How to Run a Sub 1:45 Half Marathon (or Any Goal Half Marathon Time)

How to Run a Sub 1:45 Half Marathon

One of the biggest goals I hear runners struggle to achieve is breaking significant marks in the half marathon: 2:00, 1:50, 1:40, and so on. Numerous runners want to run a sub 1:45 half marathon but miss this goal, even if just by a few seconds, in race after race.

The half marathon proves time and time again to be a tricky race to master. Training for a half marathon requires a balance between the endurance training of a marathon and the speed training of a 10K, with lots of tempo runs thrown into the mix. With the right tips and training, though, your goal half marathon time can become an actual PR. 

A sub-1:45 half marathon is a popular goal amongst runners, especially those who have been running half marathons for a while now. I ran a sub 1:45 at my second half marathon last April and was thrilled to break that barrier.

For runners who have already ran a half marathon in under two hours, a 1:45 half marathon is a natural next step for a half marathon goal. It’s a goal that requires a commitment and provides a huge sense of accomplishment. A 1:30 half marathon is too big of a jump for most runners, but whether you spent a few months or a few years, you can run a 1:45 half if you’ve run previous half marathons in under two hours.

These tips are not solely for half marathoners hoping to break 1 hour and 45 minutes. Whether you want to run a 1:30 half marathon or a 2:30 half marathon, you can utilize these tips to achieve your goal time in your next half marathon.

How to Run a Sub 1:45 Half Marathon {Or Any Other Goal Time}

Focus Specifically on the Half Marathon

It’s not just half a race! To break a barrier and achieve a big goal in the half marathon, you’re best off training specifically for the half marathon for 8-12 weeks. Why? The physiological demands of the half marathon are different than that of the marathon. You work much closer to your lactate threshold in the half marathon and have slightly more anaerobic contribution. 

Additionally, you don’t push yourself all-out in tune-up races, so a half marathon in training for a full marathon won’t reveal your potential. When you focus on the half marathon as a goal race, you allow yourself to push to your full potential. 

Dedicate 8-12 weeks, depending on your base and current fitness, to training for a half marathon. Ideally, this should come off of a base building phase so that your aerobic fitness can handle the demands of training. However, some runners benefit from the structure of base phase, speed phase, and then half marathon training. Find a plan or a coach, pick a race, and schedule it into your annual racing calendar.

Increase Your Weekly Mileage

If you currently run 20-30 miles per week, slowly build your base up to 30-40 miles per week during the weeks preceding and the early weeks of training. The more you run, the better your aerobic fitness; the better your aerobic fitness, the faster you run. 13.1 miles will feel more manageable for pushing the pace on race day if you are used to running at least 7 miles most days of the week in addition to your long run.

Beyond increasing your weekly mileage, extend your long run. While inadvisable for the marathon, overdistance training will improve your performance for the half marathon. Overdistance should not be a concern for new half marathoners, but those who have run 13 miles before can work up to 14-16 miles for their long runs. If you can run for 15 miles, then you know you can push yourself over 13.1 miles and finally run a sub 1:45 half marathon!

Practice Fueling and Hydration

Some runners can make it through a half marathon without any carbs or water, but if you’re running for longer than 90 minutes, hydration and fueling will make it easier to run a sub 1:45 half marathon. Practice during your training to find the right source of carbs and the right hydration strategy for you, so that fueling and hydrating is a simple and known routine on race day.

Train Your Brain

Every half marathoner experiences that point, usually around mile 10, where everything hurts and your brain is begging you to slow down. Your ability to override that voice in your head will make the difference between a 1:44 and a 1:46 finish. Specific workouts that require close attention to effort, long runs without music, and not quitting training runs when you are tired will build your mental resistance to fatigue and discomfort.

Be Specific in Your Workouts

To run sub 1:45 half marathon, you need to average at least 8:00 per mile. If you want to run 8 minute miles for 13.1 miles, then you better practice running 8:00 minute miles for shorter distances in your training! Try to include workouts with 30-60 minutes at your goal half marathon pace at least once a week in the later part of your training.

