In this episode of Legwork, Matt and Molly go beyond the numbers to unpack what makes a training plan actually work—and why most of them miss the mark for the average runner. Built as a companion to our in-depth blog series on the Bakline site, this episode is a practical and honest guide to evaluating your plan, understanding the purpose behind workouts, and making modifications that are both smart and sustainable. Whether you’re a first-time half-marathoner or a seasoned marathoner chasing a PR, this conversation gives you the tools to stop blindly following plans and start training with intention.
We also introduce a four-step framework that anchors the episode: assess the course, evaluate your current fitness (and physiology), build the right mileage and long run structure, and then add intensity with purpose. Along the way, we tackle misunderstood concepts like the 80/20 rule, threshold training, and why “advanced” doesn’t always mean “faster.” From injury prevention to long run strategy, fast-twitch vs. slow-twitch muscle types to recovery timing, this episode is loaded with practical examples, real coaching insight, and lessons we’ve learned the hard way. The full chapter list is below—so feel free to jump around, but we think it’s worth the full listen.
Top 4 Takeaways
1. Your Training Plan Wasn’t Written for You—So Make It Yours
Most plans are generic. If you're not adjusting for your race, fitness, and schedule, you're following someone else’s roadmap.
2. Understanding the Why Beats Hitting the Pace
Don’t just follow numbers—know the goal. When you understand what threshold feels like, you can adapt without derailing your training.
3. It’s Not Just Mileage—It’s the Ratio That Matters
The 80/20 rule works. Most of your weekly volume should be easy. Going too hard too often—even on low mileage—can set you back. We're ready to debate those who say otherwise.
4. Know How You’re Wired (Fast Twitch? Slow Twitch?)
Your physiology matters. Fast-twitch athletes fatigue and recover differently. Smart plans account for those differences.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Matt + Molly As Coaches and The Perspectives They Bring
05:35 Understanding Training Plans Generally and Their Importance
08:59 Who this episode is for? (Hint: almost anyone can get something out of this)
12:18 Understanding The Objective of The Workout, Not Just The Numbers
13:24 Why Most Off The Shelf Plans Let You Down, And Why The Ability To Evaluate Your Plan Is Critical To Being a Better Athlete
20:41 General Types of Modifications You Can Make Once You Have Evaluated Your Pln
29:32 Four Key Steps: Assessing the Course, Honestly Understanding Yourself, Determine Overall Mileage, and Add Intensity
31:03 Step 1: Assessing the Course
39:13 Step 2: Honestly Understanding Yourself and Assessing Your Current Fitness
49:24 Muscle Fiber Types, Determining How You Might Skew (Fast or Slow Twitch) and Considering That In Your Training Plan Construction
59:12 Step 3: Determining Overall Mileage and Your Long Run
01:01:39 Incorrect Workout Execution Could Lead to Perception of an Incorrect Plan (And Injury)
01:05:43 The 80/20 Rule. Why We Think It Is A Good Rule Of Thumb (Even Though We Don't Like Most Rules of Thumb) And Importance Of Easy Miles
01:10:21 Two Major Levers To Pull That Increase Volume: Frequency (More Days) and Duration (Longer Runs)
01:16:40 Long Run Considerations and Progression
01:17:41 Adding In The Long Run: How Many, How Long, And What % of The Week It Should Be
01:29:50 Step 4: Adding Intensity (The 20%), Key Terminology And Understanding Your Threshold Pace
01:35:29 Digging Into Types of Intensity To Consider In Your Plan
01:38:23 Coming Full Circle To That 80/20 Rule - Brining It All Together
01:42:22 Use Case #1: Illustrating How We Get To 20%
01:46:03 Use Case #2: Catching When an A Workout Does Not Make Sense
01:47:15 Summary And Key Takeaways
01:53:07 Looking Ahead To Part Two Of This Podcast: Specific Workouts
Detailed Show Notes
Most runners are following a plan. Fewer are following one that truly works for them.
In this episode, Matt and Molly dig into one of the most overlooked but essential skills in running: learning how to evaluate your training plan—whether it’s from a coach, a group, an app, or a dusty old PDF from the internet—and modify it so that it actually serves you. This conversation is built as a companion to our blog series on how to build and personalize a plan, but it’s also a standalone guide for anyone looking to train smarter, avoid burnout, and gain more confidence heading into race day.
Drawing from both personal experience and the athletes they coach, Matt and Molly walk through a practical, four-step framework for writing or evaluating a training plan:
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Understand the demands of the race course.
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Honestly assess your own fitness and physiology.
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Determine overall mileage and how it fits your schedule.
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Add intensity in a way that builds, not breaks, your fitness.
Along the way, they bust common myths (like the magical 20-miler), explain why some plans feel harder than they should, and offer specific examples of how small adjustments can radically improve your experience and outcome.
Episode Structure & Key Topics
00:00 – Introduction & Why This Conversation Matters
Matt and Molly kick things off by sharing how they each got started with formal training plans—from Hal Higdon printouts to charity team coaches—and how those early experiences helped shape their views as both athletes and coaches. Their differing perspectives (Molly: experimenter and tinker; Matt: dutiful rule-follower) set the stage for the episode’s theme: learning how to take control of your plan rather than just follow it blindly.
