Sample athlete · a real plan from the coach
Meet Riley. Sixteen weeks to Nashville.
A sample runner: 1:40:00 half marathon, 42 mi a week, 6 days, training for the Nashville Marathon. The plan below is what the coach built from those answers.
Predicted on current fitness
3:27:53
Goal: sub-3:30 at the Nashville Marathon
- VDOT
- 45.1 from the 1:40 half
- Threshold
- 7:31 per mile
- Marathon pace
- 7:56 per mile
Week 7 of 16 · Build phase
This week's plan
51.6 mi · 2 workouts and a long run · open any session for the full workout
- MonOct 26
Easy aerobic run, 52 min 5.5 mi
Aerobic volume at conversational effort: it builds the engine and lets the hard days land. Keep it conversational; if your watch shows heart rate, stay under the cap shown.
- TueOct 27
4 x 5 min cruise intervals, 1h08 7.7 mi
Short threshold repeats with brief jogs, the gentlest way to raise your threshold.
- Why
- Short threshold repeats with brief jogs, the gentlest way to raise your threshold.
- Warm-up
- 10 min easy warm-up at 8:56-9:51/mi, effort 3-4 of 10 (easy, then 4 x 20 s relaxed strides)
- Main set
- 4 x (5 min cruise interval at 7:22-7:40/mi, effort 7-8 of 10 (strong but controlled, not racing); 60 s easy jog at 9:51-10:26/mi, effort 2-3 of 10). 19 min easy aerobic running at 8:56-9:51/mi, effort 3-4 of 10 (conversational and relaxed: aerobic volume after the work, not more of it).
- Cool-down
- 15 min easy cool-down at 8:56-9:51/mi, effort 3-4 of 10
- Load
- 68 min, training load 72
- Cues
- The first rep should feel controlled, almost easy; threshold is hard but steady, not a race.
- Keep jogging through the 60 s recoveries so the effort stays continuous.
- Even reps: the last one no slower than the first.
- Back off if
- If breathing goes ragged on rep 2, cut to 2 reps and jog the cool-down.
Hot or humid day (above 75°F, or a dew point above 60°F)? Slow down and keep to the effort, not the pace.
Paces come from the race result you entered.
- WedOct 28
Easy aerobic run, 1h20 8.5 mi
Aerobic volume at conversational effort: it builds the engine and lets the hard days land. Keep it conversational; if your watch shows heart rate, stay under the cap shown.
- ThuOct 29
20 min steady state run, 1h09 7.7 mi
Sustained marathon effort that builds aerobic strength with little recovery cost.
- FriOct 30
Easy aerobic run, 52 min 5.5 mi
Aerobic volume at conversational effort: it builds the engine and lets the hard days land. Keep it conversational; if your watch shows heart rate, stay under the cap shown.
- FriOct 30
Full-body strength B: single-leg hinge and lunge circuit, 25 min Optional
Full-body B with no equipment: single-leg hinges, a back raise, reverse lunges, push-ups and a side plank, the lighter version of the hinge day that builds balance and hip strength.
- SatOct 31
Rest
Full rest or 30 minutes of easy cross-training.
- SunNov 1
Steady aerobic long run, 2h37 16.7 mi
Time on your feet at easy effort, paced by thirds: the endurance and durability your race is built on.
From every session's planned load
Planned training load, through race day
Fitness
46.8
Fatigue
53.7
Form
-6.9
Figures at the end of week 7
Fitness: 42-day average · Fatigue: 7-day average · Form = Fitness − Fatigue (form drawn on its own scale)
An illustrative morning, Tuesday of week 7
The coach adjusts, live
These signals are made up for Riley to show how the coach responds. The plan above is real.
Signal
Recovery is down this morning
Overnight HRV dropped 8% vs 14-day baseline. Resting HR up 6 bpm. Sleep score 62/100.
Decision · 6:04 am
Replace today's threshold session with an easy aerobic run.
An easy run keeps the week's volume and lets HRV rebound, so Thursday's workout and Sunday's long run land on fresh legs.
Outcome
Original
4 x 5 min cruise intervals, 1h08 · 7.7 mi
New · Today
Easy aerobic run, 52 min · 5.5 mi
Thursday's workout is kept intact and Sunday's long run stays the week's key session.
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