Setting Up a More Personalized Training Program
Setting up a more personalized training progra is worth finding out how to do.
Last month I completed the requirements to become an RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) certified running coach.
My main motivation was to be able to learn more about running, not only for myself…but also so that when I write posts that are more informative in nature on the blog I know what I’m talking about.
I don’t pretend that I now know everything there is to know.
In fact, unless I go on to get a college degree in Exercise Science, I would feel like I was deceiving you to say I was now an expert.
I want to be able to help runners, though, especially newer/older ones.
Training for Ourselves
A big part of the certification is learning how to put together a training program. Huge help as I try to train myself.
Most of us who get into running start by researching on the internet, or maybe buy a book. There are many training plans out there, and they are a great start.
Where we run into problems is taking a program or chart and applying it to our specific situation without room for adjustment.
For some reason, a lot of us are very “by the book” when it comes to training. Even if that book wasn’t written for us.
I had to learn the hard way this past year, when I experienced burnout and overtraining by using a more aggressive marathon plan than I had used before.
Injury is a big possibility when we run our bodies into the ground by adding too many miles into our week just because a certain online plan tells us too.
Learning how to build our own plans, or at least tweak the ones we have, is worth researching and finding out more.
A big piece of being able to modify a program you already have is building in workouts where you may only have miles listed.
You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. Knowing how to incorporate a few workouts into a program you are already using is a great way to apply some “self-coaching” to your running.
Adding in Workouts
For example, the program I am using for the Chicago Marathon is one I’ve used before. It’s from the Everything Running book and it successfully led me through my first marathon.
(By the way, not sure how long it will last, but you can read this book for free on the Kindle or Kindle App if you have Kindle Unlimited.)
This particular program uses mileage on certain days during the week, with one long run.
This past week the plan called for:
Monday- 4 miles
Tuesday- Rest
Wednesday- 4 miles
Thursday- 14 miles
Friday- rest
Saturday- 6 miles
Sunday- 8 miles
Monday- 6 miles
note– I adjust the long run to be on Thursday, instead of Sunday where most plans stick it. I run marathons, my husband does not…so I get my long run in on days we don’t run together.
My tweaks are:
Monday- 4 miles
Tuesday- rest (Ab work)
Wednesday- 4 miles (easy, this is a short run before the long run the next day)
Thursday- 14 miles
Friday-rest (arm strength)
Saturday- 6 miles-
Sunday- 10 miles easy (Dave’s long run)
Monday- 6 miles
note Because my husband’s goal race is a half marathon and I train with him, I adjust my Sunday miles to his training miles.
Let me explain the Saturday tweak-
In order for the body to gain fitness, it needs some “stress”. We hear that a lot in weight lifting, but sometimes that message gets lost for runners.
Adding a bit of speed work into our schedule gives us some of that stress. It is important to note that always adding stress is NOT GOOD!
You risk injury, burnout and breaking your body down. More is not more in this case.
What looks like runners shorthand above is simply this:
I am going to run for 6 miles total.
I will warm up (light jog) for 1 mile and then start running at the faster pace for only 1/2 a mile. When I reach that distance, I will walk for 1/4 of a mile to get my heart rate back to normal and recover. Then I will run another 1/2 mile at the faster speed, recover for 1/4 mile and so on until I’ve done that 5 times.
If my math is correct, I will then cool down for a mile and a quarter to reach my 6 mile goal for the day.
(And I’m not kidding, my math skills have failed me time and time again with running…especially if I’m trying to figure stuff out while running.)
Depending on the weather and how my body feels, cool down will probably be a light jog or even walking.
Because I am training for a marathon and have long runs that are over 10 miles regularly (sometimes twice in a week), I only add in the speed work once a week.
Adjust and Tweak to Add “Stress”
If you are using any kind of training program that isn’t written especially for you, expect to have to adjust and tweak it.
Usually when I talk about doing that, it is in reference to not pushing yourself beyond what you are capable of.
What I’m asking you to do here is add stuff into the program.
