Maybe you’re already a regular runner, or maybe you’re just lacing your shoes up for the first time. Maybe you’re a seasoned veteran when it comes to races, or maybe you’ve just signed up for your first one.

Regardless of your experience, it helps to have a training plan when preparing for a race. There is no one “right” training plan, so here are some suggestions on how to create one that works for you.

Run, Run, Run

You will want to incorporate three kinds of runs into your training program: tempo runs, interval training, and long runs. All three of these runs are essential elements to make you a stronger runner and prepare you for the race.

The tempo runs are shorter than race distance, but are completed at a faster speed, one that is “comfortably hard,” according to Jack Daniels, Ph.D., who first made the term popular. Tempo runs usually last 20-30 minutes if you’re training for a 5K race, and are important so that you get used to running faster for a longer period of time.

The interval runs, also known as speedwork, are used as a tool to increase speed. Interval training alternates faster paces with recovery speeds for a designated time or distance. For example, you might sprint for two minutes and then recover for one.

Fartlek training is similar to interval training but is less structured; a Fartlek training run lacks set times. Intervals are important because they overload your system (what do you mean by overloading the system?), thus improving cardio fitness and speed.

Long runs are what prepare you for the distance you will run in a race. Speed doesn’t matter as much for long runs; completing the distance is most important. On race day, it doesn’t matter how fast you can go if you can’t make it to the finish line. Long runs teach you to pace yourself so you don’t burn out in the beginning, and they help increase your endurance.

All three of these types of runs are essential to any training plan, and you should try to do one of each every week. Try to take a day off of running in between each one to help protect your joints, and don’t increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% each week, as that could lead to injury.

Cross-Train

Cross-training is essential to any training plan because it gives you the opportunity to improve your cardiovascular fitness while giving your joints a rest (when you run one mile, your feet will hit the pavement over 800 times—ouch!).

For cross-training days, try the elliptical, the bike, the Stairmaster, or swimming. Or, if you want some extra motivation, try going to a group exercise class like a step class or a spinning class. These options will change up your routine and give your muscles and joints a break from the repetitive, jarring motion of running.

Strength-Train

It’s so easy to skip strength training, but putting a little time into strengthening your muscles will actually make you a better, faster runner. When your whole body is strong enough to carry you forward, you will certainly see an increase in your running ability.

Core workouts are especially important, because your core stabilizes your entire body. Build a strong core, and everything else will seem a little easier.

Another benefit of strength training is injury prevention. One injury that runners often face is patellofemoral pain syndrome, more commonly known as “runner’s knee.” This occurs when the patella, or kneecap, rubs against the cartilage around it. Since runner’s knee can be caused by an imbalance of strength in your leg muscles (usually that the outer muscles of your quad are stronger than the ones on the inside), one of the best ways to prevent this injury is by strengthening those weaker muscles.

The easiest way to do that? Lie flat on your back, with your left knee bent and your left foot planted on the ground. Turn your right foot outward, and raise and lower your leg. Do 15 reps, then switch sides. For those without quadriceps imbalances, you can do the same exercise but without turning your foot out to strengthen the entire quad. Lunges are also great leg workouts for runners.

Rest

Taking a rest day is just as important as the days you spend running. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends exercising no more than five days a week, as more frequent exercise does not make you any more fit but does increase the risk of injury. Not only is a rest day a nice break from working out, but it also helps your body.

Seeing Results

All this information is great, but does it really actually help? In a word, yes. I am in the process of training for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, VA, on March 28th, and by including the above components in my training plan, I have seen a drastic increase in my running ability.

I run three to four days a week, cross-train two to three days, and strength train two to three days. I base my runs around the pattern of one tempo run, one speedwork session, and one long run, and if I run a fourth day, it is usually a shorter run at whatever speed I want.

When I started training, I had trouble running any distance greater than two miles, and my usual speed was a 10 minute mile. Now, six weeks later, a three mile run is an “easy” run, and I usually find myself pacing an 8:30 mile. Last weekend, the easy, 2.5 mile “jog” I promised my boyfriend turned into a quick, 20-minute run: I was running eight-minute miles without realizing it. All that interval training has paid off!

My cross-training has made a big difference in my endurance, as well. Since supplementing my runs with twice-weekly spinning classes, my average heart rate during exercise has dropped significantly, and I have found my long runs much easier. Plus, I have picked up some great new songs for my workout mixes—added bonus.

I have also noticed improvements from my strength training. Regular core and arm workouts leave me less fatigued during runs (I’m a huge fan of planks and v-sits for a great ab workout), and doing leg exercises has prevented me from getting injured (knock on wood!).

While I have yet to run the full 6.2 miles that I will run on race day, I am confident that my preparation has made me fit enough to complete the race. Looking at how far I have come, there is no doubt in my mind that this will be an amazing race.

There are a lot of ways to use the components of a training plan. You can put together your own training program for a race, like I did, or you can look for one that already exists. Popular training plans include Couch to 5K, Hal Higdon’s training plans, and the Jeff Galloway method. Now that you know the basics, you can play around with these programs to create something to get you across the finish line.