How many weeks is a half marathon training plan?+
All three of our half marathon plans run 15 weeks at every level, finishing with a taper that eases your training load over the final two weeks. Our race season guide puts a tune-up 10K in week 12. If your race is closer than 15 weeks, email a coach before you start and we will tell you where to begin.
How many hours a week do I need to train for a half marathon?+
On the 80/20 Half Marathon plan your weekly running averages 3.8 hours at Level 0 and 8 hours at Level 3, with peak weeks of about 6 to 10 hours. Matt's rule is to train at the highest volume at which you consistently feel good, so pick the level whose average you can hold most weeks.
Is there a half marathon training plan for beginners?+
Yes. Level 0 is built for first-timers and low-mileage runners, with five runs in a typical week and two days off. Marco Saraceno came back after years away from running and finished a first half marathon on an 80/20 plan. If you are torn between two levels, start lower, and if it turns out wrong we switch you at no cost.
Should I train by heart rate, pace or power for a half marathon?+
Any of them works, and the 80/20 and Masters plans also come in an RPE version for running by feel. Pace is the most race-relevant measure and the easiest way to rehearse your goal pace, but it stops being reliable on hills. Heart rate is a useful check on easy days, though it lags behind changes in effort and drifts with heat and fatigue.
What if I miss a week of half marathon training?+
Pick up the schedule where you are rather than trying to make the runs up. That holds for a missed run or two when you are healthy. After a longer gap, especially for illness or injury, ease back in over a few days first. If the plan no longer fits, email a coach and we can move you to another level.
Does it include strength training?+
Not in the plan itself. Strength comes as a separate Half Marathon Strength Training Plug-in, matched to your level and to the plan's 15 weeks so the sessions fit around your key runs. For a fuller gym program there is Half Marathon Premium Strength. Team 80/20 includes both, along with every other 80/20 plan.
