In a previous blog post, I already explained the how and why behind the reworking of all our training schedules. Now, we’ll take a closer look at this particular part.
It’s important to clarify how these plans are structured - you’ll also find this information in the in-app FAQ. How is your plan built when you set what the app calls an ‘ultimate goal’?
In the final 12 weeks leading up to your goal, you follow a specific plan. Here, we focus on the exact elements you need to perform well at your chosen distance. To keep it simple: more volume for a marathon, more speed for a 5k. This section now goes live, specifically for the marathon.
Of course, this requires a broad base fitness. Without a solid foundation, you can’t work on specific qualities. That foundation is built with a support plan. For the experts: in this part, we focus more on capacity work.
Small adjustments, big impact
The training philosophy behind the marathon plan hasn’t changed. However, the tweaks we’ve made give you more control over the effort required. Experienced users will definitely notice the difference. Some sessions might have the same structure as before, but with a different intensity. Because we now have more physiological control, it will be easier for you to understand the training objectives. You’ll see that I now specify whether sessions are sub-threshold or not, and whether I expect your heart rate to remain stable. This gives you clear guidelines to make adjustments if needed.
16 + 12:
Ideally, you set a marathon goal about 26 to 28 weeks in advance. As a trained runner, that gives you a six-month plan to prepare for a marathon, which is more than enough. As I explain in the in-app FAQ: never set a goal for a full year later. Work with targets every four to six months, so you move through several training cycles.
The support plan runs continuously. If you start 30 weeks before your race, you’ll get the final two weeks of the support plan, then 16 weeks of support, followed by 12 specific weeks.
Important: this does not mean you can run a marathon after 28 weeks of training. You can find my golden rules for setting a marathon goal here.
More plans to choose from
The plans are structured based on performance levels. To be clear: your current performance level, not your future goal. We always work from your current state, since that’s the only responsible way to train.
With these new plans, we’ve divided the levels even further, creating more tailored options.
A broader foundation
Building your base fitness will be a higher priority for many users. We’ve noticed that a relatively large number of marathon runners only train three days a week. That’s not a lot for such a long distance, but it’s not impossible.
The reality is that with fewer training moments, you have to make more fundamental choices in the plan, both literally and figuratively. That means more aerobic-paced sessions and passive rather than active recovery.
You’re all up to speed again. Want to use the new plans? Then it’s time to set your goal again!
