8 How to Set up Your Training Plan

How many days per week? I believe that running every other day can produce the same training effect and performance as running more days per week when you include the appropriate training components. In fact, research shows that those who run three days a week have the lowest injury rate. Taking 48 hours between runs can repair damage, and allow for rebuilding with adaptations for improvement. The beneficial improvement from key workouts will not be realized if the quality and quantity of the rest period is not sufficient.

More experienced runners who are not having overuse injuries or lingering fatigue can choose to run more days per week. If you are running two days in a row it’s best to have the first running day be easy. If you are running three days in a row, the middle day should be very easy.

If you’re experiencing aches and pains that don’t seem to be healing, drop back to an every other day schedule: try to stay below the threshold of further irritation.

Decide on a date for a goal and mark the days of key workouts

1. Note the goal race on the appropriate page in the journal
2. Count back in the journal and note the dates for each page
3. Mark the dates for the long runs
4. Mark the dates of other races and adjust training accordingly
5. Mark the “maintenance run days” (most commonly on Tuesday and Thursday)
6. On the “maintenance” days, assign cadence drills, acceleration-gliders, hills, etc.
7. Use the schedules in this book or my books YEAR ROUND PLAN, HALF MARATHON, MARATHON FAQs, 5K/10K.

If your goal is “to finish” you’ll find schedules in this book. If you are running a race of any distance for the first time, I suggest running at training pace for the first two-thirds of the race. Then you can choose whether or how much to speed up to the finish. If you want to improve your finish time, read on.