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Maybe you took some time off and you\u2019re finally ready to get back out there. Maybe you\u2019ve been running regularly but you\u2019re itching to pick up the pace.<\/p>\n
A new year is a fresh start, and wherever you\u2019re at, 2022 has potential to make you stronger, fitter, and faster. And it turns out, collectively, we\u2019re off to a pretty strong start. Runners are already running more than ever: 26.2 million people ran more than 50 times in 2020, a 4.5 percent increase over 2019, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association\u2019s 2021 Topline Report. But just upping your frequency isn\u2019t enough when it comes to goal-chasing\u2014you have to run smart.<\/p>\n
Planning ahead (like, maybe way ahead) can help you be proactive about your training, whether you\u2019ve got your sights set on speedy shorter distances this spring or a PR in a fall marathon. Wherever you\u2019re at right now, make the most of this upcoming year with our comprehensive training guide and running training plans.<\/p>\n
To move forward, you have to look back, says Rebeka Stowe, a Nike Run Club coach and Olympic Trials finalist based in New York. \u201cYou have to be really honest with yourself when you\u2019re putting a plan together to figure out what you need.\u201d<\/p>\n
To take stock, you can start with basic questions: How many days a week were you training? What was your average overall volume? What type of sessions were you doing? What type of sessions were you avoiding? A running coach would dig a little deeper, with queries like:<\/p>\n
The answers might not be immediate. That\u2019s OK, but taking the time to develop self-awareness (whether it be in your own head on the run or through a journaling practice) will help in the long run.<\/p>\n
Going beyond the metrics on your watch also addresses the mental aspects of training.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always ask my athletes\u2014whether they\u2019re ultramarathoners or 800-meter runners\u2014what is going to bring you joy? What are you going to be excited about on the daily?\u201d says Asher Kyger Henry, a running coach, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and doctor of physical therapy. \u201cThat\u2019s your starting point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maybe you want to feel strong in your running, or include strength training, or use running to connect socially. That makes running less about a finish line goal (which can be impacted by factors out of your control, like weather conditions) and more about process goals that create a positive, healthy relationship with running, says Henry.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn outcome goal is authentic and can really drive an athlete, but you have to be honest about where you\u2019re at and realistic about your timeline,\u201d says Stowe. \u201cIf the goal is truly to make improvements, you have to highlight the areas you were successful in and embrace the areas that you may have avoided.\u201d<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t move forward without establishing what you\u2019re physically capable of, either. Whether you\u2019ve done a recent race or not, the New Year can be a great time for a benchmark workout. Not only will that clue you into your current fitness levels, it will also help you track progress as you keep training.<\/p>\n
One of the easiest ways to establish a running baseline: Jeff Galloway\u2019s Magic Mile, says Henry. Here\u2019s how it works: Warm up with a slow one-mile run. Do a few strides. Run about as hard as you can for one mile (without feeling like you\u2019re going to puke at the end). Walk for about five minutes to cool down.<\/p>\n
Got your mile pace? Add 33 seconds to that to determine your 5K pace, then multiply your magic mile time by 1.15 for 10K pace, by 1.175 for 10-mile pace, by 1.2 for half marathon pace, and by 1.3 for marathon pace (Galloway\u2019s website also has a calculator if numbers aren\u2019t your thing).<\/p>\n
These paces aren\u2019t set in stone, but are meant to be a reference point for gauging effort during certain workouts, whether you\u2019re doing repeats at mile pace or working half marathon pace intervals into a long run. The best part: You can repeat this test every six to eight weeks (that\u2019s how long it takes the body to physiologically adapt to stress, says Henry) to stay on top of your goals and course-correct if necessary.<\/p>\n
A fresh calendar is a blank slate for race training. But filling in those months and weeks can feel totally overwhelming without the guidance of a pro. Good news: We\u2019ve got insights from two of them. Here\u2019s how to look at your yearly calendar and plan for a successful training schedule.<\/p>\n
Distance running requires a huge aerobic foundation, or base, says Stowe\u2014and that introductory phase of a training cycle can take the longest. How long depends on your experience and fitness level, but at least six to eight weeks of easy running before jumping into a training plan is a good place to start, says Stowe; Henry recommends 12 weeks if you can. That time investment is important, because this part of training increases your aerobic capacity (read: endurance), improves muscular strength, and trains the mind-body connection.<\/p>\n
The second part of base training is strides. Once you can do a comfortable 40 minutes of running at a conversational pace, you can introduce these short (about 100-meter) pickups where you almost hit your top speed, then slow back down to a jog and repeat. \u201cStrides are all about increasing turnover and pairing your running mechanics with your cardiovascular system to make sure you\u2019re being as efficient as possible,\u201d says Henry. You can do strides two to four times a week, she says\u2014try adding four reps of 15 to 30 seconds, with two minutes of easy running in between, to a run.<\/p>\n
