Your plan in four answers
Set for April 25, 2027, about 26 weeks out.
- Distances
- Half marathon
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Taper starts
- April 13, 2027
Course
The Heidelberg Half Marathon course
The ATOS Halbmarathon of TSG 78 Heidelberg starts on the Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage by the University Library and finishes on the Universitätsplatz in the old town. The 21.1 km loop has kept its basic shape since the first race in 1982: out through the old town and over the Old Bridge, up to the Philosophenweg, out to Ziegelhausen and Schlierbach, and only then up to the castle.
Read the full course notes
There are at least two steep climbs and about 400 m of total ascent, with matching descents that are easy to underestimate. Once you pass the Pulverturm and the castle courtyard at about km 19, it is downhill to the finish. Four drink stations sit at km 4.7, 8.0, 14.4 and 17.5, and the course is almost entirely asphalt.
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Distances
- Half marathon
- Weather on race day
- Late April in Heidelberg is usually mild: average daytime temperatures are around 14 °C and nights around 7 °C. The month averages about 6.7 hours of sunshine a day, with only a couple of properly rainy days. Winds are light, around 10 km/h. Start blocks go off from 9:15, so dress for a cool start that warms up quickly on the first climbs.
What to train for
The organizers say plainly that this is not a flat half, so hills belong in every week of your build: hill repeats of 2 to 4 minutes, plus long runs that include sustained climbs.
Practise downhill running as well, since good descending saves your quads and earns places late in the race.
The club suggests first-timers prepare for at least four months and run at least twice a week for 10 km, and that you can run an hour easily while chatting before you start. Train on asphalt in well cushioned shoes, and rehearse drinking on the run in small sips.
Sample week
A sample Heidelberg Half Marathon training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Hill repeats: 8 × 90 s up a steady grade, jog back down
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 8–10 km
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 11 km with 6 km at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 6 km, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 16–19 km on hilly ground, steady effort on the climbs
- Sunday
- Easy run, 6 km, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Heidelberg Half Marathon
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on April 25, 2027, your taper starts around April 13, 2027.
Also in Claude
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Build me a training plan for the ATOS Halbmarathon der TSG 78 Heidelberg (Half marathon) on April 25, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Heidelberg Half Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Heidelberg Half Marathon?
Most runners give a half marathon twelve to sixteen weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Heidelberg Half Marathon course hilly?
Hilly. The ATOS Halbmarathon of TSG 78 Heidelberg starts on the Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage by the University Library and finishes on the Universitätsplatz in the old town.
What is the weather usually like at the Heidelberg Half Marathon?
Late April in Heidelberg is usually mild: average daytime temperatures are around 14 °C and nights around 7 °C. The month averages about 6.7 hours of sunshine a day, with only a couple of properly rainy days. Winds are light, around 10 km/h. Start blocks go off from 9:15, so dress for a cool start that warms up quickly on the first climbs.
When should I start tapering for the Heidelberg Half Marathon?
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on April 25, 2027, your taper starts around April 13, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Heidelberg Half Marathon training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.