Training plans as serious as your next PR
Personalized half marathon and marathon plans built on published exercise physiology research.. Not for beginners. Not generic. Built around your fitness, your schedule, your race.
This is for you if...
- ✓You know what a tempo run is
- ✓You track your weekly mileage
- ✓You have a specific goal time in mind
- ✓You've run a half or full before
- ✓You're chasing a PR, not a finish line
- ✓You have a fitness watch to monitor your paces
This is NOT for you if...
- ✕You're training for your first race ever
- ✕You just want to finish, not compete
- ✕You've never done structured workouts
- ✕You want a generic couch-to-5K plan
- ✕You're not willing to run intervals
- ✕You don't know your current weekly mileage
Your plan in under 2 minutes
Tell us about your running
Current mileage, recent race time, goal time, rest days, injuries. 7 quick steps that actually matter.
We build your plan
Our algorithm applies published exercise physiology research to your exact fitness level. Paces, phases, cutback weeks — all calculated precisely.
Download and run
Get your full plan as a PDF or Excel spreadsheet. Every workout, every day, every pace.
Everything a serious runner needs
Day-by-day workouts
Every run planned out with exact mileage, type, and pace. No guessing.
Calibrated paces
Easy, tempo, interval, long run, and recovery paces calculated from your actual fitness — not your goal.
Proper periodization
Base, build, peak, and taper phases. Cutback weeks every third week. Scientifically structured.
PDF download
Clean, printable plan you can take anywhere. Looks great on phone or paper.
Excel spreadsheet
One tab per week. Track actual vs planned, add notes, share with your coach.
All for Free
No subscription, no hidden charge, free always.
This is what your plan looks like
Week 8 of an 18-week marathon plan, Fitness Score 47 runner targeting 3:30.
Build phase continues — intervals and marathon pace long run
Free preview. Free download. Yours forever.
No subscription. No monthly fees. Download and run.
Questions
What is a Fitness Score?
Your Fitness Score is a number calculated from your recent race time that represents your current aerobic fitness. It's used to set your training paces for easy runs, tempo runs, intervals, and long runs. The higher your score, the faster your training paces.
What recent race time should I use?
Use your most recent all-out race effort from the last 6 months. A 5K, 10K, half, or full marathon all work. The more recent and honest the effort, the more accurate your training paces will be.
Can I redo my plan if I'm not happy with it?
Yes — if you're not satisfied with your plan, feel free to make changes and regenerate a new plan.
Do I need a Garmin to use this or special watch to do this?
No. The PDF and Excel downloads work for anyone. You can build the workouts in your watch as needed.
How is this different from other plan generators?
Those apps are built for beginners and casual runners. PR Nerd is built for competitive runners who want specific paces, structured periodization, and plans that reflect their actual fitness — not a generic template. Plus NO SUBSCRIPTION FEE!!
What if my race is only 6 weeks away?
We support half marathon plans as short as 6 weeks and marathon plans as short as 10 weeks. Shorter blocks focus on race-specific sharpening rather than base building.