Sample plan

Laia's first half marathon.

Laia is 34 and has run for two years: three days a week, around 25 km, a longest run of 13 km and a 27:30 5K. She has never followed a plan. Twelve weeks to her first half, hoping to finish under 2:10.

Built by Tuin on 7 September 2026

The runner is made up. The plan is not: it is exactly what Tuin built from these numbers, through the same door every athlete's first plan goes through, and nothing in it was edited by hand.

What the coach was told

Goal
First half marathon
Race day
29 November 2026
Distance
21.1 km
Target
2:10:00
Runs per week
3
Weekly volume
~25 km
Longest run
13 km
Recent effort
5 km · 27:30
Threshold pace
5:35/km

The eight weeks before

Weekly kilometres the coach read before writing a single session — the runs it built on.

23
24
26
25
16
27
28
26

What the coach said, handing it over

Hey! Here's your first plan, designed to get you to the half marathon on November 29th feeling comfortable and, if all goes well, under 2:10.

Assumptions I've made, which you can correct whenever you like: - Your threshold I'm pulling from your own tempo runs (around 5:34/km with average HR of 169), not from a generic formula — it lines up really well with your 5K of 27:30 that you have on record. - I'm keeping your long runs at the pace you're already doing now (around 6:20-6:25/km), which feels comfortable based on your HR. - Since you're currently running 3 days (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday), I'm keeping that structure and adding a strength day (Friday, which is a non-running day). - The long run builds gradually from 13 to 18 km, with easy weeks every 3-4 weeks so your body absorbs the load, and from November on I'm adding race pace segments within the long run. - Race week includes a short threshold session 5 days before (Tuesday) and some openers on Saturday, not just easy runs — that way you arrive sharp, not flat.

I've set it to Cruise mode: the progression is deliberately gradual, prioritizing that you arrive healthy over gaining time quickly. If you want to push the pace harder, just tell me and I'll adjust it.

One thing that would help me dial in the paces even more: if you have any recent 10K or half marathon times, or you know your actual threshold pace from memory, let me know and I'll recalibrate everything.

The plan, week by week

Week 1from 7 Sept26 km planned

Base — maintain current level

  • Tue 8
    Easy · 7 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run, easy conversation the whole way.
  • Thu 10
    Tempo run · 6 km · 35–45 min
    Continuous tempo to establish threshold pace.
  • Fri 11
    Strength
    Esquat o peso mort 4 × 5 · pesat, ~5RM · Zancada búlgara 3 × 6 per cama · moderat-pesat · Elevació de taló a una cama (cama estirada) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Elevació de taló a una cama (genoll flexionat) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Pont de maluc a una cama 3 × 8 · moderat
  • Sun 13
    Long · 13 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 75–90 min
    Easy long run, like the ones you're doing now.
Week 2from 14 Sept27 km planned

Base — small increase

  • Tue 15
    Easy · 7 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 45–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Thu 17
    Tempo run · 6 km · 35–45 min
    Continuous tempo, same format as last week.
  • Fri 18
    Strength
    Esquat o peso mort 4 × 5 · pesat, ~5RM · Zancada búlgara 3 × 6 per cama · moderat-pesat · Elevació de taló a una cama (cama estirada) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Elevació de taló a una cama (genoll flexionat) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Pont de maluc a una cama 3 × 8 · moderat
  • Sun 20
    Long · 14 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 80–100 min
    Long run, slightly longer than last week.
Week 3from 21 Sept30 km planned

Base — progression

  • Tue 22
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run, a bit longer.
  • Thu 24
    Cruise intervals · 3 × 1.6 km · 40–50 min
    Threshold intervals with short recovery jogs.
  • Fri 25
    Strength
    Esquat o peso mort 4 × 5 · pesat, ~5RM · Zancada búlgara 3 × 6 per cama · moderat-pesat · Elevació de taló a una cama (cama estirada) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Elevació de taló a una cama (genoll flexionat) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Pont de maluc a una cama 3 × 8 · moderat
  • Sun 27
    Long · 15 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 85–105 min
    Long run, following progression.
Week 4from 28 Sept22 km planned

