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Source: src/content/training-plans/novice-1-half-marathon.md

Frontmatter

title: Novice 1
hub: half-marathon-training
summary: The Novice 1 program is designed for beginning runners who want to
  prepare for their first 13.1-mile race. If you have run several half or full
  marathons before, you might want to take a look at the Novice 2 half marathon
  program, which is designed for more experienced runner. First-timer? This is
  the program for you. In choosing the half marathon, you are choosing the most
  popular race distance in America. According to Running USA, 2 million runners
  did a half marathon last year. That is four times the number of the half
  million who ran full marathons. If your long-range goal is 26.2 miles, a 13.1
  mile race offers a good starting point. Or if 13.1 is more than enough race
  mileage with no desires to go 26.2 (at least for now), you have discovered one
  of our most gentle training programs. If you can handle the 3-to-4-mile runs
  prescribed in Week 1, this program will get you ready to run 13.1 week at the
  end of 12 weeks.
atAGlance:
  author: Hal Higdon
  lengthWeeks: 12
  lengthText: 12 Weeks
  typicalWeek: 2 Day Off, 4 Run, 2 X-Train, 1 Strength
  longestWorkout: 10 miles
whatDoIGet:
  - Stay motivated for the half marathon with daily tips from Hal in your inbox
  - Monitor your progress within TrainingPeaks’ online tools, apps, and wearable
    integrations
  - Access charts and graphs to understand training load
  - Tap into TrainingPeaks experience
trainingPeaksUrl: https://home.trainingpeaks.com/purchase/TP-139213
improveYourTime: >-
  ## How to Improve Your 5-K Times


  IF YOU HAVE RUN A NUMBER OF RACES AT THE 5-K DISTANCE, you probably are not
  going to be content to merely finish your 5-K race. You'd like to finish it
  with grace, in style and maybe improve your time (known as setting a Personal
  Record, or PR). The above training schedule will take you to PR Territory.
  This intermediate Program is one step up from the novice program, but not
  quite as difficult as the advanced program. To set a PR, you need to improve
  your endurance and your speed. You can do this by (1) running more miles, (2)
  running faster, or (3) some combination of both. In order to achieve full
  benefit from this program, you probably need to have been running 3-4 days a
  week for the last year or two and averaging 15-20 miles weekly, It helps if
  you have an understanding of the concepts of speedwork. Here is the type of
  training you need to do, if you want to improve your 5-K time. To motivate
  yourself even more, consider signing up for the interactive version available
  through TrainingPeaks.


  **Run:** When the schedule says "run," that suggests that you run at an easy
  pace. How fast is easy? You need to define your own comfort level. Don't worry
  about how fast you run; just cover the distance suggested--or approximately
  the distance. Ideally, you should be able to run at a pace that allows you to
  converse with a training partner without getting too much out of breath.


