Welcome to the 2026 Raleigh Holiday Half Marathon Training Program. Maybe you have a target pace in mind, but you can also use the Jack Daniels’ VDOT Running Calculator to help guide you. If you’re a beginner, shoot for the low end of mileage and reps, and feel free to push your limits if you are more advanced. If you’re tired, sub in easy mileage or a day off wherever needed!
Notes
- Need a Track? Buffaloe Road Athletic Park is the ONLY open track in Raleigh. It is located at 5900 Buffaloe Rd, Raleigh, NC 27604.
- Before each interval session, make sure and do a few strides and drills to loosen up.
- Need some direction on core exercises, look to Eliud Kipchoge.
- Umstead Park, the American Tobacco Trail, and the Capital Area Greenway are great spots for long runs.
- Hills? Any hill will do. Don’t shoot for the steepest. Longer, slower grades are perfect.
- Feel free to adjust days when needed, making sure you have at least one easy/off day between hard efforts.
- What are Yasso 800s? Here’s a debrief from Runner’s World.
Week 1
- Monday, October 19 – Off or easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Tuesday, October 20 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 6–12 hills (200–300m) with jog down, 1–3 mile cool-down + optional core exercises
- Wednesday, October 21 – Easy 3–8 miles
- Thursday, October 22 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 4–8 Yasso 800s (800m with 400m jog recovery), 1–3 mile cool-down + core exercises. For a half marathon, double your goal time to find your 800m time: a two-hour goal suggests four-minute 800s.
- Friday, October 23 – Off or easy 3–6 miles
- Saturday, October 24 – Off or easy 2–6 miles
- Sunday, October 25 – Long run: 6–12 miles easy
Week 2
- Monday, October 26 – Off or easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Tuesday, October 27 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 2–4 mile tempo run at threshold pace, 1–3 mile cool-down + optional core exercises
- Wednesday, October 28 – Easy 3–9 miles
- Thursday, October 29 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 8–12 × 400m with 200–400m jog recovery at interval pace, 1–3 mile cool-down + core exercises
- Friday, October 30 – Off or easy 3–6 miles
- Saturday, October 31 – Long run: 7–12 miles, starting easy with the last 3–5 at marathon pace
- Sunday, November 1 – Off or easy 2–6 miles
Week 3
- Monday, November 2 – Off or easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Tuesday, November 3 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 3–5 mile tempo run at threshold pace, 1–3 mile cool-down + optional core exercises
- Wednesday, November 4 – Easy 4–10 miles
- Thursday, November 5 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 6–10 Yasso 800s (800m with 400m jog recovery), 1–3 mile cool-down + core exercises
- Friday, November 6 – Off or easy 3–6 miles
- Saturday, November 7 – Long run: 7–13 miles easy
- Sunday, November 8 – Off or easy 2–6 miles
Week 4
- Monday, November 9 – Off or easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Tuesday, November 10 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 4–6 × 1 mile at race pace with 3–5 minute jog/walk recovery, 1–3 mile cool-down + optional core exercises
- Wednesday, November 11 – Easy 5–11 miles
- Thursday, November 12 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 8–12 × 400m with 200–400m jog recovery at interval pace, 1–3 mile cool-down + core exercises
- Friday, November 13 – Off or easy 3–6 miles
- Saturday, November 14 – Long run: 8–13 miles, starting easy with the last 4–6 at marathon pace
- Sunday, November 15 – Off or easy 2–6 miles
Week 5
- Monday, November 16 – Off or easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Tuesday, November 17 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 2–3 × 2 miles at race pace with 3 minute jog/walk recovery, 1–3 mile cool-down + optional core exercises
- Wednesday, November 18 – Easy 5–12 miles
- Thursday, November 19 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 12–18 × 400m with 200–400m jog recovery at interval pace, 1–3 mile cool-down + core exercises
- Friday, November 20 – Off or easy 3–6 miles
- Saturday, November 21 – Long run: 9–14 miles easy
- Sunday, November 22 – Off or easy 2–6 miles
Week 6
- Monday, November 23 – Off or easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Tuesday, November 24 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 8–12 Yasso 800s (800m with 400m jog recovery), 1–3 mile cool-down + optional core exercises
- Wednesday, November 25 – Easy 3–6 miles
- Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving) – Race your local Turkey Trot, or do a 1–3 mile warm-up, 5 mile tempo at threshold pace (or faster), 1–3 mile cool-down + core exercises
- Friday, November 27 – Off or easy 3–6 miles
- Saturday, November 28 – Easy 6–10 miles, with the last 2–3 at marathon pace
- Sunday, November 29 – Off or easy 2–6 miles
Week 7 – Race Week
- Monday, November 30 – Off or easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Tuesday, December 1 – 1–3 mile warm-up, 2–3 × 2 miles at race pace with 3–5 minute jog/walk recovery, 1–3 mile cool-down + optional core exercises
- Wednesday, December 2 – Easy 3–6 miles
- Thursday, December 3 – Easy 3–6 miles + 4–8 × 100m strides
- Friday, December 4 – Off or easy 2–3 miles
- Saturday, December 5 – Race day (8 a.m.)
Photos courtesy of Jason Honeycutt and Justin Hall