That said, you want to avoid logging too many half marathon pace runs too soon, since you may risk peaking before your race. Spend at least the first third of your training doing shorter and slightly faster lactate threshold tempo runs and then slowly transition into runs at goal half marathon pace during the later weeks of your training.

Maximize Your Long Runs

Getting faster in any distance requires progressive overload when appropriate. When you want to run your fastest half marathon yet, you need to change how you train. Smartly increasing the intensity of your long runs is one of the most effective changes to make. 

Again, if you are training for your first half marathon, you want most of your long runs to focus on covering the distance. If you’ve covered the distance before, begin adding new stressors to your long runs. You can sprinkle in some miles at goal pace, finish the last couple miles at a faster pace, or add surges to pick up the pace regularly throughout the run.

Pay Attention to the Quality and Quantity of Your Nutrition

Low energy availability can hinder performance and increase injury risk in even the fittest runners. Runners should make sure they get enough calories and enough carbohydrates. 

Training for your goal race is not the time to diet and try to lose weight! If you’re eating high quality foods and eating enough, you will likely hit a natural racing weight due to the increased mileage.

Your nutrition plays a vital role in recovery, and we all know that recovery is when the actual adaptations happen. Fill your diet with fruits, vegetables (including potatoes), whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats to nourish your body so it can run all of those miles.

Practice Fueling and Hydration

Some runners can make it through a half marathon without any carbs or water, but if you’re running for longer than 90 minutes, hydration and fueling will make it easier to run your goal time. Practice during your training to find the right source of carbs and the right hydration strategy for you, so that fueling and hydrating is a simple and known routine on race day.

Taper

Training straight through race day can prevent your training from fully expresssing on race day. Tapering is a key step to absorbing your training and being able to express it on race day. After weeks of specifically training for a race, you need to let your body recover enough so you are in peak condition to run 13.1 miles at your goal pace. You only need to taper about 10-14 days for a half marathon, but these days of shorter runs will make the difference between heavy legs or fresh legs at the start of your race.

Know Your Race Course

Temperature, terrain, and elevation can all make a difference on race day. Will it be cloudy, flat, and on a softer multi-use path, or will it be hot, hilly, and on concrete? Once you know what to expect, you can adjust your training (hill work!) and craft an optimal race strategy.

Consider Hiring a Running Coach

A running coach truly can transform your training by keeping you accountable, breaking you out of a plateau, preventing injury, and progressing your plan so you build speed and endurance without peaking too early. If your half marathon goal is an important goal for you, investing in a coach is one of the best ways to ensure you achieve your goal.

A coach will make sure you follow the tips listed here while providing you with specific workouts for your current fitness, preferences, and particular race. The coach removes all the guesswork of training for you; all you have to do is run. 

Recover Right

Training does not end once you cross the finish line. Whether you achieved your goal or not, celebrate your accomplishment: you just pushed yourself as hard as you could for 13.1 miles. Drink a beer, eat a donut, and focus on recovering properly.

Are you training for a half marathon or another race with a time goal? Learn more about my training plans and coaching services here! 

What tips would you add to this list?
Any questions about training and racing a half marathon?
What time are you trying to break in the half marathon? 
I’m training for a sub-1:40!

Sign Up for My Newsletter for More Running Tips

* indicates required

Share this post

75 Responses

  1. This is an excellent and detailed post for anyone training for a faster half marathon. My days of PRs are long past, but this is the kind of training I would have to do to achieve what I call my post-50 PR of 2:00 again. Of course, between recovering from my cracked kneecap and arthritis it will be my Post-60 goal I’ll be looking at all too soon. My actual PR was 1:32, but I’ll never see that again! 🙂

    1. Hi Debbie,Sorry to hear about the knee surgeries.I totally understand
      approaching 62 in Feb ran a 1:56 (2 stops restroom) last year in Santa Clarita.I try not to think about PR’s behind me.I had run in low 2:20’s for 26.2 trying to qualify for trials in 1980
      but I can’t believe that was 36yrs ago.So in my mind I feel the same when I run (plod) as I did then.Oh well It’s hard to look in the mirror.
      John

  2. 1:45 has been a goal of mine for quite awhile. I hit 1:46 in 2014 but wasn’t completely healthy during that race. I haven’t had a chance to try again because of injuries but I fully think more weekly mileage and goal paced runs are the key.

