8 Week Half Marathon Training Plan

Want to train for a half marathon – but realizing you don’t have as much time as most plans require?  Check out this 8 week half marathon training plan!  This plan will get you crossing the finish line of your race in just two months.  Whether you’re planning to do an in-person or virtual race, you’ll love this simple to follow schedule.

You can scroll to the bottom to check out the plan, but first – let’s breakdown everything you need to know about how to use this successfully. 

Note:  This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated in October 2020 with additional training tips.

Who is this training plan for?

This training plan is suitable for you if…

• You are a beginner runner that can run a 5K comfortably – but haven’t ventured much beyond that yet. 
• You are a beginner runner that does longer distance runs, but you don’t have any structured schedule right now.
• You are an intermediate runner looking for a structured training plan with a little speedwork (but are not looking to take home any records).

What level of fitness do I need to start?

*Disclaimer:  I am not a physician; check with your doctor prior to starting any new exercise program.

To begin using this plan, you should be able to run (or run/walk) 3 to 4 miles comfortably.  You should have been running for a couple of months consistently, and you should also be free from any injuries or medical conditions that may affect your ability to exercise safely.

If you’re not currently at the point of being able to run at least 3 miles comfortably, try checking out our 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners.  This plan is much more gradual and better for brand new runners who need the additional time to prepare for a race.  Or if you can run 3 miles comfortably but would still like a more gradual plan, try our 12 week half marathon training plan.

Training Overview

This 8 week training schedule includes 4 days of running per week.  There are two easy short runs, one speedwork day (optional for beginners – see modification section), and one long run day.

You may also want to build in cross training and strength training into your week.  Running is a repetitive motion, so adding in some other cross training activities to your week can help to balance out that training and prevent injuries.  I recommend at least 1 day a week of cross training (cycling, yoga, swimming, etc) – if you feel comfortable fitting that in.

Strength training is not a necessity to cross the finish line, but does help you become a stronger runner (stronger legs = more power in your stride). 

• If you already currently strength train, see if you can maintain that at 1-2 sessions per week. 
• If you don’t currently strength train but would like to try adding some in, I’d recommend adding in body weight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, etc 1-2 days per week.
• If you don’t currently strength train and feel overwhelmed at the thought of it, don’t worry about it for now.

Your strength training can be done opposite running days, or can be done as an AM/PM workout opposite your easy short runs.

So how do you put all this together in your week?

Space out your running days so they are not all back to back.  If you’re running 4 days a week as listed, your plan might look like a Tues/Weds/Fri schedule for Days 1, 2, and 3, and then a Sat/Sun long run.  This gives your body a rest day from running after your intense speedwork (Day 2), which can be welcome.

Then if you’d like, you can build your strength and cross training in as well.  Again, this is optional, so if it seems overwhelming, just use those as rest days.

Here’s how your overall week might look while training:

• Mon – Strength (optional)
• Tues – Easy short run (Day 1)
• Weds – Speedwork (Day 2)
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – Easy short run (Day 3)
• Sat – Long Run (Day 4) 
• Sun –Light cross training (yoga, cycling, etc) (optional) 

No matter what you decide to do on the days you are not running, always keep at least one day as a full rest day in your schedule.

Workout Descriptions

Days 1 and 3 are easy short runs, Day 2 is speedwork, and Day 4 is your long run.  Here are the directions for each of these:

• Easy Short Runs – You should run these at a comfortable, conversational pace.  Don’t be tempted to go out too fast – you’ll save that energy for your speedwork days.  (And beginners, heed that advice as well – even if you’re not doing speedwork, keeping most of your runs easy and comfortable will help you stick with the plan and prevent injuries.)
• Long Runs – These should be run at a comfortable, steady pace.  You might notice that maintaining that same pace feels more challenging as you get into the longer distances – that’s OK.  You can certainly add in walking breaks as needed for your long runs.  Your biggest goal is simply to meet the mileage as listed, no matter how slow you need to go to complete it.
• Fartlek – Spend the first 5-10 minutes warming up at a comfortable pace.  Throughout the rest of your run, build in short sprints.  Let them be fun and random – make it to the next mailbox, go fast until your song ends, etc.
• Short Hills – Start with a 1 mile warm up at a comfortable, easy pace.  Find a relatively steep hill.  Spend about 30-45 seconds running up the hill at a fast pace, then jog back down and recover for 2-4 minutes.  Repeat 4-8 times depending on your fitness level. *Newer runners should do longer recovery and intervals in the lower end of the range.
• Long Hills – Start with a 1 mile warm up at a comfortable, easy pace.  Find a moderate grade hill (not as steep as the short ones).  Spend about 60-90 seconds running up the hill at a fast pace, then jog back down and recover for 3-5 minutes.  Repeat 4-6 times depending on your fitness level. *Newer runners should do longer recovery and intervals in the lower end of the range.
• Easy/Tough – For the midweek runs that list “E, T, E” – that equals “easy, tough, easy”.  The easy should be at a comfortable running pace that you feel like you could maintain without an issue.  The tough part should be run a bit faster than your goal race pace.

