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Improver

Your 16 week training plan to get you from zero to a half marathon.

Training plan guidance

Easy jogging and walking

An 'easy' jog or walk means a 'recovery run'. Keep your heart rate at about 60-70% of the maximum, and go at a pace where you can chat comfortably.

Interval sessions

For example, "8 x 2 minutes (60 seconds rest)", means that you run for 2 minutes, then stop and recover for 60 seconds, repeating this 8 times.

All 2 minute reps should be at a consistent pace – or getting faster towards the end – so don't start too quickly! These runs should be at a faster pace than the easy runs, working near your maximum.

Gym sessions and cross-training

To complement your running, we recommend you do some gym or cross-training sessions.

Engaging in activities like swimming, weight training, strength training, or cycling involves using different parts of the body, unlike running.

Training plan

Improver – PDF training plan

The complete 16-week training plan available for print.

Keep me moving. The 16 week training plan.
Week Day Activity
Week 1 Monday Rest day
Week 1 Tuesday Interval training. A 3 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 5 times
Week 1 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 1 Thursday Rest day
Week 1 Friday Easy run. 20 minutes
Week 1 Saturday Rest day
Week 1 Sunday Interval training. A 1 km run followed by a 1 km walk – do this 2 times
Week 2 Monday Rest day
Week 2 Tuesday Interval training. An 2 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 10 times
Week 2 Wednesday Rest day
Week 2 Thursday Rest day
Week 2 Friday Easy run. 25 minutes
Week 2 Saturday Rest day
Week 2 Sunday Long run. 3 km
Week 3 Monday Rest day
Week 3 Tuesday Interval training. A 12 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 10 times
Week 3 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 3 Thursday Rest day
Week 3 Friday Interval training. A 5 minute run, followed by a 90 seconds rest – do this 4 times
Week 3 Saturday Rest day
Week 3 Sunday Long run. 4 km
Week 4 Monday Rest day
Week 4 Tuesday Interval training. A 4 minute run, followed by a 90 seconds rest – do this 6 times
Week 4 Wednesday Rest day
Week 4 Thursday Rest day
Week 4 Friday Easy run. 25 minutes
Week 4 Saturday Rest day
Week 4 Sunday Event day. 5 km run
Week 5 Monday Rest day
Week 5 Tuesday Interval training. A 8 minute run, followed by a 90 seconds rest – do this 4 times
Week 5 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 5 Thursday Rest day
Week 5 Friday Easy run. 15 minutes
Week 5 Saturday Rest day
Week 5 Sunday Long run. 6 km
Week 6 Monday Rest day
Week 6 Tuesday Interval training. A 5 minutes run, followed by 90 seconds rest - do this 6 times
Week 6 Wednesday Easy run. 25 minutes
Week 6 Thursday Rest day
Week 6 Friday Interval training. A 1 km run, followed by 2 minutes rest – do this 6 times
Week 6 Saturday Rest day
Week 6 Sunday Long run. 7 km
Week 7 Monday Rest day
Week 7 Tuesday Long run. 5 km
Week 7 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 7 Thursday Rest day
Week 7 Friday Easy run. 15 minutes
Week 7 Saturday Rest day
Week 7 Sunday Long run. 8 km
Week 8 Monday Rest day
Week 8 Tuesday Interval training. A 10 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 3 times
Week 8 Wednesday Easy run. 30 minutes
Week 8 Thursday Rest day
Week 8 Friday Easy run. 20 minutes
Week 8 Saturday Rest day
Week 8 Sunday Event day. 10 km run
Week 9 Monday Rest day
Week 9 Tuesday Interval training. A 1 km run, followed by a 90 seconds rest – do this 6 times
Week 9 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 9 Thursday Rest day
Week 9 Friday Interval training. A 10 minute run, followed by 1 minute rest – do this 4 times
Week 9 Saturday Rest day
Week 9 Sunday Long run. 12 km
Week 10 Monday Rest day
Week 10 Tuesday Easy run. 30 minutes
Week 10 Wednesday Easy run. 35 minutes
Week 10 Thursday Rest day
Week 10 Friday Interval training. A 15 minute run, followed by a 90 seconds rest – do this 4 times
Week 10 Saturday Rest day
Week 10 Sunday Long run. 14 km
Week 11 Monday Rest day
Week 11 Tuesday Interval training. A 20 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 4 times
Week 11 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 11 Thursday Rest day
Week 11 Friday Easy run. 30 minutes
Week 11 Saturday Rest day
Week 11 Sunday Easy run. 7.5 km
Week 12 Monday Rest day
Week 12 Tuesday Interval training. A 3 minute run, followed by 1 minute – do this 12 times
Week 12 Wednesday Easy run. 30 minutes
Week 12 Thursday Rest day
Week 12 Friday Easy run. 20 minutes
Week 12 Saturday Rest day
Week 12 Sunday Event day. 10 mile run
Week 13 Monday Rest day
Week 13 Tuesday Interval training. A 25 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 3 times
Week 13 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 13 Thursday Rest day
Week 13 Friday Easy run. 35 minutes
Week 13 Saturday Rest day
Week 13 Sunday Long run. 18 km
Week 14 Monday Rest day
Week 14 Tuesday Interval training. A 30 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 3 times
Week 14 Wednesday Easy run. 45 minutes
Week 14 Thursday Rest day
Week 14 Friday Easy run. 40 minutes
Week 14 Saturday Rest day
Week 14 Sunday Long run. 19 km
Week 15 Monday Rest day
Week 15 Tuesday Interval training. A 20 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest – do this 2 times
Week 15 Wednesday Gym or cross-training session
Week 15 Thursday Rest day
Week 15 Friday Interval training. A 30 minute run, followed by 90 seconds rest, followed by a 15 minute run
Week 15 Saturday Rest day
Week 15 Sunday Long run. 12 km
Week 16 Monday Rest day
Week 16 Tuesday Easy run. 25 minutes
Week 16 Wednesday Easy run. 20 minutes
Week 16 Thursday Rest day
Week 16 Friday Easy run. 15 minutes
Week 16 Saturday Rest day
Week 16 Sunday Event day. Half marathon

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