    1. A 1:46 is so close, you can definitely run a sub 1:45! Hopefully you have a chance to try this year – I think 2016 will be a strong year of running for you, since you’ve been putting in so much hard work in strength training and building that base!

  3. Really interesting–especially the brain piece.
    I have my half on the 14th and while these may not work for that one —Im definitely addicted to them now :0)

    1. The brain can make or break running – or perhaps I’ve read too much Noakes 🙂 Half marathons are definitely addicting – more fun that the marathon, just long enough for the thrill of the distance.

  4. It’s hard to believe that just over a year ago, my goal was to break 1:45 and now I’ve broken 1:40. I want to break 1:35 at some point. I found myself nodding as I read most everything in your post.

    You are SOOO right that it’s a unique challenge with speed and endurance- you have to run fast for a long time. I have a friend who is primarily an ultra runner, he has the turnover to run a speedy 5K and the endurance for an ultra, but he says the half is his weak spot because he doesn’t have that kind of speed for that long- more like one or the other.

    What helped me the most was running more half marathons. You get used to the mental challenges of the distance and to being “on” for a long period of time. I ran half marathons to train for the “goal” half marathon. Basically I ran them as hard long runs. I ran 5 half marathon races last year, only really “raced” two of them.

    I think the more half marathons you do the more you learn how to prepare for the distance and what works for you individually, with things like fueling, taper, etc. You learn if you need more speed to meet your goal or if you need more endurance. The first few you run are always a big experiment and you can’t take chances with them like you can in say, a 5K or 10K, because half marathons are more wear and tear on the body and require more recovery.

    But above all, the secret is there is no secret. Just a lot of hard work.

    1. Great advice! I can see how doing more frequent half marathons can really build up that mental strength and fatigue resistance. I’ve come to love time trials during training for the same reason you mentioned races – even a 4-6 mile time trial can reveal whether speed or endurance is lacking.

    2. Great advice doing my second 1/2 marathon just hoping to break the 2 hour mark (1st one was 2.03.40 ) so wanting to improve, I think I still need more training for the longer distances like you said it helps you mentally. great tips thanks

  5. It took me so long to break 1:45. It definitely helped to follow a specific training plan when I was training for that race. Now it’s been awhile since I trained specifically for a half but my next goal is to break 1:40! I guess I need to actually pick a race in order to do that:)

  6. As someone who is currently training to run a sub 1:45 (my PR is 1:45:26) I am DETERMINED to shave off those extra seconds and PR my spring half. Thanks for the tips- I will definitely be applying the info to my training!

  7. Running a sub 1:40 is my next half marathon goal,(when I ever get to do those kind of things again!). It has been so long since I RACED a half–I think that is going to be the biggest change for me!

  8. I love the half marathon distance. I’ve run more than 50 and have logged one just under 1:45 and most others between that and 2 hours. I totally agree with going over 13 miles. When I’m really focused in on training for the half I work in a 15 mile run. And logging miles at goal pace is key. Great tips!

    1. Thank you! The half marathon is such a fun distance – just challenging enough without the pain of the marathon or the lung-searing burn of the 5K. Going over 13 really does help – that for me is what made a big difference between my first and second half!

  9. I love this!!! My best half (1:45:24) happened so early on in my racing experience that I didn’t even know that 1:45 was a big deal then! Since then, I run halfs but never really trained for one in a specific way. Love these tips for sure! If I run a half this spring, for sure I will be following this.

    1. Thank you! I was the same way – my first half was a 1:46 and I didn’t realize how good that was for a while. I know that a half marathon PR is coming for you soon!

