Training for Beginner Runners
Running is perhaps the simplest of sports, requiring no teaching or thought, just movement and effort. That said, if you’re starting to make running a regular habit or are looking to improve, a little guidance can lessen the learning curve. We hope these articles help you along with your journey.
iRunFar editors Bryon Powell and Meghan Hicks have also shared a primer on run training in the context of trail running directly from their book (indeed, the full book Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running has been published serially on iRunFar), but it’s just as applicable for all runners:
Through the years, coach Ian Torrence has write some great basics on the fundamental types of workouts a runner might do:
- Endurance-Based Workouts
- Stamina-Based Workouts
- Speed-Based Workouts
- Sprint-Based, Hill, and Predictor Workouts
Another coach, David Laney adds to that wealth of knowledge on fundamental running workouts with Faster and Stronger: The Basics of Trail Workouts.
Now, how do you put all these runs and workouts and recovery together? Hmmm… well, you put together a training schedule as laid out in Laney’s How to Build Your Own Training Schedule and The Basics of Creating a Training Plan from Where the Road Ends. For a bit more detail on how three- or four-week stretches of training might fit together, there’s Ian Torrence’s Periodization Isn’t Rocket Science.
If you’re a new or aspiring ultrarunner, you can’t go wrong in reading coach Torrence’s A Newbie’s Guide to Ultramarathons or Bryon Powell’s Ultramarathon Training: A Guide to Everything collection of ultramarathon training resources. For further reading, look at Joe Uhan’s Surviving Your First 100 Miler – Part 1: Preparation. The first year of Ian Torrence’s Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks is a phenomenal collection of articles for getting started with ultrarunning. Wherever you start, iRunFar’s got many hours worth of basic (and advanced) ultramarathon training resources!
While targeted at ultrarunners, Torrence’s Ultramarathon Training for Busy People is a great look at how to get the most out our training while leading a busy life.
If you’re looking to improve your fundamental trail running skills, check out our resource pages dedicated to:
- Running Uphill
- Running Downhill
- Running on Technical Terrain (i.e., rocks, roots, etc.)
- Running at Night
- Navigation on Trails
