Sample plan

Half marathon training plan for 1:45

Júlia is seven minutes off 1:45.

Júlia is 32 and has run for four years: four days a week, about 35 km, a 16 km long run, and a 1:52 half in the summer. Thirteen weeks to take seven minutes off it.

Built by Tuin on 8 September 2026
Shown from this week, so it reads like a plan starting today — every weekday, distance and session is exactly as it was written.

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. It was written in Catalan — the other two languages are translated word for word, never renumbered, and strength exercises are named from a standard glossary so they read the same everywhere.

Why this plan looks like this

Júlia is the case where the volume is not the problem. Thirty-five kilometres and a 16 km long run are already enough for the distance, so the plan spends almost none of its thirteen weeks adding kilometres and almost all of them adding time at threshold — the pace she can hold for an hour, which is the pace that decides a 1:45.

What the coach was told

Goal
Winter half marathon
Race day
10 January 2027
Distance
21.1 km
Target
1:45:00
Runs per week
4
Weekly volume
~35 km
Longest run
16 km
Recent effort
21.1 km · 1:52:00
Threshold pace
4:56/km

The eight weeks before

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

35
35
37
37
25
40
39
36

What the coach said, handing it over

You have 13 weeks until mid-January 10th. I'm starting from what your runs already show (around 35 km/week, long runs up to 16 km, tempo work already rolling at around 4:55/km) and your recent 1:52 — a half marathon pace of 5:18/km. Since your goal is 1:45:00 (4:99/km), which is a real demand for someone who already runs well, I've built easy aerobic volume plus ONE quality session per week (never beginner plans), with Cruise mode active: very gradual load ramp, one recovery week every 4, and the long run building up to 18-19 km before tapering. Key assumption: I've taken your current tempo (~4:55/km) as the threshold base; if you find it too hard or too easy, let me know and I'll adjust it. The first session is tomorrow Wednesday 14/10, no need to wait. I've put 1 strength day per week (Friday, your non-running day) following base strength doctrine: squats, lunges, calves (straight and bent) and single-leg glute work. Race week (5-10 January) brings the classic sharpener 4-5 days before and strides the day before — it's not all easy, it's what leaves you fresh and fast on race day. If your real threshold is different from what I've assumed, tell me with a recent time and I'll fine-tune everything.

The plan, week by week

Sixteen weeks is a lot to scroll. Every week is folded — open the ones you want, and week one is open already.

13 weeks · Peak week 8 · 46 km planned

Week 1from 13 Oct4 sessions29 km planned

Welcome week to the plan

  • Wed 14
    Tempo run · 7 km · 35–45 min
    Continuous tempo to get back into threshold pace without forcing.
  • Thu 15
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run, conversational.
  • Fri 16
    Strength
    Front or back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 per side · moderate-heavy · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 8 per side · moderate
  • Sun 18
    Long · 15 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 80–100 min
    Long run at comfortable pace, no rush.
Week 2from 19 Oct5 sessions41 km planned

Building base

  • Tue 20
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 40–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 21
    Cruise intervals · 3 × 1.6 km · 45–60 min
    Cruise intervals at threshold pace with short recoveries.
  • Thu 22
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 40–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 23
    Strength
    Front or back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 per side · moderate-heavy · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 8 per side · moderate
  • Sun 25
    Long · 16 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 85–105 min
    Steady long run.
Week 3from 26 Oct5 sessions41 km planned

Progression toward race pace

  • Tue 27
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 40–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 28
    Progressive run · 8 km · 35–45 min
    Progressive run: start easy and finish at threshold pace.
  • Thu 29
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 40–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 30
    Strength
    Front or back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 per side · moderate-heavy · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 8 per side · moderate
  • Sun 1
    Long · 17 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 90–115 min
    Long run, a bit longer than last week.
Week 4from 2 Nov5 sessions33 km planned

Recovery week

  • Tue 3
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run, fresh legs.
  • Wed 4
    Tempo run · 6 km · 30–40 min
    Short tempo, reduced volume to absorb the load.
  • Thu 5
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 6
    Strength
    Front or back squat 3 × 5 · moderate-heavy · Bulgarian split squat 2 × 6 per side · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 2 × 10 · bodyweight · Calf raise (bent knee) 2 × 10 · bodyweight · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 8 per side · light-moderate
  • Sun 8
    Long · 13 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 70–85 min
    Short easy long run.
Week 5from 9 Nov5 sessions43 km planned

Back to progression

  • Tue 10
    Easy · 8 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 40–55 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 11
    Tempo ladder · 8 km · 35–50 min
    Descending ladder: each rep shorter and faster.
  • Thu 12
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 13
    Strength
    Front or back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 per side · moderate-heavy · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 8 per side · moderate
  • Sun 15
    Long · 18 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 95–120 min
    Steady long run, toward 18 km.
Week 6from 16 Nov5 sessions45 km planned

