Half Marathon Training Plan Choose Your Level

Every plan on this site is labelled "beginner," "intermediate," or "advanced," and you're not entirely sure which one is actually you. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced aren't feelings — they're numbers. Beginner means under 15 miles/week current mileage, a longest recent run under 3 miles, and 0-1 prior halves. Intermediate means 15-25 miles/week, a longest run of 5-7 miles, and at least one half finished. Advanced means 25+ miles/week, a longest run of 8+ miles, and multiple halves or a genuine time goal behind you. Most advice hands you a vague label. Below is a scored self-assessment, how to resolve it when your signals don't agree, and how goal type and plan length shift the choice.

Pick the wrong tier and the cost rarely shows up in week one. It shows up three weeks in — as an overuse injury if you started too high, or as a taper you don't trust because the mileage never actually challenged you if you started too low. This is one of the few training decisions you get a real shot at getting right before every week that follows depends on it.

The Three Tiers, Defined by Numbers Not Labels

These bands are calibrated against the Boston Athletic Association's published benchmarks — their Level 1 plan starts with a 5-mile long run in week 1, and Level 2 starts with a 7-8 mile long run and 21-26 miles for the week. Real numbers, not vibes.

The Self-Assessment: Which Tier Are You Actually In?

Score yourself against four questions using your own training log, not your memory of a good month. One: your current weekly mileage band. Two: your longest continuous run in the last 4 weeks. Three: half marathons or timed races completed. Four: any injury flag in the last 12 months.

If your answers span two tiers, you're in the lower one — not the average. The runner I worry about most isn't the beginner — it's the high-mileage cyclist-turned-runner with zero race experience who defaults to "advanced" because the numbers look right on paper.

When Your Signals Don't Match: Mileage vs. Race Experience

The Top 10 advice treats experience as one-dimensional. It isn't. Two scenarios come up constantly. High mileage, no race history — a cyclist-turned-runner doing 25 miles/week with zero halves — should start intermediate-minus, spending weeks 1-3 on race-simulation long runs before any speed work. Many races, currently low mileage — a returning runner after a break — should treat themselves as beginner tier regardless of history, and rebuild their base for 3-4 weeks first.

When mileage and race history disagree, I default athletes to the lower tier for the first two weeks. You can always move up — overuse injury from starting too hard doesn't reverse in week three.

Matching Plan Choice to Your Actual Goal

Your goal type overrides raw fitness numbers, and the Top 10 barely touches this. A finish-only goal lets you drop one tier's mileage demand regardless of current fitness. A time or PR goal must meet or exceed the mileage floor for the stated tier — no exceptions. A run-walk goal follows beginner-tier structure regardless of underlying aerobic fitness, because the intensity distribution is genuinely different.

Plan Length Is a Separate Decision From Plan Level

Experience level sets your weekly structure and mileage ceiling. Weeks until race day sets your plan length. These are two separate dials — don't conflate them. A total beginner needs roughly 20 weeks. A regularly-running first-timer needs roughly 12. A runner with a 25+ mile/week base can compress to 8-10 weeks.

You can absolutely be "advanced level, short plan" or "beginner level, long plan." This is the same mileage-band-by-weeks-until-race-day grid I use when onboarding new athletes.

Signs You Picked the Wrong Level Once Training Starts

Three concrete signs, not vague unease. Your long run needs 2+ rest days to recover from by week 3. You can't hold conversational pace on prescribed easy runs. Your heart rate sits well below your aerobic zone on quality days for two straight weeks — that's under-challenged, not disciplined.

When to Size Down or Up Mid-Plan

Two consecutive long runs feeling "very hard" rather than "comfortably hard" means drop one tier for two weeks, then reassess. Quality sessions feeling easy with fast recovery for three straight weeks means move up one tier — but only at the start of the next mesocycle, never mid-week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a beginner, intermediate, and advanced half marathon training plan?

Mileage, longest run, race history, and days per week. Beginner: under 15 mi/week, longest run under 3 miles, 0-1 prior halves, 4 run days. Intermediate: 15-25 mi/week, longest run 5-7 miles, 1+ halves finished, 4-5 run days. Advanced: 25+ mi/week, longest run 8+ miles, multiple halves or a time goal, 5-6 run days.

Can I use an advanced plan with high mileage but no race experience?

No — start intermediate-minus instead. High weekly mileage without race experience is exactly the mismatch that catches runners out. Spend weeks 1-3 on race-simulation long runs before adding any speed work.

Should I choose by goal time or current fitness?

Current fitness sets your starting tier; your goal type then adjusts it. A time/PR goal must meet the mileage floor for its tier with no exceptions, while a finish-only goal can drop one tier's mileage demand regardless of current fitness.

What if I don't fit neatly into one category?

If your answers span two tiers, you're in the lower one — not the average. This applies whether it's mileage vs. race history disagreeing, or any other mismatched signal.

Is it better to under- or over-estimate my level?

Under-estimate. You can always move up a tier once quality sessions feel easy for three straight weeks, but an overuse injury from starting too hard doesn't reverse in week three.

Do beginner plans include speed work?

Minimal, and later in the plan. Beginner tier prioritises building continuous mileage and a durable long run first — structured speed work is layered in gradually, if at all, once the aerobic base is established.

How do I judge if my mileage is too high for my tier?

Watch for two consecutive long runs feeling "very hard" rather than "comfortably hard" — that's the signal to drop one tier for two weeks and reassess, not to push through.

Should returning runners default to beginner tier?

Yes, if their current mileage is low, regardless of how many half marathons they've previously finished. Treat it as beginner tier and rebuild your base for 3-4 weeks first — race history doesn't protect you from a low current base.

Can I switch tiers mid-training?

Yes, but only at the start of a new mesocycle, never mid-week. Move down if long runs feel very hard for two consecutive attempts; move up only after three straight weeks of quality sessions feeling easy with fast recovery.

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