How to Choose a Running Training Plan
By anystride · Updated November 6, 2026
General training information. Not independently reviewed by a named clinician or sports dietitian.
Choose a training plan whose opening week resembles running you can already manage. Compare the weekly distance, running days, longest run and harder sessions before deciding whether the plan’s label or finish-time goal suits you.
Start with your goal and your base
Look at several recent weeks, not your biggest week. If the proposed opening workload is a large change, choose a lower starting point or allow preparation time. A lower-volume plan can also be a deliberate choice when recovery or other commitments matter.
Read the entry requirements
For example, Hal Higdon’s Novice 1 half-marathon plan expects opening runs of about three to four miles. “Novice” describes the programme’s audience; it does not mean every session starts from zero.
Be realistic about time
Estimate time from your own easy pace and include warmups, recovery and travel. For example, 55 miles at 10 minutes per mile is about nine hours and ten minutes of running alone. Do not assume a published weekly time estimate matches your pace.
Compare the actual schedules
Coaches offer different plans within the same method. Compare specific editions and levels rather than assuming all Higdon plans are easy or all higher-mileage plans are better. Check the original author’s schedule for full details; Anystride distinguishes complete schedules from method overviews.
Leave room to adapt
Use the plan finder to shortlist plans by distance, current mileage and available days. The comparison view helps compare workloads. If pain persists, seek advice rather than treating completion of the schedule as the priority.
Sources & further reading
Compare the plans on your shortlist
Compare weekly time, running days and what each plan expects before you start.
Frequently asked questions
Hal Higdon vs Pfitzinger — which should I use?
Compare the exact plans’ starting mileage, long runs, harder sessions and time demands. Choose the one that fits your recent training and schedule; the author’s name alone cannot determine suitability.
How many days a week should I run?
Start with a frequency you can repeat and recover from. The NHS Couch to 5K plan uses three weekly sessions with rest days between them; this is a beginner example, not a requirement for every runner.
Should I follow a plan exactly?
Use it as a schedule you can adjust. Do not make up missed training by stacking sessions, and stop running through pain. Persistent pain or a return from injury calls for individual guidance.
Related training plans
Beginner
Hal Higdon — Marathon Novice 1
The go-to first-marathon plan: 18 weeks, four runs a week, long runs marching up to 20 miles. Finish-focused, no speedwork.
18 weeks / 4 days a week
Read the method and find its official source
Advanced
Pfitzinger 18/55
Pfitz 18/55 is the Pfitzinger marathon plan from Advanced Marathoning: 18 weeks of training, peaking at 55 miles (89 km) per week. It combines long runs, tempo work and midweek medium-long runs.
18 weeks / 5 days a week
Read the method and find its official source
Intermediate
Hansons Marathon Method
A high-frequency plan built on 'cumulative fatigue' — six runs a week, goal-pace tempo runs, and a deliberately capped 16-mile long run.
18 weeks / 6 days a week
Read the method and find its official source