  10. Great information, Laura! It makes sense that in order to hit your goal on race day, you must train at goal race pace. This is what helped me hit my goal of a sub 2 hour half marathon. You mentioned that base weekly runs should be 7 miles most days of the week aside from the long run. Are these runs to be a mix of speed workouts, tempos and easy runs? My base runs are 5 miles at this point and in that I include speed workouts and easy runs. Just curious :-). I am not training for a specific time in my next half since its my first trail race but I would love to get down to 1:50 next!

    1. Thank you, Angie! I mix in speed work (usually fartleks until the sharpening phase) and tempos/goal pace runs along with easy runs into the 5-8 milers that I do other than my long run. Usually one day of fartlek, one day of tempo, one long run, and the remainder are easy runs. Speed work and tempo/goal pace runs are great for getting in some higher mileage because you can tack on some easy miles to warm up and cool down and then 3-4 miles of quality work to total 7-8 miles for the day. Hope this helps! 🙂

  11. The sub-1:45 is a hard barrier for female runners to break. I would argue that, relatively, it’s even harder than a sub-2:00 or a sub-1:50. It seems like the bell curve of female runners hits its peak in that 8:00-10:00 pace range, which is why I think 1:45 is a particularly hard milestone for even hard-working runners to achieve. I have really wanted to break 1:45 for some time, but what’s frustrating is that I think I’m capable but I’ve just never really had the opportunity – I’m always training for a marathon or not training for anything (it’s crazy to think that one year ago I felt this same way about a sub 1:50. Makes me wonder, where does it end?). I’m hoping to see some great results if I can train for a half this fall. Hopefully after Pittsburgh I’m still feeling up for it.

    Anyway, great post! I agree with it all, especially your points about specificity training (goal pace runs, training for 13.1, etc). This is SO important. Too many people, myself included, want to just cross their fingers and hope they come away with their goal just because they know they’re capable. That works sometimes, but your odds of success increase dramatically if you train specifically for the distance!

    1. Thank you! I really do think you will have a huge PR if you focus on the half in the fall! All that marathon endurance with some speed work thrown in will really benefit you for the half.
      I wish the Seattle women’s racing bell curve was the same – a 1:40 is lucky to break the top 40 overall women in some of the half marathons out here! 1:45 is a popular goal for women runners I think because of exactly what you said – it’s a challenge to achieve but not so challenging like a BQ.

  12. Solid tips, Laura!! This got me excited to kick off my half training next week. I’m working for a sub 1:35, and then someday 1:30 but that is a tough one and feels really far away right now! It takes many cycles of chipping away a few minutes at a time, and the awesome tips you listed. I’m excited to see how your next cycle goes!

    1. Thank you, Laura! You’re so close to a sub 1:35 that I know you will achieve it soon, and I’m really excited to see how you do in the half this year! Chipping away a few minutes at a time is another great tips – it provides motivation and keeps one from getting discouraged!

  13. Smart stuff! People have asked me how I shaved time off my marathon and half marathon over the years and my answer is always simple: Run more. Nothing fancy. No speed work or hill repeats or special protein powder or supplements, just good old fashioned repetitive practice. Slog out the miles, spend time on the feet.

    1. Thanks, Suzy! Running more really is the best, tried and true way to sustainably run faster. It’s easier on the body than speedwork (ie more sustainable, example one being the recent retirement of Ryan Hall who cited too much speed training), runners don’t need protein powder, and it’s simple to do.

  14. Thanks so much, these are great tips! I am fairly slow and my only goal for my last couple half marathons was just to avoid walking. But I ran my last one faster than I thought I possibly could without trying, so I was planning to set myself a timed goal for my next one and have no idea how to do that or try to get there! This will be so helpful.

    1. Thank you! That’s awesome that you ran your last one faster! I truly believe so many of our limits when it comes by running are set by our minds, when we physically our capable of so much more – we just have to believe in ourselves! Good luck on training for your timed goal! 🙂

  15. New reader here! Great tips! I just started training for my next half marathon and am hoping that I can sneak under 1:40 for the second time. I’m trying to incorporate more tempos and 13+ mile long runs in this cycle so maybe I could even get a new PR.

