20 Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners

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As someone who has trained for half marathons with a variety of timeframes and timelines, I find that the 20 week half marathon training plan is the sweet spot for veterans and beginners alike. It’s the perfect amount of time to establish a baseline foundation if necessary, execute targeted training for the heart of your plan, and taper effectively. All within a realistic timeline that combats burnout and accounts for gradual increments in mileage volume and distance. If you are ready to get started on achieving your half marathon goal, this straightforward, step by step guide will get you to that finish line – the 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners.

Disclosure: Below are some affiliate links-these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t make any recommendations on this page that I haven’t tested or personally used! Enjoy this 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners!

Table of Contents

20 Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners

Here’s what’s included in this 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners:

BEFORE STARTING – the baseline foundation you need before starting a 20 week half marathon training plan
Weekly Training Runs
Incremental Mileage Increases in Distance and Volume
Weekly Cross Training and Strength Training
Weekly Rest and Recovery Days
Creating a 20 Week Half Marathon Training Calendar
Addressing the Taper Period
Gear Recommendations
Choosing a GOAL for Your 12 Week Half Marathon Training Plan
Additional Support and Training Resources

The heart of any half marathon training plan has to be intentionality, consistency, and determination. You have to be willing to fully commit to a rigorous training plan for MONTHS. Not only to perform at your peak and actually enjoy the process, but to also keep you healthy and injury free. There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go into it (while that is often used as a metaphoric saying, it can be quite literal in this case).

Knowing where to start is one of the biggest obstacles, and one of the biggest reasons that people never actually start. But the hope is that this 20 week half marathon training plan will walk you step by step, eliminating the doubts and obstacles along the way that stop so many in their tracks, towards your final goal.

This guide is sequential, logical, simple, and straightforward. I will outline the foundation you need to have before starting this 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners. To safely complete half marathon training WITHOUT injury, you need to have a solid foundation to build off of. For some, that might mean building in some additional time at the beginning of training to establish a baseline foundation from which to build off of for targeted half marathon training.

Secondly, I’ll walk you through the importance of weekly training runs (done in gradual increments), effective cross training and strength training, and rest and recovery days.

Then I’ll tackle the hands on part – putting all this information into practice by creating a visual 20 week half marathon training calendar. This is critical – the #1 thing you can do to complete this goal is to create a 20 week calendar IN ADVANCE, and hold yourself to it!

Yes, I literally mean grab your calendar and a pencil right now, and schedule in those training runs, gradual weekly increments, cross training and strength training days, and rest days all the way through for the next 20 weeks, IN ADVANCE!

This may seem excessive, but it is the #1 indicator of successful completion that I have seen. If you plan on training “when you have time”, there will always be something that comes up or some reason that you can’t. But if you have that training time set aside and devoted ahead of time, it is interesting how other things that come up have a way of working themselves around your training.

And don’t forget gear. You can train to your fullest, but if you have mediocre gear, your performance could suffer. Or worse, you could injure yourself. The right running gear can literally help to prevent running injuries, which unfortunately, studies have proven almost 50% of runners will suffer from. One of the biggest culprits among common running injuries is overuse injuries, which studies have shown account for about 70% of common running injuries among runners.

CHECK OUT: 8 Most Common Running Injuries to Watch For and 10 Ways to Prevent Running Injuries

Good running gear is a worthwhile investment if you plan to be on your feet as much as this 20 week half marathon training plan requires. And I’ll help narrow down exactly what you DO and DON’T need to cross that finish line. While some of this gear is not cheap, if it helps to prevent an injury, it can end up being a lot cheaper than doctors visits, pain treatment, or rehabilitation. That’s how I like to look at it when I grimace over the unfortunate cost of good running shoes these days.

Finally, this half marathon training plan will guide you in choosing an actual GOAL (this is big for keeping motivation up and combating burnout), and provide additional support by answering common questions about nutrition, injuries, environmental elements, etc.

So let’s get started!

Step #1 – starting your 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners by creating a baseline foundation.

