How to Successfully Train for Your First Half Marathon
Galatian 6:9: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (English Standard Version)
I will never forget that first half marathon. It was April 26, 2025. For once, I had gotten a good night’s sleep and felt rested. Everything was laid out and I was prepped and ready to go. I felt great as I sipped my coffee and munched on peanut butter banana toast. During the 30-minute drive, I got my head mentally prepared for what was about to ensue. Despite the misty rain during my 2 ½ hour run that day, everything went as smoothly as it could have. I owe much of this to the preparation I did before my race. It wasn’t perfect, of course, but it was awesome. In fact, I loved it so much, I decided to sign up for the sister half marathon!
If you are toying with the idea of running a half marathon, I challenge you to do it. You owe it to yourself to do something that less than 2% of the population can say they’ve done. It makes sense why so few people choose to run. It’s hard and is one of the few sports that uses basically every muscle group in the body. You tire easily if you don’t train properly. And the munchies are oh, so real. With all that in mind, if you want to go for it and train for your first half marathon, read on for some great advice.
I want to preface by saying that training for and running a half marathon is no easy feat and I really am no expert. I’m just a girl who loves to put myself in strenuous situations. Training to run a half marathon takes a lot of time, planning, dedication, and grit to successfully do it. Even so, you can do it. I promise it’s possible. In order to successfully train for your first half marathon, you’ll need a game plan, and I have just what you need, so let’s jump in.
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14 Tips to Help You Successfully Train for Your First Half Marathon
Find a fun race with beautiful scenery.
The definition of “beautiful scenery” can vary depending on what you consider beautiful. I personally prefer Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains to Colorado’s Rockies, but that’s just me. Others absolutely love the smooth rock faces of Utah and some can’t get enough of the scenery in Michigan. Either way, when picking a race, you’ll be more motivated if you know the race is going to include a fun location or gorgeous views. My first half marathon took place in the rural farmlands in Bird-in-Hand, PA. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. You might love the beach. If so, find a half that gets you on the beach. If you’re more of a city person, you might want to consider a race like the Philly Half or Colfax Half. Consider perusing through the lists below to find one that you might enjoy running.
Purchase the right shoes.
If you are at the point where you’re planning to train for your first half marathon, you’ve entered the big(ger) leagues of racing. You can’t get away (most of the time) with buying a random pair of shoes from Scheels or Dick’s. Instead, you need proper footwear that has been appropriately fitted for your specific feet. The best way to do this is find a local, mom and pop running store where employees are trained to do a gait analysis. It takes less than five minutes and you receive great recommendations. You can even try out the shoes in the store.
Alternatively, if you go to a store like Fleet Feet, your feet will be analyzed via a 3D scanner. Not surprisingly, the results tend to be inaccurate and employees are not necessarily trained to make specialized recommendations based on your specific feet. If you can’t get to a mom and pop store within a reasonable distance, you can try a shoe finder quiz like this one from Road Runner Sports. Most big name shoe brands like Saucony and Brooks also have their own shoe finder quizzes. While not perfect, they tend to be pretty accurate and serve as a good alternative to going in person.
Get set up with appropriate gear.
When I prep for a race, I like to think head-to-toe. At a minimum, you will need a shirt, sports bra if you’re a woman, running shorts or leggings, underwear, socks, and shoes. For personal reasons, I do not wear sunglasses, sunscreen, or a hat (unless it’s raining), but many runners choose to. Other gear you may want to consider wearing include a hydration vest, armband for your phone, running belt, and GPS watch. None of these items are required or even necessary, but they are all great additions if you plan to train for your first half marathon. For more gear suggestions, check out this post I wrote.
Don’t start training too late.
A big mistake new runners can make is not allotting enough time for training. A good baseline to start at is three miles per run. I’ve heard it said, if you can run three miles, you can basically run any distance. I will say, training for this half is much easier than the last one because my baseline started around six miles instead of three. If you are going to train for your first half marathon, plan for at least 12 to 16 weeks with a minimum of three runs per week. This will insure you have enough time to build up the mileage necessary to hit 13.1 on race day. If you can’t yet run three miles comfortably, you may want to consider giving yourself even more time to make sure you have a solid baseline.
Pick a plan that is manageable for you.
If you want to train for your first half marathon and you are brand new to training for long distances, please don’t pick a plan that has you running five days a week with an average of twenty miles of running. Unless you are insanely athletic, this is going to take a toll on your body. Think about it: If your baseline is three miles, you’re starting at less than ten miles per week. The majority of your runs (around 80%) should be easy, meaning it feels more like a light jog than an actual run. You are aiming to build volume, not intensity.
When picking a plan, you also want to keep in mind the source you’re getting your plan from. Please, please don’t pick some random plan off the Internet. You want to get a plan from a reputable source. The plan I picked is my own modified version of the Hal Higdon Novice 1 training program. Other reputable training plans include Runners’ World, Mottiv (You should be familiar with running jargon for these plans), and Nike Run Club.
Practice, practice, practice.
In order to successfully train for your first half marathon, you have to, well, run! If you are not willing to practice the craft, you won’t get any good at it. Barring sickness or injury, once you land on a plan that is manageable and one you think you’ll enjoy, make sure you stick to it. You can get away with some missed days every now and again, but for the most part, you need to be practicing consistency to feel good and to see results.
Consider eating habits that fit your body and lifestyle.
