Novice Training for a Half Marathon

Kaiser is on February 1, 2009. Here is a 16 week program for novice runners. Go for it!

Novice 16-Week Half Marathon Training Plan
The goal is to FINISH

WEEK 1
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 30 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 35 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 40 minutes run/walk
Total time 2 hours, 25 minutes

WEEK 2
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 35 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 35 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 45 minutes run/walk
Total time 2hours, 35 minutes

WEEK 3
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 35 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 45 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 50 minutes run/walk
Total time 2 hours, 50 minutes

WEEK 4
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 35 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 55 minutes run/walk
Total time 2 hours, 50 minutes

WEEK 5
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 35 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 65 minutes run/walk
Total time 3 hours

WEEK 6
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 70 minutes run/walk
Total time 3 hours, 10 minutes

WEEK 7
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 70 minutes run/walk
Total time 3 hours, 10 minutes

WEEK 8
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 80 minutes run/walk
Total time 3 hours, 20 minutes

WEEK 9
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 80 minutes run/walk
Total time 3 hours, 20 minutes

WEEK 10
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 100 minutes run/walk
Total time 3 hours, 40 minutes

WEEK 11
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 2 hours run/walk
Total time 4 hours

WEEK 12
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 2 hours, 20 minutes run/walk (or 13.1 miles if you get there before time runs out)
Total time 4 hours, 20 minutes

WEEK 13
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 2 hours, 40 minutes run/walk (or 13.1 miles if you get there before time runs out)
Total time 4 hours, 40 minutes

WEEK 14
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 3 hours run/walk (or 13.1 miles if you get there before time runs out)
Total time 5 hours

WEEK 15
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
FRIDAY Rest or cross train
SATURDAY 40 minutes run/walk
SUNDAY 3 hours run/walk (or 13.1 miles if you get there before time runs out)
Total time 5 hours

WEEK 16
MONDAY REST
TUESDAY Walk/Run 40 minutes
WEDNESDAY Rest or cross train
THURSDAY Walk/Run 30 minutes
FRIDAY Walk/Run 20 minutes
SATURDAY Rest or Walk/Run 10 minutes
SUNDAY Run/Walk Like The Wind! CONGRATULATIONS!

Details

Saturday/Sunday Reversal
Most weeks you may reverse Saturday/Sunday workouts depending on your personal schedule.

*Max means the maximum number of minutes you should be working out.

**Cross-Training refers to other kinds of exercise. This could be biking, hiking, swimming, yoga, gym workouts, etc. One of the benefits of cross training is that it uses different muscle groups and provides a change of “pace”.

***Maximum Effort refers to your personal maximum level of effort. You should be going “all-out” for the time described. This means moving as hard as you can while allowing yourself to finish the duration of time described. The purpose is to strengthen your muscles and increase your ability to run fast.

****Tempo Runs push you to run at a pace that’s close to your race pace, not the long slow distance that we often do on our long runs. During the tempo portion of your training, run/walk hard as if you were in a short race. To be able to finish several miles at tempo pace you need to try it to see what it feels like. You’re simulating a race so it should feel difficult!


Stretching

Always allow time for stretching after you run or walk.