Half Marathon Training Plan Guide
A half marathon is a 21.1km challenge that's neither too difficult nor too easy, providing a fulfilling sense of accomplishment. RunBox AI coach creates a customized 12-16 week half marathon training plan to help you safely achieve this goal.
Why Choose an AI-Customized Half Marathon Training Plan?
- Progressive Training: Gradually building from basic endurance
- Personalized Pacing: Based on your target finish time
- Injury Prevention: Scientific intensity distribution
- Flexible Adjustments: Real-time optimization based on progress
marathon 5th anniversary happy teachers day to myself
Five years ago today, on Teacher's Day, I ran my first half marathon. Yesterday, I completed another half marathon to close this five-year chapter, even matching my time from five years ago to make it complete.
From now on, it's another five years. I hope I can continue to persevere.
These were the words I wrote to myself when I ran my first marathon five years ago:
Today is Teacher's Day. First of all, I wish myself a happy Teacher's Day. This morning, I ran my first half marathon, although it has nothing to do with Teacher's Day.
First, let me report my results: Distance 21.1 km, Time 1 hour 49 minutes 11 seconds 348 milliseconds, Average speed 11.59 km/h. Pre-run weight 72.7 kg, post-run weight 70.3 kg, losing 2.4 kg, nearly 5 pounds, in one half marathon.
I had been thinking about running a half marathon for a while but never had the chance. Recently, Jenny's company organized a trip, giving me the time to try it. I woke up at 4:45 AM, drank a large glass of water and ate two dried lychees, detoxed, washed up, and started running at 5:05 AM. Last night, I studied the route because I wasn't sure if I could run on Baohe Avenue to Jinxi Avenue due to construction. So, I stuck to my usual 9.7 km route: Ziyun Road - Baohe Avenue - Fangxing Avenue - Huizhou Avenue - Ziyun Road. To complete the half marathon distance of 21.1 km, I needed to run this route twice, plus an extra lap around the neighborhood.
The first lap went well. Because of the long distance, I deliberately controlled my speed, running 3 minutes slower than usual, taking 50 minutes and 17 seconds. I felt good, but I doubted if I could maintain this pace for the second half. At the one-hour mark, I had run 11.5 km.
From this point, my body started to feel uncomfortable. My feet began to feel numb and tingly, which gradually intensified. My heart and lungs felt fine. At 15 km, I had taken 76 minutes and 30 seconds. At 16.2 km, I felt a sharp pain in my right abdomen, a sign of a side stitch, but my breathing was normal, and my rhythm was steady. Experience told me it was nothing serious. The numbness in my feet continued to intensify, affecting my calf muscles, and I started to think about giving up. I constantly reminded myself that this opportunity was rare, and I didn't know when I would have the time to run a half marathon again. I had to persevere.
As I neared the end of the second lap, I strongly urged myself to stop after two laps, thinking there was no need to torture myself and that running a half marathon was unhealthy. I ignored this thought. I completed the second lap in 50 minutes and 36 seconds, slightly slower than the first lap but still well-controlled. The total time was 1 hour and 40 minutes, and I aimed to finish within 1 hour and 50 minutes, so I started to sprint the last 1.6 km.
Calling it a sprint might be an exaggeration. After 200 meters into the second lap, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my right abdomen, and the struggle in my feet and calves intensified, making it almost impossible to continue. My speed dropped significantly, and my body was signaling everywhere to stop. But I knew this was just my body's way of expressing its limits. Having come this far, how much longer could the torture last?
In the end, I completed the half marathon in just over 1 hour and 49 minutes. The result was decent, and I would likely be in the top third if I participated in a race. After finishing, I was extremely exhausted, even walking felt tiring. This was unlike my usual 10 km runs, where I never felt this way. The only similar experience was when I ran 20 km the year before, attempting a half marathon but had to give up due to foot pain. Interestingly, even my biceps were sore, likely due to the long time spent swinging my arms, causing my biceps to engage in aerobic exercise. Of course, this might also be related to my low-weight, high-rep bicep workout the day before.
Although I completed this arduous task, I didn't feel particularly excited. Half marathons, marathons, and even longer races are not really healthy exercises. They are challenges, not fitness activities. Most amateur and professional participants in such events are very lean, with little fat and muscle, to minimize energy consumption during long-distance races. In my view, a balanced body is healthy, with muscle, some fat (to reduce injury from impacts), absolute strength, endurance, explosiveness, cardiovascular function, and core strength all in balance. This is the standard of health, at least normalcy. So, I don't think I will run 21 km often. Losing 5 pounds each time is no joke. Most of it is water, some fat, and a small portion of muscle. I don't want to be 'skinny' and am unlikely to challenge a marathon. My muscle-to-fat ratio (12.7% body fat) tells me I'm not cut out for it.
Another factor that motivated me to run this half marathon was the news of Yang Yuan's tragic accident during the Italian Giants' Journey yesterday. The Giants' Journey is a 330 km high-altitude trail race. Yang Yuan slipped and fell while descending a slope at night due to rain, suffering a fatal head injury. I read about him online last night. He had participated in numerous marathons and ultra-distance races, even running a marathon the day after completing a 100 km race in Beijing in 2009. He was a true marathon enthusiast. At 43, he was still single, and his participation in the Giants' Journey was funded by scraping together money.
His untimely death serves as a warning to those passionate about extreme sports. Exercise should be moderate. While one can make sacrifices to pursue dreams, the most important thing is one's own life and family. I dedicate this run to commemorate and mourn this giant whom I never met or knew.
Start Your Half Marathon Training
RunBox provides half marathon runners with:
- Personalized 12-16 week training plans
- Weekly detailed training schedules
- Nutrition and recovery guidance
- Pre-race strategy planning
Download RunBox and let our AI coach help you achieve your half marathon goal!
