Training Plans · Simple Running Guides

Your free
personalized
training plan.

Build a simple plan for any distance, from 5K to marathon, in under a minute. Then use the guides below to understand easy days, long runs, recovery, strength work, and tapering.

Build My Plan → Learn the Basics ↓
5K · 10K · Half · Marathon Pace-zone guidance Free · No signup
1
Tell us about you
Race distance, experience level, goal time, and how many days you can train. Takes 60 seconds.
2
Get a structured plan
Base, build, peak, and taper phases with Pace-zone guidance and 80/20 intensity balance.
3
Print and run
Printable weekly schedule with room for strength work and recovery. No email. No signup. Yours to keep.
Train for: All Distances Marathon Half Marathon 10K 5K Couch to 5K Couch to 10K
From the Lab

Training guides

Coaching advice you can actually use, not generic training advice you’ve read a hundred times.

View all guides →
01
Start Here
Pillar Guide

How to Use a Running Training Plan Without Overthinking It

A training plan should guide your week, not control your life. Start here if you want to understand easy runs, workout days, long runs, cutback weeks, and what to do when you miss a run.

Read the guide →
80/20
Training Basics

80/20 Running Rule: Why Most Runs Should Feel Easy

A plain-English guide to keeping easy runs easy, using hard days wisely, and avoiding the grey zone.

6 min read Read →
26.2
Marathon

How to Train for Your First Marathon

A realistic first-marathon guide with base building, long runs, recovery, and what not to rush.

8 min read Read →
STR
Strength

Strength Training for Runners: Simple Exercises That Fit Your Week

Two short sessions can be enough for many runners. Start with simple moves you can repeat consistently.

7 min read Read →
BASE
Periodization

Base, Build, Peak, Taper: A Plain-English Guide

Why training plans use phases, what each phase is trying to do, and how to avoid rushing the process.

7 min read Read →
HR
Pacing

Heart Rate Zones vs Pace Zones for Running

Both can work. Here is when heart rate helps, when pace helps, and why effort still matters.

6 min read Read →
REST
Recovery

Why Recovery Days Matter More Than Hard Ones

A simple guide to rest days, easy days, and how to know when backing off is the smarter move.

6 min read Read →
The Basics

Training principles, explained

Four ideas that separate athletes who improve from athletes who plateau.

The 80/20 Rule
Most of your running should feel easy. The harder work matters too, but it needs to be controlled.
Periodization
Base, build, peak, and taper each have a job. The goal is steady progress, not cramming fitness late.
Recovery Wins
Hard training only works when you can absorb it. Rest days and easy days help the work turn into fitness.
Strength Matters
Two short sessions a week may help you handle running better, especially when the plan starts to build.
Track Your Training

Every plan needs a way to track it.

Once you’ve built your plan, you need a GPS watch that can handle structured workouts, pace zones, and long runs. Start with the watch finder if you are not sure what level of watch you actually need.

Find Your Watch →
Beginner · Budget
Garmin Forerunner 165
→
Intermediate · Best Value
Garmin Forerunner 265
→
Advanced · Marathon & Ultra
Garmin Forerunner 965
→
Training FAQ

Questions runners actually ask

How long should my training plan be?
It depends on your race and experience. Many beginners do best with 16 to 20 weeks for a marathon and 12 to 14 weeks for a half marathon. Experienced runners may use a shorter plan if they already have a steady base. The plan creator sizes this for you based on your race date and current fitness.
What’s the difference between easy, tempo, and threshold?
Easy means conversational. You should be able to talk in short sentences. Tempo means comfortably hard and controlled. Threshold is around the effort you could hold for about an hour in a race. Many runners make easy days too hard and end up stuck in the middle.
Do I really need to do strength training?
It is usually worth doing. Two short sessions a week may help you build strength, control, and confidence. You do not need a full gym plan to start. Bodyweight squats, lunges, planks, and single-leg work are a useful base. The plan creator leaves room for this in the week.
What if I miss a run?
Do not try to make up every missed run. Missing one run usually does not matter. The bigger mistake is squeezing missed hard workouts into rest days and turning the week into a pile-up. The simple rule is: move forward, not backward. If you miss most of a week, repeat the previous week instead of jumping ahead.
Can I run more days than the plan suggests?
Only if the extra running is truly easy and you are recovering well. Adding more intensity to a plan often backfires. If you want a little more volume, it is usually safer to make easy runs slightly longer rather than adding another hard workout.
How do I know my goal pace?
The plan creator uses your recent race time or an estimated time to suggest training paces. If you have never raced the distance, enter your most recent race at any distance and use the result as a starting point, not a promise. You can adjust after a few weeks of training.