Modifications

This plan should be appropriate for most runners with a solid base.  For some newer runners, or those who are prone to injury, you may want to modify the plan to be a bit less stressful on the body.  To do this, you should skip the speedwork on Day 2.

Speedwork is great for improving anaerobic fitness and helping you run faster – but it also increases the risk of injury.  If you’re new to running and/or have had a historically low training volume/intensity, you’re better off eliminating this from the plan and using one of these two choices instead:

• 2-4 mile easy run on these days
• OR
• 30 minutes of cross training on these days

For example, here’s how your modified plan might look:

• Mon – Rest
• Tues – Easy short run (Day 1)
• Weds – Cross training (yoga, cycling, etc) OR 3 miles easy (Modified Day 2)
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – Easy Short Run (Day 3)
• Sat – Rest
• Sun – Long Run

Half Marathon Training Tips

As you begin training for your race, here are some helpful tips to ensure success!

• Warm up.  Start each run with a slower paced jog or even a few minutes of brisk walking to warm up.  Along the same lines, give yourself a few minutes of brisk walking to cool down after each run. 
• Stretch after your runs.  This will help keep the muscles limber and may reduce soreness later.  If you struggle with overly sore legs after your runs, you could try foam rolling as well.
• Invest in a good pair of sneakers.  While you don’t need much gear to run a half marathon, a good pair of sneakers will help support your feet, knees, and hips.  Many runners also find good sneakers help reduce the risk of shin splints.  Try going to a running store that can look at your foot strike while running and help determine the best type of shoes for your feet.
• Skip cotton clothes.  These tend to hold on to sweat during your runs and increase the risk of chafing.  Stick with technical fabrics that help wick sweat away from the body and keep you comfortable.
• Start slow.  Some people might be tempted to skip ahead when the first week of a plan looks too easy.  I’d encourage you to start slow and let your body get used to the gradual mileage increases.
• Eat a good pre-long-run meal.  While nutrition won’t make or break your short runs, it can impact performance on your long runs once they start lasting at least 8-10 miles.  Eat a breakfast that contains easily digestible carbs about 1-4 hours before your long run.  Practice what you think you’ll eat on race day to make sure it sits well in your stomach.
• Remember hydration and electrolytes.  For runs that last more than an hour, it’s important to take in both fluid and electrolytes. This can be in the form of an electrolyte drink or a sports drink.  This applies to all days, but is especially important on very hot days.  (For runs under an hour, plain water is fine!).  
• Don’t ignore injuries.  If you ever experience an injury that changes the way you run – for example, you start shifting your stride because your hip is bothering you – that’s a sign that you need to stop and get advice from your doctor.  A little soreness can be normal; a lot of pain and any pain that changes the way you run is not.

Your 8 Week Half Marathon Training Plan

Here’s a visual version of the training plan that you can either print or save for your reference.  If you prefer a text-based version, a sample week by week schedule can be found below the image!

Here is an example of what this 8 week half marathon plan looks like when broken down week by week.  There are optional strength training and cross training days built in.  You are welcome to swap around the days as it fits your schedule.  I always recommend including at least one full rest day in your schedule.

Week 1:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 3 miles easy
• Weds – 2.5 miles fartlek
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – 3 miles easy
• Sat – 4.5 miles long run
• Sun – Rest or light cross training

Week 2:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 3.5 miles easy
• Weds – Short hill repeats (1 mile easy, then find a steep hill.  Run fast 30-45 seconds uphill, then jog back down to recover for 2-4 minutes. Repeat 4-8x, depending on fitness level). 
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – 3 miles easy
• Sat – 5.5 miles long run
• Sun – Rest or light cross training

Week 3:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 4 miles easy
• Weds – 3 miles fartlek
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – 3 miles easy
• Sat – 7 miles long run
• Sun – Rest or light cross training

Week 4:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 4 miles easy
• Weds – 4 miles total (1 easy, 2 tough, 1 easy)
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – 3 miles easy
• Sat – 8.5 miles long run
• Sun – Rest or light cross training

Week 5:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 4.5 miles easy
• Weds – 4 miles fartlek
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – 4 miles easy
• Sat – 10 miles long run
• Sun – Rest or light cross training

Week 6:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 5 miles easy
• Weds – Long hill repeats (1 mile easy, then find a moderate grade hill – not as steep as the short hill repeat workout.  Run 60-90 seconds uphill at a fast pace, then jog back down and recover for 3-5 minutes.  Repeat 4-6x depending on fitness level).
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – 4 miles easy
• Sat – 12 miles long run
• Sun – Rest or light cross training

Week 7:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 5 miles easy
• Weds – 6 miles total (2 easy, 2 tough, 2 easy)
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – 4 miles easy
• Sat – 8 miles long run
• Sun – Rest or light cross training

Week 8:

• Mon – Rest or strength training
• Tues – 4 miles easy
• Weds – 3 miles easy
• Thurs – Rest
• Fri – Rest
• Sat – RACE!
• Sun – (or RACE!)
• *For Sunday race, change 3 easy miles to Thursday or Friday instead of Wednesday.

Good luck! 🙂

Share with me:  Have you tried using this 8 week half marathon training plan?  What’s the next (or first!) half marathon you’re training for?

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Chrissy Carroll

Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.

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