Run faster, even with no race on the calendar

You don't need a race bib to improve. You need a measurable goal, sessions that hit the right target, and a test to see where you stand. You say how many times a week you can run: Trainetic sets the deadline, calculates your paces, and raises them over the course of the block.

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The five rules for getting faster

They come from research on endurance training, and your plan applies them.

Lots of easy, a little hard. In endurance athletes, the vast majority of sessions are done at low intensity. Easy running builds the base; hard running builds on it.

Two levers: maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and threshold. MAS raises your ceiling; threshold lets you hold a strong pace for longer. A good block works on both.

One or two fast sessions a week, no more. Beyond that, you run them tired and they stop paying off. For a new runner, just one, at threshold.

A block, then a test. Without measuring, you cannot tell whether you are improving. A time trial at the end of the block shows where you stand, and sets up the next block.

Consistency above all. No miracle session can replace full weeks strung together without injury.

What your plan aims for, depending on your level

A realistic gain, not a promise: the more trained you are, the harder each percent is to earn.

Level	Target MAS over 12 weeks	What changes
Beginner	+4 %	Threshold, MAS and race paces
Intermediate	+3 %	Threshold, MAS and race paces
Advanced	+2 %	Threshold, MAS and race paces

Over a shorter block, the target is reduced proportionally. Your fast paces rise in steps over the block; your easy pace stays the same: easy has to stay easy.

How a block to get faster works

No date needed: the plan sets the deadline.

A measurable goal

If you are new to running, running 5 km without stopping; otherwise, a 10 km, or the distance of your choice if your level allows it. The deadline falls at the end of the block.

Sessions that hit the target

Threshold first, then MAS — 30/30, 45/45, pyramids — then your goal pace. In between, easy runs to recover.

A test to finish

The last session is a solo time trial over your target distance — half of it for a half marathon or a marathon. Your result resets your paces for the next block.

And after the block?

The next block starts from your test, not from an estimate. That is the principle of rolling blocks: each block is calculated on what you actually ran, and your paces follow your progress.

The five reasons you stop improving

Running everything at the same pace. Neither truly easy nor truly fast: it is the zone that tires you out without making you better. The first thing to change, and often the only one.

Doing intervals on every run. Too much intensity keeps you from recovering, and your fast sessions end up being run slower.

Changing methods every two weeks. Your body adapts over several weeks. Take a block all the way to the end before judging it.

Neglecting rest. Progress happens during recovery. A recovery week every four weeks is not a break, it is part of the plan.

Never testing yourself. Without measuring, you train at paces that no longer match your level — too slow or too fast.

Where these figures come from

And what they really say.

The "lots of easy" distribution comes from the work of Seiler (International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2010): about 80 % of sessions at low intensity in elite endurance athletes. For recreational runners, it is an extrapolation, widely followed by coaches.

A 2024 meta-analysis (Sports Medicine) found a slight advantage for this distribution on VO2max, but no difference in race performance compared with other distributions. So the useful rule stays simple: lots of easy, a little hard.

The 30/30 format comes from the work of Véronique Billat on time spent near VO2max.

The step-by-step build follows the recommendation of Jack Daniels: hold a volume for several weeks before increasing it, rather than adding a little every week.

The questions people ask about getting faster

Why have I stopped improving?

Most often, because every run is done at the same medium pace. Slowing down your easy runs and making one or two sessions truly fast is often enough to get progress going again.

How many fast sessions a week?

One or two. For a new runner, just one, at threshold: MAS comes later. The rest of the week is run easy.

What is MAS?

Your maximal aerobic speed: the speed at which your body uses the most oxygen. All your paces are derived from it. Don't know yours? A recent race time is enough, and the end-of-block test then measures it.

Threshold or MAS?

Both, in that order. Threshold first, because it builds endurance at a strong pace; MAS next, to raise the ceiling. Your plan links them over the course of the block.

Do you really have to run slowly to get faster?

Yes. Easy runs build endurance and let you nail your fast sessions. If you can talk while running, you are at the right pace.

How long does it take to improve?

A block of several weeks. You often feel the first gains quickly; they are measured at the end-of-block test.

What if I have a race coming up?

Then your plan is built around its date: 10 km plan, half marathon plan or marathon plan.

Is it free?

Yes, for the essentials: creating your plan, taking it with you as a PDF, and following each session with voice guidance. A subscription is available for advanced features — automatic adjustment of your plan week after week, a written analysis of each session. The plan itself does not need it.