Friday on the PDF is still intervals
Written for someone else’s fitness, and for a week with no missed Tuesday. Your week will have one. Hotel week, knee, a long run that dies at km 14.
Comparison
Runapt vs a PDF training plan
A PDF is a fine starting sketch. It assumes you hit every day, at the fitness of whoever the chart was written for. You will not.
RunaptGeneric PDF plan
PersonalizationBuilt from your current fitness, schedule, and race dateOne template for every runner
Pace targetsExact VDOT-based paces for easy, tempo, threshold, and intervalsGeneric “easy/hard” or pace ranges
When you miss a runReshapes the week automatically without stacking workoutsYou guess how to catch up
ReadinessAdjusts to readiness and recent training load (CTL/ATL/TSB)No awareness of how you feel
RoutesAutomatic routes for each workoutYou plan routes yourself
CostFree plan; Pro with regional App Store pricingOften free, but fixed
The verdict
A PDF is a sketch. It cannot see Tuesday. The week you open tonight is built from a recent time, and it moves when the run does not match.
Miss Tuesday
The rest of the week gets shorter. The skipped run does not land on Wednesday. Easy, tempo, threshold, long run — the paces come from your last honest race.
Jack Daniels, your number
Same VDOT table. The PDF used whoever the chart was printed for. Yours uses the race you actually ran.
FAQ
What is wrong with a free PDF training plan?
Nothing, as a template, but it is fixed. It does not know your current fitness, adjust when you miss a run, or set exact paces for you. An adaptive plan does.
Can Runapt turn a plan I already follow into an adaptive one?
Yes. Runapt rebuilds the same kind of structure around your current fitness and schedule, then adjusts paces and sessions automatically as you train.
Is a free PDF plan enough to train for a marathon?
It can get you through the weeks, but it cannot adjust when you miss a run, misjudge pace, or need to protect a taper. Those are the places a fixed plan tends to fail on race day.
Is Runapt better than a spreadsheet plan for busy runners?
Usually, yes. A spreadsheet does not know your week changed; Runapt reshapes the plan automatically when a run is missed or reduced, so you are not left guessing how to catch up.
Free
$0/month
5K and 10K. Two plans. No card.
- 5K and 10K plans
- Up to 2 training plans
- Standard GPS routes
- Run log and history
- Basic real-time pace tracking
- Achievements and streaks
No credit card. Free forever.
Pro
$49/year
Half and marathon. The week moves after a missed run.
- Founder price — locked in for life
- Everything in Free
- Unlimited training plans
- Half marathon and marathon plans
- Adaptive plan adjustments
- AI coach notes & chat
- Fatigue dashboard
- Race prediction and pacing strategy
- HealthKit, Strava, and Polar sync
About $4.08/mo billed annually, which is cheaper than monthly. Prefer monthly? $7.99/mo. 14-day free trial.
Prices shown for your region. Your exact price is set by the App Store or Google Play at checkout.
Start with a free plan.
Download Runapt and build your first training week. The free plan has no time limit.
Or start on the web