Sample plan

First half marathon training plan for 2:30

Marta has never run further than 9 km.

Marta is 50 and has run for two years: three days a week, about 12 km, and a longest run of 9 km. Fourteen weeks to a first half marathon she would like to finish in 2:30.

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 Spanish — 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

There is only one number that matters in Marta's plan and it is nine — the longest run she has ever done, against a race more than twice that. Everything else in these fourteen weeks is subordinate to closing that gap safely, which is why the time target barely shapes the block at all: get her to the distance in one piece and 2:30 takes care of itself.

What the coach was told

Goal
Winter half marathon
Race day
17 January 2027
Distance
21.1 km
Target
2:30:00
Runs per week
3
Weekly volume
~12 km
Longest run
9 km
Recent effort
10 km · 1:05:00
Threshold pace
7:02/km

The eight weeks before

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

11
11
11
11
9
12
12
12

What the coach said, handing it over

Here's your first plan, starting tomorrow Thursday October 15th and running through the half marathon on January 17th (14 weeks).

Assumptions I'm making — let me know if anything needs adjusting: - Your August 10K (65:00) gives me a reference pace of ~6:30/km — from there I'm calculating your easy runs (~7:30-7:50/km) and tempo pace (~6:45-7:00/km). - Your 2:30 goal for the half marathon calls for 7:07/km, which sits below your current reference pace — it's a realistic and conservative target, not forced, so we don't need to push your training pace to get there. - Since you have Cruise mode on, I'm building volume very gradually: we start at your current ~12 km/week and peak with a long run of 16 km in late December, with recovery weeks every 3-4 weeks. - One strength session per week (as you asked), on Wednesdays, positioned so it doesn't interfere with your Sunday long run or Thursday intervals. - Race week includes a short tempo run on Tuesday (not all easy: we keep some race pace to arrive sharp) and short intervals on Saturday before race day.

Sessions are detailed week by week through the end of November; the rest of the block is in summary format and I'll fine-tune it week by week based on how you respond. Any adjustments — more or fewer km, a different day for strength work, a different time goal — just let me know and I'll adapt it.

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.

14 weeks · Peak week 14 · 35 km planned

Week 1from 12 Oct2 sessions10 km planned

Easy start

  • Thu 15
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 25–35 min
    Easy run to get the feel back, conversational the whole way.
  • Sun 18
    Long · 6 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 40–50 min
    Long easy run, no rush — this is your half marathon base.
Week 2from 19 Oct4 sessions16 km planned

Base

  • Tue 20
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 25–35 min
    Easy run, conversational pace.
  • Wed 21
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 6 · moderate-heavy · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight/light · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 12 · bodyweight/light · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 · bodyweight
  • Thu 22
    Easy · 6 × (20s / 1 min) · 30–40 min
    Easy run finishing with some short pickups to loosen the legs.
  • Sun 25
    Long · 8 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 55–70 min
    Long run, keep building endurance without pushing the pace.
Week 3from 26 Oct4 sessions19 km planned

Base

  • Tue 27
    Easy · 5 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 28
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 6 · moderate-heavy · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · light · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 12 · light · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 · bodyweight
  • Thu 29
    Easy · 6 × (20s / 1 min) · 35–50 min
    Easy run with final pickups.
  • Sun 1
    Long · 9 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 60–75 min
    Long run — matching your distance record, nice and easy.
Week 4from 2 Nov4 sessions15 km planned

Recovery

  • Tue 3
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 25–35 min
    Easy run, recovery week.
  • Wed 4
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 6 · moderate · Bulgarian split squat 2 × 8 · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 2 × 12 · light · Calf raise (bent knee) 2 × 12 · light · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 10 · bodyweight
  • Thu 5
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 25–35 min
    Easy and short run.
  • Sun 8
    Long · 7 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 45–60 min
    Short long run, recovery week for the legs.
Week 5from 9 Nov4 sessions20 km planned

Build

  • Tue 10
    Easy · 5 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 11
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · light-moderate · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 12 · light-moderate · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 · bodyweight
  • Thu 12
    Tempo run · 5 km · 30–40 min
    First tempo of the block: steady continuous effort at controlled pace, a bit more demanding than easy.
  • Sun 15
    Long · 10 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 70–85 min
    Long run, now above your previous mark — keep it conversational.
Week 6from 16 Nov4 sessions22 km planned

