Your Perfect Training Match: Finding a Plan That Fits Your Life

Imagine finding the perfect training plan that not only fits your life but also fuels your motivation to cross the finish line with joy. Through this episode of Dogs Per Mile, I share my personal running journey and the lessons learned from my first half marathon, guided by nothing more than a vague plan. You'll gain insights into the art of selecting a training plan that aligns with your unique goals and life circumstances, whether you're targeting a 5k, 10k, or a half marathon. We'll reflect on the balance between DIY running and structured guidance, making sure your journey is both successful and enjoyable.

With a plethora of training resources available, where do you start? This episode explores a range of options, from well-known free plans by icons like Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway to innovative app-based solutions like Nike Run Club and Garmin. We'll weigh the pros and cons of each, focusing on consistency and personalization over flashy features. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned runner, these insights will help you streamline your training process, emphasizing convenient tools and the value of flexibility.

Joining a supportive running community can be a game-changer. In this episode, I highlight the importance of engaging with fellow runners online, sharing motivation, and celebrating victories, big and small.

Takeaways

• You have all the tools that you need to enter your runner era.
• There's no wrong choice when selecting a training plan.
• You can always switch if it's not feeling right for you.
• Free plans can be a great starting point for beginners.
• Apps can provide personalized training plans that sync with devices.
• Coaching offers accountability and personalized support.
• Make sure your coach aligns with your values and goals.
• Rest days are crucial for recovery and injury prevention.
• Incorporate joy runs to keep your training enjoyable.
• Understanding the components of a training plan is essential for success.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to the Finale: Finding Your Perfect Training Plan
01:57 Exploring Free Training Options
07:32 The Rise of App-Based Training Plans
10:03 Personalized Coaching: The Ultimate Support
15:42 Interactive Picking your Training Plan
18:48 What Makes Up A Training Plan

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Transcript

Choosing Your Perfect Training Plan

Speaker 1 0:00

making sure that they show a genuine enthusiasm for beginner runners . You need that cheerleader that is going to be in your corner , that is going to be excited the first time you run 10 minutes straight or the first time you hit double digits . Hey , runners , you're listening to Dogs Per Mile , where we're making running work for your life , not the other way around . I'm Bridget , with over 13 years of running experience and approximately 4,892 dogs seen on my run . I'm now here to help you find your own path to running happiness . Ready to run on your own terms . Let's get going . Hey , runners , welcome back to the Dogs Per Mile podcast . I am your host , bridget , and welcome to the end of the Entering your Runner Era series . I'm so excited for the last bit of this and in this part of this series we are going to go over finding your perfect training plan , how you are going to train for that race that we picked out in the previous section , and how we're going to get over that race that we picked out in the previous section , and how are we going to get over that distance that we picked out in the first section . So we have already decided how far you're going to run , whether or not , you're doing the 5k , the 10k or the half marathon , and we already know which exact race you are going to be running . We know if you are traveling afar or we know if you're doing a local race in your community and we now are going to help you find out how you are going to train for this , and we got some free options . I have some paid options , some apps , coaching , ideas , so we're just going to kind of run , go over what is available to you , what things you should be looking out for , what things things a plan will include , and just give you all the information so you can make the best informed decision . That's going to keep you going and keep you motivated , and I'm so excited to share this with you . Let's not wait anymore , let's get going .

Speaker 1 1:58

When I trained for my first half marathon , I really didn't know what I was doing . I printed off a training plan from Nike and just kind of basically followed every run and it was very vague and I just ran everything at the fastest speed I could and that's all I knew how to do . It's all I was told to do and , yes , I got over the finish line . And times have grown and changed and there are now apps and plans and coaching and all of these wildly amazing things available to you , but it also wasn't set up for success for me in trying to train for the half marathon and be in grad school at the same time , and so I want to make sure you are set up for success in your distance goal and your life goal . We want to make sure that you are ready to adjust your plan as needed , but that way you maintain your excitement and that vision of that finish line and you cross that finish line . You are ready to sign up for the next race and the next adventure .

Speaker 1 3:13

Let's go into kind of understanding the different kinds of training types . There's kind of options for the DIY runner , the runner who wants to choose their own adventure , feels confident in their ability to kind of make decisions , but also there's ones for runners who need a little bit more guidance , want more support , want more motivation , and before we get lost in the sea of all of them , we want to make sure that we pick the perfect match for you . So we are going to go over kind of some free plan options that are very simple , very basic . We're going to go over apps that we can download that maybe partner with an Apple Watch , a Garmin , things like that . And then coaching options One-to-one hybrid group coaching .

