Lets talk Training Plans

I’ve been geeking out over training plans lately and I was also curious how you approach building your running plans. Whether you're just starting out or chasing some serious PRs, I’d love to hear how you structure your training.

How do you make your training plans? Do you go with pre-made ones (like the classic Hal Higdon, Pfitzinger, or Jack Daniels)? Do you tweak them, or do you create your own from scratch?

Which apps or tools are you using? Are you a fan of platforms like Garmin Connect, Strava, or TrainingPeaks? Or maybe there’s a lesser-known app you swear by?

What’s worked for you and what hasn’t? Have you ever followed a plan that you thought was perfect but just didn’t deliver results? Or maybe you’ve had surprising success with something unconventional?

For the faster/experienced runners: At what point did you move away from pre-made plans? Did you feel confident enough to create your own, or did you decide to hire a coach? If you did either, what was the turning point?

I’ll admit, I’m guilty of blaming my plans for my failures. Miss a PR? “Ugh, my plan wasn’t good enough!” Struggle during a race? “My plan didn’t prepare me!” Deep down, I know it’s often a mix of things (like life getting in the way or maybe not sticking to the plan 100%), but it’s so easy to point fingers at the spreadsheet instead of looking inward.

Personally, I’m obsessed with optimizing training. The balance between easy runs, speed work, and long runs feels like this never-ending puzzle, and I’m constantly experimenting. But I’m curious to know how others are doing it...