The Workout
The Workout: Running Training Programs
An abundance of training programs means that there's one out there for you, whether you're looking to try your first 5k or run your fastest marathon.
Although we're currently stuck in the heat of summer, the cooler weather of autumn will soon be here, and along with it will come plenty of running races: 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and even the queen of the Illinois running calendar, the Chicago Marathon. But if you're planning on a fall event of any distance, you should be doing some kind of training program. The first time I did a half marathon, I didn't train for it. Oh, sure, I prepared, but I didn't follow a training plan. In fact, I didn't even know training plans existed. I just ran on a regular basis and tried to make my weekend runs progressively longer, adding more mileage until I finally ran 13 miles the weekend before the race. When I got to the start line, I still hadn't …
