Listen to Your Body: How to Adjust Your Running Training Plan for Optimal Results
Struggling to stick to a rigid training plan? You're not alone. Many runners, especially busy ones, find themselves cramming in workouts or skipping runs entirely because their plan just doesn't fit their life. But what if I told you effective training can (and should!) be flexible?
If you have ever trained for a race goal or been successful at hitting a new PR, you know the importance of a well-crafted training plan. Yet for recreational runners, the key to success lies in knowing how to personalize and adapt your training.
If you grabbed a generic training plan from a website, you can be sure it’s not a perfect match for your life, running routine and goals — and even a customized plan from a coach should be adjustable to allow for changes in stress, energy levels and recovery needs.
This post will guide you through personalizing your training for maximum results. Learn how to leverage your strengths, minimize injury risk, and avoid burnout by adapting your plan to fit your unique needs.
Mileage and repeats: A spectrum, not a target
A good training plan includes mileage or repetition ranges (e.g. "3-5 miles easy" or "6-8 hill repeats") instead of a single, fixed target. This flexibility might seem confusing at first, but understanding the purpose of these ranges is key to maximizing your training.
Here's how to read it and adjust:
Ranges cater to individual needs. The low end of the range isn't a "beginner's option", just as the high end isn't reserved for advanced runners. It's about tailoring your workout to how you feel on the day.
Some days running feels amazing and you have a lot of energy - you may be able to hit harder paces or feel like you could just keep on going. On those days, make the most of your opportunity to get in a really high quality session and run the high end of the range! On other days, your legs might feel heavy, your muscles tight, or you didn’t sleep well — stick with the low end of the range and prioritize recovery. And when you feel normal and the run feels as it usually does, your sweet spot is somewhere in the middle.
The minimum is always enough; having a range doesn’t mean the low end is bad and the high end is good. There’s no extra credit for pushing for the top of the range, no matter what.
Note that some runners do naturally gravitate towards higher mileage while others thrive and stay healthier with lower volume. Find your sweet spot and stay there.
Adapting a standard training plan:
Don't have a plan with predefined ranges? No problem! You can safely adjust a generic plan yourself by adding or subtracting up to one mile or repeat from the suggested amount. For example, a
5-mile run
becomes
4-6 miles, and
6 x 800m
becomes
5-7 x 800m.
Key takeaways:
- Ranges are there to guide you, not to restrict you.
- Listen to your body: Push on good days, recover on bad days.
- Find your "normal" running effort and target the middle ground most of the time.
- Even basic plans can be adapted by adding your own mileage or repetition ranges.
Fine-tuning your paces: Addressing weaknesses
When you identify your running weaknesses you can also tailor your training paces to address them. Pacing your runs a certain way can help you recover faster, resist slowing down when you get fatigued, or strengthen your finishing kick.
If you struggle with keeping your easy runs truly easy, pay attention to recovery runs, keeping your heart rate and effort low. If slowing down feels like an insurmountable obstacle, turn it into a competition with yourself — set yourself the challenge of keeping your heart rate below a certain number, and choose to run by time, not distance. If you know you’ll be running for 40 minutes regardless, you may as well make it easy… right?
- Why? Recovering quickly after easy runs enables you to reach a higher quality of effort in your harder workouts. Easier paces also give you all the endurance benefits with less injury risk.
If you have a tendency to fade late in races, train yourself to be mentally and physically strong as fatigue sets in. You can do this by gently progressing your pace through a set of speed intervals (i.e. running the last ones a little faster), or by gradually picking up your pace towards the end of an easy or long run.
- Why? The more you practice finishing strong despite fatigue, the easier it will be to dig deep in the final miles of a race.
Recovery after workouts: Are you stronger on speed or endurance?
Another way you can modify a training plan is to adjust the scheduling of your harder workouts such as interval sessions or tempo runs. To do this, start by noting which workouts leave you more fatigued and what types you find easiest or enjoy the most. This will help you identify if you lean towards natural speed or endurance.
Speed runners do better with:
- Short intervals (half mile or shorter)
- Fast, explosive hill sprints
- Track workouts
- Long runs when they include pace changes or intervals
Endurance runners are stronger on:
- Long intervals (mile or longer)
- Sustained climbs
- Tempo runs
- Long runs that are easy-paced
Your natural aptitude impacts the recovery time a workout requires, so use this information to take your rest days at the right time. Speed demons might be energized by 400-meter repeats but need extra rest after a long tempo. An endurance-oriented runner is more likely to recover well from the tempo but need an additional easy or rest day after the short repeats.
Remember, though, that it’s not all about playing to your strengths! If you’re strong on speed but lack endurance, training those slow twitch muscle fibers should be an important part of your training plan. After all, if you can improve on your weaknesses, you’ll be a stronger runner on race day.
Life stress + training stress = It all adds up!
Lastly, don’t forget the big picture. Training plans don’t factor in life's curveballs. Sleepless nights with a sick child, work deadlines, even social engagements, all add up and affect your training. When your body is stressed or operating on reduced resources, your training needs to change — your body doesn’t recognize one type of stress from another. Keep going without breaks or adequate recovery, and you’ll risk burnout.
Here’s how you can adjust for stress:
- Plan ahead for travel, major commitments or big projects as much as you can.
- Schedule lighter recovery weeks for times when you know you’ll be busy with work or family.
- Keep an eye on your stress levels and adapt by adding a rest day, opting for the low end of your mileage range, or consulting your coach about adjusting the week's schedule.
Remember, overtraining through under-recovery can seriously derail your progress. A few missed or shortened runs won’t undo the otherwise consistent work you’ve been putting in. It’s better to get to the start line a little undertrained than completely burned out.
By incorporating these adjustments — using ranges correctly, adjusting your pacing, paying attention to recovery, and considering total stress and load on your body — you can transform your training plan from a rigid program to a dynamic tool that propels you towards your running goals!
Want to learn more?
For 7 strategies for getting the most out of your runs, download my free guide The Busy Woman’s Guide to Making Time for Running. It’s designed to give you quick and practical tips so you can maximize your time and fit running around your busy life.
About the author:
Heini Tallent is an RRCA Level 2 certified running coach and licensed sports massage therapist. She's the owner of Elements Running Education and helps recreational runners aged 40ish and up train with more confidence, higher motivation, and the knowledge needed to make running a healthy and enjoyable lifelong journey. Heini coaches her clients 1-on-1, through small group programs and the Run Empowered online community for women. She also works with everyday athletes and active people at her private massage practice near Portland, Oregon.
