Half Marathon Pacing: How Fast Should I Run?

Ready to race your first half marathon? Knowing how to pace a new distance can be a challenge, getting it right can make the most of all the training effort you’ve put in, and getting it wrong can waste all that effort! If you’re worried about how to execute the perfect race, we are here to guide you to a perfectly paced half marathon.
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[@gtn]

What is your Half Marathon target? Let us know 🏃‍♀️

[@79devo]

Well the next one for me in 8 weeks is HM trail race with 1100m elevation 🏔 …. Probably around 3.5 hours. Following the Garmin HM plan 👌🏻

[@oliverc1293]

My record to date is a 1:49:21, so I think 1:45:00 is a realistic target. I'm pretty confident as my 10km and 5km pace has massively increased (45:51 and 21:19 respectively). It'll be a while before I next have a half in my training plan, so hopefully I'll be ready to blow these numbers out the water!

[@davidtaylor3]

I have my first Half Marathon event coming up in 3 weeks (Run Melbourne), so this video was very timely! I had originally set a goal of 1:45, but managed to do a 1:42 in training last week, so I might try for a sub-1:40 now. Hopefully everything comes together on the day!

[@angel0fdeath667]

5 weeks away, aiming for 2hrs 40 which would be 9min off my previous best at the end of May. Had Covid since unfortunately which slowed me down

[@talmagesmith]

1:35

[@aeriegrove]

my first ever half, and first ever running race, is on in a few hours - just needed a final bit of insight! Thanks a lot and wish me luck :D

[@lindelystables]

I'm hugely grateful for these videos. So much quality information that would take hours to scare up on my own, or years of training and competing. THANK YOU!

[@dipbleu]

Great tips and advices...Thank you so much!

[@camowens2]

What an excellent video…greatly reduced my anxiety, thanks!

[@SubtleForces]

Great advice, which might come in handy next year. I am enjoying getting faster on shorter distances for now, partly in order for the half to become a little less of a mountain to climb. Having already shaved off over 15 minutes in predicted time, I think it is going to be a key factor. Also, I can slowly build the mileage with the long runs in parallel. What this video has made me think about, is mostly being conservative with the pacer in order to have something left in the tank for the end (I tend to positive split significantly-though mostly I split in U: fast-slow-fast) besides making sure the watch settings are on the correct pace splits

[@JoelZieve]

I'm getting ready for my 1st 1/2 marathon in a few weeks so the timing of this video (and content) was perfect. Thank you!

[@gtn]

You got this - good luck and enjoy 🙌

[@NationsGamer]

How did you do ?

[@danielh4857]

oh yes,cheers mate. this video helped me for my first HM. Let me know if anyone needs some details. I nailed it 95-100% thanks to your and other tipps. Valuable Cheers.

[@Aeronwor]

I ran my first half marathon this spring, my goal being 2 hours. I went with some people from work, found myself running next to one of them, asked what pace he was aiming for (5:20), said that should be good for me too, and promptly ran past him. Getting carried away on race day is a real danger, but I did have fun. I ended up finishing at 2:00:30, the last 4k being at a much slower pace than the first 17k. The next goal is sub 1:50.

[@gtn]

Awesome - that's a great target!

[@thepsychologist8159]

Ah gee. Did they have a 2H pacer at the event? If so, you should have stuck with them. I'm aiming for a HM PB next month and I'll be sure to 'glue' myself to the pacer.

[@gzfashions]

Can you all do an extensive video in regards to effects of high temperature high humidity for a long distance run?