There is a LOT of nutrition and eating advice out there. Unfortunately, as a society, we’ve gotten to the point where we have lost touch with ourselves. We eat a certain way because someone tells us to do so. There definitely is sage advice most individuals should follow, but our bodies are so specific and nuanced, that you can’t listen to what someone says and take it as the end-all-be-all. It’s important to get in tune with your body and figure out what foods make you feel your best. Eating less processed foods and sugar are two rules of thumb that anyone can agree is helpful. However, if someone says bananas are a terrible pre-race food but you love them and feel great on them, then eat the bananas!! The important thing is to fuel and then run to see how your body does with certain foods.
Mentally prepare yourself.
I can’t stress this advice enough. If you are not in it mentally, you may want to consider waiting until you can get there mentally. My toughest runs are the ones where I’m just not in it. Sometimes, this is due to stress, hormones, or being overly tired. Either way, if you can mentally get your mind right, or even use your run as a distraction, you’ll feel much better. You may want to listen to a motivational speech or turn on some great music to get you pumped. I like to visualize before and during my runs. It’s a really powerful technique that can carry you through some of your toughest runs. Whatever the case may be for you, find something that can help get your mind right and do it every time.
Understand that this is a big commitment.
If you plan to train for your first half marathon, I cannot understate the amount of time you will put into training. Training for a half marathon is not like training for a 5k. It’s on another level and it’s important you understand this. I don’t mean to sound pretentious, but it’s a big commitment. If you work full-time, you need to know that you’ll be spending an average four or five hours training each week (assuming you do strength training as well) at the beginning alone. And by the time you rack up 10 or 11 miles for your long runs, it may be closer to seven or eight hours per week. This may include having to run very early in the morning or late at night to make sure you are getting your runs in. During training blocks, I have to schedule life around my training. This isn’t always fun, but it’s worth the commitment and worth the payoff on race day.
Create a race day plan.
I don’t think this piece of training advice is touted enough. In my opinion, creating a race day plan is one of the most under-utilized pieces of advice out there. When you are making your race day plan, there are many factors to consider: Packet pickup times, meals, gear, locations and time, parking availability, energy levels before and after, weather, etc. There’s a lot that goes into prepping for a half marathon. It rained, but because of my plan, I was prepared and brought everything I needed to successfully run my half. Below is a short version of my race day plan.
- Determine packet pickup times
- Check weather regularly the week of the race
- Plan for pre-race food and prep food as needed
- Make race day packing list
- Plan sleep and wake times for day prior and of
- Make and eat breakfast
- Arrive 45 minutes early to go to the bathroom and get mentally prepared
- Begin listening to motivational music
- Go to the bathroom before the line gets too long
- Join at the start line
- Run!!
Do some research ahead of time.
If you want to train for your first half marathon, you will want to do some research into your race before it happens. Half the battle is knowing the terrain and geographical location. When you’re traveling for a race, research is even more important. If you are planning to run a race in Colorado but have never even been above sea level, you will need to research how to prepare for the shift in elevation so you minimize the risk of elevation sickness. If you’re running a hilly half and haven’t done hill training, now is a good time to research hill training. You also want to research the route and get a sense of it before the race. And if possible, if you can run part or all of the race route, this will get you a little more mentally and physically prepared for the race.
Make sure to include time for tapering.
If you’re unfamiliar with this term, it means to decrease your mileage, which allows your body a break. Tapering typically occurs halfway through your training and also at the end. You should plan to run half of your longest current distance during your taper weeks. So, if your halfway point of training is nine miles, plan to run no more than five during your taper week. The week before your race, you’ll be around six and a half miles. During race week, you should focus on light jogging and not go crazy with mileage at all. You need to save your energy for race day!
Hydrate well.
If you’ve read any of my other posts on running, you’ll know I mention that hydrating goes beyond drinking water. And in fact, if you drink too much water, you can dilute the sodium levels in your body, leading to electrolyte imbalance. Despite what we’ve been told, we need salt! This is where electrolytes come in. Drinking electrolytes on a semi-regular basis will help to balance your body’s electrolytes and keep you hydrated. Check out two of my favorite brands, LMNT and Fire Salt. Specifically with LMNT, if you use my referral code, you’ll get a free sample pack with your purchase.
Be prepared to hit a wall multiple times.
During my training, my longest run was 10 miles and it was tough. During that training block, I sustained a minor injury, was dealing with physical limitations, and had gotten sick five times in a period of four months. It felt like Satan was truly attacking me. Nevertheless, I pushed forward and was successful on race day! However, when I reached Mile 10, I hit a wall, THE wall, in fact. I was well-fueled, but my body hadn’t ran past 10 miles, so that’s when things got tough. Most runners go through this, and if you do while you train for your first half marathon, know you’re not alone. Read these tips from Runner’s World to help you push past it.
Do not wear new gear on race day.
I beg of you, don’t wear that fun t-shirt they give you at packet pickup. It will be a recipe for disaster! In fact, you should be wearing something that makes you feel comfortable for 13.1 miles. A half marathon is a lot of miles and you don’t want to risk chafing or getting rashes because you decided to wear a new pair of Lulu Lemon leggings. You should practice wearing your clothes, especially on long runs. You want to feel your absolute best on race day, even if it means tried and true clothes that don’t look pretty. I promise, no one is going to care what you look like.
Have fun!
Lastly and most importantly, have fun on race day. Running a half marathon is a big deal and a major accomplishment. You’re probably not doing this thing to place, so go out and have fun. You will be sore and tired and want to eat all the things, and probably nap. Do it all and have a great time. You’ve got this, my friend!
If you love this post, consider checking out some of my other content:
RUNNING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS (+ HOW TO LOVE RUNNING)
15 REASON WHY YOU SHOULD RUN IN 2025
