Last reviewed: October 2026.
This is a 12-week half marathon training plan built for New Zealand’s summer race season. It uses three runs a week plus an optional fourth, builds your long run from 8 km to 18 km, and includes two lighter weeks so your body can absorb the work. Pick a race from our list of NZ half marathons, count back 12 weeks, and start.
Who this plan is for
- You can run 5 km without stopping, at any speed.
- You have been running two or three times a week for at least a month.
- You want to finish a half marathon feeling strong, not just survive it.
If you cannot run 5 km yet, start with our Couch to 5K guide and come back in nine weeks. If you have an injury, a heart condition or any health concern, check with your doctor before you start a new training plan.
Which week should I start?
Week 1 starts on a Monday. Week 12 is race week. Here is when to start for some of the popular summer and autumn half marathons on our calendar (dates can change, so check the event page):
| Race | Race date | Start Week 1 on |
|---|---|---|
| Hobsonville Half Marathon | Sun 17 Jan 2027 | Mon 26 Oct 2026 |
| Mount Festival Half Marathon | Sat 23 Jan 2027 | Mon 2 Nov 2026 |
| Clevedon Half Marathon | Sun 31 Jan 2027 | Mon 9 Nov 2026 |
| Coatesville Half Marathon or Round the Bays Wellington | Sun 14 Feb 2027 | Mon 23 Nov 2026 |
| Hamilton Half Marathon or Maraetai Half Marathon | Sun 14 Mar 2027 | Mon 21 Dec 2026 |
| Waterfront Half Marathon | Sun 11 Apr 2027 | Mon 18 Jan 2027 |
If your race is less than 12 weeks away, start at the week that matches the time you have left, as long as you can comfortably run that week’s long run. Do not skip the last three weeks.
The four types of run
- Easy: conversational pace. You can speak in full sentences. Most of your running should feel like this, and it is fine if it feels slow.
- Tempo: comfortably hard. You can say a few words but not hold a conversation. Roughly the effort you could hold for an hour.
- Intervals: short, faster efforts (around your 5K to 10K effort) with easy jogging in between. Hills work well here.
- Long run: easy pace, longer distance. This is the most important run of the week. Slow down if you need to, but get the distance done.
Every session that is not marked easy should start with 10 minutes of easy jogging and finish with 5 to 10 minutes of easy jogging. These are included in the distances below. Not sure what pace to aim for on race day? Put a recent 5K or 10K time into our race predictor, then use the pace calculator to turn it into a per-kilometre pace.
The 12-week plan
Put the runs on any days that suit you, with at least one easy day or rest day between the quality session and the long run. A common pattern is Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (optional) and Sunday long run. Run 3 is optional: if you are short on time or feeling beaten up, drop it first.
| Week | Run 1: easy | Run 2: quality | Run 3: easy (optional) | Long run | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 km | 5 km with 6 × 1 min faster, 1 min easy | 4 km | 8 km | 22 km |
| 2 | 5 km | 6 km with 3 × 5 min tempo, 2 min jog | 4 km | 9 km | 24 km |
| 3 | 6 km | 6 km with 8 × 1 min hard (hills if you have them), 1 min easy | 5 km | 10 km | 27 km |
| 4 (lighter) | 5 km | 5 km easy, finish with 4 × 20 s relaxed strides | 4 km | 8 km | 22 km |
| 5 | 6 km | 7 km with 2 × 10 min tempo, 3 min jog | 5 km | 12 km | 30 km |
| 6 | 6 km | 7 km with 5 × 3 min at 10K effort, 2 min jog | 5 km | 13 km | 31 km |
| 7 | 6 km | 8 km with 20 min continuous tempo | 6 km | 14 km | 34 km |
| 8 (lighter) | 5 km | 6 km with 6 × 1 min faster, 1 min easy | 5 km | 10 km | 26 km |
| 9 | 7 km | 9 km with 3 × 2 km at goal race pace, 3 min jog | 6 km | 16 km | 38 km |
| 10 | 7 km | 9 km with 2 × 3 km at goal race pace, 3 min jog | 6 km | 18 km | 40 km |
| 11 | 6 km | 8 km with 5 km continuous at goal race pace | 5 km | 14 km | 33 km |
| 12 (race week) | 5 km easy with 4 × 20 s strides | 4 km easy with 3 × 1 min at goal race pace | Rest | Race: 21.1 km |
Why the plan looks like this
- The long run grows slowly. It goes up by about one or two kilometres a week, and most weeks the total rises by roughly 10% or less. Doing too much too soon is the most common way runners get hurt.
- Weeks 4 and 8 are lighter on purpose. You get fitter while you recover, not while you train. Do not use these weeks to catch up on missed runs.
- Goal-pace work starts in week 9. By then you have the endurance to practise race pace on tired legs, which is exactly what the last 5 km of a half marathon feels like.
- The peak is 18 km, not 21.1 km. You do not need to run the full distance before race day. A taper and race-day adrenaline will carry you the last three kilometres.
Training through a New Zealand summer
- Run early. UV levels in New Zealand are very high in summer. Long runs before 9am are cooler and easier, and you will get used to the early starts most races have.
- Practise your race-day drinks and food. On any long run over 75 minutes, try the same drink and gels you will use in the race. Find out what the race offers at aid stations on the event page.
- Plan around Christmas. Most plans fall apart between 20 December and 5 January. Decide now which runs you will move, and treat a missed week as a lighter week rather than trying to cram it in.
- Hills count. If you live somewhere hilly, run your easy days by effort, not pace. A slow kilometre up a hill is still an easy run if your breathing says so.
What to do if things go wrong
- Missed a few days: carry on with the plan from where you are. Do not double up.
- Missed a week or more: repeat the last week you completed, then continue.
- Sore or niggly: drop the quality session and Run 3, keep the long run easy and shorter. Pain that changes how you run, or does not settle after a couple of days, is a reason to see a physio.
- Sick: rest. Fitness lost to a week off is small. Fitness lost to an injury from training through illness is not.
Race week
- Do less than you think you should. The work is done.
- Lay out your kit the night before and do not wear anything new on race day, including shoes.
- Start slower than goal pace for the first two or three kilometres. Almost everyone starts too fast.
- Check the event page for start time, parking and bag drop details a few days before.
Find a race and people to train with
Training is easier with company. Look for a group near you in our run club directory, or ask questions and find training partners in the NZ Running community. When you have picked your race, follow it on its event page so you can find it again quickly. The full list of upcoming races is on our half marathon calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to train for a half marathon?
Around 12 weeks is typical if you can already run 5 km comfortably. If you are starting from zero, allow about 9 weeks to build up to 5 km first, so roughly five months in total.
How many times a week should I run?
Three runs a week is enough to finish a half marathon well. A fourth easy run helps if your body handles it, but consistency matters more than the number of runs.
Do I need to run 21 km before race day?
No. A long run of 16 to 18 km three to four weeks before the race is enough for most runners. Running the full distance in training adds injury risk without much extra benefit.