BACK TO ALL ARTICLES

|

Hodgepodge Isn’t a Training Program

Boost Your Running With McMillan Training

Real human coaching. Real results. No limits.

Boost Your Running With McMillan Training

Real human coaching. Real results. No limits.

You need a method to your madness

I love the word “hodgepodge” and take great delight any time it’s used in conversation. Except when talking about a training plan. Far too often, I hear of runners who take a little from this plan, a bit from that plan, something from the training of a race winner and a workout from the fastest runner in town. They then throw these workouts together and call it a training plan. But “plan” isn’t the best way to describe this method of organizing your training.

PURPOSE

I’m a firm believer that every workout you do should have a purpose. That purpose can be physiological (usually the case) and/or psychological (just as important as the physiological but sometimes unrelated) but for certain, it must help build you toward your goal fitness.

Most workouts can be classified as one of four types: endurance, stamina, speed or sprint. Just ask yourself which of these four descriptors is challenged most during the workout you’ve selected. Additionally, workouts can have other purposes besides the four types. One instance is a predictor workout like Yasso 800s, which could be one or two of the four types but whose real purpose (to predict your marathon time) goes beyond these categories. In the end, it doesn’t really matter what the purpose is. It’s just important that you identify one before you plop the workout into your training program.

EFFECT

Once you identify the purpose of the workout you want to add to your training plan, you need to think about its effect. I mean that in two ways. First, how hard is that workout for you to complete? For some of us, running fast 400m repeats is challenging but fun, whereas for others, this workout leaves them trashed and defeated. Some runners find long runs relaxing and invigorating, whereas others find them a large mental and physical challenge. For each runner, the effect of the workout is different so it’s important that you think about how you’ll respond to it.

The second “effect” has to do with how long it takes you to recover from that workout, regardless of whether it’s one of your favorites. In general, the workouts you’re good at (ones that challenge your strengths) are ones that you recover from quickly, whereas the ones you aren’t good at (ones that challenge your weaknesses) take a lot longer to recover from. Knowing the recovery time from different types of workouts is instructive when you decide where to put them in your program.

Workouts from which you recover quickly can be inserted closer together than a workout that requires extended recovery time. This may seem like a no-brainer but my experience has been that we’re so fixated on our weekly rhythm (e.g., two workouts and a long run in every seven-day cycle, no matter what) that we force some workouts to fit.

I find that the length of time it takes you to recover from a workout is one of the most under-appreciated parts of training. You must think about this when you’re planning workouts. With some workout types, you might do two in a week, whereas the workout that takes you a long time to recover from might be the only workout in that week with several recovery days provided to make sure you absorb the workout. You need to be OK with letting your body, not your calendar, guide your training.

PATH TO GOAL FITNESS

With the purpose and the effect identified for each workout, you then need to make sure the plan builds toward your goal fitness. Some workouts are just a lot of fun to do, and I encourage you to include these throughout your plan. At the same time, you need to consider the demands of your goal race as well as your strengths and weaknesses to make sure that the vast majority of workouts in your plan help you meet the demands of your target event.

For example, if you need a lot of endurance and stamina for your goal race (e.g., a marathon), then your plan better have a hefty dose of those workouts in it. But if those workouts are your weaknesses and/or ones that take you a long time to recover from, then account for that in your plan. You may want to include more “quick recovery” workouts that you’re good at in your plan than your training partner, who may respond differently to these same workouts. Again, the key is that you think about how the workouts affect you and use this knowledge in developing your plan.

A smart training plan and a hodgepodge plan both have variety. But a smart plan is also well thought out, and takes into consideration the purpose and effect of every workout so that you progress toward meeting your goals. You can read more about Training the McMillan Way.

 

Remove the guesswork from training to achieve your best performance with McMillan Running Training Plans.

For every distance between 800 meters and the marathon, these scientifically-based training plans include your McMillan Calculator training paces integrated, coach’s notes, and access to our prehab routines. Plus, the plans are delivered on a runner-friendly training log platform. Learn more.

Written By Greg McMillan
Called “one of the best and smartest distance running coaches in America” by Runner’s World’s Amby Burfoot, Greg McMillan is renowned for his ability to combine the science of endurance performance with the art of real-world coaching. While getting his graduate degree in Exercise Science he created the ever-popular McMillan Running Calculator – called “The Best Running Calculator” by Outside Magazine. A National Champion runner himself, Greg coaches runners from beginners to Boston Qualifiers (15,000+ and counting!) to Olympians.

Read Greg’s Bio

Boost Your Running With McMillan Training

Real human coaching. Real results. No limits.

Boost Your Running With McMillan Training

Real human coaching. Real results. No limits.

Boost Your Running
With McMillan Training

Real human coaching.
Real results. No limits.

NEWEST ARTICLES:

Race Recon: Secrets to a Great Race

You know that preparation is key to having a successful race. But did you know that one of the most important aspects of race preparation is doing your homework on the course itself? That’s right, the pros always make sure to do thorough race reconnaissance, or “recon,” before they toe the starting line. And there’s no reason why you can’t do the same!

Read more
Free Speed: How Your Mind Can Unlock Your Running Potential

Discover the secret to unlocking your running potential: free speed. Learn how to harness the power of your mind to run faster without extra physical effort. Explore mental strategies like the Go Zone Method and discover how to overcome mental barriers and achieve your running goals.

Read more
Pre-race: Protect the Brain

You’ve likely heard that the training you do in the last two weeks before a marathon won’t significantly improve your physical fitness. However, what you may not realize is that the workouts you choose during this time can have a profound impact on another crucial organ: your brain. In fact, the decisions you make in the lead-up to your race could be the difference between a successful performance and a disappointing one.

Read more

RELATED ARTICLES:

Race Recon: Secrets to a Great Race

You know that preparation is key to having a successful race. But did you know that one of the most important aspects of race preparation is doing your homework on the course itself? That’s right, the pros always make sure to do thorough race reconnaissance, or “recon,” before they toe the starting line. And there’s no reason why you can’t do the same!

Read more
Free Speed: How Your Mind Can Unlock Your Running Potential

Discover the secret to unlocking your running potential: free speed. Learn how to harness the power of your mind to run faster without extra physical effort. Explore mental strategies like the Go Zone Method and discover how to overcome mental barriers and achieve your running goals.

Read more
Pre-race: Protect the Brain

You’ve likely heard that the training you do in the last two weeks before a marathon won’t significantly improve your physical fitness. However, what you may not realize is that the workouts you choose during this time can have a profound impact on another crucial organ: your brain. In fact, the decisions you make in the lead-up to your race could be the difference between a successful performance and a disappointing one.

Read more
Battling Your Negative Tendencies: How to Overcome What's Holding You Back

We all have tendencies that shape our thoughts and actions. Some of us tend to overtrain, while others might beat themselves up over a missed workout or skip rehab exercises. A big part of coaching is identifying these tendencies in athletes and developing strategies to capitalize on the positive ones while minimizing the negative ones. In this article, we’ll explore how to identify your own tendencies and find ways to harness the good and banish the bad.

Read more

START TODAY

“I got my first Boston Qualifier today with a 21 personal record!”

– Ramona M.