Build

  • Tue 17
    Easy · 5 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 18
    Strength
    Back squat 4 × 5 · heavy · Bulgarian split squat 3 × 8 · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 3 × 12 · moderate · Calf raise (bent knee) 3 × 12 · moderate · Single-leg glute bridge 3 × 10 · bodyweight
  • Thu 19
    Tempo run · 6 km · 40–50 min
    Tempo a bit longer than last week.
  • Sun 22
    Long · 11 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 75–95 min
    Long run, keep the gradual progress going.
Week 7from 23 Nov4 sessions17 km planned

Recovery

  • Tue 24
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 25–35 min
    Easy run, recovery.
  • Wed 25
    Strength
    Back squat 3 × 6 · moderate · Bulgarian split squat 2 × 8 · moderate · Calf raise (straight knee) 2 × 12 · light · Calf raise (bent knee) 2 × 12 · light · Single-leg glute bridge 2 × 10 · bodyweight
  • Thu 26
    Easy · 5 × (20s / 1 min) · 30–40 min
    Easy run with pickups.
  • Sun 29
    Long · 9 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 60–75 min
    Long run after the recovery week.
Week 8from 30 Nov4 sessions24 km planned

Build

  • Tue 1
    Easy · 6 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 40–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 2
    Strength
  • Thu 3
    Tempo · 6 km @ 6:45-7:00/km · 35–45 min
    6 km with 3 km at tempo pace.
  • Sun 6
    Long · 12 km @ 7:20-7:40/km · 80–100 min
    Long run, keep building.
Week 9from 7 Dec4 sessions26 km planned

Build

  • Tue 8
    Easy · 6 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 40–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 9
    Strength
  • Thu 10
    Tempo · 7 km @ 6:45-7:00/km · 40–55 min
    7 km with 3-4 km at tempo pace.
  • Sun 13
    Long · 13 km @ 7:20-7:40/km · 85–110 min
    Long run, getting closer to peak.
Week 10from 14 Dec4 sessions20 km planned

Recovery

  • Tue 15
    Easy · 5 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run, recovery.
  • Wed 16
    Strength
  • Thu 17
    Easy · 5 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run.
  • Sun 20
    Long · 10 km @ 7:20-7:40/km · 65–85 min
    Moderate long run after recovery.
Week 11from 21 Dec4 sessions27 km planned

Final build

  • Tue 22
    Easy · 6 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 40–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 23
    Strength
  • Thu 24
    Tempo · 7 km @ 6:45-7:00/km · 40–55 min
    7 km with tempo pace block.
  • Sun 27
    Long · 14 km @ 7:20-7:40/km · 95–115 min
    Long run, near your peak.
Week 12from 28 Dec4 sessions28 km planned

Peak

  • Tue 29
    Easy · 6 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 40–50 min
    Easy run.
  • Wed 30
    Strength
  • Thu 31
    Easy · 6 km @ 7:20-7:40/km · 40–50 min
    Easy run with final section at race pace.
  • Sun 3
    Long · 16 km @ 7:20-7:40/km · 110–130 min
    Your longest long run of the block, comfortable pace — this is the last big one before you ease back volume.
Week 13from 4 Jan4 sessions19 km planned

Taper

  • Tue 5
    Easy · 5 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 35–45 min
    Easy run, volume starts to drop.
  • Wed 6
    Strength
  • Thu 7
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:30-7:50/km · 25–35 min
    Short easy run.
  • Sun 10
    Long · 10 km @ 7:20-7:40/km · 65–85 min
    Reduced long run, fresh legs for final week.
Week 14from 11 Jan4 sessions35 km planned

Race week

  • Tue 12
    Tempo run · 2 × (1.6 km / 2 min) · 45–55 min
    Short sharpener at race pace — not for fitness gain, it's to arrive with legs feeling ready. Should feel like you could do it again.
  • Thu 14
    Easy · 4 km @ 7:40-8:00/km · 25–35 min
    Very easy run, legs light.
  • Sat 16
    Easy · 5 × (25s / 90s) · 30–45 min
    Activation with short pickups at race pace, the day before.
  • Sun 17
    Race day · 21.1 km @ 7:07/km · 135–165 min
    Your first half marathon! Steady target pace or slightly progressive, never banking extra time at the start.
Other plans
Half under 1:30 →Half in 1:45 →Half in 2:00 →Half in 2:10 →Half in 2:15 →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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First half marathon training plan for 2:30 · Tuin