Building and managing training plans
Create an adaptive, VDOT-based plan in four steps, then manage, switch, and let it adapt around your life.
Build a plan in four steps
From the Plan tab, tap Create plan. The builder walks you through four steps to build a customized training block.
- 1Goal: pick your target. 5K, 10K, and Run/Walk On-Ramp plans are free; half marathon and marathon plans are Pro.
- 2Customize: training duration, runs per week, preferred days, focus (race, run faster, run further, maintain), and optional strength/mobility days.
- 3Profile: confirm age, weight, sex, fitness level, current weekly km, and heart-rate values.
- 4Advanced: set a goal time/pace, add vacation windows, flag injury niggles, and choose deload or conservative progression.
Tip · Run/Walk On-Ramp plans
Starting fresh or returning from a break? The Run/Walk On-Ramp plan structures gentle interval transitions between walking and running to build aerobic resilience without overloading joints.
Pro · Plan feasibility & readiness check
For half and full marathon plans, Runapt validates your target time against your current weekly volume and longest recent run. If your target is too aggressive for your timeline, the builder suggests an optimal preparation window to prevent injury.
Why VDOT pacing
Instead of generic tables, Runapt derives a VDOT score from a recent race or time trial and calculates exact pace windows for easy, marathon, tempo, threshold, and interval zones. A quality optimizer then checks that weekly mileage ramps stay safe, recovery sits before long runs, and the taper is sized to your block.
Manage, reschedule, and finish plans
- Open Plan → Manage to see every plan you’ve created.
- Activate any plan to make it your current schedule; only one plan is active at a time.
- Drag a run in the calendar to reschedule it to another day.
- When you finish your plan or complete your race, log your official result. Runapt analyzes your execution and recommends your next training block (maintenance, recovery, or stepping up in distance).
Let your plan adapt
Life gets in the way. Runapt adjusts around it on your local schedule. If you miss a workout, Runapt sends a gentle nudge and recalibrates upcoming workouts so you get the training stimulus without piling dangerous fatigue onto the next day.
Pro · Adaptive plans (Pro)
With Pro, the plan automatically restructures workouts based on recovery, schedule changes, missed sessions, and injury updates, maintaining an adaptation history you can review anytime.
How readiness is modeled
Runapt tracks cumulative training load (chronic vs acute) alongside a daily recovery check of sleep, soreness, and resting metrics. When stress balance dips below safe limits, the scheduler shifts workouts, scales intensity, or adds recovery days.
Understand your training week
Every week has a purpose. The Plan tab labels each block’s phase so you know whether you’re building base, sharpening, or tapering.
- Base: mostly easy aerobic volume to build endurance safely.
- Build: adds tempo, threshold, and interval work to raise your ceiling.
- Peak: your hardest, most race-specific sessions.
- Taper: reduced volume before race day so you arrive fresh.
- Deload / recovery: lighter weeks that let adaptations settle.
Add strength and mobility
In the builder’s Customize step you can include up to two strength or mobility days per week and set your equipment level (none, basic, or gym). Runapt slots them around your hard runs so they support, rather than sabotage, your training.
Frequently asked
- Can I have more than one plan?
- Yes, you can create multiple plans, but only one is active at a time. Switch under Plan → Manage.
- What if I miss a run?
- Nothing breaks. Runapt detects the missed workout, sends a helpful nudge, and reshapes your week without overloading the following days.
Start
Your next training block can start today.
Tell us the race you’re aiming for and Runapt builds the plan tonight. Your first route is ready before your next run.
No credit card required · Free plan available forever · Cancel Pro anytime