[@TheCrowdedPlanet]

This would be great, I recently did an Olympic distance triathlon in 35c the run absolutely killed me

[@gzfashions]

@@TheCrowdedPlanet I didn’t do any distance that crazy but I just completed a practice half marathon yesterday temperature around 92° with humidity around 50% it was really a challenge! Felt like I was running in Denver or Kilimanjaro lol

[@diegoquintanilla8956]

@@gzfashions run i early in the morning

[@gzfashions]

@@diegoquintanilla8956 since I started my new job I run around 4:45 Am This morning humidity was 93% 😅

[@yolandacroes5491]

I live in the tropics and high temperatures and high humidity is my daily bread. I haven’t found one channel yet that discusses this. Big sigh 😢

[@sergiirybakov43]

Thank you very nice overview and useful tips! When I make my half marathon I calculate my goal pace as -10% from my anaerobic threshold

[@gtn]

Thanks 🙂

[@rebeccametcalf4448]

Literally just started training for my first half-marathon in September. This was definitely a useful video 👍

[@eltiosam7883]

How’d you do on the half marathon ?

[@thepsychologist8159]

How did you go in your first half marathon?

[@methos9167]

How did it go?

[@thepsychologist8159]

@@methos9167 It would appear Rebecca has left the web !!

[@jobanski]

Thanks for the tips! Great video James!

[@gtn]

Any time - glad you enjoyed it. Happy running 🏃‍♀️

[@lewisdwheeler]

Good video! But would help to also discuss fueling and hydration.

[@mclovinlife4018]

Just did my first half marathon and I got it done in 2:17! Definitely want to do it again and shoot for 1:50ish! It wasn’t too bad, but I couldn’t imagine doing double what I just did.

[@diegoquintanilla8956]

What was your pace

[@emmag00]

Did my first half marathon earlier this year and finished in 1:28. Managed to negative split the race too! It was hard to hold back in the earlier stages but definitely paid off. I haven't got another half marathon booked in yet but I'd like to aim for sub 1:25 for next time.

[@gtn]

Excellent - so close to that target 🙌

[@SuperTreybo]

Good job Emma on 1 28 on your first half, but how in the heck do runners run these times on their first race? Lol I been running 7 years and still trying to break 1 40 half . Lol my first was 2 hours 4 min. Inguess everybody is diff

[@HaraldHofer]

51yrs. Last week I did my first "official" HM and aimed for 1:57. I hit the wall at km 16 and lost almost 20secs per km so I ended up with 1:58:54. I really have to fix this for the next one. Preparation was good, but I should have eaten more gels and I should have had more electrolytes. It's a process 😆

[@hurricane7800]

I've run two half marathons, and in the first I had to walk/run the second half because I managed to bonk at only 12km because breakfast (though big) was too long before the race and I didn't use any nutrition. Oops. Then, during the second one I was reeeeeally cautious with my pace and finished it in about 2:45. I'm proud I finished, but I know I can blow that time out of the water. Especially because the next year my partner ran it in half that without training properly (don't worry, he suffered!) Can't wait to apply these tips!

[@jimjamthebananaman1]

I trained myself to use body fat as a fuel source. My fastest half marathon is 1.25 but only done a few. It might be an idea to try limit carbohydrate intake on long runs to try get your body to utilise both glycogen and body fat as fuel to reduce risk of bonking in racing.

[@gtn]

Well done - good luck for next time 🙌

[@tecmalo6857]

For my first HM I was aiming for a sub 1:30, trained definitely well enough and was mentally prepared. The only thing I didn’t prepare for, was hot weather. I thought „well, I can survive this“, started for for a slightly slower first split, but dropped massively, as soon as the last clouds went away and the sun was shining bright. Finished in 1:39;51 and felt horrible, but I learned my lessons, now sitting at 1:23 and my next goal is sub in 1:20 spring 23. Edit: oh and once I forgot, that a have a sharp/hard uphill part in the last 3km. So next lesson: know the hard parts of the course…

[@scottgregerson3522]

I’m trying to figure out my pace in a 70.3. If I train for a sub 1:45, how much time do you think will be added after a bike?

[@KyleD237]

My goal time is to finish. However, it would be nice to know if I can push harder safely. Since you're judging based on breathing, it does appear that you're focusing in on heart rate zone 4.

[@eia006]

Had a 1 yr break from running or any physical exercise because of pregnancy (i know i shouldn't use it as an excuse lol but life happened) now im slowly getting into it. And impulsively sign up for a half end of April. Am i too ambitious? Lol. Also, i dont know if I should log in my mileage (hit 5k and 10k) before i start a half marathon training plan? 😳

[@thejeffinvade]

I run a 10K by myself last week to find out my HM pace. I did the 10K in 42:05, I am hoping to finish my first HM in 1:33 next month.

[@dr.mohamedaitnouh4501]

You said something great that your half marathon pace should be 5% of your 10K pace which means every minute you add 3 s (60 second x 5% = 60x0.05 = 3 s). For a 5 min per K in 10 K this gives 5x 3 = 15 seconds. How did you find this formula? thanks! amazing!

[@seascape]

Any suggestions on how to maintain the intensity for a half marathon? I’m running my first one in 3 weeks, and although I have no problem staying focused on 10Ks, my mind tends to wander on much longer runs and my times increase considerably. The distance is no problem as I’ve been doing 12-13 mile runs once a week for months, but the intensity is, especially since this will be a large race thru scenic San Francisco.

[@TaylorBrosTV]

3 weeks out, you really shouldn’t change anything about your approach. You probably know this from other races but race day gives many of us an edge. If that isn’t enough, I usually queue up an emergency 30 min playlist of super hyped up songs that I only play if I’m struggling. Good luck and try to enjoy yourself! Since this is your first, you’re looking at an automatic PR!

[@thepsychologist8159]

So did you work out how to maintain the intensity?

[@seascape]

@@thepsychologist8159 Yes, by trying to catch up with runners I thought I should be faster than, and trying to stay ahead of runners that I thought should be slower than me. As a result, I paid the price for not sticking to my race plan. It was fun, and humbling.

[@thepsychologist8159]

@@seascape Well, you gave it a go. It all goes into the cap of experience. I ran a HM last Sunday. I stuck with the 90-minute pacers (there were two), but I have to say they did a pretty crap job. One minute they were holding pace, then they were above pace, then they were below pace. We got to about 12.5km and it seemed we were running at a snail's pace, so I decided to break from the 90-minute pace group. I felt really good and I ended up overtaking about 30 runners to the finish. All the incline and tempo training I did (in addition to lots of easy-pace training) definitely paid off as not once did I feel fatigued and it felt good to run faster and hold that pace from 12.5km to the finish.

[@methos9167]

First half Marathon in three weeks! I just hope I won't go too fast.

[@the1gofer]

Learning to pace an old distance can be challenging.

[@imotel90]

So... 75% of max heart rate... I definitely did not just end up holding 90ish% of my max heart rate nearly the whole way for a finish time of 1:32.

[@Leeroy49]

Yeah downhills are tricky. Great tips :)

[@gtn]

Thanks! 👍

[@jimthompson-ru3vn]

You train to a pace, not train and then decide your pace.

[@i.water.plants]

Agreed.

[@otnoirhc]

Pushed it too hard on my first and paid the price 😂

[@juanblancasblancas9796]

What’s a kilometer

[@fastbreakr]

I can barely understand him. What language is he speaking?

[@yog146]

10 weeks from now.. let's see if i stand the test of time.

[@gtn]

Good luck!

[@lisapet160]

Nice video, but 1:22 . For 21km, there should be no unknown territory: just run this distance during training and figure out the pace while doing it. And there is no "half" for Marathon at 21km since it, the Marathon, actually starts after 30th km (33-39 the hardest in my limited experience).

[@vincentvanpuyvelde1644]

1 min

[@fastbreakr]

World record pace. Nothing less

[@lexington476]

(cough) ok now I know Google and/or GTN is spying on me 😀 , I was talking to my coach last night about pacing for a half marathon 😃 .

[@gtn]

We're good, but not sure we're *that* good 🕵️‍♀️😅

[@tejionthompson2953]

My half marathon target will be 50 mins