Goal time · Half Marathon
A 1:45:00 half marathon works out to 8:01 per mile, or 4:59 per kilometer. Below are the mile splits for a slightly faster second half, the halfway time to aim for, and the training paces that go with this goal.
The numbers
This plan starts about 1% slower than goal pace and finishes about 1% faster, so the second half is slightly quicker than the first. The elapsed column is what your watch should read as you pass each marker.
| Mile | Pace for That Mile | Elapsed Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:06 | 8:06 |
| 2 | 8:05 | 16:11 |
| 3 | 8:04 | 24:15 |
| 4 | 8:03 | 32:18 |
| 5 | 8:02 | 40:21 |
| 6 | 8:01 | 48:22 |
| Halfway (6.6) | 8:01 | 52:49 |
| 7 | 8:00 | 56:23 |
| 8 | 8:00 | 1:04:23 |
| 9 | 7:59 | 1:12:21 |
| 10 | 7:58 | 1:20:19 |
| 11 | 7:57 | 1:28:16 |
| 12 | 7:56 | 1:36:13 |
| 13 | 7:55 | 1:44:08 |
| Finish (13.1) | 7:55 | 1:45:00 |
Measured against the latest published results of 1,366 half marathons on RunSesh.
One edition per race, from RunSignup races with published results. Fields include walkers and charity entrants, so this describes these races, not every runner in the country.
These are the paces for a runner who can already race a 1:45:00 half marathon, worked out with Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas, the method behind the training tables in Daniels' Running Formula. If your most recent race is slower, train at the paces on the page for that time.
Most of your weekly miles, including the long run.
Steady longer runs at the pace this fitness would hold for a marathon.
A steady run of about 20 minutes, or longer repeats with short rests.
Repeats of 3 to 5 minutes, with easy jogs between.
McMillan Running calls negative splits its "preferred road-race strategy because it rewards patience and resists fading late, and the longer the race the bigger the payoff." That view tilts this plan so the second half runs slightly faster than the first. At the halfway marker, confirm you feel controlled before lifting effort.
Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas treat a 3:37:50 marathon as the same performance as a 1:45 half marathon, so a recent full marathon gives you a meaningful cross-distance check on whether this goal reflects current fitness.
The RRCA pace chart developed by Amby Burfoot puts it plainly: "don't begin with a future goal time." Base your pace work on races you've actually finished.
USATF certification measures courses along the "Shortest Possible Route," so straying from that line adds distance. Pobiruchin et al. (2017) in JMIR mHealth and uHealth found GPS sport watches averaged 21.18 km on the half versus the official 21.0975 km, 83 meters more. If your watch logged that much extra, it might read a touch faster than 8:01 while you are exactly on goal, about 25 seconds over the full race.
Daniels and Gilbert's VDOT formulas treat a 47:22 10K as an equivalent performance to a 1:45 half marathon. Comparing your most recent 10K finish to that mark shows how close your current fitness sits to this goal.