Recovery week

  • Tue 29
    Easy · 6 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy and short run, fresh legs.
  • Thu 1
    Tempo run · 5 km · 25–35 min
    Short tempo, reduced volume to absorb.
  • Fri 2
    Strength
    Esquat o peso mort 3 × 5 · moderat-pesat · Elevació de taló a una cama (cama estirada) 2 × 10 · bodyweight · Pont de maluc a una cama 2 × 8 · moderat
  • Sun 4
    Long · 11 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 60–80 min
    Short long run, active recovery week.
Week 5from 5 Oct32 km planned

Base — resume progression

  • Tue 6
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Thu 8
    Tempo ladder · 8 km · 40–55 min
    Descending ladder: from moderate pace to 10K pace, with walking recovery.
  • Fri 9
    Strength
    Esquat o peso mort 4 × 5 · pesat, ~5RM · Zancada búlgara 3 × 6 per cama · moderat-pesat · Elevació de taló a una cama (cama estirada) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Elevació de taló a una cama (genoll flexionat) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Pont de maluc a una cama 3 × 8 · moderat
  • Sun 11
    Long · 16 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 90–115 min
    Long run, keep building.
Week 6from 12 Oct32 km planned

Base — progression

  • Tue 13
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Thu 15
    Cruise intervals · 3 × 1.6 km · 40–50 min
    Threshold intervals.
  • Fri 16
    Strength
    Esquat o peso mort 4 × 5 · pesat, ~5RM · Zancada búlgara 3 × 6 per cama · moderat-pesat · Elevació de taló a una cama (cama estirada) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Elevació de taló a una cama (genoll flexionat) 3 × 10 · bodyweight/lleuger · Pont de maluc a una cama 3 × 8 · moderat
  • Sun 18
    Long · 17 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 95–120 min
    Long run, almost at peak.
Week 7from 19 Oct34 km planned

Base — volume peak

  • Tue 20
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Thu 22
    Tempo ladder · 8 km @ variable · 40–50 min
    Pace ladder, same format.
  • Fri 23
    Strength
  • Sun 25
    Long · 18 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 105–125 min
    Longest long run yet.
Week 8from 26 Oct24 km planned

Deload week

  • Tue 27
    Easy · 6 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy short run.
  • Thu 29
    Tempo run · 6 km @ 5:34-5:45/km · 30–40 min
    Continuous tempo, reduced volume.
  • Fri 30
    Strength
  • Sun 1
    Long · 12 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 70–85 min
    Short long run.
Week 9from 2 Nov32 km planned

Specific — half marathon pace intervals

  • Tue 3
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Thu 5
    Over/unders · 8 km @ 5:40-6:00/km · 40–55 min
    Over/unders near race pace.
  • Fri 6
    Strength
  • Sun 8
    Long · 16 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 90–115 min
    Long run with final 5 km at half marathon pace.
Week 10from 9 Nov34 km planned

Specific — pre-taper peak

  • Tue 10
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Thu 12
    Over/unders · 8 km @ 5:40-6:00/km · 40–55 min
    Over/unders, same format.
  • Fri 13
    Strength
  • Sun 15
    Long · 18 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 105–125 min
    Long run with final 7 km at half marathon pace.
Week 11from 16 Nov28 km planned

Taper — starting to ease back

  • Tue 17
    Easy · 8 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Thu 19
    Cruise intervals · 6 km @ 5:34-5:45/km · 30–40 min
    Short strides, volume already reduced.
  • Fri 20
    Strength
  • Sun 22
    Long · 14 km @ 6:15-6:30/km · 80–100 min
    Short long run, now in taper phase.
Week 12from 23 Nov37 km planned

Race week

  • Tue 24
    Cruise intervals · 2 × 1.6 km · 35–45 min
    Short sharpening at race pace — you should finish feeling like you could do it again.
  • Thu 26
    Easy · 5 km @ 6:50-7:10/km · 30–40 min
    Very easy run, legs fresh.
  • Sat 28
    Easy · 4 × 25s · 25–35 min
    Openers: easy with four short accelerations at race pace.
  • Sun 29
    Race day · 21.1 km @ 5:50-6:10/km · 115–140 min
    Your first half marathon! Controlled start, even pace or slightly progressive.
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Laia's first half marathon. — Sample plan · Tuin