[13:24] Why Most Off-the-Shelf Plans Fall Short
Many runners come to a race frustrated: “I followed the plan perfectly—why didn’t it work?” Molly explains why hitting every workout doesn’t guarantee success if the plan itself wasn’t appropriate. Whether it’s too much volume, the wrong kinds of workouts, or a mismatch with your race course, many standard plans aren’t designed with you in mind—and the ability to evaluate them is key to becoming a better athlete.
[20:41] What Can You Actually Do With This Knowledge?
Once you’ve learned how to assess a plan, what’s next? Matt and Molly explore practical ways to modify training to fit your schedule, life constraints, and goals. They share examples of athletes who made smart adjustments—like changing the structure of long runs or shifting workouts to match real-world fatigue—and why that flexibility leads to better consistency and less injury risk.
The Four Core Steps of Writing or Evaluating a Plan
[29:32] Step 1: Assess the Course
Think beyond “flat” or “hilly.” Molly walks through how she studies course profiles (including where hills fall, surface types, and aid station spacing) and even reads race reports to get a feel for where people struggled. Whether it's heat, altitude, or terrain, your training should prepare you for the specific demands of your race—not just its distance.
[39:13] Step 2: Honestly Understand Your Fitness and Physiology
Before you dive into mileage or workouts, take a beat to understand where you are now. Molly explains the value of threshold field tests, the limitations of race calculators, and how to use VO2 max estimates from watches—if you’ve been training consistently. Matt underscores the need to avoid “aspirational pacing” and why many runners mistakenly train at paces that are simply too hard for them at the moment.
[49:24] Muscle Fiber Typing and Training Implications
Ever wonder why some workouts leave you wrecked and others don’t? This section dives into how your natural physiology—whether you skew more fast-twitch or slow-twitch—affects your training response. Fast-twitch athletes (like Molly) may feel crushed by longer tempo efforts, while slow-twitch athletes (like Matt) might struggle more with high-end speed. Knowing how your body works helps you adjust not just paces, but recovery time and intensity.
[59:12] Step 3: Determine Overall Mileage and Long Run Strategy
How much should you run per week—and how do you build from where you are now? Matt and Molly break down the tradeoffs between adding more days (frequency) versus longer runs (duration), and explain why consistency beats peak mileage. They also address one of the most persistent myths in distance running: the 20-miler. Do you really need three of them? Depends.
[01:10:21] Volume Levers: Frequency vs. Duration
Rather than blindly increasing total mileage, Molly encourages runners to ask: what am I already doing well? Can I handle a sixth day of running? Can I safely add 1–2 miles per day to existing runs? She and Matt walk through how they work with athletes to determine safe, sustainable mileage growth.
[01:16:40] Long Run Rules of Thumb
A long run that’s more than 50% of your weekly volume might not be helping you as much as you think. Matt and Molly discuss ideal ratios (typically 30–40% of weekly mileage), and how the structure of your week should support—not just survive—the long run.
Adding Intensity (Without Burning Out)
[01:29:50] Step 4: Add Intensity Intentionally
This section explores the 80/20 rule of training—80% of your volume should be easy, 20% hard. They explain how this ratio holds true across experience levels (even for elites), why “junk miles” is a misleading term, and how many runners unintentionally tip into the “too hard too often” trap.
[01:35:29] The Importance of Threshold Pace
Threshold workouts—those that toe the line between sustainable and unsustainable effort—are a cornerstone of endurance training. But if you’re working too hard during these sessions, you’re not training threshold; you’re training breakdown. Matt and Molly explain how to recognize what threshold should feel like and how to use it appropriately.
[01:42:22] Use Cases: Is This Workout Too Much?
Two real-world examples illustrate how evaluating intensity volume can save you from overdoing it. If you're doing a group workout with 5x800s plus recoveries and you're only running 30 miles per week total, that could be a massive portion of your training—especially if you’ve got another hard session two days later.
[01:46:03] When A Workout Doesn’t Make Sense (And It’s Not Your Fault)
Sometimes, the issue isn’t you. It’s the plan. Molly offers an example of how a threshold session that’s reasonable for one runner (e.g. 6 miles at threshold) can be totally inappropriate for another, depending on their current paces. Just because it’s written down doesn’t mean it’s right.
[01:47:15] Final Takeaways
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There is no “perfect” training plan—only one that’s honest about your goals, your fitness, your life, and the race you’re preparing for.
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Understand the race first: terrain, weather, aid stations, hills, gear restrictions—these all matter.
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Assess yourself honestly. Avoid pacing off of hope.
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Consistent weekly mileage is more valuable than one massive “hero week.”
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Intensity should be used deliberately. Most runners train too hard and too fast on a regular basis.
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If you’re in a group setting, be mindful of social pacing and whether it aligns with your training goals.
[01:53:07] Looking Ahead to Part Two
Next time, Matt and Molly will break down how to construct specific workouts—everything from how long the intervals should be, how much rest you need, how to periodize your training blocks, and how to actually make decisions based on the race you’re training for.
