With work, school, and homework, you aren’t left with a lot of time to use the gym, so making sure that you use the time well for the little time you are in the gym is a must. One of the necessary things to do is to plan a workout for the week or weeks, as one plan can be used as long as you feel challenged by it or have fun doing it. We also change our workout patterns based on what we want to do. I am starting to train for a marathon, just a short one, so I decided to learn from others on how they train and incorporate their training into my workouts.
My only promise to myself for the marathon is that I want to be in the best shape possible for it so that I can enjoy the scenery of Banff rather than huffing and puffing for an hour. I decided to use HalHigdon to explore and learn about how I can prepare. The one I looked at is the 10k intermediate. The website is very easy to navigate, and I especially like that the types of races are listed on the right side, very visible and easy to find.
The number of people dedicated to working out is vast; there is a workout plan online for anything, and you can even make your own with research. I am sure ChatGPT can make you one as well, or some kinda AI is probably designed exactly for this.
One other important part to be wary of is that you should always do workouts designed for your skill level. Don’t risk injury as injury makes it take longer, and you’ll have to backtrack when healed anyways. Even I, who always ran and did track and field am only doing intermediate instead of advanced which seem more of where I can stand but my goal isn’t to get first place and I am just there for the fun of it, plus someone is going to run that race in 25-30 minutes and no way am I going to be able to do that.
this post is super relatable and well thought-out! You’ve really nailed the balance between practicality and motivation, especially when you talk about planning workouts around a busy life. The way you highlight training smart—choosing an appropriate skill level, learning from others, and focusing on enjoying the journey—is something more people should hear.
Your mention of Banff made it even better. That small detail about wanting to enjoy the scenery instead of just “huffing and puffing” paints such a clear and motivating picture—it gives your goal a personal and almost poetic quality.
Also, great choice going with Hal Higdon’s 10k plan—it’s a trusted resource and very beginner-to-intermediate friendly. Your reflection on resisting the urge to jump into an advanced plan, even with your track background, shows maturity and a great understanding of sustainable fitness. More people should hear that reminder to train for longevity and enjoyment, not ego.
Love the shoutout to AI, too! If you ever want a custom workout or cross-training day to balance the running, I got you 😉