I’ll start this post with a question (because who doesn’t love an occasional curveball?):
Do you really need a running training plan? Is putting together a training schedule worth all the time and effort?
Well, I can answer this briefly: Absolutely
You may be thinking, “No Naveed, I’m not currently training for a race” or “A training plan is for people who have never run before.”
While any or all of those may apply to you, having a running training plan will always systemize or training regime, map out a schedule aimed to improve your performance and sustain a high level of commitment in your relationship with running.
Believe me when I say that I’m a firm believer in doing something for the love of it. We only have so many hours in our day, let alone actual hours to ourselves, that we can spend on our own watch. We as runners have obviously chosen this activity as a party of our on-going lives and it’s because we love it. Some of us may hold it at different levels of importance in our lives but ultimately we all share a passion towards it.
With passion, however, come structure.
That sounds a little strict. But it isn’t. By structure, I mean that our passions that high of a regard in our lives that engaging in it effectively creates a level of balance, improvement and happiness.
This can literally apply to any passion whether it’s taking on skating half-pipes, learning the history of our culture, playing the guitar and more.
Our passion just so happens to be running.
Essentially, a running training schedule is a plan tailor-made to our present and future running goals. This may be in the form of training for a certain race, improving upon certain personal bests, improving as runner itself, taking on a better form of cardio for the first time and weight-loss goals.
A running training plan maps out an effective schedule for a certain duration of time – typically anywhere from 16-40 weeks – in which one wants to train for any of the reasons stated above. What I typically deal with as a Running Coach is with people who want to prepare for a certain race at a new distance and for people who want to improve upon their times.
Why Training Plans Help You Reach Your Goals Faster?
Like anything you’re learning to master, you won’t learn it by just taking a stab at it. Sure, there are some things that can be picked up almost instantly but there are some that require some type of instruction and program. There is absolutely no way I would be able to learn how to play the drums in a few days. I would seriously need the best practices drawn out for me in terms of what I should learn first and whom I should consult for specialized education or equipment.
Running is somewhat the same. Sure, running may not be as technical as a mechanic’s job or playing the drums but you can’t expect to run an arbitrary distance on an arbitrary day. You need a guide that shows your a daily mileage, cross-training activities and core workouts that you should implement that will benefit your goal.
I personally following a running training plan actually makes your daily run that much more exciting. You may notice a certain distance might be the highest you’ve ever done or notice you having to run at a pace you’re nervous about. That’s what makes it all worth it.
Running isn’t supposed to be the most glorified hobby ever. Is it healthy for us? Of course. Can it benefit our overall zen and happiness? Without question. But it does take diligence and structure and a training plan will bring just that.
Based off your current fitness, expertise and goal, your running training plan will always usually begins on a running schedule that may not be too different than your current fitness except instilling an instant balance as to what types of runs you will be doing and on what days in the week you will be running.
While some people can handle running 7 days a week, others find benefit in different in combining running with other forms of cardio and cross training. This is primarily due to sustaining an injury-free state, over exhaustion of your body or a muscle-variate training routine to touch on all cylinders.
Of course, everyone’s situations different and that is what ultimately makes a training plan important.
Creating a new running training plan once your have met your end-of-schedule goal
If you’ve gone through with having someone build you a training plan, spent your focus on meeting the schedule’s guidelines and ultimately completing your end-result with great results, congratulations. That’s a great accomplishment and you will have formed a more physical and mentally stronger relationship with running.
However, much like the Sun in the morning, it always rises. You’ll wake up the next day and realize you’re going to have to get on a new training schedule.
Some of us may be jumping up to the next distance and circling a new race in 6 months. And some might get a little competitive and want to beat our previous record set in that same distance.
Hey, it’s good to get competitive. It builds upon your passion and lights a fire in your body to get better and set a baller personal record. We love the acronym “PR” around here. I’ll throw that out on the regular (I already have if you haven’t noticed).
Whatever our next goal is, making sure to create a new plan ensures that you’re on track to improve. Remember, you now would have had a baseline to what got you to where you currently are at. Having a previous to compare to will help you adapt to new mileage, workouts, pace and feel that you may not have already experienced.
Pretty exciting stuff, let me tell you.
It’s apparent that keeping your running game on check is key to your improvement as a runner. You want to be a happy runner but you also want to improve as a runner. There’s no better feeling than to be at your best or reach new heights. A running training plan will do just that.
