How Long Does It Take to Train for a Half Marathon?

If you’re thinking about running a half marathon you might be wondering how long training is going to take. The short answer is everyone is different! The time it takes for you to train for a half marathon depends on a few factors, including your fitness level, your running experience, and your goals for the race.

Fitness Level

If you’re a complete beginner or maybe an occasional jogger, then your fitness might not be at the level you need to run long distances. If this is the case you’ll need to start slowly and build up to the full 13.1 miles (yep, that’s how long a half marathon is!).

In both cases, you’ll need to take your time to build your fitness up and get your body used to running continuously for longer durations.

Running Experience

If you’ve been running for a while, chances are you’ll be used to running continuously for more than 5 minutes at a time. If this is the case, the time it will take you to train for a half marathon could be considerably less than for someone who’s done very little running before.

As a general guide:

• An advanced runner should allow 4 – 8 weeks to train for a half marathon.

• Intermediate runners used to running at least 5k should allow 10 – 12 weeks.

• Novice runners should allow 16 – 20 weeks of training to get them to the start line.

These timeframes really are only guides though, if you feel like you need to take a bit more time that’s fine too. Remember training should feel good, not like a chore!

Race Goals

Just like everyone has different levels of fitness and experience, your personal goals for a race are unique too. This can be as simple as making it to the finish line or pushing for a personal best time.

It can be tempting as a beginner to aim for glory, dreaming of taking first place and setting a record time. However, it’s important to be realistic about what you and your body can achieve. Just competing in your first half marathon is a huge achievement and something to be incredibly proud of.

If you’re a more advanced runner looking to beat your personal record you will want to consider building in more time to your training plan. This will allow you to keep up your distance runs while incorporating more time for building speed.

However, if you’re more interested in simply making it to the finish line but are worried about running continuously the whole way it is worth considering a run/walk strategy. This is something that is covered in our Couch to Half Marathon training plan and is a great way of pacing yourself over a long distance. It would also be beneficial to take a couple of extra weeks to train to make sure you feel confident in your ability to take part in the race.

Listen to Your Body

Whether you’re a running pro or a complete novice it’s important to listen to your body throughout your training journey. Pushing yourself too hard too soon can result in injury so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to take it slow and steady.

Whichever training plan you follow, whether it’s one of ours or a different one, it's important to make sure you build in some rest days. This allows your body to recover and recharge, ready for your next run.

If you have any existing health conditions like asthma, a heart condition or something that might be impacted by starting a new exercise regime you should make sure to have a chat with your doctor first. Putting your body through undue strain or stress could mean you don’t make it to race day.

There are lots of different ways to train for a half marathon, whether you’re running outside or on a treadmill at the gym. Finding the right plan for you is all about taking the three main factors, fitness level, running experience and race goals, into consideration along with your lifestyle.

Take some time to find the training plan that is going to work for you, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to train at a sensible pace, and above all, have fun!