As any runner’s friends and family will tell you, runners love talking about workouts. We will detail each split in a speed session to anyone who will listen, describe how they were affected by wind direction, and what this predicts about our goal pace in a marathon that’s three months away. Most runners spend their training blocks living in the details, working tirelessly to hit the numbers they were given by a book, a PDF they found on the internet, a run club group plan, or an AI bot. They might know that the same plan got them a PR last time, or the AI bot’s workouts are crazy hard, but they may not have the skills or perspective to assess a plan to determine if it’s right for them, or to make modifications or write their own.
As a coach and a runner, I believe that if you’re going to put your body and time on the line week after week in training, you should have the knowledge to evaluate any training plans you’re considering, and the tools to modify them or write your own if you choose to. This series aims to provide a solid foundation in basic training science, methods to assess and understand your individual physiology, and understand how those insights will shape your race preparation.
My Experience as an Athlete
My own journey to coaching began with an interest in training science, which eventually led to writing my own workouts and training plans, and doing a lot of experimentation on myself. I read every book I could find on running science and training methodologies, and while it seemed that every one had a plan in the back, none of them really addressed how to create one. Over time I tried lots of different plans and was able to identify which methods seemed to work for me. As I learned more about the sport and myself as an athlete, I began modifying and tweaking more and more until I was eventually writing my own and finding increasing success in my race results.
I loved the process of figuring out what worked, and my curiosity inevitably extended beyond my own physiology and race results. I got certified as a coach and began applying the same approach with clients, and I firmly believe that the years I spent experimenting and learning by doing made me much better at my job. Not everyone who is interested in writing their own training will (or should) become a coach, but a knowledge of training science will serve you well beyond simple race prep. Going through the process of designing a plan for yourself, even once, can lead to valuable insights and understanding of yourself as an athlete.
The Approach
The hardest tasks for most runners when approaching training (whether writing their own plan or using a preexisting one) is accurately assessing their strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities, and using that information to choose appropriate goals for their next race. Once they click the registration button, most runners are eager to get straight into workouts while visions of PR’s dance in their heads. Rushing into a training cycle without giving dedicated thought to the specific demands of the event (and how best to prepare for them) at best leads to unfocused training. At worst, it can lead to underperformance, overtraining, disappointment, or injury. Whether you’re starting from scratch or choosing a pre-baked plan, the options, possibilities, and decisions to be made when staring at a blank calendar can be overwhelming.
This course begins with a methodical and rigorous process to help athletes define their fitness goals and priorities, as well as any additional race-specific considerations. We’ll then work through some methods to assess current fitness and to identify areas that might need additional work and attention. With a clear understanding of where you are and where you want to go, I’ll lead you through overall plan structure, guidance on mileage, and workout design.
Things to Consider
It’s important to note that writing your own plan is not the same as having a coach. Good coaches provide much more than just workouts, and many of those things are hard, if not impossible, to give oneself. A coach will be able to offer guidance from their own perspective and experience. They can maintain objectivity, which is difficult when you’re consumed by the daily demands of training. Coaches can also provide motivation, accountability, and a bit of psychology when needed. If you’re going to undertake a training cycle on your own, it’s a good idea to have some experienced resources available to help you navigate the inevitable bumps in the road. Whether it’s an experienced running friend, club coach, or us (feel free to reach out to coach@bakline.com with any questions!) it’s important to have support.
Taking a DIY approach to training can offer a host of benefits that extend beyond a single training cycle, though. The process will help you learn to think critically and more objectively about yourself as an athlete. Whether you continue to write your own training, decide to work with a coach, or use pre-baked plans, those skills can inform future decisions about the types of training, events, and distances that best suit you. They can clarify what you might need in a coach, should you choose to work with one. You’ll be better able to judge a plan or a workout and decide if it makes sense and might be right for you. And, if I’ve done my job, you’ll understand the purpose of different types of workouts and how to execute them.
Who This is NOT For
If you’re a beginning runner (and I’ll define that here as someone who has been pursuing endurance sports and distance running for less than two years), you’ll likely benefit more from trying out existing plans. At this stage in your running, you’ll respond well to most stimuli, and most decent plans will give you good results. Your job is to try different things and pay attention to how a variety of workouts feel, note how you recover from them, what you enjoy, and what you don’t.
Likewise, if you’re a very experienced runner trying to squeeze out the last few percent of your potential, you’ll probably need the level of personalized training that a good coach can provide. If you’re returning to running from injury, a PT or coach will be your best guide in knowing how hard to push yourself. And for anyone with other health concerns, an experienced coach is also your best option.
Who This IS For
For runners who have good basic fitness, are looking to improve, and don’t mind getting under the hood a little, DIY training might be a good option. Even if you aren’t ready to start from scratch, this series will help you train with greater clarity and objectively assess your progress. If you run with a club and use a group training plan that’s designed to accommodate a wide range of abilities, you will learn how to make adjustments to better suit your individual needs. The processes in this series can also help you adapt a generic training plan for course-specifics, like hills, heat, or altitude. Whether you’ve plateaued under your current training methods, feel like you’ve progressed beyond group plans, or are just interested in exploring and learning, consider following along for the next 10 weeks.
The Structure of the Course
Over the next ten posts, we’ll cover the following topics:
- Intro (⭐You are here.)
- Definitions and Terminology
- Where You Are and Where You Want to Go
- The Elements of a Training Cycle
- Workout Purpose & Design - Endurance
- Workout Purpose & Design - Threshold
- Workout Purpose & Design - Speed & Hills
- Putting it All Together - Micro, Meso, & Macrocycles
- The Extras - Strength, Cross-Training, & Course-Specific Add-Ons
- Taper & Race Prep
