(reprinted from the 7/31/08 Team McGraw newsletter)

*_Pick a Plan...and Stick To It_ </strong<br />

The training plans that I build are based on a few key fundamentals:

• Goal marathon pace runs

• Tempo runs (faster than goal pace)

• Long runs.

This philosophy has been formed through trial and error over many years of my personal training and racing as well as input and information from other coaches, runners, books, magazines, etc.

I get asked about other training programs frequently. I think there are many good training programs out there that work. Other than the "Run a Marathon on Less than 20 miles a Week" program, I like most of them. The key is finding the plan that suits your schedule, goals and personality.+ +

Don't fall into the trap of information overload. Sometimes we get distracted from our plan by other "more shiny" plans with different workouts. You cannot try to squeeze in hill repeats, track intervals, a tempo run, a negative split run, a progression run, marathon pace run, and a long run every week. You will hurt yourself. If you find that you like hill repeats over intervals, then switch or alternate them every other week... but don't try to do both.

Pick a plan, trust the plan, do the plan.

YGB

Coach Kevin, Team McGraw