  **Fast:** For several of the Saturday runs, I suggest that you run "fast." How
  fast is "fast?" Again, that depends on your comfort level. Go somewhat faster
  than you would on a "run" day. If you are doing this workout right, you
  probably do not want to converse with your training partner, assuming you have
  one. It's okay now to get out of breath.
schedule:
  miles:
    - week: 1
      days:
        - Rest
        - 3 mi run
        - 2 mi run or cross
        - 3 mi run
        - Rest
        - 30 min cross
        - 4 mi run
    - week: 2
      days:
        - Rest
        - 3 mi run
        - 2 mi run or cross
        - 3 mi run
        - Rest
        - 30 min cross
        - 4 mi run
    - week: 3
      days:
        - Rest
        - 3.5 mi run
        - 2 mi run or cross
        - 3.5 mi run
        - Rest
        - 40 min cross
        - 5 mi run
    - week: 4
      days:
        - Rest
        - 3.5 mi run
        - 2 mi run or cross
        - 3.5 mi run
        - Rest
        - 40 min cross
        - 5 mi run
    - week: 5
      days:
        - Rest
        - 4 mi run
        - 2 mi run or cross
        - 4 mi run
        - Rest
        - 40 min cross
        - 6 mi run
    - week: 6
      days:
        - Rest
        - 4 mi run
        - 2 mi run or cross
        - 4 mi run
        - Rest or easy run
        - Rest
        - "**5-K Race**"
    - week: 7
      days:
        - Rest
        - 4.5 mi run
        - 3 mi run or cross
        - 4.5 mi run
        - Rest
        - 50 min cross
        - 7 mi run
    - week: 8
      days:
        - Rest
        - 4.5 mi run
        - 3 mi run or cross
        - 4.5 mi run
        - Rest
        - 50 min cross
        - 8 mi run
    - week: 9
      days:
        - Rest
        - 5 mi run
        - 3 mi run or cross
        - 5 mi run
        - Rest or easy run
        - Rest
        - "**10-K Race**"
    - week: 10
      days:
        - Rest
        - 5 mi run
        - 3 mi run or cross
        - 5 mi run
        - Rest
        - 60 min cross
        - 9 mi run
    - week: 11
      days:
        - Rest
        - 5 mi run
        - 3 mi run or cross
        - 5 mi run
        - Rest
        - 60 min cross
        - 10 mi run
    - week: 12
      days:
        - Rest
        - 4 mi run
        - 3 mi run or cross
        - 2 mi run
        - Rest
        - Rest
        - "**Half Marathon**"
  km:
    - week: 1
      days:
        - Rest
        - 4.8 km run
        - 3.2 km run or cross
        - 4.8 km run
        - Rest
        - 30 min cross
        - 6.4 km run
    - week: 2
      days:
        - Rest
        - 4.8 km run
        - 3.2 km run or cross
        - 4.8 km run
        - Rest
        - 30 min cross
        - 6.4 km run
    - week: 3
      days:
        - Rest
        - 5.6 km run
        - 3.2 km run or cross
        - 5.6 km run
        - Rest
        - 40 min cross
        - 8.1 km run
    - week: 4
      days:
        - Rest
        - 5.9 km run
        - 3.2 km run or cross
        - 5.9 km run
        - Rest
        - 40 min cross
        - 8.1 km run
    - week: 5
      days:
        - Rest
        - 6.4 km run
        - 3.2 km run or cross
        - 6.4 km run
        - Rest
        - 40 min cross
        - 9.7 km run
    - week: 6
      days:
        - Rest
        - 6.4 km run
        - 3.2 km run or cross
        - 6.4 km run
        - Rest or easy run
        - Rest
        - "**5-K Race**"
    - week: 7
      days:
        - Rest
        - 7.3 km run
        - 4.8 km run or cross
        - 7.3 km run
        - Rest
        - 50 min cross
        - 11.3 km run
    - week: 8
      days:
        - Rest
        - 7.3 km run
        - 4.8 km run or cross
        - 7.3 km run
        - Rest
        - 50 min cross
        - 12.9 km run
    - week: 9
      days:
        - Rest
        - 8.1 km run
        - 4.8 km run or cross
        - 8.1 km run
        - Rest or easy run
        - Rest
        - "**10-K Race**"
    - week: 10
      days:
        - Rest
        - 8.1 km run
        - 4.8 km run or cross
        - 8.1 km run
        - Rest
        - 60 min cross
        - 14.5 km run
    - week: 11
      days:
        - Rest
        - 8.1 km run
        - 4.8 km run or cross
        - 8.1 km run
        - Rest
        - 60 min cross
        - 16.1 km run
    - week: 12
      days:
        - Rest
        - 6.4 km run
        - 4.8 km run or cross
        - 3.2 km run
        - Rest
        - Rest
        - "**Half Marathon**"
printableScheduleUrl: /downloads/Hal-Printable-Tables-Half-Marathon.xlsx-Half-Marathon-Novice-1.pdf
image:
  src: /_astro/447-adventure-athlete-athletic-235922-e1528235602396-901x1024.D7jdtPbt.jpg
  width: 901
  height: 1024
  format: jpg
status: published
level: novice
distance: half
legacy:
  wpId: 146
  wpUrl: /training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/
  oldSlugs:
    - half-marathon-training-guide-novice-1-program
seo:
  title: Novice 1 Half Marathon Training Program | Hal Higdon
  description: The Novice 1 program is designed for beginning runners who want to
    prepare for their first 13.1-mile race. If you have run several half or full
    marathons before, you might want to take a look at the Novice 2 half
    marathon program, which is designed for more experienced runner.
    First-timer? This is the program for you. In choosing the half marathon, you
    are choosing the most popular race distance in America. According to Running
    USA, 2 million runners did a half marathon last year. That is four times the
    number of the half million who ran full marathons. If your long-range goal
    is 26.2 miles, a 13.1 mile race offers a good starting point. Or if 13.1 is
    more than enough race mileage with no desires to go 26.2 (at least for now),
    you have discovered one of our most gentle training programs. If you can
    handle the 3-to-4-mile runs prescribed in Week 1, this program will get you
    ready to run 13.1 week at the end of 12 weeks.
todos:
  - "seo.description: falling back to summary"

