Training plans Half marathon
The sub-2:35 half marathon
To break 2:35 for the half marathon, you need an average of 7:21 per kilometre — 11:49 per mile — from gun to tape. Most runners get there on 29–44km per week across 3–4 runs, built over roughly 8–12 weeks. Expect three gears in the plan: 8:16–8:51/km for easy runs, roughly 6:59/km for tempo sessions, and 6:44/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
7:21/km
11:49/mi
Typical build
8–12 weeks
29–44 km/week
Runs per week
3–4
3 key sessions + easy volume
Required paces
| SESSION | PACE (/KM) |
|---|---|
| Easy runs | 8:16–8:51 |
| Long run | 7:46–8:16 |
| Tempo | 6:59 |
| Intervals | 6:44 |
| Race pace | 7:21 |
Splits at goal pace
| CHECKPOINT | CLOCK |
|---|---|
| 5K | 36:44 |
| 10K | 1:13:28 |
| 15K | 1:50:12 |
| Finish | 2:35:00 |
The table assumes level pacing; most runners land a 2:35 by holding two or three seconds per kilometre back from 7:21 early on.
A typical week
Key session 1
Intervals — reps around 6:44/km (5K effort) with jog recoveries
Key session 2
Tempo — sustained comfortably-hard running near 6:59/km
Long run
The week's cornerstone at 7:46–8:16/km, adding 2:35-pace finishes as race day nears
Plus 1+ easy runs. Everything else is easy running at 8:16–8:51/km — the volume that makes the hard days land.
Asked often
- What pace is a sub-2:35 half marathon?
- 7:21 per kilometre, held for the full half marathon. The runners who break 2:35 are usually the ones still passing people in the last quarter.
- How long should I train for a sub-2:35 half marathon?
- From a reasonable base, 8–12 weeks. If you're returning from a break, rebuild first — squeezing a 8-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 2:35 in reach.
This fitness at other distances
- Marathon: 5:23:10 equivalent
- 10K: 1:10:15 equivalent
- 5K: 33:42 equivalent
Sub-2:35, minus the guesswork
RunV builds your sub-2:35 plan around your week, then recalibrates it after every run — finished, cut short, or missed.
