Your First Half Marathon: The Complete Beginner's Guide to Preparing (and Finishing)

TL;DR — For your first half marathon (21.0975 km), plan 12-16 weeks of training, 3-5 runs per week, a long run that builds up to 18-19 km, and a short 7-10 day taper. Gels not mandatory (but 1 around km 14 helps). The half marathon is the most versatile distance: long enough to be a real endurance challenge, short enough to recover within 2-3 weeks.

The half marathon is the sweet spot between the accessible 10K and the demanding marathon. This BPMoov guide gathers what the best coaches (Boston Athletic Association, Marathon Handbook) recommend to prepare a first half marathon properly — with a practical focus: pick your race, train without injury, finish on your feet.

Why the half marathon is the most versatile distance

• Serious effort but recovery in 2-3 weeks (vs 4-6 for a marathon)
• Accessible training: 12 weeks (vs 16-20 for marathon)
• Big event calendar in France and Europe
• Possible to race 2-3 halves per season
• "Sweet spot" between speed and endurance — you train both

It's also the distance that prepares you physiologically for the marathon without the recovery cost. Many runners do 2-3 halves before tackling their first marathon — it's an excellent progression.

How long does it take to prepare for a first half marathon

12 to 16 weeks.

• 12 weeks: comfortable minimum if you can already run 30 minutes continuously and have done at least 1-2 10K races
• 16 weeks: recommended for your first real structured cycle or returning from injury
• 20 weeks: needed if you're starting from zero (couch-to-half: possible in 16 weeks but ambitious)

Absolute prerequisite: you need to be able to run 30-40 minutes continuously without stopping before starting your plan. If not, do 6-8 weeks of easy base running first.

Picking your first half marathon: the criteria

Criteria for choosing well:

1. A flat to moderately rolling course — skip trail halves for your first
2. Temperate season: April, May, September, October (start temperature 8-18°C)
3. Well-organized race: World Athletics label or equivalent national federation, solid aid stations
4. Simple logistics: under 4 hours of travel to limit travel stress

A few French classics for a first half:

• Paris Half Marathon (March, flat, major atmosphere)
• Boulogne-Billancourt Half (October, fast)
• Saint-Brieuc Half (October, flat)
• Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille halves: easily accessible all season

Practically: open the BPMoov app, filter by distance "half marathon" and region, save 2-3 candidates to compare dates, profiles and registration windows. → Download the app.

The standard training plan: 12 weeks beginner

The standard structure for a beginner half marathon plan:

Total weekly volume: starts around 20-25 km, builds to 40-50 km at peak (weeks 9-10), then tapers the last 2 weeks.

4 golden rules:

1. Never increase by more than 10% per week. Prevents 80% of overuse injuries.
2. 3 weeks build, 1 week recovery. Mandatory cycle.
3. 80/20: 80% of volume at easy pace, 20% at sustained pace.
4. One short intensity day per week (intervals like 6 × 800 m or 4 × 1,000 m at 10K pace).

The long run: pillar number 1

If you take one thing from this guide: the long run is non-negotiable.

• Start at 8-10 km in week 1
• Build to 18-19 km at peak (weeks 9-10)
• You don't need to run the full 21.0975 km in training — the jump happens thanks to race-day adrenaline and tapering
• Very easy pace — able to talk while running
• The long run is where you test all your race-day logistics: shoes, clothing, gels, electrolytes, hydration belt

No new gear on race day — golden rule #1.

Nutrition: optional but useful

On 21 km, your body can hold without external fuel — the glycogen limit is ~1.5-2 hours. But for most runners (effort > 1:45), 1 gel around km 14 prevents the late-race crash in the last 5 km.

