Training program Beginner
Here begins your journey towards the HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon
going to do it at the HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon? You’re not alone. Our goal is for you to achieve your dream goal and become a half marathon runner with the help of this training program. The program is designed for those who already run a few times a week and are willing to train up to three times a week. It’s important to listen to your body, and if you feel extra tired or worn out, don’t hesitate to skip a workout and take an extra rest day. Keep in mind that the program is general, and you may need to adjust the workouts slightly to suit you optimally.
Here begins your journey towards the HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon!

Before we start…
<strong>Your starting point</strong>
You are a beginner in running and want to run your first half marathon. You currently train a couple of times a week and may supplement with other exercises. You should already be able to run distances of up to 10 kilometers.
<strong>Your training</strong>
Over the next 12 weeks, you will train two to three times a week to have the best possible experience at the HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon. 21,097.5 meters is a long distance, and the key to success is consistency. To achieve this, it’s important that your easy runs are truly easy to avoid unnecessary strain on your body so that you feel energized for quality workouts and long runs.
<strong>Your goal</strong>
Your goal for this year’s HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon is to complete the entire distance and enjoy the race. Use common sense and prioritize consistency in your journey towards the race.
Basic training
Now we embark on the journey towards the HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon on September 7th, 2024. During the first four weeks, we will establish a foundation with a lot of variation in the workouts to give you a solid start in your training towards your ultimate goal.
Keep in mind that we are now focusing on building a foundation, so the distance and long runs should be done at a comfortable pace. When we do hill workouts, threshold runs, and intervals, you should increase your pace and run at a higher intensity.
Week 1
Session 1: Distance run 45 min
Session 2: Hill repeats – 6 repetitions of 30 seconds uphill with a walk recovery downhill.
Session 3: Long run 70 min.
Week 2
Session 1: Distance run for 60 min
Session 2: Threshold run – 6-10 repetitions of 1 minute at a comfortably hard pace with a 60 sec walk recovery.
Session 3: Long run 75 min.
Week 3
Session 1: Distance run 55 min
Session 2: Distance run 45 min + 5 strides.
Session 3: Long run 80 min.
Week 4
Session 1: Hill repeats – 5-8 repetitions of 60 seconds uphill with a walk recovery downhill.
Session 2: Threshold run – 5 repetitions of 2 minutes and 5 repetitions of 1 minute at a comfortably hard pace with a 60-90 second walk recovery.
Session 3: Long run 90 min.
Hills & threshold
In this training block, we will focus on hill workouts and threshold runs. This is the phase where we establish a good level of consistency and aim to improve your running strength and endurance. It is during this period that we lay the foundation for you to reach your dream goal.
Week 5
Session 1: Distance run 60 min
Session 2: Threshold run – 3 repetitions of 3 min and 3 repetitions of 2 min at a comfortably hard pace with a 60-90 second standing recovery.
Session 3: Long run 95 min.
Week 6
Session 1: Distance run 45 min
Session 2: Hill repeats – 5-10 repetitions of 2 minutes uphill with a jog recovery downhill.
Session 3: Distance run for 60 min + 5 strides
Session 4: Long run 100 min.
Week 7
Workout 1: Distance run 60 min
Workout 2: Threshold run – 3 repetitions of 5 min at a comfortably hard pace with a 2 min jog recovery.
Workout 3: Long run 100 min.
Week 8
Session 1: Distance run 60 min
Session 2: Intervals 6-8 repetitions of Super thousands (10 k pace) (400m + 300m + 200m + 100m) with a 60 sec standing recovery.
Session 3: Long run 110 min.

Different training sessions on the journey to HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon
Long Distance Runs
The long distance run is a training session where you simply run and enjoy the experience while clearing your mind. The focus here is not on pushing the pace but rather maintaining a low heart rate and a good feeling. The purpose of this session is to acclimate your body’s muscles, joints, and ligaments to running.
Hill Repeats
Hill training is one of our favorite sessions in running as it builds both strength and speed while improving your recovery. The hills you run can be long, short, steep, or gentle. You choose the type of hill based on the goal of the session – building endurance, speed, or perhaps strength and running technique.
Intervals
Intervals are sessions where we focus on becoming faster and improving oxygen uptake. Intervals are usually shorter than threshold runs and include longer rest periods, often with easy jogging or standing rest.
Threshold Runs
Threshold runs are performed at a controlled high pace, and it’s easier to determine the pace if you have, for example, undergone a lactate test at a clinic. Otherwise, you can start with the pace you can maintain for approximately 60 minutes. These sessions are designed to improve your endurance.
Long Runs
The marathon runner’s sacred routine on the weekends. This session lasts from 75 minutes to over two hours and aims to acclimate your body to prolonged exertion. The longer the race you are preparing for, the more important this session becomes as it trains your body to handle long durations of running.
Threshold & peaking
With only four weeks left until the big goal, the focus will be on threshold runs, followed by tapering. The major work has been done, so it’s important to train wisely to avoid any injuries in the final weeks.
This is where it counts – on September 7th, you will conquer the entire HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon!
Week 9
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Hill Repeats 10 x 1 min with jogging recovery downhill
Session 3: Long Run 110 min.
Week 10
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Threshold 3 x 2 km (half marathon pace + 10 sec/km) with 1 km jogging recovery
Session 3: Long Run 120 min.
Week 11
Session 1: Distance 60 min
Session 2: Fartlek 5 km (90 sec fast / 60 sec easy)
Session 3: Long Run 80 min.
Week 12
Session 1: Distance 45 min
Session 2: Distance 30 min + 5 strides
Session 3: HOKA Helsingborg Half Marathon