    1. Hi Sarah! Thank you for reading! Tempos and long runs (and long runs with tempo segments!) are some of the most tried and true ways to get that half marathon PR! When’s your next race? Happy running and good luck on your training!

  16. This is great advice, especially since half marathons are so popular! I love that you mentioned about mile 10–that’s when I always started to hear the negative voices in my head. What is it about mile 10? Is it the wall of the half?

    I’d love sub 1:50. Sub 1:45? I don’t know about that…

    1. Thank you! I recall reading in Matt Fitzgerald’s New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition that mile 10 can be a sort of “wall” in the half marathon. Not that you hit total glycogen depletion, but if you’re not fueling or pacing well you will not have enough carbs in your system and too much lactate at that point to as easily sustain the pace as before. Plus, I think it’s very mental! 10 miles is a long time to push hard, and the end still seems far away at that point.

  17. I think so much of getting that time goal is mental! Doubt really kills everything, I’ve found, but it’s also the toughest thing to deal with in a long race. For my half marathon and marathon PRs, I wanted the time so badly BUT was also somehow just positive that I could do it! I think a big part of it was just being naive and not knowing half of what could go wrong, but at the time, it worked.

  18. I’m currently training for a 2:05-2:07 half marathon time, but hoping for sub-2 a couple races down the road. I think my biggest hurdle right now is fueling – I have yet to eat anything on the run!

    1. Fueling will help you significantly with not only improving your time, but also enjoying the race even more! I work with my coaching clients on improving their fueling and recommend 1 gel/20 grams of carbs every 45 minutes during the race (and during several long runs in training). Those carbs will feel like rocket fuel!

  19. Great tips Laura. I would have added training specificity with each run and practice fueling but you already did. They were both game changers for me.

    Thanks for sharing with Fitness Health and Happiness. Have a great weekend!

  20. These are such great tips! My half PR is 1:49 but I hope to break that and go sub-1:45 at some point in the future. I’m running a half in March, but I’ve already broken your first rule (I have the Big Sur Marathon in April and Ironman North Carolina in October) so the half isn’t exactly my goal right now. If I don’t manage to PR on accident this year, next year I might back off on super long distance and get back to the half 🙂

    1. Thank you! And they’re not rules, just tips – a lot of runners I know have run half marathon PRs during marathon training because endurance is so high then. Ooohhh I’ve heard Big Sur is such a beautiful race! I live in Seattle and keep wanting to go to Northern California for a weekend. Good luck on your training!

  21. Your tips are good ones. I would add, train with someone. For longer races and runs, it helps having a partner or two to train with. I train with one friend specifically for my hills and another for the long & tempo runs.

  22. I had always been a good high school and college runner but got burned out with running and gained about 80 lbs. After nearly 13 years of extremely limited fitness, my wife a non runner and I rededicated ourselves to being healthy and I ran my 1st half last Sept. In 1:41, my wife 1:57. I was pleased but really hit a wall at mile 12. Psychologically I was excited to know the end was near with only a 5K left at mile 10 but the last mile+ was nothing but hills. I got defeated with a last 1.1 at 9:30 pace after being much faster the previous 12 miles. My training incorporated big hills but I didn’t do enough trail running to mimic race conditions.

    We are now set to run our 2nd half marathon 12/4/16. The hard part this time is coming back from a significant injury and not sure what my goal time should be. I suffered a tibial plateau fracture 12/5 in a car accident and was non weight bearing until 2/25. After 3 months of no leg use other than in therapy, my muscle disappeared and my leg was very weak. It was not until mid April when I ran greater than .5 miles on a treadmill and that was at 11 minute pace. My leg is still noticeably smaller however in the past month, the only time my leg really feels normal is when I run. I have got back down to a 7:55 pace for 6.5 miles and in the next 12 weeks, I am hoping to add more speed. You stated to increase intensity of long runs and my question is what speed work is most effective?
    Bradley 36 Hartland, WI

    1. Hi Bradley, Well done on getting back into running after injury! I would recommend first working with a PT or personal trainer to gain muscle back in the legs. As with speed work, what is most effective varies from runner to runner. Overall I would say that tempo runs are the most effective for the half marathon, but without knowing much about your training background or injury recovery I can’t offer more advice than that. It’s important to be cautious with speed work when returning from an injury.

