Training
Effort, scheduling and making sense of a session.
32 articles
Give an easy run a clear purpose
An easy run can have a clear purpose without a demanding target. Decide what it is meant to provide, then choose a route and display that support that intention.
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Use the talk test on rolling terrain
Rolling ground makes a fixed pace a poor description of a steady effort. A brief conversation check can help you notice when a climb has changed the outing, provided you treat it as a broad guide rather than a precise measurement.
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Plan a week around the time you actually have
A workable training week begins with the hours that exist, not an ideal schedule copied into an already full diary. Map the fixed commitments first, then give each outing a realistic place and a reason.
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Separate demanding outings in your diary
Separating demanding outings starts with recognising which days are demanding for you. The label on a session is only part of the picture; the route, your intention and the rest of the day also matter.
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Make a long run a route-planning exercise
A longer outing makes small route choices more consequential. Treat planning as a way to keep options available: where you can shorten the day, how you will return and what information you need before leaving.
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Start a hill session with the right slope
The right hill for a session is not necessarily the steepest one nearby. Choose a slope whose surface, visibility and return let you carry out the intended work without adding avoidable route problems.
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Keep recovery jogs genuinely gentle
A recovery jog should not become another demanding session simply because you are already outside. Decide whether an easy outing fits the day, then protect that intention from pace comparisons and extra challenges.
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Read pace on a windy day
Wind can make two stretches of the same route feel like different outings. Read the pace in relation to the direction and exposure instead of treating every slower split as something to correct.
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Know when a GPS pace display is misleading
A sudden change in displayed pace does not always mean that your running changed just as suddenly. Before reacting, check the surroundings and which measurement the screen is actually showing.
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Choose landmarks for a simple fartlek
Landmarks can give a simple fartlek a clear shape without constant watch checking. Choose them for visibility and space, then keep the effort appropriate to your own session rather than racing every object in view.
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