This intermediate-level half marathon training program is designed for those who have run over 10 km a few times and, ideally, completed a half marathon before. Over the course of the plan, you’ll be running three to four times a week, so it demands dedication and commitment.
Week 1
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 35-50min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Thursday | Rest day or easy cross train 30-40min or easy jog 30min |
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| Friday | Easy jog 35-50min zone 2 |
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| Saturday | Easy jog 30-40min or easy x train 40-50min |
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| Sunday | Long run: 12-14km zone 2 |
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Week 2
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 40min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 40-50mins tempo running (include 3 x 5min tempo runs within your run today aiming for about 10km to half marathon pace feel - so you're puffing steadily but not too hard zone 3. Take 2min easy jog after each). Rest of run is easy jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Rest day or easy x train 30-40min or easy jog 30-40min zone 2 |
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| Friday | Easy jog 35-50min zone 2 |
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| Saturday | 5km race zone 4 or 10km race or solid effort over 20min |
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| Sunday | Long run 13-15km zone 2 |
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Week 3
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 40-50min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 45-60mins tempo running (include 3 x 5min tempo runs within your run today aiming for about 10km to half marathon pace feel - so you're puffing steadily but not too hard zone 3. Take 2min easy jog after each. Rest of run is easy jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Rest day or easy jog 35-50min or x train 35-50min |
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| Friday | Easy jog 35-50min zone 2 |
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| Saturday | Interval session; 8 x 1min efforts zone 4-5 with 60sec slow jog recovery. Start 3 reps @ 5km pace feel and aim to get faster with each rep after that. |
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| Sunday | Long run 12-15km zone 2 |
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Week 4
| Day | Workout |
|---|
| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 50-60mins tempo running (include 4-5 x 4min tempo runs within your run today aiming for about 10km pace feel - so you're puffing steadily but not too hard zone 3-4. Take 1min easy jog after each). Rest of run is easy jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Rest day or easy jog 35-50min zone 2or x train 35-50min |
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| Friday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Saturday | Interval session; 2 sets of (4min, 2min, 1min, 30sec efforts zone 4-5 with 1min slow jog recovery after each). Take 3min rest between sets. Start @ 10km pace for 4min effort then faster as the reps get shorter. |
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| Sunday | Long run 12-15km zone 2-3 |
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Week 5
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 55-65mins tempo running (include 3-4 x 5min tempo runs within your run today aiming for about 10km to half marathon pace feel zone 3-4. Take 1-2min easy jog after each. Rest of run is easy jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Easy jog 30-50min zone 2 or x train 30-40min or rest day |
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| Friday | Easy jog 50-60min zone 2 |
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| Saturday | Interval session; 8 x 2min efforts zone 4-5 aiming for 5km pace 1st 1min then faster last 1min in each rep. Take 90sec slow jog recovery after each |
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| Sunday | Long run 15-18km zone 2-3 |
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Week 6
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 55-70mins tempo running; Toward the end of your run today (last 20-25min - pick up your pace so you are puffing steadily zone 3, slower than half marathon pace but faster than jogging). First 25-30min is easy jogging. Rest of your run is slow jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Rest day or easy jog 30min zone 2 or x train 35-50min |
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| Friday | Easy jog 20min zone 2 + strides (6 x 80m strides faster then 5km pace zone 3-4. Walk back after each). |
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| Saturday | Race: 10km race zone 4-5 OR parkrun solid zone 4-5 (not flat out but 90% effort). If you do a parkrun add a 5km tempo run zone 3-4 after it's finished @ about marathon to HM pace feel (start tempo at least 5min after you've finished the parkrun). So 5km tempo is slower then your parkrun. |
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| Sunday | Long run 18-20km zone 2-3 |
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Week 7