Exploring Different Training Plan Options

Speaker 1 3:52

Let's start with free , let's start with easy , let's start with fast . To find the easiest one are free printable plans , and if you go on Google , you go on Pinterest , you can find dozens of printable eight week , 12 week , beginner , 5k , 10k , half marathon training plans . Most of these will work . They're all great starting grounds . They're accessible , they're simple , they're budget friendly . The challenges they're not tailored to you . So you're picking this a little bit blind without knowing much . You're also not knowing the source , so really make sure that you're kind of diving into looking for a valid or a reputable source . So some of the ones that I like to look that are great , well-known in the running world , are things like Hal Higdon . He has a bunch of really great running plans . He's well-known in the running community . So if you're looking for one where you're going to feel confident in that it is a backed up training plan , that's just print and go . Hal's great Runner's World Magazine tons of great ones there . And Jeff Galloway also is great if you are looking in the run-walk as well method . So those are three great ones that I would recommend that you look into for the print and go Print it out , put it in your fridge . Check off Monday . I did three miles Tuesday . Cross-train Wednesday rest you just follow along .

Speaker 1 5:23

Like we said , the only limitations is it's not tailored to you and there's no built-in feedback , so you're not knowing . Am I going too fast , am I going too slow ? When you get out the door , you just have to either use a watch , use your phone to figure out your distance . It's not pairing with your device automatically . So it involves a little bit more upfront work on the actual time that you run and you do have to adapt it to your life . So if you need to swap out runs , you may need to write on your calendar to change things around . Not to say that's bad , it's just a little bit different , a little bit simple .

Speaker 1 6:02

But some common myths about free plans , because I think a lot of people down on the free plans , the Pinterest plans , just like they look down on Pinterest tattoos , which I think is silly . They think you get what you pay for . So you download a free plan online and you get what you pay for . A lot of people say that they're too generic to work , but the basic principles are built into all those plans and the basic principles work for most runners , so that's that's silly to say . And then you need fancy features to succeed in running . Really simple and consistency is what matters to succeed . Being consistent and showing up for your runs is what matters versus a fancy knowing your lactic threshold heart rate , this sort of thing . And then they're not updated with current science . Well , not necessarily . Some of the bigger ones , like I said , jeff Galloway and Hal Higdon are probably definitely updated more often than some of the ones we see on a blog , so they're not what people think they are . So if that is what is in your budget and what is going to get you over the finish line , because you are the type of person that loves to just check off the runs , you want it printed on your fridge , you want to put in your calendar and check it off . Print off the run from Jeff Galloway , from Hal Higdon , put it on your fridge and get out the door . That is perfect for you .

Speaker 1 7:33

We're going to next go into app-based plans , which these are my favorites . I'm a tech person . I love me some apps . I love me anything that makes it that connects with my calendar that connects with my watch . That makes it easy . Breezy , beautiful cover girl , that is how I like to live my life . So these are things like Nike Run Club , garmin New App , runner , peloton even has this as an option , has this as an option .

Speaker 1 8:09

These are apps where you can plug in your goal time . You can plug in how far you run now , your pace , a lot of information about you , and it will build you some of them , build you a very personalized , customized plan and then it will even some of them will sync to your watch , give you a calendar of runs that you do . It'll give you customized types of runs on certain days . Some days it'll tell you to run at this pace . It'll give you speed runs . It'll adjust the runs based on how hard you ran . It'll analyze your heart rate . It'll go into a lot of really in-depth . They'll give you audio cues or buzz at you when you've gone too fast and give you heart rate assessments . So it's a really amazing thing to have , which can be free for some apps or paid for small fees . I think Garmin is free if you have a Garmin watch . Nike RunClip , I believe , is free . I think Runner is under $15 a month to get a personalized plan , and these are just really easy things .

Speaker 1 9:06

If you just want to have something show up on your watch and you click it and go , it's absolutely , really , really , really wonderful . It is less personal than a coach , so you don't have someone to ask all of those nitty gritty questions to . They do have a lot of videos , which I think are cool , that talk about nutrition and fueling and picking out shoes and warming up and stretching and all those sort of other questions . So if you're new to running and you know nothing , some of them will have that sort of like video features . But you don't have a person to ask these questions to and you don't have a group or an accountability . So it's not as personal , but you do have the ability to just let it automatically show up on your watch and you're ready to go . Plus , they're easy to use and they're easy to adjust as you need . So they're a wonderful option . There's tons of them out there and I really I think they're the perfect option for most new runners getting out there .

Speaker 1 10:03

And then , lastly , I'm going to go over personalized coaching . There's one-to-one coaching and there's hybrid or group coaching . This can be online , this can be in person . It really just kind of depends on what's available to you . This is a lot more personalized . This can be everything from someone you meet in person , and they may do track workouts with a group . They may provide a personalized training plans . I have done one-to-one virtual coaching where they provided me a training plan and checked in with me and we adjusted it accordingly . There are ones where they will program them into apps like Final Surge or Training Peaks , which are two online apps , and it'll be similar to the ones where they will program them into apps like Final Surge or Training Peaks , which are two online apps , and it'll be similar to the apps where they will show up at your Garmin and your Apple Watch and you can just plug and play and you know what workout you're doing that day , and so you have somebody to ask all your questions to . You have somebody who is holding you accountable . You have somebody who's there inspiring you , motivating you , cheering you on . You have somebody who's there inspiring you , motivating you , cheering you on , and you have someone there who is analyzing all of the data and keeping you moving to your goal .

Speaker 1 11:16

The investment , because a personalized coach can go anywhere from 50 to 300 plus dollars a month . So it really can be a pricey investment and it is completely up to you . Is that worth it to you for a first time running coach ? But some beginners really want that level of support . They want that level of accountability and for some people , if they put money and invest into it , they will be more likely to complete it because they put their money where their mouth is . Another option is some people will do group run clubs , where I know we have some here where you can join the run club and they provide coaching as well , so there's team . That way you get a community feel . You're not just running with one person , you can meet other runners , talk with them , commiserate , connect . So that's another great community aspect which also will help you keep running if you build connection and community with other runners .

Speaker 1 12:11

And definitely , before you invest anything in a running coach , make sure you ask them some questions , because if you are a new runner , we want to make sure that they're the right coach for you . There are lots and lots of running coaches out there , myself included . I might not be the right coach for you even , and so you want to make sure you ask them how do they handle first-time racers . What are their approach when a client misses a training run ? So you want to make sure that . Does that match you . If you miss a training run , do you need someone who has tough love or do you need someone who's more forgiving ? How often and through what methods do we communicate ? Do you need someone who prefers email ? Do you want to be texting your coach regularly ? Do you want to be constantly communicating ? Do you want only through weekdays ? How often Can you share examples of other beginners that you've coached ? I think that's really important of tell me about others beginners who have succeeded .

Speaker 1 13:06

And then , what is your philosophy of balancing training with life , making sure that aligns with you and what your values are , because coaches have different values that may misalign or align with you . So making sure that they fit with your life . And then , things you want to make sure you look for in a beginner friendly coach is making sure that they are building sustainable habits over getting quick results , because they can put you on a very like quick getting results plan but they're going to burn you out and you're not going to want to sign up for the next race because you're just going to be so done with running after training that you're going to be assumed that every other training cycle is like that and there's no fun and no joy or no enjoyment in it , and I don't believe that to be true about training cycles at all . Make sure that the coach has specific experience with first-time racers . If they don't have experience and they only work with people who have been running for years or only work with Boston qualifiers , that might not be the best coach for you . They may not remember what it was like to get that first five-mile run in and be like that's not that exciting . I did five miles yesterday . Why are you so excited ? So make sure that they have experience working with first time racers .

Selecting the Ideal Training Plan

Speaker 1 14:23

Making sure that they offer clear communication channels and response time . Making sure they let you know when can you expect a response from me , because you want to make sure that if you have a question , you're not waiting days and days and days to know can I adjust this run ? What do I do ? My kid is sick . I can't do my long run this weekend , what do I do ? And you don't want to have to wait until Monday to know the answer if that doesn't work for you . So make sure you know when are you going to hear a response from them , and make sure that they can provide modifications for different fitness levels .

Speaker 1 14:55

If you're just not there , you're needing the run-walk system . You're needing that sort of tools in your tool belt . Make sure they can provide that for you . Be honest with yourself and be honest with them so that way they can help you . And then making sure that they show a genuine enthusiasm for beginner runners Some running coaches don't , some do , and make sure that they have that , because that's what you need .

Speaker 1 15:18

You need that cheerleader that is going to be in your corner , that is going to be excited the first time you run 10 minutes straight or the first time you hit double digits . You want that person that is as excited as you are , if not more excited , for you , and so make sure that if you're investing in a running coach , they check all your boxes , no questions asked , because if you're spending that much money , it has to be the right fit . Okay , I know that I just threw a lot of options at you between printables and apps and one-to-one group coaching , so let's just break this down in a really practical way so that way you can choose your perfect training match . So I'm going to walk you through some questions that I want you to ask yourself , and I do want you to be honest with yourself . There's no wrong choice . So here's some things that I want you to consider and to think about .

Speaker 1 16:14

So first , we're going to consider your budget . Think about your budget comfort zone . Are you looking to keep things completely free , or do you have room for a small monthly app subscription , or are you ready to invest in personalized coaching ? Next , think about the structure you need in your running life . Are you a checklist person who likes following exact instructions , or do you need something that's a little bit flexible , that can be adapted when life just happens ? And accountability . So we're new to running here , remember .

Speaker 1 16:50

So let's be really , really , really honest . Are you self-motivated and you're great to stick into a plan , or do you do better with the little app reminders on when to run ? And do you thrive when someone's checking in with you regularly , someone's pinging you to say how'd your run go , how's this going ? And then technology some of us are great with it , some of us are not . There is no judgment here .

Speaker 1 17:18

Do you already own a running watch ? Do you you own an Apple watch ? Do you own a Garmin ? Do you own any sort of technologically fitness type watch ? Are you more a pen and paper person ? Are you more of a calendar person ? And then , how do you like to track your activities ? Are you like my dad and has his printed calendar downstairs where he tracks all of his workouts ? Or are you a smart watch person ?

Speaker 1 17:45

And then , finally , let's talk about how much support that you are looking for . Do you have a lot of questions about technique fueling ? Are you scouring Facebook groups and TikTok and asking every question under the sun ? Are you confident in the basics ? But you need a little bit more framework , a little bit more guidance , and would you benefit from regular feedback on your paces , your plan , your goals and your objectives ? So remember , there's no wrong answer here and you can always start with one option . And if it's not feeling and you can always start with one option , and if it's not feeling right , you can always switch . And some runners even they , mix and match . There are some runners who will use an app and then go to a group run to get their questions answered , or may use a running coach and have them have their plan printed and just use them for that sort of stuff . There's a lot of really good options to mix and match that fits what works for you it's all about you and not what works for anyone else Now that we've picked between one of those . So look at the options , look at the budget , explore some of the apps out there .

Speaker 1 19:01

Now that you've picked which one , let's kind of talk about what these plans are going to include . I know it kind of looks like a weird foreign language . I know I've said in some of these episodes tempo , progressive . The only one that makes sense is easy and that just sounds like I am hanging out on the couch and unfortunately that's not what it is . But we're going to kind of go over what you're going to see in most training runs what is the puzzle pieces that make up a training plan and what are the priorities , what are the base and the most importance and so . So basically , let's go over the types of runs and kind of explain them . So the first and most important are easy runs , and easy is always in quotation marks . That just means a conversational pace . It means if you wanted to have a gossip session , you wanted to chat up , you wanted to sing along with your friend , you can do that during the run and that means you're running at a pace much slower than your race pace , your goal pace . That builds up your long runs , it builds up your endurance , it builds up your confidence , it builds up your time on your feet . Those are the most important runs of any training plan ever . It is your building block . It's number one .

Speaker 1 20:12

The other type of runs are speed runs and there's different types of speed runs . So you have speed runs that are made up of sprints quick , short , 30 second , one minute , quarter mile , things like that . Then you also have more tempo runs . So maybe you're running fast for 10 minutes , 20 minutes , a three mile tempo run where you're running for three miles at a quicker pace . So those are to build up your ability to run at an uncomfortable pace for longer , basically to kind of work at running hard for longer periods of time . Those are another part of a training plan and so those speed runs will be a smaller portion of the training plan . Most of your runs in a training plan are easy , are more relaxed runs . Speed is a smaller portion and 80% is going to be long or easy or relaxed runs .

Speaker 1 21:09

And then rest is a huge portion If you ever see a training plan that has no rest or very little rest . That is a big red flag , because that's where your muscles are able to recover , that's where you're able to mentally refresh . Rest that is a big red flag , because that's where your muscles are able to recover , that's where you're able to mentally refresh yourself . That's a way to prevent injuries and overwork and burnout . Rest is very crucial , very important to any training plan . Please make sure you're at least having one rest day in a training plan .