Psychologically, adding workouts also makes the training more fun. Variety is the spice of running (or something like that)!
Even if you are not training for anything, mixing your running up with workouts designed to make you faster and fitter will make you a better runner with more stamina and endurance.
If you constantly go out for a 4 mile run at the same pace every run, the body adapts to that and you won’t see any “gains” as they call it in weight lifting.
The workout example I used above is only one of many things you can try.
This post lists some workouts and how to do them.
If you currently run 3 days a week, add in a speed workout for 1 of those days.
If you run 4 or 5 days a week, add a workout and a longer run.
Add long runs in increments, though. Don’t suddenly go from running 3 miles as your longest run to 10 in a week.
Stress fractures are not fun, believe me!
The 10% rule is a good one to follow, and almost every runner learns it at some point.
Only add 10% to your mileage per week. You can add it to one of your runs to make a long run, or spread it out, but don’t get into the trap of over doing it. YOU WILL GET INJURED/BURNED OUT.
Don’t Forget Your Other “Stress” Events
When planning for extra efforts, don’t neglect to think about what else you do.
Hot yoga, taking a spin class, climbing mountains are all efforts that go into what you should taking into consideration when adding running workouts.
Too much effort every week with no recovery is not the sign of someone making themselves stronger. It is the sign of someone on the verge of injury!
I can not stress enough the importance of recovery for the body.
It is not just a “break”, it is actively strengthening your muscles to make you more fit than you were last month.
Ignore recovery, and you run the risk of breaking down your body so much you have to quit all together.
Warming Up/Cooling Down
Don’t forget to warm up those muscles before the run.
Add some exercises to get them ready to go beforehand, and add them to your training.
Simple Leg Swings and Butt Kicks are easy additions that
If I am on a longer run, I sometimes will walk for 1/4 or 1/2 a mile to warm up or do a light jog. Include that in the mileage for the day to easily add a warm up.
In the example I used above for the 6 miler, my cool down is whatever I have left after doing the intervals. Since it is the middle of the summer, I will usually walk this. It is a COOL down after all!
Don’t be intimidated by adding workouts. I tell my husband all the time, there are no “running police” behind you making sure you are following everything to a “T”.
Other Ways to Tweak the Training
First of all, know that “in training” does not mean you have to be heading toward a race.
I think of any kind of run program as training.
You can incorporate different paces in your runs, by checking out this pace calculator from Runners World. Use those paces to figure out a faster run.
If you do have a goal race in mind, adjust some of your long runs to introduce your anticipated race pace into some of the mileage.
Now, the long run is meant to build your endurance, so I don’t recommend running the whole run at the faster pace. In fact, I am opposed to that strategy.
But, what I will do is take a 16 mile run let’s say and break that up into a 2 mile warm up at my long run pace and then do 10 miles at my “race pace” (using the calculator as my guide) and then run the last 4 at long run pace again.
I do this for every 3rd long run, which works out in my training to be about once a month. The training I am using sticks a recovery WEEK into the program and so one of the “long” runs every 3rd or 4th week is only 6 or 7 miles.
If you are someone who has a hard time backing off once you plan to do something, I would suggest you give yourself ranges.
This way you can still do what is planned without pushing yourself beyond what your body can do in a particular run.
For example, instead of saying “I have a 16 mile long run and 10 of those miles HAS to be at race pace”. Tell yourself, “I have a 14-16 mile long run and I can run 7-10 of those at race pace”.
This will give you leeway and still be able to call a run a success.
Try It
If you are using a schedule you have found online or in a book, print it out or make a copy.
In pencil, take the next few weeks and do some adjusting. Use this post for workout ideas.
Add in warm ups and cool downs.
Do the math before the run, so you know what you are doing before heading out.
This intervals app can help in so many ways when we want to add some variation to the mileage.
Need more Help?
If you have any questions on what to do, I would love to help! Send me an email or comment below and I will be glad to give you some ideas on how to tweak your training based on your specifics.
