Our free interactive training tool provides a schedule that's individualised for your ability and goals
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Answer these brief questions, and you'll immediately receive a training program that's individualised for your ability and goals.
Background and Specifications
The RUNNER'S WORLD SmartCoach is a free, interactive tool that combines science, mathematics and 40 years of collective running wisdom to bring you a proven, individualised training program. You can return to it as often as you want. Get More Background and Specifications
Don't Have a Race Time
If you don't have a recent race time, think about how far you run in a typical training session and how long it takes you to do so. Dividing 'time taken' by 'distance covered' will give you some idea of your average pace. You can then use this figure to set realistic racing goals and make a sensible prediction for SmartCoach.
Don't let your ambitions run away with you - it is important that you enter times that represent your current fitness level else SmartCoach will tailor your plan at too high a level for you to train without running the risk of fatigue and injury.
Just Started Running?
If you have just started running, or don't feel that you are running enough to use these programs, go to our BIG Beginners' Index. Full of articles it's for all of you who are just starting out. From can't-fail motivation, to a first 5K or 10K, to choosing the ideal shoe, it's all here to tell you one thing: you can do it!
Training Level Definitions
Moderate: If you select a moderate program,
your training miles will increase by about 10 percent per week. Your pace
will increase very gradually.
Hard: If you select a hard program, your
miles will increase by about 15 percent per week. Your pace will increase
very gradually.
Very Hard: If you select a very hard
program, your miles will increase by about 15 percent per week. Your pace
will increase quite dramatically.
Maintenance: If you select a maintenance
program, you will get all the sophisticated workouts and paces that are
contained in the other programs, but your miles will not increase.
Here's your individualised training program:
Your current race time is: for a
Your distance training goal is:
You currently train: miles/week
How hard you want to train:
Your long-run day:
Your training program Starts: and Ends:
Length of your training schedule:
Warmup or Cooldown. Generally 1 mile each. However, on some days, you must run extra Warm and Cool to reach your distance for the day.
Speedwork:
"6x800@3:47 w/400 jogs" means "Run 6 repeats of 800 metres each, with a 400-metre recovery jog after each repeat."
Rest/XT:
Take a rest day, or do moderate cross-training activity.
m:
Metres
mi:
Miles
BACKGROUND AND SPECIFICATIONS
The RUNNER'S WORLD SmartCoach is a free, interactive tool that combines science, mathematics and 40 years of collective running wisdom to bring you a proven, individualised training program. You can return to it as often as you want. Get More Background and Specifications
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Discuss this article, 1 of 156 messages, read more:
toddytyke
Posted: 24/09/07 13:49:58 58
I am liking the smartcoach and was wondering how to set my Garmin to help me with paces. If smartcoach says 3 miles @ 9:10 should I set my Garmin for a 9:00 to 9:20 speed zone? If I aim for 9:10 the alarm would be going off constantly saying I was either too fast or too slow. How are other people interpreting this?
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REVISE YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM
toddytyke
