Training plans Half marathon
The sub-1:35 half marathon
To break 1:35 for the half marathon, you need an average of 4:30 per kilometre — 7:15 per mile — from gun to tape. Most runners get there on 52–71km per week across 5–6 runs, built over roughly 11–15 weeks. Expect three gears in the plan: 5:25–6:00/km for easy runs, roughly 4:23/km for tempo sessions, and 4:08/km for intervals. Your starting fitness decides whether the goal is a season away or further — judge it from a recent race, not a hopeful guess.
Last updated 2026-07-03 · paces computed, not copywritten
Goal pace
4:30/km
7:15/mi
Typical build
11–15 weeks
52–71 km/week
Runs per week
5–6
3 key sessions + easy volume
Required paces
| SESSION | PACE (/KM) |
|---|---|
| Easy runs | 5:25–6:00 |
| Long run | 4:55–5:25 |
| Tempo | 4:23 |
| Intervals | 4:08 |
| Race pace | 4:30 |
Splits at goal pace
| CHECKPOINT | CLOCK |
|---|---|
| 5K | 22:31 |
| 10K | 45:02 |
| 15K | 1:07:33 |
| Finish | 1:35:00 |
The table assumes level pacing; most runners land a 1:35 by holding two or three seconds per kilometre back from 4:30 early on.
A typical week
Key session 1
Intervals — reps around 4:08/km (5K effort) with jog recoveries
Key session 2
Tempo — sustained comfortably-hard running near 4:23/km
Long run
The week's cornerstone at 4:55–5:25/km, adding 1:35-pace finishes as race day nears
Plus 3+ easy runs. Everything else is easy running at 5:25–6:00/km — the volume that makes the hard days land.
Asked often
- What pace is a sub-1:35 half marathon?
- 4:30 per kilometre, held for the full half marathon. The runners who break 1:35 are usually the ones still passing people in the last quarter.
- How long should I train for a sub-1:35 half marathon?
- From a reasonable base, 11–15 weeks. If you're returning from a break, rebuild first — squeezing a 11-week plan into less is how half marathon builds break.
- What happens if I miss training weeks?
- If the plan can't adjust, missed weeks turn into injury risk or a blown goal. RunV recalibrates after every run — including the ones that didn't happen — to keep 1:35 in reach.
This fitness at other distances
- Marathon: 3:18:04 equivalent
- 10K: 43:03 equivalent
- 5K: 20:39 equivalent
Sub-1:35, minus the guesswork
RunV builds your sub-1:35 plan around your week, then recalibrates it after every run — finished, cut short, or missed.