Starting a 20 Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners

As I said before, while it may be realistically feasible, it’s not in your best interest to start targeted training for a half marathon in 20 weeks, if it’s been years since you’ve walked 1 mile. While others may want to tell you so, there’s not a lot of shortcuts to training for a half marathon. You need to have a solid baseline foundation before diving completely into strategic half marathon training.

What does this foundation look like?

Basically, you need to be able to sustain moderate cardio for 30 minutes at a time, 3 x a week. While this doesn’t necessarily mean running for 30 minutes 3 x a week exclusively, it should include that, and/or various other methods of cardio workouts.

For example:

- A 30 minute run
- A 30 minute bike
- A 30 minute swim
- A 30 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout
- A 30 minute session on the elliptical at the gym
- A 30 minute strength training workout

Again, this should be sustained, moderate output. If you are running for 30 minutes but find it necessary to stop for breaks every 3 minutes, keep working at building up that baseline foundation.

Be realistic with yourself. If you aren’t able to do 30 minutes of moderate, sustained cardio 3 x a week, add on additional time to the front end of your half marathon training plan to build up this foundation. While it means more time, it will payoff in the long run. You’ll have a much more solid foundation, you’ll experience better performance over time, and you’ll combat injuries that might try to pop up. So while this is a 20 week half marathon plan, if you need more time to build up your baseline foundation, you may need more like 24 or 28 weeks in actuality.

When can you move on from building that foundation?

When you can comfortably and consistently do 30 minutes of sustained, moderate cardio 3 x a week.

Keep in mind that you will be building onto this foundation. This 20 week half marathon training plan will recommend 4 weekly training runs (3 short, 1 long), 2 additional cross training / strength training days (with a goal of 1 hour workouts on those days), and 1 weekly rest and recovery day.

Weekly Training Runs

Weekly training runs are the heart of any long distance training plan, including this 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners.

So what do your weekly training runs look like? 3 shorter runs, 1 longer run.

Your 1 long weekly training run will gradually increase in distance over time, in gradual increments. You should NEVER attempt to go from running 3 miles to 10 miles in the span of a week. This is the #1 cause of injuries to runners. A good half marathon training plan will take into account building up distance in gradual increments, hence the reason it takes 20 weeks and requires a solid baseline foundation to build off of.

Incremental Mileage and Distance Increases

Here’s where a little math comes into play. Obviously, you are training for a half marathon, which is 13.1 miles. The longest training distance you should aim for is a 10 mile run prior to your half marathon date. Several is even better, depending on your baseline foundation and where you are starting from.

So how do you work up to those longer training runs?

As I mentioned before, don’t ever attempt to jump from 3 miles to 10 miles, for example, in a week. That’s a recipe for injury, which can set you back a lot further than taking the time to safely and gradually work up in distance and volume.

If you want to get nerdy about it, there’s the 10-15% rule, meaning that your weekly overall distances should increase by around 10-15% each week.

Here’s a quick example of what that might look like in a small snippet:

Week 1:

Monday: Run 3 miles
Tuesday: Run 3 miles
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Saturday: Run 5 miles

Overall Mileage: 14 miles

Week 2:

Monday: Run 3 miles
Tuesday: Run 3 miles
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Saturday: Run 6.5 miles

Overall Mileage: 15.5 miles (~10%)

Week 3:

Monday: Run 3.5 miles
Tuesday: Run 3.5 miles
Thursday: Run 3.5 miles
Saturday: Run 7 miles

Overall Mileage: 17.5 miles (~12%)

This is a somewhat simplified example, which we will get more in depth in later. But you can see how it works from week to week, and why it is important to give yourself the full 4 months to train.

Would you like to snag a FREE 20 week half marathon training calendar?

Now is a good time to make an important note:

Examples like the one above take into account a lot of assumptions. First, that you are able to run 3 miles as a baseline. Second, that this particular schedule works for everyone. Lastly, that you aren’t past this example baseline, but still know you need a training plan. Maybe your baseline is 5 miles and not 3. You obviously don’t want to backtrack, but how do you plan out your weekly runs and gradual increments with a different baseline?