Peak volume of the first half, race-specific pace

  • Tue 17
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 18
    Over/unders · 3 × (1 km / 1 km) · 40–55 min
    Threshold/10K alternations continuous, no stopping.
  • Thu 19
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 20
    Strength
    Front or back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 6 per side · moderate-heavy · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 10 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 8 per side · moderate
  • Sun 22
    Long · 18 km · 90–115 min
    Long run with race pace finish: easy jog then 5 km at 4:55/km to feel how your legs handle this pace.
Week 7from 23 Nov5 sessions34 km planned

Recovery

  • Tue 24
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 25
    Tempo · 6 km @ 4:50-5:00/km · 25–35 min
    Short maintenance tempo, 4:50-5:00/km.
  • Thu 26
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 27
    Strength
  • Sun 29
    Long · 14 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 75–95 min
    Short easy long run.
Week 8from 30 Nov5 sessions46 km planned

Second ramp toward the peak

  • Tue 1
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 2
    Tempo · 9 km @ 5:05-4:40/km · 40–50 min
    Descending ladder 2-1.5-1 km, increasing pace.
  • Thu 3
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 4
    Strength
  • Sun 6
    Long · 19 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 100–125 min
    Steady long run, around 19 km.
Week 9from 7 Dec5 sessions46 km planned

Peak week

  • Tue 8
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 9
    Tempo · 9 km @ 4:45-5:00/km · 40–50 min
    Threshold/10K alternations, the quality peak of the block.
  • Thu 10
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 11
    Strength
  • Sun 13
    Long · 19 km @ 5:55-6:05/km + 4:55/km final · 95–120 min
    Long run with final 5 km at race pace.
Week 10from 14 Dec5 sessions36 km planned

Recovery before the final block

  • Tue 15
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 16
    Tempo · 7 km @ 4:50-5:00/km · 30–40 min
    Short maintenance tempo.
  • Thu 17
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 18
    Strength
  • Sun 20
    Long · 15 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 80–100 min
    Short easy long run.
Week 11from 21 Dec5 sessions46 km planned

Final race pace tune-up

  • Tue 22
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 23
    Tempo · 9 km @ 4:55-5:05/km · 40–50 min
    Cruise reps at half-marathon pace, the last strong quality touch.
  • Thu 24
    Easy · 9 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 50–60 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 25
    Strength
  • Sun 27
    Long · 19 km @ 5:55-6:05/km + 4:55/km bloc · 95–120 min
    Long run with race pace block inside.
Week 12from 28 Dec5 sessions31 km planned

Taper begins

  • Tue 29
    Easy · 7 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    Easy run, legs starting to lighten up.
  • Wed 30
    Tempo · 6 km @ 4:55-5:00/km · 25–35 min
    Short tempo, volume decreasing, pace intact.
  • Thu 31
    Easy · 6 km @ 5:55-6:10/km · 30–40 min
    Easy run.
  • Fri 1
    Strength
  • Sun 3
    Long · 12 km @ 5:55-6:05/km · 65–80 min
    Short easy long run, now in taper.
Week 13from 4 Jan6 sessions40 km planned

Race week

  • Tue 5
    Easy · 5 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 25–35 min
    Very easy run, no pressure.
  • Wed 6
    Cruise intervals · 2 × 1.6 km · 40–50 min
    Sharpener: maintain race pace with very little volume, you should finish feeling you could do more.
  • Thu 7
    Easy · 4 km @ 6:00-6:15/km · 20–30 min
    Very easy run, fresh legs.
  • Fri 8
    Rest
    Complete rest before tomorrow's opener.
  • Sat 9
    Easy · 5 × 30s · 15–20 min
    Opener: easy run with short pickups at race pace to activate the legs without fatiguing them.
  • Sun 10
    Race day · 21.1 km @ 4:55-5:00/km · 95–115 min
    Winter half marathon: controlled start at 4:59/km, negative split if the legs respond. Trust the work you've done.
Other plans
Half under 1:30 →Half in 2:00 →Half in 2:10 →Half in 2:15 →First half, 2:30 →5K under 20:00 →5K in 22:00 →5K under 25:00 →5K in 30:00 →10K under 40:00 →10K under 42:00 →10K in 45:00 →10K in 50:00 →10K in 55:00 →Marathon under 3:00 →Marathon in 3:30 →Marathon in 3:45 →Marathon in 4:00 →First marathon, 4:30 →First trail, 25K →Trail marathon, 42K →50K trail →

Yours would look different

Tuin writes every plan from the runs it can actually see and the goal you set — then keeps rewriting it as your weeks happen. The whole of it is free for 7 days.

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Half marathon training plan for 1:45 · Tuin