Simple nutrition strategy:

• Breakfast 2-3 hours before the race: 200-300 cal of carbs (oatmeal + banana + honey)
• During the race: drink at every aid station (typically every 5 km)
• 1 optional gel around km 14 if effort > 1:45
• Test all your nutrition in training, never on race day

Pacing: caution then liberation

Pacing strategy that works for a first half:

1. Calculate your target pace: take your recent 10K + 12-15 sec/km, or estimate at 75-80% of your VO2max pace
2. Run the first 5 km at 5-10 sec/km SLOWER than your target pace
3. Settle into target pace between km 5 and km 16
4. If you feel good, lift on the last 5 km — that's the negative split

Like the marathon: going out too fast is mistake #1. The wall is less violent than at the marathon — you'll always finish, just less well and more painfully.

Tapering: 7 to 10 days is enough

For a half, tapering is shorter than for a marathon:

• Week -2: 80% of peak volume
• Week -1: 50-60% of volume + total rest the last 2 days
• D-1: 20 min of running + 4-5 strides to wake the legs

No need for the marathon's long taper — your body absorbs the half without needing to "stockpile" as much glycogen.

Race day: race week

Your D-7 → D-0 checklist:

• D-7 to D-3: light carb load (60% carbs), hydration +20%, sleep priority (8h+)
• D-2: rest, bib pickup
• D-1: 20 min easy running, LIGHT pasta party in the evening, early to bed, no alcohol
• D-0: wake 2h30 before, tested breakfast, 10-15 min warmup, conservative start

Classic mistakes to avoid

• ❌ Testing new shoes, gels or clothing on race day
• ❌ Going out with the fast pack at the gun
• ❌ Skipping the taper (or confusing it with "doing nothing")
• ❌ Eating heavy the night before (10pm pasta party = bad idea)
• ❌ Doing your first half as a "warmup" for a marathon 4 weeks later (recovery is necessary)
• ❌ Stopping at aid stations without drinking (the silent dehydration error)

BPMoov tip: save your half to favorites in the app to receive registration reminders, logistics briefings, and D-1 notifications. → Download the app.

Ready to pick your first half marathon? BPMoov brings together race registrations for road and trail races across France and Europe — free, iOS and Android, 2,000+ races indexed. → Download the app.

Once you've banked your first half, the logical next step: the marathon. You can also come back to a first 10K to work on your speed.

FAQ — First Half Marathon

How long does it take to train for a first half marathon?

12 to 16 weeks depending on your starting level. 12 weeks is comfortable if you can already run 30 minutes continuously and have done 1-2 10K races. 16 weeks is recommended for your first real structured cycle or returning from injury. If starting from zero, plan 20 weeks with a base running phase first.

What is the maximum distance to run in training before a half marathon?

18 to 19 km on the long run. No need to run the full 21.0975 km in training: the jump from 18-19 km in training to 21 km on race day happens thanks to start-line adrenaline and tapering. Going beyond 19 km adds fatigue and injury risk without concrete benefit.

Do you need gels during a half marathon?

Optional but recommended for most beginners. Your body stores ~1.5-2 hours of glycogen, so if you run sub-1:45 you can skip them. Beyond that, 1 gel around km 14 prevents the late-race crash in the last 5 km. In all cases, drink at every aid station (typically every 5 km).

How many times a week should you train for a half marathon?

3 to 5 runs per week. Standard structure: 2 easy runs, 1 half-marathon-pace or interval session, 1 long run, plus ideally 1 cross-training day (cycling, swimming, strength). For a first half, 3 well-structured runs per week is enough — 4-5 if you have experience and time.

What time should you target for a first half marathon?

Forget the time for your first one. If you want an estimate: take your recent 10K time and multiply by 2.2 (endurance weighs more than on 10K, so you can't just double). Indicative range: 2:00-2:15 for a beginner, 1:45-2:00 for an occasional runner, 1:30-1:45 for a trained runner. Goal #1 remains finishing comfortably.

What's the best first half marathon in France?

A few classics: Paris Half Marathon (March, flat, major atmosphere), Boulogne-Billancourt (October, fast), Saint-Brieuc (October, flat), Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille. Filter in BPMoov by distance "half marathon" and your region to see races in the next 12-16 weeks.