In a previous blog, I already explained the how and why behind the overhaul of all training plans — here we’ll zoom in on this specific part.
It’s important to clarify how the plans are structured - we’ll also come back to this in the in-app FAQ. How is your plan built when selecting an “ultimate goal” in the app?
In the final 12 weeks leading up to your goal, you follow a specific plan. This plan focuses on the key physiological elements required to perform well at your chosen distance. To keep it simple: more volume for a marathon, more speed for a 5K.
That, of course, requires a solid foundation. Without a base, there’s no room for specificity. We build that base with a support plan. For the insiders: this is where we focus more on capacity-building. That part is now live — specifically for the 5 kilometer.
Shorter intervals, longer LSD runs
The support plan for the 5K lasts 12 weeks. Until now, the 5 and 10 kilometer plans shared the same support phase. That’s no longer the case. We’re working more specifically from now on.
The general rule still applies: if you want to pursue a performance goal, you need a solid base. We currently set that base at 10K. So first, you build toward 10 kilometers, and only then do you move into the increased load of an “ultimate” plan toward your goal race. That’s a responsible choice, with your long-term health in mind.
Since we now created dedicated plans for the 5K, we’re taking a slightly different approach. Your aerobic fitness remains key. Not only is it your most important asset during the race, it also improves your ability to recover from intense sessions.
But because we race the 5K above our threshold, the relationship with your second lactate threshold (LT2) is slightly different compared to other plans. Slightly more polarized, in fact.
12 + 12: if you want to complete the full trajectory, you should set your 5K goal about 22 to 24 weeks in advance. The support plan comes first. That way, you follow the full cycle of both support and specific plans.
Note: such a long preparation period isn’t necessary if you already race this distance regularly. The shorter the race, the less critical the period before the specific phase becomes. On the other hand, the structure offered by combining support and specific plans is well worth completing. Yes, I believe it makes you stronger, especially for those who are relatively new to the sport.
More plans and training days
Also important: Trenara is attracting faster runners. That wasn’t something we fully anticipated in the early days. Thanks to this update, we’re better meeting their needs. The foundation for a fast 5K isn’t just laid in the final 12 weeks, but, as mentioned above, also in the weeks before. That part wasn’t fully developed for faster runners until now.
As you read in the general blog post, all plans are being updated to potentially include up to 7 training days. That applies here too - although you’ll have to wait until next week’s release of the specific 5K plans to see that reflected in the app.
More true threshold work and a few other adjustments
Previously, it was harder to define your thresholds precisely, which meant I couldn’t label certain workouts accordingly.
You’ve probably experienced a tempo session where the description and the actual effort didn’t match: “shouldn’t feel too hard”, but you ended up screaming for your life.
That shouldn’t happen anymore by design. That doesn’t mean there won’t be hard sessions — but if they are, they’re meant to be. Especially for 5 and 10K goals, we’ll see more of those, because in those races, you push beyond your limits. We need to train for that.
Of course, a bad day can still make a session feel harder. But that’s no longer by design.
We’re also shifting a few other things: for runners who don’t train that often, there won’t necessarily be a recovery jog in the plan. In those cases, we count on passive recovery.
That doesn’t mean the plan becomes heavier. The old trio (intervals, tempo, and recovery) is now optimized with basic endurance in mind. Intervals, endurance runs (with strides!), and LSD are the best combo for runners training three times a week.