  23. Hello Laura,

    Solid advise. I’m training for a 1:45 or near this goal for this spring. I’m trying to break a 2 year PR of 1:48. I did run a 1:50 a year ago, but it was not a targeted race and I was ramping up for a full at the same time mileage wise. I’ve put a lot mileage on my legs, over 2.5 K training for Boston and NYC both in 15′ and 16′. I’m 53 and I feel I still have a few PR’s left in these legs. As for my plan, I’m training with more slower miles ever added with race pace mileage. I’ve made the mistake of training to fast and not performing as I trained on race day. Train smarter not harder is my way of thinking.
    I had the opportunity to meet Ryan Hall, what an incredible runner. Thank you again for excellent training tips.

  24. Great article here! I did my first half marathon in 2015 on the back of 8 weeks (one long run, one interval session and one mid run) training on the back of 8 weeks training and i wanted sub 1:50. I ended up with 1:37. Unfortunately last year when I upped my mileage I got injured, so as i stands it is the only race i did not finish in 3 years of running.
    I’m going to write my story as briefly as possible:
    This time around I have had focused training since January – so joining a club has completely changed my routine and challenges me. Upping my weekly mileage steadily from 25 miles a week to having averaged 50 miles per week in 2017. Initially I trained to get sub 20 5k (Did 19.33) and sub 42 10 k (Did 40.31).
    I now have a sub 90 challenge facing me next Sunday! It felt like a natural progressing after 5 and 10.
    I haven’t tapered for any raced since i focused on the half! This year i’ve actually only tapered for 2 races and I’ve done 8.
    My points are
    Set yourself targets good/great/awesome time frames, so that within the race you don’t give up.
    Try and race on tired legs! (I raced a 7 mile race a couple of days after a tummy bug (don’t do that), into a massive headwind and not tapered and it was hell, but I managed to do it 10 seconds faster then h/m race pace and it gave me mental toughness!
    If you are sick take time off! I’ve been plagued with illness but in listening to my body I managed to recover fairly quickly and you feel great when you are back in the zone.
    Interval training is key – i’ve PB’d every race this year so far! It’s so important to running economy, efficiency and you have a good gauge on tracking your fitness levels through your progression.
    Keep your easy runs easy and your hard runs hard. Going moderate all the time doesn’t improve your running overall.
    Finally embrace the race, if it wasn’t challenging it wouldn’t be half as rewarding when you cross the line.

  25. Very good plan, I’m starting it tomorrow!!!!

    My next race will be sometime in 2018, so I hope to beat my current record of 1:48:05! wish me luck everyone!

  26. This was a great read with a lot of valuable information. I am 53 and have been running halfs for 7 years now. ( plus 2 fulls and 1 Ultra). Started running to get “healthy” and now I am addicted. 1:47 is my PR, but I am trying so hard to get a sub 1:45 time and then a sub 1:40 time. As I age, it gets harder, but I just try training harder (and smarter). I’m determined, but it’s not easy.

      1. Laura: Its now July 2021, I am still pursuing my sub 1:45 half time. Getting close, but it has become very elusive. I am now 57 and I am not giving up. I weigh less now than ever and am more determined than before. Its been amazing how much better I run with less weight. (Not looking to lose more, just happened with better diet). I am currently training for a half in Feb 2021. I am running more miles weekly and longer runs on the weekends as well. Also, added some strength training. I am going to hit it in 2021!! Thanks again for all your advice!! I will update later.

  27. All great tips! Thanks for sharing. It’s kinds of crazy to think about how all these elements come together in a training cycle. My next half is just for fun but I’m excited to put some more focus into my training for the next one to try and reach this goal!

