With 2025 just starting, I know I'm not the only runner signing up for races and looking for the perfect training plan to get me there. This got me thinking about what makes a good training plan. I think we all want the "perfect plan," but years of running have taught me that there can be more than one way to get the outcome you're looking for. My coach at Concordia, John Lofranco, used to always remind us to "trust the training" when we were getting ready to race. The thing is, our training would change and evolve over the years, so every time we were being asked to "trust the training," it was different. We couldn't use experience to say that we've done this before and it worked. I guess that wasn't the point, though. The point was to believe in ourselves and our ability to make decisions when it mattered because even if we were running a familiar race, it was never the same: the weather was different, the competitors could be different, and we were different people when we stood on the start line one year later. I guess the good thing was that at the time, I didn't need to pick my training plan or decide what workouts I would do; I just needed to run and believe that whatever I was doing would make me a better runner.
So, if we don't have to worry about perfection in choosing a training plan, what makes a plan good or bad? A good plan will prepare you for the goal you want to achieve while avoiding injury and allowing you to enjoy most of your runs. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Start Where You’re At
Before looking for a plan, make a note of where you're at right now. What's your weekly mileage? Have you been doing any workouts or just easy running? Ideally, you want to choose a plan that starts you off where you are or where the jump isn't too big. If you have a plan that you want to use but it starts at a higher volume or frequency of runs than you're currently doing, then you should allow a few weeks to work up to the same training volume and frequency of runs as the beginning of the plan.
Consider Your Goals
The plan you choose should align with your goals. If you have more than one goal for your season, choose which one is your "A" goal and pick a plan that aligns with that. For example, if you want to run your first marathon in May and this is your "A" goal, but you also have a 10k in April, then you should pick a marathon training plan. It's also helpful to keep in mind whether your goal is to run farther than you ever have before or to aim for a time goal in a distance you've previously run. If you're doing your first marathon and have never run farther than 10k, the plan you choose should focus more on building mileage slowly and less on difficult workouts like long tempo runs. Whereas, if you're an experienced runner training for a fast 5k, you want to make sure the plan includes a variety of workouts, including fast intervals and longer tempo runs.
Establish How Much Training Time Is Realistic
Be honest about the amount of time you're willing or able to commit to training. If you can only run four times a week, then pick a plan that has four runs per week. Picking a plan that requires more training time than you can realistically schedule into an already busy life can leave you feeling discouraged or frustrated.
Avoid Mixing and Matching
With so much information available about training, it's easy to hear or read about a new workout and think it's a great idea to squeeze it into the plan you're already following. The problem is that your plan was designed to balance hard work and recovery; by adding extra workouts, you may accumulate too much fatigue, which can lead to a plateau in fitness or injury. This also applies to training paces. If your training plan says to run a certain workout at marathon pace, then you shouldn't be running at half-marathon pace.
Consider Flexibility
Although a plan is meant to be followed as written, it's normal for things to come up that require you to move or skip some runs. This is especially true the longer the plan is. Moving workouts around is a whole discussion on its own, but three things to keep in mind are:
Don't cram workouts. If you couldn't do one of the workouts last week, you're better off skipping it than cramming it into an already full week of training.
If you've missed days of running due to illness or injury, you should start with an easy run before attempting a hard workout.
If you've missed more than a week of training, you may need to revise the plan.
Professional Input
With many free plans available online, it's important to verify who created them and what their qualifications are. That won't guarantee success, but at least you know the plan was put together by someone with coaching education and experience. If you have the time, it can also be a good idea to test a shorter version of the plan to see how it works for you. After all, we're all a little different.
Incorporate Fun and Variety
Remember that while it's important to work on your weaknesses, it's also important to have variety in your training and include workouts that you enjoy. If you think 200s on the track are fun, then include them every few weeks so that you have something to look forward to. If you want to see how good you can get as a runner, you need to stay motivated for years to come.
Choosing a training plan isn’t about finding the "perfect" one—it’s about finding the plan that fits your current fitness, aligns with your goals, and keeps you motivated and injury-free. Remember, progress in running comes from consistency, balance, and trusting the process. No matter which plan you choose, the most important ingredient is your commitment to the journey.
At the end of the day, running is about more than just hitting your goals—it’s about discovering what you're capable of, embracing the highs and lows, and enjoying the process of becoming a stronger, more confident version of yourself. So, pick a plan, trust it, and remember to have fun along the way. You’ve got this!
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