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 55-70mins tempo running; Toward the end of your run today (last 20-30min - pick up your pace so you are puffing steadily) zone 3-4. First 20-25min is easy jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Easy jog 30-40min zone 2 or easy x train 40min or rest day |
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| Friday | Easy jog 35-50min zone 2 |
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| Saturday | Hills; 10 x 50sec hills zone 4-5 (slow jog down recovery). Grade doesn't need to be steep 4-8% is fine. Aim to run first 6 reps @ 5-10km pace feel then faster last 4 reps. |
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| Sunday | Long run: 20-22km zone 2-3 |
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Week 8
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 55-75mins tempo running; First 20min of your run is easy jogging then do 3 x 7min tempo runs zone 3-4 aiming for about HM pace feel on odd reps and even reps a little quicker. Take 1-2min slow jog after each. Rest of your run is easy jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Easy jog 30-50min zone 2 |
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| Friday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 or x train 30-40min or rest day |
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| Saturday | Hills; 7-8 x 90sec hills zone 4-5 (slow jog down recovery). Effort wise aim for 5km-10km pace "feel" - pushing harder last 45sec of each hill. |
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| Sunday | Long run 18-22km zone 2-3 |
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Week 9
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 65-75mins tempo running; First 20min of your run is easy jogging zone 2 then do 3 x 8min tempo runs zone 3-4 aiming to run first 5min about 10sec/km slower then HM pace then solid surge last 3min. Take 2min slow jog after each. Rest of your run is easy jogging zone 2. |
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| Thursday | Easy jog 30min zone 2 (longest mid week tempo was yesterday so take it easy today) |
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| Friday | Easy jog 45-60min zone 2 or x train 35-50min |
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| Saturday | Interval session; 6 x 3min intervals zone 4-5 with 90sec slow jog recovery after each. Aim to run odd reps at about 10km pace and even reps faster. |
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| Sunday | Long run 22-25km zone 2-3 |
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Week 10
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 45-50min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 60-70mins easy jog zone 2(no tempo run today) |
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| Thursday | Easy jog 30-40min zone 2 + optional strides zone 3-4 (4-6 x 80m strides @ 5km pace or faster). Jog back after each. |
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| Friday | Easy jog 40-50min zone 2 or cross train 30-40min |
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| Saturday | Interval session; 2 x 3min efforts zone 4-5 (90sec jog recovery); 3 x 2min efforts zone 4-5 (90sec jog recovery); 4 x 1min efforts zone 4-5 (1min jog recovery). Aim to run 3min efforts @ HM to 10km pace feel with shorter reps faster as you feel. |
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| Sunday | Long run 25-28km zone 2-3 |
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Week 11
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 40-50min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | 60mins tempo running; easy jog 15min zone 2 then stop, stretch then - 3 x 5min tempo runs @ HM pace for 1st and 3rd reps with 2nd rep a little quicker as you feel zone 4. Take 90sec jog after each recovery. Warm down to make up the time for your run today. |
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| Thursday | Rest day or easy jog 30min zone 2 |
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| Friday | Easy run 20-30min zone 2 + strides (6 x 80m strides faster then 5km pace zone 2. Walk back after each). |
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| Saturday | 10km race zone 4-5 or hard 25min run in training zone 4-5 (time trial - so a good warm up and nice hard hitout. Faster then half marathon pace but not as hard as you can go – somewhere between HM – 10km pace or so) |
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| Sunday | Long run 12-15km zone 2-3 |
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Week 12 Taper week
| Day | Workout |
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| Monday | Rest |
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| Tuesday | Easy jog 30-35min zone 2 |
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| Wednesday | Light session: 6-8min tempo run @ HM pace zone 3-4 (no faster but can start slower first few minutes), 3min slow jog then 6 x 30sec strides zone 3-4 @ 5km-10km pace with 45sec slow jog recovery after each. |
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| Thursday | Rest day or easy jog 20-30min zone 2 |
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| Friday | Easy run 20-30min zone 2 + strides (4 x 80m strides @ about 10km pace zone 3-4 (no need to go faster). Walk back after each. |
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| Saturday | Rest |
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| Sunday | Race day: Half Marathon. Good luck! |
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