While you can find a lot of resources online to help you train, there is a certain inevitable and individualized factor that goes into developing a training calendar. If you want 1:1 coaching support to develop an INDIVIDUALIZED half marathon training calendar that is CUSTOMIZED to YOU, check out the coaching plans I currently offer. Your strengths, weaknesses, goals, preferences, schedule – all taken into account and used to create the perfect half marathon training plan for you. All your questions answered, nothing left to stop you from achieving your goal. Fill out this INTEREST FORM to reserve a consult spot!

And not only will you get a complete half marathon training calendar developed specifically for you, it’ll also address cross training, strength training, and rest days. NOBODY can tell you exactly what kind of cross training regimen is best for you without actually talking to you. And that’s what I can offer. Plus rest day and active recovery recommendations to top it off.

If you want to get going on creating your own customized half marathon training calendar, fill out this INTEREST FORM to get started!

Weekly Cross Training and Strength Training

It’s not all about the running. That’s a common mistake to make but it can be a costly one. Let’s talk about just why cross training and strength training is so important to a 20 week half marathon training plan.

First, let’s be clear that strength training can be a form of cross training, because it is helping to target the whole body functionality in terms of strengthening all the muscle systems that work together in running. So it’s important to focus on both cross training and strength training.

Cross training is an additional workout you are doing that helps to keep your WHOLE body operating in harmony, which staves off injury, improves performance, and overall just makes you stronger altogether. You need the supporting roles of ALL the muscles systems working together. Cross training also helps with burnout and mental fatigue, as it allows you to engage in training that is hopefully of interest to you, besides just running all the time.

What is cross training, in a nutshell?

Cross training is the practice of engaging in multiple sports / exercises / workouts in order to improve performance in one’s main sport. It’s the art of training your body in more than one role.

What does cross training accomplish?

Reduces the risk of injury
Improves muscular strength and endurance
Combats burnout and overuse by switching up your training to provide a mental and physical break
Engages the full body and all muscle systems
Improves running economy and efficiency
Creates a “multi-purpose” athlete
Accelerates recovery

So now we get down to the nuts and bolts. What exactly are the best kinds of cross training for a half marathon? While there is no exact, black and white, definitive list, these are some common kinds of cross training that focus specifically on improving the strengths and full body harmony you will need to cross that finish line, as well as improving cardio performance and stamina.

Cycling
Swimming
Elliptical
Hiking
Walking
Kayaking / Rowing
Strength Training
Weight Lifting
Yoga
Pilates

This is not an exhaustive list. If you’re into kickboxing, by all means take a day each week to go kickbox! If you are working out your body and improving your cardio, then you are bettering yourself for half marathon training. You’re also building a great base for any future endurance goals that come after your half marathon. You don’t just have to be a one and done runner, if you take the time to develop the base you need.

And here’s where we discuss strength training specifically. So strength training can be done as a stand alone workout on cross training days, or it can be done in conjunction with another workout you are doing that day. For example, it’s fine to cycle for 30 minutes and also do a 60 minute strength training workout. It’s also ok to throw in 30 minutes of strength training on a short run day as well. But strength training shouldn’t be skipped.

Strength training targets specific muscle groups to help improve strength and prevent injuries. It’s vital to any half marathon training plan.

Strength training workouts don’t have to be overly complicated. Sets of any of these following exercises 2-3 times a week will be extremely beneficial:

Planks (including side planks)
Squats
Bicycle Crunches
Glute Bridges (including single leg glute bridges)
Step Ups
Lunges (including forward and reverse)
Single Leg Deadlifts
Leg raises
Russian twists

Want a FREE customizable strength training workout? Grab yours HERE!

Rep sets of these strength training exercises, with rest in between each set, can pay off big when done a couple of times a week.

A lot of these strength training moves are referred to as “unilateral” exercises, meaning that they work one side of the body at a time. This is great for runners as running mechanics are also one side of the body at a time. Strengthening this concept will do a lot to improve your performance, strength, and prevent injury.

