In late April, over 25,000 runners will line up for the Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon in New York, making it America’s fastest-growing race. Again.
The half marathon is having a moment. According to Running USA’s 2024 Global Runner Survey, the half marathon is the most in-demand distance for 2025, with 37 percent of runners surveyed expecting to sign up for a race this year.
Whether you’re stepping up from a 10K or signing up for your first race ever, there are a few things worth knowing before tackling your first half marathon.
For a lot of recreational runners, the half marathon is the first distance that requires some kind of organized training to complete. It’s also the first time many runners have to consider things like pace, nutrition, and a race plan.
“If you’ve done a 5K or 10K, you probably didn't really think very much about pace. It was probably more like just go, and get to the finish line as fast as you can,” says Nick Hancock, certified running coach and founder of Maximum Mileage Coaching. “Once you start looking at a half marathon, however, you need a little bit more of a race strategy.”
Here, Hancock and other top running coaches tell you what to expect from half marathon training and share their best advice for anyone gearing up to cover 13.1 miles for the first time.
You have to do “running workouts”
The best thing you can do to train for any race is to run. And if all you do is run, you might just be able to finish a half marathon. But for most first-timers, getting to the finish with a respectable pace (or at all) requires some extracurricular work.
Over the course of a half marathon training plan, sports dietician and USATF-certified running coach Kylee Van Horn introduces runners to a variety of interval-based running workouts like
V02 max sessions (to improve how efficiently the muscles are able to utilize oxygen) and threshold runs (to teach the body to sustain a
faster pace for longer). “It's important to include these types of workouts to help create the best performance for the athlete,” she says. For a lot of runners, especially those not accustomed to racing north of 10 miles a week, these kinds of workouts can be the difference between a strong performance and a dreaded DNF.
Depending on your coach or plan, your training might utilize some kinds of workouts over others. Certain races might require specific training, such as hill repeats to tackle a course known for uneven terrain. While specific workouts will vary between plans and coaches, any program worth your time will incorporate at least some of them.
Four more key steps to prep for a half marathon.