Speaker 1 21:37

And then cross training this is really important things like cycling , pilates , strength training , group fitness classes . It really kind of helps to build your strength , helps to work your muscles in a different way and it helps to kind of reset your brain a little bit . It doesn't make you feel like you're always running . Cross training is a really good thing . I know for me when I've gotten the fastest and have done the best was when I was cycling while training for half marathons , when I was biking to work and running . That's when I got the fastest , because when I was biking I was not biking fast , it was leisurely , easy , easy . It was like beyond my easy pace .

Speaker 1 22:18

Cross training is a really great thing to add into your training plans if possible , and some of the training plans will add in there , and if you see that in there , definitely you want to try to take advantage of that . And one thing that I like to add into it and it's not really adding an additional element to it it's taking one of my runs and turning it into a joy run . It's turning it into a fun run , it's turning it into a dogs per mile type run and it's where I'm doing something fun and that , for me , is usually my Monday morning group run first with my city gym group run where I look for dogs and it's just where I get to run for fun and enjoyment and not one part of me looks at pace and that allows me to reset everything . And so making sure that you have some runs that are about maybe it is strictly about doing the run and getting a sweet treat . It is about doing the run and seeing the beautiful neighborhoods , or it's doing a run on a new path or doing a trail run near the mountains . Doing some run at least once a week , ideally , where you can have joy built into it . That will help keep you going during your training plans and that's kind of what builds . What are the building blocks of a training plan is all of those elements . It's the easy long runs , it's the speed work , it's the rest days , it's cross training and it's joy . That is what is going to make up any training plan .

Speaker 1 23:55

Wow , guys , I'm so excited . I can't believe we finished this runner era series . I am so excited , I can't believe it . I hope you are inspired , I hope you're motivated , I hope you're signed up . So let's just kind of take a little recap of everything that we've covered together . First , we picked your race distance . We looked at how many hours a week you can dedicate to training . We pictured what you wanted to feel like over the finish line . We then found your ideal race based on your vision , what you wanted out of it . And now we've found your perfect training plan based on what's going to make you the best version of you .

Speaker 1 24:39

Now you have all the tools that you need to enter your runner era in 2025 . You know all the options that work for you and you know how to make all the decisions that will support you in your running journey . And remember , you're not alone in this journey , because , hi , I'm here to support you in this journey , and the Dogs Per Mile community is also here . Please share your progress with me on Instagram at DogsPerMilePod , dm me , tag me whatever you want . This isn't just the end of a series . This is not just a one and done . It's the beginning of you as a runner a series . This is not just a one and done . It's the beginning of you as a runner . So , whether or not you're starting with a free plan you found on Pinterest , you're diving into the Garmin app or you've decided to work with a coach , you're making a choice that's right for you and you alone , and that's what this whole journey has been about you and making something special for you , the way you run and the way that you train and for you to cross that finish line .

Speaker 1 25:45

I can't wait to hear about your first training run . So please share with me on Instagram and join our Runner Error community on Facebook . Just look for Dogs Per Mile Runner Era . We will be there sharing tips , tricks , excitement , joy , glitter , everything . Tag me , get excited . I am so excited to hear about it and I look forward to hearing more and keep listening for more tips , more exciting . I can't wait to support you more in this journey and I will see you in the next one and until then , keep running , keep counting those dogs and have just the best time . Bye , thanks for sharing another mile with me today

Engaging With Running Community Online

Speaker 1 26:42

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Speaker 1 26:42

Before you cool down , here are three quick ways to stay connected with our running community . First hit subscribe . Wherever you're listening to this right now , it's the best way to make sure you never miss an episode . Second , if today's show helped you or inspired you , please leave a review . Your words help other runners find their way to our community . Lastly , want more running adventures ? Follow at Dogs Per Mile pod on Instagram , where I share daily motivation , behind the scenes moments and plenty of pictures of my two running coaches , yogi and Maple . Be sure to tag me in your run photos and use hashtag dogs per mile to share your own dog spotting stats . I love celebrating your victories , big and small , and thank you for being a part of this journey . Until our next run together , remember , every step forward is progress and every dog you see is bonus motivation . Keep running , keep smiling and keep counting those dogs .