Free Half Marathon Training Tools & Guides

Everything you need to train smarter for a half marathon, not just harder: calculators for your pace and race-day splits, and step-by-step guides for every stage of training, from your first plan to race week fueling.

Your Coach

Meet Caroline: Online Running Coach for Half Marathons UESCA certified, 13 half marathons run, personal best 1:23:45. Why I coach one distance, and how it works.

Tools

Six free calculators to plan your training and race day.

Pace Calculator Enter your goal finish time and get your required pace per km/mile plus a full splits chart for race day. Running Pace Chart Enter your pace per km or mile and get your finish time for every common race distance, from 5K to marathon. Pace Converter Type a pace in min/mile or min/km and see the conversion live, plus a full reference chart. Race Time Predictor Enter a recent 5K, 10K, or 15K result and get your projected half marathon finish time and pace. Heart Rate Zone Calculator Enter your age and resting heart rate to get your 5 running heart rate training zones. Taper Planner Enter your race date and level to get a week-by-week volume and intensity plan for the last two weeks before race day.

Guides

Full write-ups on picking a training plan, training smart, and getting race-week right.

Training plans

Half Marathon Training Plan for Beginners Where to start if this is your first half marathon. Couch to Half Marathon A plan for starting from little to no running base. 12-Week Half Marathon Training Plan A structured 12-week build for runners with some base fitness. 8-Week Half Marathon Training Plan A shorter build for runners already running consistently. 16-Week Half Marathon Training Plan The longest runway for building fitness gradually and staying injury-free.

Race-week & fueling

How to Run a Sub-2:00 Half Marathon What it actually takes to break the two-hour barrier. Half Marathon Nutrition & Fueling What to eat before, during, and after your race. Half Marathon Taper Guide How to cut volume and arrive at the start line fresh. How to Read a Half Marathon Pace Chart Understanding splits so you can pace the race smartly.

Coach or app?

Running Coach vs. Training App A direct breakdown of what each one actually does, and who each one is right for. Runna Alternative A real half marathon coach vs. the app, compared directly.

Race Guides

Race-specific guides for course, logistics, and pacing.

Half Marathon Race Weekend Guides Valencia, Copenhagen, Cardiff, Lisbon, and Berlin: course notes and pacing tips for each race.

Want a real coach, not just a plan?

Caroline has run 13 half marathons, with a personal best of 1:23:45. RunLetters Half Marathon Coaching pairs you with a real coach (not an app) who builds your training around your goal, adjusts the plan as your training actually goes, and is in your corner from week one to the start line.

See the coaching program