It’s OK to Ditch Your Training Plan

This article was originally published in Trail Runner Magazine. 

I’m a running coach that makes his living by writing training plans and encouraging runners to think more strategically about their training. I typically dislike “big swings” or “hero workouts,” and instead, focus on gradual improvement over time.

But today, I want to forget all that and advise you to throw caution to the wind and take a chance on yourself.

After coaching for over a decade, I’ve discovered that runners love their training plans. They love having a predictable, consistent progression of both volume and intensity. When training is planned, methodical, and strategic, runners are much more likely to get on board with the plan. As an ardent runner myself, I fully appreciate this approach. It makes sense that we want to run:

• A 15-mile long run before we run 16 miles.
• A workout that’s 3 miles long before we run a workout that’s 4 miles long.
• A 30-mile week before we attempt a 35-mile week.

After all, one of the key principles of exercise science is the concept of progressive overload: stress must be applied in gradually larger amounts to continue yielding positive physical adaptations. We certainly don’t engage in dramatic overload! Gradual, methodical, progressive overload presents a smaller risk of repetitive stress injuries and is more psychologically tenable for most athletes.

But when can this rule be bent or broken? What are the unique situations where we can afford to abandon our plan and bet on yourself to go big?

When Is It a Good Idea to Abandon Gradual Progression?

First, let me be clear that this discussion is about outliers. Most long runs, workouts, or races should follow the principle of gradual progression. Dramatic progression usually leads to injuries or poor performances. That being said, there are some situations where it’s a good idea to embrace a dramatic change in your training.

Let’s explore each scenario.

Scenario 1. You’re returning to running after a period of time off. Most of us have heard of the 10 Percent Rule, which says that weekly running mileage should not increase by more than 10 percent per week.

I think this approach to mileage building is incomplete. While the 10 Percent Rule works sometimes, there are times when it’s wildly conservative and you should build your mileage much more aggressively.

For example, if you were comfortable running 40-50 miles per week about six months ago, but just took two months off from running entirely, you do not need to build your mileage according to the 10 Percent Rule.

You may run 15 miles during your first week back to running, 25 miles in your second week, and 30 miles in your third week. This mileage progression results in an increase of 66 percent during the second week and 20 percent the third week. This clearly violates the 10 Percent Rule, but nonetheless represents a manageable workload for this athlete.

Scenario 2. You’re training for an ultra. Ultra runners often have the widest latitude in “breaking” some of running’s most cherished “rules.” Their sport is, after all, a little ultra.

Ultramarathoners, especially those training for 50+ miles, will often incorporate two types of workouts that other runners would likely never attempt: the over-distance long run and the back-to-back long run.

Over-distance long runs are typically longer than 20 miles (rarely advised for marathoners) but often 30-50 miles in length for 100-mile ultra runners. These distances are usually not a great idea for most runners as they compromise future training, have a high injury risk, and aren’t specific to their goal races. But for ultra runners, those concerns can be forgotten due to the specific demands of their event. Since their goal race distance is so long, they must periodically run for far longer than 20 miles.

Back-to-back long runs are exactly what they sound like: two long runs done on back-to-back days (usually a Saturday and a Sunday). This heroic weekend adventure is also typically reserved for ultramarathoners due to the demands of the events they’re training to complete. In these scenarios, we would not attempt to gradually get used to this stress.

Scenario 3. You’re making rapid progress. Some runners are in an enviable position where they’re rapidly climbing the improvement curve that accompanies being a new runner. These runners have more flexibility to take a chance on themselves in race situations.

For example, if you’ve been running for three months and just ran a 25:00 5K, you might think of yourself as “a 25-minute 5K runner,” but I don’t think you should. You’re new to the sport and rapidly improving, so you should expect a lot more of yourself.

Instead of starting your next 5K around 8:00-mile pace (a 25:00 5K requires an average pace of 8:03 per mile), why not start at 7:30 or 7:45 for the first mile? This level of aggression usually spells doom for the advanced runner who is more aware of their abilities on the race course. But if you’re new to running, you’re much more likely to surprise yourself with a massive Personal Best.

Newer runners must realize that their capabilities are expanding quickly. During my first year of running, I ran a PR in nearly every single race I ran from the mile, to two miles, to the 5K. If you’re consistent with training, a long string of PR’s in your first few years should be expected.

Don’t Be Too Cautious

Running has a high injury rate, so these strategies should be used sparingly and conscientiously, ideally under the direction of a certified running coach. Logical progressions of volume and intensity and realistic training always win out over dramatic progressions and big swings in intensity.

However, I believe in everything in moderation (including moderation). There are unique instances when we can abandon the logic of our training plan, bet on ourselves, and take a chance on our ability. Sometimes, we have to take a risk to see what we’re truly capable of achieving.