HOW TO PACE A HALF MARATHON
Conquering a half marathon isn’t just about physical fitness levels – strong mental preparation and a plan of action is also key to crushing it on the big day. One important aspect of this is pacing. Get it right, and you’ll power through the course with energy to spare for a strong, feel-good finish. With a little practice, pacing can transform your experience of the event so that you can truly maximise your potential.
To help you formulate a pacing plan, we chatted with Runna, the #1-rated running coaching app. Read the actionable tips below from Head Coach Ben Parker, who breaks down a half marathon into three key sections.

Runna Co-Founder Ben Parker’s passion for fitness and innovation led to the creation of the running platform.
GOAL TIME
Start by working out what time you are aiming to finish in. For example, if you are aiming for 2 hours and 15 minutes then this is an average pace of 6:13mins per km. Sticking to an exact pace to the second is a tough job, so we would recommend targeting a pace range of 3-4s either side of your target pace. For the 2 hours 15 mins runner, this would be a pace range of 6:09-6:17 min per km. You can then break down your half marathon into three sections…
FIRST 7KM
The first 7 km is the ‘easy’ or ‘free’ section. At this point, you’re fresh and it should be relatively easy to hold your target pace. It’s important not to get ahead of yourself and start running too fast, as this can lead to regret later in the evemt.
SECOND 7KM
This is the slightly harder section of the event. By this point, you’ll likely be feeling fatigue in your legs but it’s still important to aim to maintain your pace. If you’re holding back, allow yourself to speed up by up to 5 seconds per km – however the real key is to focus on keeping a sustainable, steady pace. By reaching the 14 km mark, you’re two-thirds done. Focus on this mental achievement to help through this section.
FINAL 7KM
This is the fun part! By this point, you’ll be physically tired. However, if you can get into the mindset that it’s the final stretch, it’ll be easier to maintain good form and enjoy the rest of the challenge. Weigh up how you feel and decide when you will start to dig in and speed up the pace gradually. This might be for the whole last 7km if you’re feeling good – but the last 5k or even 3k is also a good aim!
HOME STRAIGHT
The final 500m is a chance to reward yourself for all the hard work you’ve put into training and completing the challenge. Use this thought to push yourself to the finish line in style!
Best of luck for the big day. You’ve got this!
Remember, with just 2 weeks to go before the Manchester Half, you can get your first 2 weeks free when you sign up with code “MANCHESTERHALF” via the link.
Feeling inspired to bag yourself a 5k time after your half marathon journey? Don’t miss our ‘How to Improve Your 5k Time’ with Runna below!