Is my training working? Trusting the plan and getting it right

By Thomas Toth

Is it really working? Am I really improving? Finding the proper training program that fits you, your body, your goals and your schedule can be overwhelming. Getting it right is hard– it can lead to a lot of questioning. The wrong program can cost you minutes in your race and months of your time. Let’s break down getting the training plan right to properly understand all the parts that come together.

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First, what’s your goal? Is it to get healthy, run your first race, or improve your time? Once you know this, you will have a better sense of direction. No matter the goal, finding a coach could be a huge help. Find someone who believes in your goals and understands you as an athlete. The coach should be flexible and the training program conducive to what you want to achieve. After this, things get a lot easier.

After that, it’s time to plan the year. No matter what level you’re competing at, having something to aim for is the absolute best thing you can do. That’s what gives the motivation to get through tough workouts. While I’m working toward the Canadian Half-Marathon Championships in Calgary, my wife is working her way to her first 10K and then her first half-marathon. Both of us are use our goals to drive us.

Once you’ve gotten into the swing of things, days become weeks and weeks become months. It can seem difficult to know if you’re seeing progress. The thing I have found is that consistency equals success. Finding out if you’re really race ready is perhaps the scariest thing for an athlete to do. One good way to test fitness is to have a few staple workouts–  ones which you do every once in awhile to ensure that you are on the right path. I typically go with a 10 mile tempo or a simple six mile workout. Having these means you have a marker to compare time and effort.

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Another method is one I call the “rust buster.” Simply put, that’s a low key race which you enter just to go out and test yourself. I like to set mine up somewhere between four to six weeks before the big race with another two to three weeks out. This gives me enough time to recover, get a good fitness boost and make any necessary adjustments.

The last two tips I have are perhaps the most important. First, trust your training and believe in your coach or training program. Give it time to work and let yourself adjust to it.

The last one sounds so simple. Enjoy it. You can’t possibly dive fully into anything if you’re dreading it. Even if you’re in the sport to compete at the highest level, you have to enjoy the process. One of the things that is so good about running is that compared to other activities, it is so easy to measure your personal improvements. That’s the beauty of it.

Being informed, dedicated, trusting and finding enjoyment will lead to success in anything. Especially in running.

Thomas Toth, writes about living life as a sub-elite distance runner in search of a big breakthrough.