Top tips to getting your training balance right

Unless you are a world class or elite runner your training should fit into your life comfortably rather than your life fitting around your training. A training-life balance is crucial if you are going to stick with your running for the long term. Here are our top tips to getting the balance right.

Tips for establishing a training rhythm

Have a plan

For complete satisfaction from your running you need to know where you are now and where you want to be. Your training should be heading towards a target, whether that is a time in a race, a distance covered or a target weight. The training load should then gradually increase towards it and should have a taper at the end. That would be the long-term plan. You should also build in medium or short-term goals along the way and then structure your training into blocks. For example, if you are aiming to achieve a time in a race you may first build up the distance you can cover to 10km and schedule in a couple of 10k races along the way to check that you are on track. Once you have achieved that you may work on your speed and schedule in a few 5km races to get your body used to setting off faster and turning your legs over more quickly.

For best advice on planning a programme you should get yourself along to a running club or group. Click on links below:

RunTogether                        England

jogscotland                         Scotland

Run NI                                  Northern Ireland

Run Wales                            Wales

If this is not convenient you could use one of our short-term programmes or use our Training Wizard for advice.  

For more top tips on recovery, routine and setting your priorities, click the link here for more details