Bottom line – don’t skip cross training and strength training. And if you want help creating a training plan and calendar that addresses the best cross training and strength training for you, check out the coaching plans I offer, or fill out this INTEREST FORM to get started!

Weekly Rest and Recovery Days

Rest days are either loved or hated by runners. Some see them as “unproductive” and would rather get in another run. Some find excuses to have extra rest days because they love them so much. You need rest days from running, EACH week, but there should be an intentional balance. Despite how you feel about running rest days, here is why they are important.

Taking rest days makes you STRONGER!
Taking rest days (instead of running more) makes you a BETTER runner!
Taking rest days promotes LONG TERM running (and I personally want to be doing this for a long time)!

Running rest days don’t mean sitting on the couch and not moving all day. That’s why rest days are also called active recovery days. Active recovery can take many forms:

A short , easy walk
A short yoga session
An easy spin on the bike
Foam rolling and stretching
And don’t forget a good night’s sleep!

Of course, I understand the struggle of feeling like you have to get more miles in. Mileage and distance increases are absolutely important. But not at the cost of sacrificing a rest day from running. That is why you will see intentional, scheduled rest days in every single one of the customized running training plans I develop. You want that mileage, but you also want rest and recovery days to solidify, cement, and process that mileage, in order to build the most stable and solid foundation that will hold up over time!

This was a summary of why rest days are important, but if you want more details on this important part of your 20 week half marathon training plan, check out this full guide on how to take running rest days.

Creating a 20 Week Half Marathon Training Calendar

So you’ve gone through the individual parts of a 20 week half marathon training plan for beginners (baseline foundation, weekly training runs, gradual increments, cross training and strength training, and rest and recovery days). Now it’s time to put it all together. And that looks like a 20 week half marathon training CALENDAR.

Here’s another chance to snag a FREE 20 week half marathon training calendar!

You might notice that this calendar I offer in the link above shows cross training / strength training days, but it doesn’t say what TYPE of cross training. Again, I can offer the opportunity to customize these days for you and determine the best workouts for you, because nobody can really tell you exactly what type of cross training is best for you without talking to you first.

Here’s a few examples of weekly snippets from several 20 week half marathon training calendars that were created specifically for clients:

So if you want to create a specific training calendar that addresses these cross training days (as well as rest days, running days, and gradual weekly increments), fill out this INTEREST FORM to get started.

Addressing the Taper Period

So what exactly is a taper? A taper period occurs 2 -3 weeks before your half marathon race, when you begin to decrease the VOLUME of mileage each week. The key is that INTENSITY stays the same, while VOLUME scales down.

So while you will still do your weekly training runs, your distances and volume will gradually decrease. You’ll still do cross training and strength training as well, you will focus on keeping your intensity stable and not pushing any more. So for example, if you are running a 10 minute mile, you aim to continue running a 10 minute mile during your taper. You don’t push to try and get to a 9 minute mile during your taper – keep the intensity level the same.

The taper generally looks like this:

3 weeks out you’ll scale back your mileage volume to 75%
2 weeks out you’ll scale back your mileage volume to 50%
1 week out you’ll scale back your running volume to 25%

There is some give and take to this concept, but that is a general overview of what to expect. You should see a taper period on any half marathon training calendar, even though it’s also common to also see just 2 weeks of a taper.

You can read more here on why the taper is important, and 6 ways to taper correctly.

Gear Recommendations

Runners LOVE to talk gear. That isn’t because we’re all rich and have tons of money to spend – it’s because good gear REALLY can make a difference. And also keep you from getting injured. If you are training for a half marathon, it truly is worth the investment to get good, reliable running gear.

