You train hard and you're consistent. So why aren't you improving?
- Emma O'Toole
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Many runners and cyclists train consistently but fail to improve as much as they expect. Often the issue isn't effort or discipline, but a lack of connection between each training session and the specific demands of their event. This article explains why purposeful training matters, how to align sessions with your race goals and athlete profile, and how understanding the "why" behind your training can unlock better results.
Strength training for runners and cyclists over 30 is a game-changer for performance, resilience, and long-term health.
If you want the full breakdown, check out my Strength Training Over 30 Guides:
TRAINING BREAKDOWN
"Every session in a well designed training plan exists for a reason, and that reason is always connected to two things."
By Emma O'Toole
Hi there!
A runner recently got in touch and shared her training data over the past 12 weeks, it was a training log that would make most coaches nod with approval. She was consistent, had decent volume each week, took deload weeks, had a mixture of training stimulus in her week, eg. threshold intervals and tempo intervals. She’d recently incorporated strides since getting the guide in our free coaching community. However, when I asked her what she was training for and whether her sessions reflected the demands of that race and her runner profile, she paused… she had never really thought about it that way.
And in my experience, she is not alone.
Most runners and cyclists follow their training plan diligently but very few could tell you why each session is there. They know what they are doing and what they’re training for, but the connection between the session and their goal, between the run/ride they’re doing and the training adaptation they’re chasing, is often missing. And when that connection is missing, training becomes a lot less effective than it could be… for the same time expenditure.
Every session in a well designed training plan exists for a reason, and that reason is always connected to two things: the demands of your race or event, and the specific strengths and weaknesses you bring to it as an individual.
That last part includes everything: your training experience, your injury history, your previous results and so on.
Here are a couple of examples of what I mean.
A 10 mile time trial and a crit race are both cycling events, but the demands could not be more different. A 10 mile TT is a sustained, solo effort at a high intensity. Success depends on your ability to hold a high power output over a prolonged period, your position on the bike, and your pacing judgement. A crit race starts in a group, it’s punchy, and highly variable. It demands repeated accelerations, the ability to respond to attacks, race craft and often a strong sprint finish. A cyclist training for a TT who fills their week with crit style efforts is developing qualities that will not transfer particularly well to their goal event and vice versa.
The same goes for running. A 5000m track race and a half marathon are both running events, but the training that prepares you for one won't fully prepare you for the other and I’m not just talking about the long run here. A runner training for a half marathon who is spending the bulk of their quality sessions on short track intervals is developing speed they won't fully use on race day. A session of 5 x 1k repeats might be perfect for a 5k runner building top end speed. But a runner targeting a half marathon is better served by 3 x 2 miles at target race pace with 3 minute float between intervals built into the second half of a 14 mile long run. As you can see these are very different sessions.
Training specifically is what moves the needle forwards.
Now even two endurance athletes preparing for the same event will have different training needs because they each bring different strengths and weaknesses to the start line.
One cyclist targeting a crit race may have a very strong ability to respond to attacks in the race, they’re in contention for the final sprint but never make it onto the podium because they lack a sprint finish kick. Another cyclist, may have a monster sprint kick but never get the chance to show it because the repeated attacks during the crit race fatigue them too early and they’ve been dropped long before the final dash for the line.
The race is the same but each rider has very different training priorities, and that difference matters a lot! It’s also why a generic training plan will only take you so far... It might get you to the start line or a result you’re somewhat happy with, but it won't get you the best version of what you're capable of.
This applies to your strength training too.
And it’s why every runner and cyclist I work with goes through a movement screening before we begin any strength programme together. A movement screen tells me where you are starting from physically, where your mobility is limited, where your strength could be improved, and where your movement patterns are compensating for weaknesses elsewhere. Without that information I'm guessing, and guessing is not coaching! It’s often pretty eye-opening for the individual too!
It's also why I always explain the purpose of every strength session I prescribe. Not just the exercises or the sets and reps, but the reason why those specific movements are in the programme for that specific athlete at that specific point in their training year.
Knowing why a session is in your plan changes how you do it. When you understand that your plyometric work is developing the stretch-shortening cycle and tendon stiffness that makes each stride more efficient and helps support your tendons over time, you're no longer just jumping for the sake of jumping. You're training with a purpose that connects directly to your race/event day goal.
I find that when runners and cyclists understand the why behind their sessions, they show up to them differently. There's more intent, more focus, and often better results. That might sound obvious but in practice it does make a real difference!
When you next look at your training plan, ask yourself these 3 questions:
1. What is the purpose of this session?
2. What quality is it developing? (eg. aerobic base, speed, strength, economy, fatigue resistance)
3. How does that quality connect to the specific demands of my goal event and my individual endurance athlete profile?
If you can answer those three questions confidently for every session in your week, your training is well designed and you’re maximising your time. If you can't, it's worth digging into why each session is there and whether it's actually the right work for you right now.
You don't need to do this for every session forever, but going through it once for your current training week is a really useful exercise.
If you want to talk through what purposeful training looks like for your specific event and your individual running/cycling profile, please head over to my free coaching community.
Happy running and riding!
Emma x
Join the Strava club!
3 FREE WAYS TO ELEVATE YOUR RUNNING & CYCLING: |
|
I will be looking at my training plan differently from now on