  28. I’m going for a 1:45 half marathon in September. Last year I did it in 1:55 so I think I can do it! I had so much fun training and realizing I was getting stronger and faster. But winters are brutal here and try as I might I could not keep up my running as planned! I have run very little the past 2 months ( also treadmills make me so depressed) SO my question is….if the half is September 1st, and I need to be averaging 30 miles per week at least, by the time I start my 10 week training plan, am I too far behind already? For how many weeks prior to starting a 1:45 training schedule should I have been averaging 30 ish miles? By end of March it should be getting to running weather without dying on the ice so I’m hoping I can start getting back up to my mileage! I’m not totally out of shape but haven’t been getting the miles. .. is it too late?

  29. I have been training for a half marathon for several months. My training pace has been between 8:00 to 8:30/mile. I have ran half marathons before and I just ran a practice half marathon about a week ago. I ran a 8:28. Also, about a month ago, I ran about a 8:26/mile 10 miler. I really want to try and run my half marathon race at 1:45 but a little scared that I won’t be able to last. This race has pacers and I would like to run with the 8:00/mile pacer. I would appreciate your thoughts.

    Thank you, Ben

    1. Hi Ben! If you have been training comfortably at an 8:30 – where the pace is truly conversational – your aerobic fitness should be able to support a 8:00 pace. Your pacing strategy on race day will make a big difference – check out this post : https://lauranorrisrunning.com/pace-your-fastest-half-marathon/ . Trusting your training and embracing the discomfort of the later miles of the race will make a difference also. Good luck on your race!

  30. Hi Laura, I am training for my 5th London Marathon aiming for a ‘Good for Age’ time of 3:40, but in order for this to count this year I have to have run a 1:44:23 half marathon, earlier this year I ran a 1:46:09, close but no cigar.
    I did 23.2 miles last Sunday in 3:24 a training run averaging 8:47 (1117 ft of elevation).
    I have entered a half marathon in 2 weeks time to go for around 1:40 (two weeks before my marathon), but my plan was for 17 miles anyway that day.
    I believe I can do it, any suggestions to help, did I mention I was 64 (65 in November).

  31. Just found this thread! 34 years old, ran XC in high school and been a casual runner (5x a month) ever since while doing other fitness activities like spin classes, racquet sports, strength training, etc.

    I decided to run a DIY half marathon over the weekend and was pleasantly surprised with a 1:46.32 time…and now have my interest piqued as to how much I could shave with some actual structured training. I’m in the lottery for the 2022 Brooklyn half marathon and in April and curious to know how much I should aim to cut off if I did a proper training regimen given this starting point.

    1. Hi Alex! Congrats on your recent half marathon! It’s hard to predict exactly how much you could cut off, but proper training and a race environment could bring you to sub-1:45 or faster if you can do 1:46 on your own. I’m happy to talk with you if you are interested in coaching!

  32. My favorite advice right here!! Last fall I ran my first half marathon at 1:52:19. I was primarily just a 5k runner up to that point (and had only done 2 10ks). My half marathon training plan was pretty much just focused on running more miles. I think sometimes we overcomplicate it. I’m shooting for sub 1:50 this time around – again, my strategy is to slowly start upping the miles.

  33. This was a really great article and helped me understand the to answer from of half-marathon training! I just ran my first yesterday after my first season of triathlons, and had no idea what to expect!

    I finished at 1:44:52 and didn’t realize sub1:45 was a common goal! Feeling pretty chuffed by my time, though my knee and hip are hating me today haha. Can’t wait for next year! Now, time to recover.

  34. I broke 1:44 without training except a 4 mile run every 10 days or so and basketball maybe 2 twice a week. Never even ran more than 7 miles in the last 6 months so I think you are being a bit strict with how much you need to train to do it. By the way I’m almost 40 so it’s not just young legs…

    1. Congrats on hitting a big milestone! It sounds like you are genetically lucky – but not every runner is. Many have to train much harder to even break two hours. Everyone has a different genetic jackpot with their aerobic capacity and muscle fiber typology!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *