A half marathon is on the bucket list of many runners and a great challenge many people love to take on, but you need to make sure you are doing the groundwork in your training sessions to prepare.
How do you know if you’re ready to tackle that 13.1-mile (21.2km) distance? One of the many mistakes runners make when signing up for a half-marathon event is not respecting the distance! Check out our following guidelines to see if you are ready…
Are You Ready for a Half Marathon?
Thinking about signing up for a half marathon? Exciting — and totally normal if it feels a bit intimidating too. Running 13.1 miles (21.2km) is a huge achievement, but the key is simple: respect the distance and prepare properly.
Use this quick checklist to see if you’re ready 👇
🏃 Can You Move for 90 Minutes?
You should be able to run, walk, or combine both for around 90 minutes without stopping. You don’t need to run the whole race — run/walk is perfectly fine as long as you keep moving.
✔ Aim for one long run each week
✔ Build endurance, stamina, and confidence
✔ Teach your body how to fuel efficiently
👉 [Check out our beginner-friendly training plans]
🔁 Are You Training Consistently?
Consistency beats speed every time. Most half marathon plans last 12–16 weeks with 3 runs per week. Miss a run? No stress — just get back into it.
✔ Regular training
✔ No long breaks
✔ Progress over perfection
👉 View our half marathon training guides
🏞️ Are You Training on Race Terrain?
Road race? Train on roads. Trail race? Hit the trails. Running on similar terrain helps prepare your legs and reduces injury risk on race day.
👉 Find more training tips here
🏁 Have You Tried a Race Before?
Not essential — but highly recommended! A 5K or 10K helps you test your fitness and experience the buzz of race day.
✔ Practice pacing
✔ Learn race-day routines
✔ Build confidence
🎉 You’ve Got This
Training for a half marathon is a big commitment — but with steady training and determination, it’s an incredibly rewarding journey. Trust your training, enjoy the process, and that finish line will feel amazing.
🔄 Not Quite Ready? Drop Down to the 10K
If training hasn’t gone to plan, you can always switch to the 10K and still have a great race day.
👉 Drop us an email to request a transfer (no later than 11th January).