Body

Markdown source

Before starting to train for a half marathon, you need to possess a basic fitness level. But assuming no major problems, most healthy people can train themselves to complete a 13.1-mile race. This guide will tell you how. Much more information is contained in my book, Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training, published by [Human Kinetics](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1492517240/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=halhigdon-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1492517240&linkId=0277b92a17a51a2dbad4fc937fa44453). The following schedule assumes you have the ability to run 3 miles, three to four times a week. If that seems difficult, consider a shorter distance for your first race. The terms used in the training schedule are somewhat obvious, but let me explain what I mean anyway.

**Pace**: Don't worry about how fast you run your regular workouts. Run at a comfortable pace, a conversational pace. If you can't do that, you're running too fast. (For those wearing heart rate monitors, your target zone should be between 65 and 75 percent of your maximum pulse rate.)

**Distance**: The training schedule dictates workouts at distances, from 3 to 10 miles. Don't worry about running precisely those distances, but you should come close. Pick a course through the neighborhood, or in some scenic area. In deciding where to train, talk to other runners. GPS watches make measuring courses easy.

**Rest**: Rest is as important a part of your training as the runs. You will be able to run the long runs on the weekend better if you rest before, and rest after.

**Long Runs**: The key to half marathon training is the long run, progressively increasing in distance each weekend. Over a period of 12 weeks, your longest run will increase from 3 to 10 miles. Then, after a brief taper, you jump to 13.1. The schedule below suggests doing your long runs on Sundays, but you can do them Saturdays, or any other convenient day.

**Cross-Train**: On the schedule below, this is identified simply as "cross." What form of cross-training? Aerobic exercises work best. It could be swimming, cycling, walking (see below), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even some combination that could include strength training.  Cross train on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays. Cross-training days should be considered easy days that allow you to recover from the running you do the rest of the week.

**Walking**: Walking is an excellent exercise that a lot of runners overlook in their training. I don't specify walking breaks, but feel free to walk during your running workouts any time you feel tired. Be aware that I also offer a separate half marathon training program for those who plan to walk all the way.

**Strength Training**: If you never have lifted weights before, now might not be the best time to start. Wait until after completing this program. If you are an experienced lifter, continue, although you may want to cut back somewhat as the mileage builds near the end. Tuesdays and Thursdays after your run would be good days on which to lift.

**Racing**: Consider doing a couple of races to familiarize yourself with the sport. I have suggested a 5-K race at the end of Week 6 and a 10-K race at the end of Week 9. If you can't find races at those distances on the weeks suggested, feel free to modify the schedule.

**Juggling**: Don't be afraid to juggle the workouts from day to day and week to week. Be consistent with your training, and the overall details won't matter.

Running 13.1 miles is not easy. If it were easy, there would be little challenge to an event such as the half marathon. Whether you plan your half as a singular accomplishment or as a stepping stone to the even more challenging full marathon, crossing the finish line will give you a feeling of great accomplishment. Good luck with your training.

Rendered

Before starting to train for a half marathon, you need to possess a basic fitness level. But assuming no major problems, most healthy people can train themselves to complete a 13.1-mile race. This guide will tell you how. Much more information is contained in my book, Hal Higdon’s Half Marathon Training, published by Human Kinetics. The following schedule assumes you have the ability to run 3 miles, three to four times a week. If that seems difficult, consider a shorter distance for your first race. The terms used in the training schedule are somewhat obvious, but let me explain what I mean anyway.

Pace: Don’t worry about how fast you run your regular workouts. Run at a comfortable pace, a conversational pace. If you can’t do that, you’re running too fast. (For those wearing heart rate monitors, your target zone should be between 65 and 75 percent of your maximum pulse rate.)

Distance: The training schedule dictates workouts at distances, from 3 to 10 miles. Don’t worry about running precisely those distances, but you should come close. Pick a course through the neighborhood, or in some scenic area. In deciding where to train, talk to other runners. GPS watches make measuring courses easy.

Rest: Rest is as important a part of your training as the runs. You will be able to run the long runs on the weekend better if you rest before, and rest after.

Long Runs: The key to half marathon training is the long run, progressively increasing in distance each weekend. Over a period of 12 weeks, your longest run will increase from 3 to 10 miles. Then, after a brief taper, you jump to 13.1. The schedule below suggests doing your long runs on Sundays, but you can do them Saturdays, or any other convenient day.

Cross-Train: On the schedule below, this is identified simply as “cross.” What form of cross-training? Aerobic exercises work best. It could be swimming, cycling, walking (see below), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or even some combination that could include strength training.  Cross train on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays. Cross-training days should be considered easy days that allow you to recover from the running you do the rest of the week.

Walking: Walking is an excellent exercise that a lot of runners overlook in their training. I don’t specify walking breaks, but feel free to walk during your running workouts any time you feel tired. Be aware that I also offer a separate half marathon training program for those who plan to walk all the way.

Strength Training: If you never have lifted weights before, now might not be the best time to start. Wait until after completing this program. If you are an experienced lifter, continue, although you may want to cut back somewhat as the mileage builds near the end. Tuesdays and Thursdays after your run would be good days on which to lift.

Racing: Consider doing a couple of races to familiarize yourself with the sport. I have suggested a 5-K race at the end of Week 6 and a 10-K race at the end of Week 9. If you can’t find races at those distances on the weeks suggested, feel free to modify the schedule.

Juggling: Don’t be afraid to juggle the workouts from day to day and week to week. Be consistent with your training, and the overall details won’t matter.

Running 13.1 miles is not easy. If it were easy, there would be little challenge to an event such as the half marathon. Whether you plan your half as a singular accomplishment or as a stepping stone to the even more challenging full marathon, crossing the finish line will give you a feeling of great accomplishment. Good luck with your training.

Improve Your Time (visible only in the inspector)

## How to Improve Your 5-K Times

IF YOU HAVE RUN A NUMBER OF RACES AT THE 5-K DISTANCE, you probably are not going to be content to merely finish your 5-K race. You'd like to finish it with grace, in style and maybe improve your time (known as setting a Personal Record, or PR). The above training schedule will take you to PR Territory. This intermediate Program is one step up from the novice program, but not quite as difficult as the advanced program. To set a PR, you need to improve your endurance and your speed. You can do this by (1) running more miles, (2) running faster, or (3) some combination of both. In order to achieve full benefit from this program, you probably need to have been running 3-4 days a week for the last year or two and averaging 15-20 miles weekly, It helps if you have an understanding of the concepts of speedwork. Here is the type of training you need to do, if you want to improve your 5-K time. To motivate yourself even more, consider signing up for the interactive version available through TrainingPeaks.

**Run:** When the schedule says "run," that suggests that you run at an easy pace. How fast is easy? You need to define your own comfort level. Don't worry about how fast you run; just cover the distance suggested--or approximately the distance. Ideally, you should be able to run at a pace that allows you to converse with a training partner without getting too much out of breath.

**Fast:** For several of the Saturday runs, I suggest that you run "fast." How fast is "fast?" Again, that depends on your comfort level. Go somewhat faster than you would on a "run" day. If you are doing this workout right, you probably do not want to converse with your training partner, assuming you have one. It's okay now to get out of breath.

Schedule (raw)

miles

Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Total
1 Rest3 mi run2 mi run or cross3 mi runRest30 min cross4 mi run —
2 Rest3 mi run2 mi run or cross3 mi runRest30 min cross4 mi run —
3 Rest3.5 mi run2 mi run or cross3.5 mi runRest40 min cross5 mi run —
4 Rest3.5 mi run2 mi run or cross3.5 mi runRest40 min cross5 mi run —
5 Rest4 mi run2 mi run or cross4 mi runRest40 min cross6 mi run —
6 Rest4 mi run2 mi run or cross4 mi runRest or easy runRest**5-K Race** —
7 Rest4.5 mi run3 mi run or cross4.5 mi runRest50 min cross7 mi run —
8 Rest4.5 mi run3 mi run or cross4.5 mi runRest50 min cross8 mi run —
9 Rest5 mi run3 mi run or cross5 mi runRest or easy runRest**10-K Race** —
10 Rest5 mi run3 mi run or cross5 mi runRest60 min cross9 mi run —
11 Rest5 mi run3 mi run or cross5 mi runRest60 min cross10 mi run —
12 Rest4 mi run3 mi run or cross2 mi runRestRest**Half Marathon** —

km

Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Total
1 Rest4.8 km run3.2 km run or cross4.8 km runRest30 min cross6.4 km run —
2 Rest4.8 km run3.2 km run or cross4.8 km runRest30 min cross6.4 km run —
3 Rest5.6 km run3.2 km run or cross5.6 km runRest40 min cross8.1 km run —
4 Rest5.9 km run3.2 km run or cross5.9 km runRest40 min cross8.1 km run —
5 Rest6.4 km run3.2 km run or cross6.4 km runRest40 min cross9.7 km run —
6 Rest6.4 km run3.2 km run or cross6.4 km runRest or easy runRest**5-K Race** —
7 Rest7.3 km run4.8 km run or cross7.3 km runRest50 min cross11.3 km run —
8 Rest7.3 km run4.8 km run or cross7.3 km runRest50 min cross12.9 km run —
9 Rest8.1 km run4.8 km run or cross8.1 km runRest or easy runRest**10-K Race** —
10 Rest8.1 km run4.8 km run or cross8.1 km runRest60 min cross14.5 km run —
11 Rest8.1 km run4.8 km run or cross8.1 km runRest60 min cross16.1 km run —
12 Rest6.4 km run4.8 km run or cross3.2 km runRestRest**Half Marathon** —

← Half Marathon Training hub

Legacy

WP id
146
Old URL
/training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/
Old slugs
half-marathon-training-guide-novice-1-program
Live page
https://www.halhigdon.com/training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/

SEO

frontmatter seo.title
Novice 1 Half Marathon Training Program | Hal Higdon
rendered <title>
Novice 1 Half Marathon Training Program | Hal Higdon
frontmatter seo.description
The Novice 1 program is designed for beginning runners who want to prepare for their first 13.1-mile race. If you have run several half or full marathons before, you might want to take a look at the Novice 2 half marathon program, which is designed for more experienced runner. First-timer? This is the program for you. In choosing the half marathon, you are choosing the most popular race distance in America. According to Running USA, 2 million runners did a half marathon last year. That is four times the number of the half million who ran full marathons. If your long-range goal is 26.2 miles, a 13.1 mile race offers a good starting point. Or if 13.1 is more than enough race mileage with no desires to go 26.2 (at least for now), you have discovered one of our most gentle training programs. If you can handle the 3-to-4-mile runs prescribed in Week 1, this program will get you ready to run 13.1 week at the end of 12 weeks.
rendered meta description
The Novice 1 program is designed for beginning runners who want to prepare for their first 13.1-mile race. If you have run several half or full marathons before, you might want to take a look at the Novice 2 half marathon program, which is designed for more experienced runner. First-timer? This is the program for you. In choosing the half marathon, you are choosing the most popular race distance in America. According to Running USA, 2 million runners did a half marathon last year. That is four times the number of the half million who ran full marathons. If your long-range goal is 26.2 miles, a 13.1 mile race offers a good starting point. Or if 13.1 is more than enough race mileage with no desires to go 26.2 (at least for now), you have discovered one of our most gentle training programs. If you can handle the 3-to-4-mile runs prescribed in Week 1, this program will get you ready to run 13.1 week at the end of 12 weeks.
Canonical URL SeoHead will emit
https://higdon-running.com/training-programs/half-marathon-training/novice-1-half-marathon/

Media

Inventory row

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