As more lactate accumulates in your muscles, running will feel harder and harder. This is the point at which more lactate forms in your muscles than can be used. So for a 1:45 half marathon, long runs should be at 9:30/mile and for a 2:00 half, around 10:40/mile.įor a half marathon, it’s also important to work on your lactate threshold pace.

For half marathon training, long runs should be run at around 20 per cent slower than race pace. In order to properly work on your endurance, it’s important that you run slower than your intended race pace. If you’d rather try your hand at a 10K first, you can find a training plan here.Īll runners will be working on their endurance through their long runs, not only to work on their fitness but to train their bodies to withstand the race distance.

But, if you’re short of time, the eight-week plans can be used if you’re running regularly. Everyone would benefit from following the 12-week plan to build up to their goal race. These plans are designed of runners who may already have a half marathon or two under their belt and are looking to improve their time. And, as such, your training needs to be structured and taken seriously if you want to get faster and enjoy your race. Half marathons are much easier for towns and cities to host than marathons, so you should be able to find one close to where you live, too. The word ‘half’ suggests they’re not a complete race, but running 13.1 miles as fast as you can is a challenge for runners of all abilities.

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