Here’s some quick links for a few of my favorite beginner running essentials:

Best Road Running Shoes – Brooks Glycerins
Best Trail Running Shoes – HOKA One One Speedgoats
Best Running Socks – Hilly Twin Skins
Best Insulated Running Thermos – HydroFlask
Best Hydration Vest with Water Bladder – Camelbak
Best Running Shorts
Best Transport System – Camelback Hydration Vest (above) or Running Belt
Favorite Running Leggings (cold weather) – Fleece Lined Leggings
Favorite Merino Wool Icebreaker Tank Top (warm weather)
Favorite Merino Wool Long Sleeve Base Layer Top (cold weather)
Best Cold Weather Running Jacket
Best Ultra-Lightweight Fully Waterproof and Wind Resistant Jacket: Outdoor Research Helium II
Eye Protection: Hat and Sunglasses

Want all this beginner running gear in a handy checklist? Here you go!

For a more in depth look at each of these gear items, check out this complete guide to running gear for beginners.

Choosing a GOAL for Your 20 Week Half Marathon Training Plan

Training for a half marathon is not without its obstacles. Mental burnout and dwindling motivation can easily be one of them. The #1 way I have found to combat this is to make sure I have a tangible goal I am working towards.

PICK OUT A RACE! Know exactly what you are training for. If you can swing it, choose a destination race or “runcation”.

I’ve done many exhilarating destination races, and each one has been absolutely worth the months of training.

The Polar Circle Marathon in Greenland – the “coolest” marathon on earth
The Great Wall of China Marathon
The Disneyland Half Marathon
The Yellowstone Half Marathon
The Grand Teton Half Marathon
The San Francisco Half Marathon

And more…or check out these 21 most extreme adventure runs on the planet!

Make your half marathon race an entire event, an entire weekend, and an entire experience, and that can help motivate you through the months of grueling training.

Other goals can be running to honor a loved one, losing weight, or hitting a certain yearly mileage goal. Check out these other 13 common running goals for beginners for more inspiration.

Additional Support for Your 20 Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners

Here are some other commonly asked about factors in a half marathon training plan:

NUTRITION– yes, you should adjust your nutrition and diet as needed. It actually does make a difference. Runners love to talk about “carb loading”, and while it may sound great to justify eating an entire pizza, there’s more to it than that. Check out this guide to the best foods and diet for runners. While you don’t have to conduct a complete diet upheaval to train for a half marathon, even a few small tweaks can lead to increased performance.

SLEEP– make sure you are getting a good night’s sleep.

INJURIES– don’t push through them! The best way to proactively prevent injuries (which almost 50% of runners will experience according to this study), is to simply follow a half marathon training plan like this one! Be intentional about your weekly training runs, gradually increase in weekly distances, and be sure to include effective and beneficial cross training plus rest days. In addition, know the signs to watch for, how to prevent common running injuries, and how to treat them.

RUNNING SOLO – know what motivates you! If you enjoy the mind clearing and de-stressing experience of a solo run, then just be sure to do it safely and responsibly by implementing these 7 solo running tips. If you benefit from the shared accountability and camaraderie of a social group run, then check out these 8 simple ways to find a local running group.

RUNNING IN THE COLD – while there are extreme cases, generally speaking you can’t skip your training days repeatedly due to the season. Running in the cold (and in the heat) are inevitable to some degree. Cold weather doesn’t have to stop you from getting outside with these 9 helpful cold weather running tips.

RUNNING IN THE HEAT – same goes for the heat. Train responsibly, but learn how to work with the heat with these 10 helpful hot weather running tips.

RUNNING OUTSIDE VS TREADMILL – I hate the treadmill. I strictly run outside now. But I recognize that not everyone has that ability, and sometimes there are actual factors outside that should prevent you from running (lightning, blizzards, flooding, etc.). So utilize the treadmill if you need to, but be sure to throw in some incline to mimic natural hills you might find on an outdoor course. And if you need to distract yourself to get through any potential boredom, know what works for you. Calling and talking with a friend or family member, binging Netflix, or listening to a podcast or audiobook.

1:1 COACHING – if this is what is standing in the way of crossing your own finish line, then be sure to check out the coaching plans I offer, or fill out this INTEREST FORM to get started!

FREEBIES – and here’s one more chance to snag that FREE example of a 20 week half marathon training calendar for beginners! And a FREE “choose your own path” customizable strength training workout!

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20 Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners

20 Week Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners