Sample plan

Half marathon training plan for 2:15

Clara's second half, eleven minutes faster.

Clara is 42 and has run for three years: three days a week, about 18 km, and one half marathon behind her in 2:26. Thirteen weeks to take eleven minutes off it.

Built by Tuin on 9 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 English — 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

Clara has done the distance once, which changes the plan more than the eleven minutes do: she does not need convincing that she can finish, so the block can spend itself on the part that decides the time rather than on the part that decides the finish. With three runs a week that means the long run carries the specific work, and the two midweek runs exist to let it happen.

What the coach was told

Goal
Winter half marathon
Race day
10 January 2027
Distance
21.1 km
Target
2:15:00
Runs per week
3
Weekly volume
~18 km
Longest run
13 km
Recent effort
21.1 km · 2:26:00
Threshold pace
6:20/km

The eight weeks before

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

17
17
18
18
13
18
20
20

What the coach said, handing it over

Here's your 13-week build to the Winter half, from tomorrow through race day (Jan 10).

Assumptions I made, correct me if I'm off: your recent runs sit around 15-16 km/week on 4 sessions, a bit under the 18 km/3-day pattern you described — I've built from what you're actually running now (roughly 6:20/km on tempo/interval days, ~7:55/km easy) and I'm treating 18 km as an early-plan target, not today's baseline. Your tempo and interval paces already sit close to what 2:15 needs (6:24/km) — that's a good sign, the fitness is closer than the old 2:26 result suggests, so I've set your training threshold at 6:20/km rather than deriving it from that older race.

Shape: easy runs stay conversational (~7:50-8:10/km), one quality session a week (Tue) building interval→tempo→race-pace work through four different session shapes so it doesn't get stale, long run on Sunday growing toward ~16 km by peak, and one strength day (Wed) for durability — heavy/low-rep in base, shifting toward plyos as you get fitter, dropping to maintenance in taper. Every 4th week backs off so fatigue doesn't stack. Race week (Jan 5-10) carries a short sharpener Tuesday and easy strides Saturday — not just easy running — so you arrive sharp, not flat.

Weeks 7-12 are sketched at a lighter level of detail for now; I'll fill in the exact rep structure as we get closer, and I'll adjust anything based on how the next few weeks actually go.

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 13 · 34 km planned

Week 1from 13 Oct2 sessions14 km planned

Ease in — first week

  • Thu 15
    Easy · 6 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 40–55 min
    Easy run, keep it conversational — this is just picking up where your recent runs left off.
  • Sun 18
    Long · 8 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 55–70 min
    Long run at easy effort, same pace as your other runs — no need to push.
Week 2from 19 Oct4 sessions21 km planned

Build base, first quality day

  • Tue 20
    On/offs · 8 × (1 min / 1 min) · 30–40 min
    On/off intervals — short surges at 5K effort with a float recovery, not a full stop.
  • Wed 21
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg hip thrust 3 × 10 per side · moderate
  • Thu 22
    Easy · 7 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run, truly conversational.
  • Sun 25
    Long · 9 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 65–80 min
    Steady long run, no pace pressure.
Week 3from 26 Oct4 sessions23 km planned

Threshold introduced

  • Tue 27
    Tempo run · 6 km · 35–45 min
    Continuous tempo — comfortably hard, could hold a short conversation only in bursts.
  • Wed 28
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Single-leg calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Single-leg hip thrust 3 × 10 per side · moderate
  • Thu 29
    Easy · 7 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run, keep it relaxed.
  • Sun 1
    Long · 10 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 70–90 min
    Long run, still all easy effort.
Week 4from 2 Nov4 sessions15 km planned

Down week — absorb the load

  • Tue 3
    Easy · 5 × (150 m / 2 min) · 10–15 min
    Easy run with a few strides to keep the legs lively.
  • Wed 4
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 5 · moderate-heavy · Split squat 2 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (both variations) 2 × 12 · bodyweight+
  • Thu 5
    Easy · 6 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 40–55 min
    Easy, short and relaxed.
  • Sun 8
    Long · 8 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 55–70 min
    Cutback long run — shorter this week on purpose.
Week 5from 9 Nov4 sessions25 km planned

Resume the build

  • Tue 10
    Cruise intervals · 3 × (1.6 km / 1 min) · 45–60 min
    Cruise intervals — repeated efforts at threshold with a short jog recovery.
  • Wed 11
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (both variations) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Pogo jumps 3 × 20s · bodyweight
  • Thu 12
    Easy · 7 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 15
    Long · 11 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 80–100 min
    Long run continues to build.
Week 6from 16 Nov4 sessions28 km planned

Race-specific pace work begins

  • Tue 17
    Over/unders · 3 × (1 km / 1 km) · 50–65 min
    Over/unders — alternating a notch above and below race pace, both halves are work.
  • Wed 18
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy ~5RM · Split squat 3 × 8 per side · moderate · Calf raise (both variations) 3 × 12 · bodyweight+ · Pogo jumps 3 × 20s · bodyweight
  • Thu 19
    Easy · 7 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 50–65 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 22
    Long · 12 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 85–105 min
    Peak long run of this block.
Week 7from 23 Nov4 sessions20 km planned

Down week

  • Tue 24
    Easy · 5 km · 25–35 min
    Easy with strides
  • Wed 25
    Strength
  • Thu 26
    Easy · 6 km · 30–40 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 29
    Long · 9 km · 45–60 min
    Cutback long run
Week 8from 30 Nov4 sessions27 km planned

Build continues

  • Tue 1
    Intervals · 7 km @ 6:00-6:10/km · 35–50 min
    4x1000 @ 10K pace, jog recovery
  • Wed 2
    Strength
  • Thu 3
    Easy · 7 km · 35–45 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 6
    Long · 13 km · 65–80 min
    Long run, building toward peak
Week 9from 7 Dec4 sessions29 km planned

Race-pace focus

  • Tue 8
    Tempo · 8 km @ 6:20-6:30/km · 45–60 min
    Progressive run finishing at race pace
  • Wed 9
    Strength
  • Thu 10
    Easy · 7 km · 35–45 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 13
    Long · 14 km @ 6:20-6:30/km · 80–100 min
    Long run with last 4km at race pace
Week 10from 14 Dec4 sessions21 km planned

Down week before peak

  • Tue 15
    Easy · 5 km · 25–35 min
    Easy with strides
  • Wed 16
    Strength
  • Thu 17
    Easy · 6 km · 30–40 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 20
    Long · 10 km · 50–65 min
    Cutback long run
Week 11from 21 Dec4 sessions31 km planned

Peak week

  • Tue 22
    Tempo · 8 km @ 6:20-6:30/km · 45–60 min
    3x1.6km at race pace, short jog recovery
  • Wed 23
    Strength
  • Thu 24
    Easy · 7 km · 35–45 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 27
    Long · 16 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 115–140 min
    Longest run of the block, near race distance's demand
Week 12from 28 Dec4 sessions22 km planned

Taper begins

  • Tue 29
    Easy · 6 km · 30–40 min
    Easy with strides, volume dropping now
  • Wed 30
    Strength
  • Thu 31
    Easy · 6 km · 30–40 min
    Easy run
  • Sun 3
    Long · 10 km · 50–65 min
    Shorter long run, intensity kept, volume down
Week 13from 4 Jan6 sessions34 km planned

Race week

  • Tue 5
    Easy · 5 km @ 7:50-8:10/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run, keep it light.
  • Wed 6
    Cruise intervals · 3 × (800 m / 1 min) · 35–45 min
    Sharpener — short reps at race pace, low volume. You should finish feeling like you could do it again.
  • Thu 7
    Strength
    Bodyweight squat 2 × 8 · bodyweight · Calf raise (both variations) 2 × 10 · bodyweight
  • Fri 8
    Rest
    Full rest — let the legs feel fresh.
  • Sat 9
    Easy · 5 × (150 m / 2 min) · 30–40 min
    Openers — easy jog with a few relaxed strides at race pace, no fatigue left behind.
  • Sun 10
    Race day · 21.1 km @ 6:24/km · 120–150 min
    Winter half marathon — goal 2:15. Even or slightly negative split, don't bank time early.
Other plans
Half under 1:30 →Half in 1:45 →Half in 2:00 →Half in 2:10 →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 2:15 · Tuin