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Most athletes think building a training plan starts with workouts.

It doesn’t.

In this episode, we break down what actually needs to happen before a single workout is written—the foundational decisions that determine whether your plan will work… or fall apart within weeks.

This is the first part of a 3-part series on training plan creation, where we walk through the exact framework we use as coaches to build sustainable, effective plans for endurance athletes.

In Part 1, we focus on the foundation:

The questions every coach should ask before building a plan
Why your available time is often misunderstood (and overestimated)
How injury history shapes your entire training approach
The difference between time availability vs. training capacity
Why recovery, mobility, and fueling must be accounted for upfront
The role of motivation—and why “surface-level goals” often fail

If you’ve ever:

Struggled to stick to a training plan
Felt like your plan didn’t fit your life
Or found yourself constantly adjusting or restarting

This episode will show you why—and how to fix it.

Because the reality is:

Most training plans don’t fail because of bad workouts.
They fail because the foundation was never built correctly.

📊 This is Part 1 of a 3-Part Series:

• Part 1: Building the Foundation (this episode)
• Part 2: How to Set Weekly Training Volume
• Part 3: How to Structure Your Training Week

Timestamps:
00:00 – Training Plan Series Overview (Start Here)
02:15 – Why Your “Why” Matters More Than Your Workouts
04:15 – The Questions Coaches Ask Before Building a Plan
08:45 – Athlete Background: Experience, Injuries, and Lifestyle
10:50 – Understanding Weekly Volume and Intensity
13:05 – How Sport Type Impacts Training Approach (Running vs Triathlon)
15:40 – The Truth About the 10% Rule and Recovery Limits
18:15 – Adjusting Training Based on Feedback and Real Life
22:35 – Why Subjective Feedback Matters More Than You Think
27:15 – When (and How) to Progress Training Volume Safely
33:15 – Managing Training Load to Avoid Injury
37:40 – Recovery Isn’t Optional: Building It Into the Plan
42:00 – Balancing Stress Across Multiple Disciplines
46:30 – From Foundation to Structure: Mapping Your Training Plan
49:35 – Building a Macro Plan: Peak Volume and Taper Strategy

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For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

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In this episode of my Road to Grandma's Marathon series, Katie is sharing a real, unfiltered look at the past couple weeks of training—high mileage, tough workouts, and the reality of balancing running with work, parenting, and unpredictable conditions.

From squeezing in treadmill workouts between calls to navigating spring break schedule changes, this was a week that required a lot of flexibility. Katie breaks down what worked, what didn’t, and how outside stress, heat, and fatigue can impact performance more than we sometimes expect.

Katie also recaps a challenging half marathon that didn’t go as planned—between unseasonably hot weather, a hilly course, and race-day decisions, it ended up being more of a learning experience than a confidence boost. Katie talks about how to interpret those kinds of races, what they actually mean for fitness, and how to move forward without spiraling.

During the second half of the episode, Katie dives into her marathon journey so far. This includes a total of 10 marathons. Katie provides details of each as well as what went well and not so well and learning lessons from each.

Plus, she dives into:

• Adjusting training when life gets busy
• Knowing when to push vs. when to back off
• Fueling during workouts for better recovery
• Adding plyometrics, strength work, and heat training
• Building volume strategically (even when the week isn’t ideal)

If you’ve ever had a week where training didn’t go perfectly—or a race that left you questioning everything—this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways

• Not every week will go as planned—and that’s normal
• Heat, stress, and life load can significantly impact performance
• One race doesn’t define your fitness
• Fueling during workouts can improve both performance and recovery
• Flexibility and consistency matter more than perfection
• Marathons are a journey within themselves and mastering the marathon is not completed with just one marathon

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

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Endurance training requires commitment, structure, and consistency.
But what often gets overlooked is the cost outside of training.

In this Coach’s Corner episode, we step away from workouts and performance metrics to talk about something every endurance athlete experiences—but rarely addresses directly: the impact training has on relationships, family, and daily life.

From long training hours and accumulated fatigue to shifting priorities and communication breakdowns, endurance sports can create tension if they’re not managed intentionally.

This conversation is not about eliminating those challenges—it’s about recognizing them and learning how to navigate them without sacrificing the people and relationships that matter most.

If you’re pursuing big goals while trying to balance work, family, and life, this episode will help you take a step back and evaluate how everything fits together.

Topics Covered:

• The time demands of endurance training
• How training affects relationships and family life
• The role of communication and shared expectations
• Balancing personal goals with real-life responsibilities
• When training starts to take more than it gives

If this episode resonates, share it with someone who understands the balance you’re trying to manage.

Timestamps:

00:11 – Introduction: Training and relationships
02:07 – Type A athletes and relationship challenges
04:14 – Training focus vs home life
06:41 – Long training hours and recovery impact
08:56 – Planning training around relationship needs

11:07 – Involving your partner in decisions
13:03 – Communicating expectations and sacrifices
16:19 – Managing training load with family commitments

19:38 – Mental health and household dynamics
22:42 – The role of vulnerability and honest conversations
27:13 – When training becomes unsustainable

30:31 – Parenting and prioritizing quality time
34:37 – Financial and logistical challenges
39:58 – Supporting your family during race season

43:44 – Recognizing stress and overtraining signals
47:27 – Turning races into shared experiences
50:45 – Adjusting race schedules for better balance

55:23 – Training as life vs life supporting training
1:00:49 – Self-awareness: monitoring stress and mood
1:05:03 – Final thoughts: your journey impacts others

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com