This page is going to discuss some of the best half marathon tips and hopefully give you some insight into how to choose the best half marathon training schedule for beginners for your own personal circumstance or situation.

The half marathon distance is approximately 13.1 miles (21.1 km).

Now, don’t make the mistake which a lot of people make and assume that because it’s only a half marathon that it’s going to only be half as difficult. This is quite far from the truth. The step up from half marathon to marathon may be big, but it’s nowhere near as big as the gap from having done nothing to doing your first half marathon.

Beginners Biggest Mistake

By far the biggest mistake, which most novices make, is not to invest in a proper half marathon training schedule for beginners. For most would-be half marathoners the training program will be the cheapest of your marathon purchases, however it also happens to be the most important as well as the most overlooked.

There are a lot of free running charts on the internet and in magazines and books, however a running schedule is only one part of how to train for a marathon. Let me put it to you another way. During your marathon race you’ll see two types of runners.

The first type are the ones who get injured, are gasping for breath or just manage to finish by falling over the line. The other type of runners you’ll see are well prepared and have done everything possible within their power to make sure they are fully prepared. They’ll check their watch at every checkpoint, know exactly how much water to drink and when and also how to pace themselves to their own abilities.

They’ll finish the half marathon race with a big smile on their face and their hands raised because they have achieved their goal. They can tell everyone they know that they succeeded and will have an awesome time that they can be proud of.

The difference between these two runners is about $30. It’s the decision whether or not to invest in a professional half marathon training schedule for beginners and it happens before you even start your training. In fact, for most of you reading this page, this decision will happen now!  My advice is to check out some of the best programs on this page and choose the one which seems right for you. Trust me, thirty bucks ain’t worth the feeling of regret you’ll have later which will follow you forever.

Half Marathon Training Schedule For Beginners 8 Weeks, 20 Weeks Or Longer?

The best training programs contain half marathon training schedules for beginners which cover time frames of 8 weeks up to 6 months out from race day. For most people this decision will come down to how long you have from the time you get the program until marathon Sunday.

It goes without saying that the sooner you start training the better prepared you’ll be for the running schedule. Don’t make the mistake of waiting until you get your program to start jogging. The better your base level of fitness is, the easier you will find the training and less likely you will be to get injured. In terms of which one is better, well this all depends on your level of fitness and running experience.

For novice runners and first timers the longer your program the better because your body will need to time to adapt to the changes which you’ll be imposing on yourself.

Free Programmes

The best half marathon training schedule for beginners running plans available for free can be found at logyourrun.com. However, remember that a running program won’t give any advice about your marathon diet, equipment, injury prevention, blisters, chaffing and a multitude of other considerations which you won’t know about until it’s too late.

One of the biggest aspects of training for a half marathon  is mental preparation. A professional half marathon training schedule for beginners will give you a complete picture of what you need to know and be prepared for in training and during each stage of the training.

Pre-race routines are prescribed right down to meal sizes, sleep patterns and rest periods. Leave nothing to chance and get a proper program.