Now that you’ve picked a goal, it’s time to outline how you’re going to get there. A good training plan will hold you accountable and keep you on track. Steady progression is key.
Your plan should also be tailored toward your goal.
What goes into a training plan?
There are different components that can go into a training plan. What you include will depend on what your goal is.
Here are some of the basic building blocks that are common to training plans (though some may not apply depending on your goal):
RUNNING DAYS
This may seem obvious, but running days will be the foundation of your plan. You need to have established days dedicated to your runs, especially if you want to run 5+ days per week.
Don’t be vague here and say “I’ll run three days a week.” That can set you up for failure when life gets busy early in the week and you’re stuck trying to cram three runs into the last three days of the week.
REST DAYS
These are just as important as running days. You need prescribed rest in order to properly recover from the physical stress of running. This is especially important in plans with 5+ running days.
CROSS-TRAINING DAYS
These are days designated to anything other than running, such as swimming, yoga, or strength training.
To be a good runner, you need to be in prime physical health. Cross-training days help you develop an overall better level of fitness, which translates to better running.
SPEED, HILLS, & LONG RUNS
These are run days that are adapted toward a specific style of training to get different results. They’re a great way to elevate your running based on your specific goal.
For more information, check out these separate posts: speed work training, hill work, and long runs.
The right plan to succeed
Now you have a goal and you know the basics of building a training plan. Now what?
I suggest you look at the big picture and break down your goal into manageable chunks.
For example: let’s say your goal is to run a half marathon and your current level of performance is a one-mile walk before tiring. You have eight months to get from here to there.
Instead of looking down a long 13-mile road, let’s break it up. Let’s shoot for a 5k in two months. Then use the next three months to reach 10k. Then you have three months left to work up to that half marathon.
Same goal, same time frame, but broken down into simpler plans with more accomplishments to celebrate along the way. That half marathon suddenly doesn’t seem so daunting.
Continuing this example, you would now have three separate training plans: an 8-week 5k plan, a 12-week 10k plan, and a 12-week half marathon plan.
Start slow and build up
Start slow with the first 8 weeks of your plan. A good example for beginners would be three running days, one or two rest days, and two days for weights or cross-training. As you progress, tweak your plan to keep it challenging.
If your goal is to maintain your current fitness level, your training plan can be much simpler. Pick your running days and stick to them. “I’m going to run a 5k every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.”
Progressing your plan
When you think of progress, you need to think healthy, steady progress. Those who try to progress too quickly are asking for injury.
So, what does good, healthy progress look like?
There’s an unofficial 10% rule that says, “only increase your base mileage (how many miles you run in a week) by 10% per week.” This would mean going from 10 miles one week to 11 the next.
The problem with this rule is that our bodies and situations are all vastly different. If you’re a new runner that might be too aggressive. If you’re a veteran running returning from a short break, 10% might be slower than you need to bounce back to your previous weekly mileage.
New runners should focus on slow, steady progress. This may mean sticking with the same mileage for two or three weeks while your body adjusts. Once you feel comfortable with your mileage, add one or two more.
Focus on consistent progress over the course of months, not days or weeks. Your body is adapting to new stress and needs time.
Pushing too hard early on can result in injury, which will hit the reset button on any temporary progress made.
Pay special attention to your body during this base-building phase. Sharp pain or discomfort lasting more than a couple days are two common warning signs that you need to slow down.
Connective tissues and joints are especially troublesome. If you try to push through an injury here, recovery time can be especially long.
Remember: a healthy runner is a happy runner, and steady progress is key.
Time to get started
You should now have a great idea of where to start, so pick how many days you’ll designate to the different building blocks and put them on your calendar.
It’s time to get started.
In the next post of this series, let’s dive into proper nutrition for runners. And share your game plan with us in a comment below – we’re happy to offer tips and suggestions!