After two to four weeks incorporating strides, says Henry, you can start layering in workouts. Caveat: If you\u2019re someone who\u2019s done months of aerobic work, you can start with strides and jump right into lactate threshold, VO2<\/sub> max, and race pace training, says Stowe. \u201cIf you\u2019re looking to set a PR in a longer distance, you\u2019re going to want 8 to 12 weeks\u2019 worth of work where you\u2019re running not only at half marathon and marathon paces, but pushing your ability to go faster at shorter distances.\u201d Stowe recommends a minimum of 10 weeks for half marathon training and 16 weeks for marathon training\u2014after your base building period.<\/p>\n No matter the distance, you need an aerobic base. \u201cIt\u2019s not just your cardio system that needs to be ready; your muscles, tendons, and ligaments need to be prepped, too,\u201d says Henry.<\/p>\n That\u2019s especially important for speedier shorter distances, because \u201cthe faster you move, the more load you\u2019re putting on your body,\u201d says Stowe. Remember: You need at least six to eight weeks minimum for a base, plus two to four weeks of strides, says Henry. \u201cAt a minimum, you could be ready to cover that distance in eight weeks,\u201d she says, \u201cbut for a PR effort, you still need a block of race-specific workouts.\u201d<\/p>\n You have to run fast to get fast. \u201cThis is where you get to tap into power development, both aerobic and anaerobic,\u201d Stowe says. That might look like high reps of short intervals (think 200s or 400s) at 5K pace, or lower reps of longer intervals (like 800s or 1000s) at half marathon pace. \u201cYou may be doing shorter sessions, where the total volume is as low as two miles, but you\u2019re doing really fast work that doubles as strength training,\u201d says Stowe. Over the course of the program, you\u2019ll increase the length or the intensity of those intervals as you get stronger.<\/p>\n And while it may seem like you need less time to get prepped for a shorter distance, it still takes time for physiological remodeling to take place to a degree where you can actually see muscle growth, says Henry. That\u2019s why a mile, a 5K, and a 10K all call for at least eight weeks of race-specific training after establishing your base.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no situation where base building is more important than when you\u2019re returning to running after a break. \u201cYou need at least six to eight weeks of low heart rate, aerobic base training with the implementation of strides before going into a training plan,\u201d says Henry. (And, if you\u2019re coming back from an injury, you absolutely need your doc\u2019s OK to hit the road.)<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you haven\u2019t run in a while, the load you\u2019re going to be putting on your body is totally different,\u201d says Stowe. \u201cYou may feel great because you\u2019re so rested, but you have to make sure your tissues are ready to handle that load.\u201d<\/p>\n In those first six to eight weeks, supplemental work is super important\u2014think strength training, foam rolling, stretching, mobility. \u201cYou want to make sure you\u2019re as solid as can be to reduce the potential risk of setbacks or future injury,\u201d says Henry.<\/p>\n Remember this: There is no perfect running training plan. \u201cThe best one molds and flexes and adjusts to your life,\u201d says Henry. These plans, devised by Stowe, are meant to be a guide. It\u2019s totally fine if you miss a workout or have to move things around to fit your schedule. \u201cWe all get overwhelmed with life sometimes, and when that happens, just take a step back and focus on overall consistency,\u201d says Henry. The less pressure you put on yourself to plan in permanent marker, the less stressed you\u2019ll feel\u2014and the better you\u2019ll run.<\/p>\n A marathon is a 98 percent aerobic activity, which means training requires predominantly aerobic work, says Stowe. \u201cAt the same time, you want to build total-body strength to withstand that time on your feet, so some faster turnover sessions that tap into 5K and 10K pace (and hills!) are important,\u201d she says. Nailing that combo in your schedule will help you go the distance.<\/p>\n Half marathon training has a lot of similarities to marathon training, because it\u2019s still a highly aerobic event, says Stowe. This time, though, \u201cyou\u2019re going to be doing a touch more lactate threshold work\u2014working at 90 to 92 percent of your max effort\u2014because it\u2019s important to train your body to process waste efficiently,\u201d she says. This plan is the perfect way to build aerobic capacity but still challenge yourself from a speed perspective.<\/p>\n When training for a 10K, you tap into those faster paces more often. \u201cAfter the first three weeks, you\u2019re going to bump up to two speed-specific workouts a week, including in the long run,\u201d says Stowe. \u201cThere\u2019s still a lot of work at half marathon pace, but you\u2019re really getting down to 5K and even mile pace more frequently.\u201d To get faster over longer distances, you have to hit the gas during shorter intervals first.<\/p>\n For the 5K, you still need lactate threshold (i.e., half marathon pace) work, because that\u2019s what gets you to 4K. But crushing that final K requires developing the anaerobic system with 5K velocity work and more aggressive strength training, says Stowe. \u201cYou\u2019re going to see more varied work here\u2014change of pace, change of effort\u2014just because you want to start understanding what 5K pace feels like, and it\u2019s not a comfortable place.\u201d<\/p>\n Mile training is similar to 5K training, but it\u2019s even faster. \u201cYou\u2019re adding in more strides and more reps of shorter intervals here,\u201d says Stowe. The reason is simple: To get fast, you have to run fast. Meanwhile, the longer efforts and easy runs help keep that aerobic engine revving, so you can focus on building speed and power.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nIf You Want to PR in a 5K or 10K\u2026<\/h3>\n
If You\u2019re Injured or Have Taken More Than Two Months Away from Running\u2026<\/h3>\n
Your Complete 2022 Training Plan Pack<\/h2>\n
Marathon<\/h3>\n
Half Marathon<\/h3>\n
10K<\/h3>\n
5K<\/h3>\n
One Mile<\/h3>\n