LEARN YOUR OWN TRAINING
RUNNING
Running is a skill developed through practice, not a certification exam. This guide shares general planning principles for building consistency and working toward longer-distance goals, alongside free calculators for the arithmetic.
HOW TO PLAN A BLOCK
- 1
Set a real race date
Everything else follows from this. A marathon or half marathon six months out turns "get fit" into a weekly kilometre budget, and the study tools on this site take that number as their input.
- 2
Build the base before the speed
Build a repeatable routine before adding demanding sessions. Keep recovery in the plan, and use an established run/walk plan when returning after a long break.
- 3
Adjust volume to the runner
There is no weekly percentage that is safe for every runner. Consider recent training, health, recovery and how the body responds; the mileage builder is a planning aid, not an injury-prevention guarantee.
- 4
Learn your paces, not your feelings
Easy, marathon, tempo and interval paces are ranges, and knowing yours stops every run from drifting into the same medium-hard effort. The training-paces calculator derives those ranges from a goal race pace or a recent result.
- 5
Fuel and hydrate on the long runs
Practise a fueling and hydration approach during training before using it in a race. Needs vary with duration, conditions and the individual; the planner is a starting point, not personal nutrition advice.
- 6
Track what actually happened
The records page exists because honest numbers are the training log: distances, times, races. Projected or invented results teach nothing. A log you trust is the only evidence base for adjusting the plan.
TRUSTED STARTING POINTS
- NHS Couch to 5K →
A beginner-friendly run/walk plan with rest days.
- CDC: Adult Activity — An Overview →
Official adult physical-activity guidance.
- WHO: Physical Activity →
Global guidance on physical activity.
THE TOOLS THIS PAGE USES
- Weekly Mileage Builder →
Turns current and target weekly volume into a ramp with recovery weeks.
- Training Paces →
Recovery, easy, marathon, tempo and interval ranges from a goal pace.
- VDOT & VO₂max →
A fitness score from a race result to re-set the pace ranges with.
- Sweat Rate →
Per-hour fluid loss from one weighed session; the number your hydration plan is built on.
- Fueling Planner →
Gel timing for a goal marathon finish time.
- Splits Calculator →
Even per-kilometre splits from a target finish time.
- Pace Chart →
The full reference table of paces and equivalent race times.
General training information, not coaching or medical advice. Build up gradually, adjust for pain, and talk to a doctor before starting intense training. Abdallah Mekky’s current goals are on the approach page and real logged results on the records page.
QUICK ANSWERS
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
How much should weekly running volume increase?
There is no universally safe weekly percentage for every runner. Increase training conservatively, account for recent training and recovery, and adjust based on how the body responds. The mileage builder is a planning aid, not a guarantee against injury.
What split of easy and hard running should a marathon build use?
There is no single easy-to-hard split that suits every runner or training phase. Build consistency first, keep easy sessions genuinely easy, and choose a plan that fits current experience, health and recovery.