Achilles

Example · For race day

Starts from the goal Finish an endurance event

Reach the start line strong.

Your runs and your strength work in one week, building steadily to race day and easing off before it.

  • 4 runs a week
  • 2 workouts
  • Race day set

A week like yours

Most of the week is easy running. Strength sits away from your hard runs, or on the same day if you like your hard days hard.

Week 9 of 16
BaseBuildTaper
Workout of the planRun

Inside one session

Each exercise comes with its dose and the reason it is there.

Threshold run

Tuesday · 53 min
Warm upZ2 Easy15 min
5 × 4 minZ4 Threshold2 min easy between
Cool downZ2 Easy10 min

Workout A

30 min · dumbbells
Prepare
Leg swings1 × 10 / sideOpens the hips for the work ahead.
StrengthSuperset 1 · 3 rounds · 2:00 rest
Split squat6–8 / sideEach stride is a single-leg push. This makes that push stronger.
Single-leg calf raise10–12 / sideYour calves take a big share of the load on every stride.
Finish
Side plank2 × 30 s / sideKeeps your hips level when the long run gets long.

Where you should feel it

Ask your coach

About your plan and your logs, or anything the research can answer.

Your coach

Tap a question

What is zone 2 running?
Zone 2 is easy running, a pace where you can talk in full sentences. Most of your week sits there, because easy volume builds endurance and leaves you fresh for the hard days.

Why it fits

  • A road to race day

    Base, Build and Taper are laid out from your race date, and you can see the phases ahead.

  • Paced for you

    Runs are set in five zones, shown by feel or by pace, with a timer that talks you through each part.

  • Strength that fits the runs

    Short workouts for calves, thighs and trunk, placed so they do not blunt your key sessions.

Your plan starts with a few questions.

In Achilles you pick Finish an endurance event, then tell it your days, your kit and how you move today.

See how it works

Read more: Marathon training: what the research saysHalf marathon training