest
FridayInterval session: 4min, 3min, 2min, 1min efforts zone 3-4 with 2min very slow jog recovery after each. Start slower then 5km pace for the 4min effort (at least 15sec/km) and get faster as the interval duration gets shorter.
SaturdayEasy walk or cross train 30-50min
SundayLong run 10-12km. Zone 2

Week 5

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday30-40min easy run. Zone 2
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min
ThursdayRest
FridayEasy jog 20min zone 2 then stop briefly (quick stretch) then 4-6 x 80m strides a little faster then 5km pace (but not flat out sprinting) zone 3-4. Walk back after each. Easy jog 5min at the end.
Saturday5km race. Zone 4-5 or long run 12-15km zone 2. If you do a race, do a longer warm down so all up you will total 12-15km for the day.
SundayRest day.

Week 6

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday30-40min run. Zone 2-3
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min
ThursdayRest
FridayHills: 8 x 30sec hills hard zone 4-5 (pushing faster effort wise then your 5km race). Walk back after each.
SaturdayRest
SundayLong run 12-15km. Zone 2-3

Week 7

DayWorkout
MondayRest
TuesdayTempo run: 40min run including a tempo run within your 40min run. For a 10min section during this run, push the pace so you’re puffing steadily and can’t maintain a conversation zone 4. Rest of run is easy jogging zone 2.
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min OR easy jog 20-30min zone 2
ThursdayRest
FridayHills: 6 x 50sec hills aiming for about 5km pace “feel” (so not actual pace as you’re running uphill, actual pace will be slower so important we aim for effort here) zone 4. Very slow jog down recovery. Try to make your last hill, your fastest.
SaturdayRest day or easy walk or cross train 50-70min
SundayLong run: 15-18km. Zone 2-3

Week 8

DayWorkout
MondayRest
TuesdayTempo run: 40-50min run including a tempo effort within your run where you push the pace for 7min zone 4 then jog 1min then push the pace for 6min zone 4 (pace is aiming for about half marathon pace feel so nice and relaxed but puffing steadily). So all up this will take 14min. Rest of run is easy jogging zone 2.
WednesdayEasy cross train 30-40min OR jog 20-30min zone 2
ThursdayRest
FridayHills: 10 x 30-40sec hills hard zone 4-5 (slow jog down recovery)
SaturdayRest
SundayLong run 12-15km. Zone 2-3

Week 9

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday40-50min easy run. Zone 2
WednesdayEasy jog 20-40min. Zone 2
ThursdayRest
FridayInterval session: 2 sets of (3min, 2min, 1min, 30sec efforts zone 4 with 90sec very slow jog recovery after each). Start at 5km pace for 3min efforts and get faster as reps get shorter. Take 3min rest between sets (standing recovery or slow jog).
SaturdayRest day or easy walk or cross train 50-70min
SundayLong run 18-22km zone 2-3
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Week 10

DayWorkout
MondayRest
TuesdayTempo run: 50min run including (3 x 5min tempo run efforts zone 4 with 1min very slow jog recovery after each). Aiming to run each 5min tempo run @ about a pace you might do a 10km at. Puffing steadily and not flat out but working well within your run. Rest of run easy jogging zone 2.
WednesdayEasy jog 30min. Zone 2
ThursdayRest
FridayInterval session: 5 x 2min efforts zone 4 with 90sec-2min slow jog recovery after each. First 1min of each rep at 10km pace feel with a light surge last 1min.
SaturdayRest day
Sunday10km race or long run 12-15km zone 2-3

Week 11

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday40min easy run zone 2-3
WednesdayEasy jog 30min. Zone 2
ThursdayRest
FridayInterval session: 4 x 3min efforts zone 4 with 90sec slow jog recovery after each then 2 x 20sec fast efforts zone 4-5 with 40sec standing recovery. For 3min efforts -Aim for 2nd 3min effort @ 5km pace with other reps marginally slower. The “faster” 3min efforts can be quite hard but keep the slower efforts the same.
SaturdayRest
SundayLong run: 8-10km zone 2-3

Week 12 Taper week

DayWorkout
MondayRest
Tuesday20-30min easy run. Zone 2
WednesdayEasy jog 15-20min or rest day
ThursdayRest
FridayEasy jog 20min zone 2 + 4 x 80m efforts @ 10km pace feel zone 3 (nice and relaxed). Walk back after each.
SaturdayRest
SundayHalf Marathon🏅

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