There are too many plans! How am I supposed to pick between them?

I hear you! I'm trying to figure out what I want to do this summer. Here's my take> you have to pick and chose, based on what's important. I've made my own plan the last few years, adding and taking away what works or doesn't. For me, I want my longest long run at 10-11 miles; I've run 12 but didn't see any benefit from it. Long run is about time on feet. I have my own idea of what I want to peak out at mileage wise and how many days a week I want to run. (My log has multiple training plans I've used.)

You know how to do it. Figure out the weeks until your goal race. Decide how many days per week you want to run and what sort of time or top mileage you want/have time for and go from there. The plan needs to fit you, not you fit it.

ETA: As I was logging my run, it said I had a planned run for today bc I had worked on a training plan for this year. Well, I deleted that, started over with a new plan starting next week and did a rough run through with what I liked from the last 2 years. I'm not doing tempos. I'm not doing as many hills. I am doing a 6-7miler midweek and long on Sunday. Hopefully it's good.

redleaf- Congrats on the PR!

 

As far as plans go, I try to pick one that fits the way that I feel like running for that particular training cycle.  Last time I went with Pfitz because I wanted to develop a medium-long run and get the confidence knowing that that distance was just a regular weekday run for me.  This time I went with Hanson's because I want more practice running at marathon pace, and I like the idea of "moderate" intensity for most workouts rather than super hard or super easy.

 

I don't know that following a plan makes me any faster at all.  But it helps structure my training.  And if it keeps me happy while I'm training, then it's the "right" plan.

See, I don't even know enough to know that the Pfitz plan has a medium-long run. Nor do I know what I want to do except improve consistency and 'get better'

What I'd like to find is a chart. "Here are all the major systems/approaches/what have you. Here are there main parts."

Maffetone - basic theory - main parts - best for these types of people; not for for these types of people

Higdon -

Daniels -

Galloway -

Chi running -

In the meantime I think I'll start with the Hall plan I started last time. I'm going to take the Maffetone book (the big book of endurance racing) with me on my PEI trip. If that makes sense then maybe I'll switch to that? I dunno.

I'm surprised you didn't add a Hansons entry, Zel, as you probably know about their training philosophy since you're following their plan.

Ah! Got it!

Here's a link to a message thread in the main forum with a good discussion around the various plans.

Link

I'll share that Bhearn (if you don't know his running CV) is about analytical as they come -- he's a monster of a runner (ran 100 miles in under 24 hours this weekend at Western States ultra), but he's a scientist through and through and an analytical genius.

Hmm, well with Hanson's I'm really not sure what direction they would go with the HM.  The general principle is to cap time on your feet for the LR, as well as run a LR only every other week.

Other than that, they start with speedwork around 5K-10K pace, transition into "strength" work around HM pace, and also have weekly MP runs.  The schedule calls for 6 days a week, speedwork days always on your 6th day straight of running, MP runs always the day after the RD.  And LRs are a tad faster than easy pace.

Whatever yu do, as long as you run, everything is just fine.

Last year (I probably said this before, forgive my senility) I prepared for a half-marathon by running 6 days a week, but no plan. Back-to-back medium long runs on the weekend, to use a Hanson principle of cumulated fatigue, so Sunday's run was harder even if pretty much the same as Saturday's, and then 1 day out of two a harder workout. But noting fixed. It could be to "run faster and hold it" (kind of a tempo run), or some kind of Interval or Fartlek run. Often I didn't know before I left. I only knew if I was going to run hard or easy. The results. I will nver be able to compare, but I'm pretty sure I was very well prepared for my first half.

This summer I've changed the program, but am still not following a plan. Just principles. Instead of back to back medium long runs, I run less on Saturdays, but do a long run on Sundays. And I'm more consistent with Interval sessions and less tempo runs than last summer on hard days. But I might change that very soon. I am thinking about it. But whatever I do I think I'll be well prepared.

Bottom line, in my book: Run lots. Mostly slow. Sometimes fast. I'm sure any plan (Hall, Hansons, Pfitz) will make you do just that.