PRTL: Athletic Running Plan

More from The Planted Runner All episodes →

1. 

   9 Jul 2026 · 18 min

   Fall Marathon Training is Here. Avoid This Common Mistake Now (encore run)

   If you’re a marathoner training for a fall race and you’re running goal marathon paced workouts in July, you’re doing it wrong. Let’s explore a better way. In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about race-specific workouts from the 5k to the marathon. We’ll go over: Why the timing of race-specific workouts matters Why and how to plan workouts that focus on overall fitness instead, and When to narrow your focus so you peak exactly on race day I’ll also give you some examples of my favorite race-specific workouts for each distance. This is a topic that will probably bust a lot of common…

2. 

   2 Jul 2026 · 53 min

   Are Free AI Running Coaching Plans Actually Good or Evil? Matt Chittim

   In 2026, no one needs to hire a running coach to write a training plan. So the deeper question is, how does the work of a human running coach go beyond what a large language model can iterate? What is the intrinsic human value of what I do to help runners around the world? I’m going to be exploring that a lot in my work coming up and to help me out today, I’m talking to another running coach and voice you might recognize, Matt Chittim of the Rambling Runner Podcast. And the conversation gets interesting. Today, Matt and I go into a lot of running topics like: How AI is changing the…

3. 

   25 Jun 2026 · 15 min

   How to Actually Enjoy Vacation Without Derailing Your Training

   What’s the right way to balance your training when you are traveling, especially if you have a family? Let’s find out. Today we’re going to tackle the topic of training on trips, specifically vacations with your loved ones. We’ll get into: how to plan your vacation for the ideal time in your training cycle how to stay fit and healthy while still having fun, and if you do decide to skip training altogether, how much fitness, if any, you’ll lose while lounging in the sun. Welcome to the Planted Runner. I’m Coach Claire Bartholic and my mission is to help you improve your running, your mindset,…

4. 

   18 Jun 2026 · 53 min

   Cape Town is Now a Marathon Major. Learn More About the Race

   Cape Town, South Africa has officially been named as the eighth star Abbott World Marathon Majors series starting in 2027. It joins Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, London, Chicago, New York, and Sydney as bucket-list marathons around the world. Today, I’m going to talk to PR Team member Terry Whelan about his experience running the marathon in Cape Town, South Africa in May. You’ll learn: What the race was like How the experience of the Age Group Championships went, and How his training is about to change this year If you’re a runner that’s worried that your age is catching up with you, Terry’s about…

5. 

   11 Jun 2026 · 17 min

   Afraid of the Track? How to Finally Master the Oval

   If you are lucky enough to have access to a local track today, it can be the very best thing to get better and faster at running. Let’s find out why. Today, we’ll go over: the common and perhaps misguided perceptions of track running, how you can use the track to improve your running, and the important rules of the track, so you won’t look like newbie out there, even if you’ve never run on a track before. And I’ll also go into why you just might learn to love it. Yep, it’s possible! Welcome to the Planted Runner. I’m Coach Claire Bartholic and my mission is to help you improve your running,…

6. 

   28 May 2026 · 16 min

   Marathon Era Over? Here's The Big Thing No One Tells You

   What happens when you decide that you are no longer in your marathon era? Fear of losing fitness and identity keeps some runners racing long after they’ve lost the joy. How do you stop training like a marathon runner without feeling like you are losing part of yourself? Let’s find out. On today’s show, we’re going to talk about the complicated relationship between identity and marathon training. You’ll learn: why so many runners struggle to let go of race goals, why changing your training focus in midlife may actually improve your long-term health, and how to create a new relationship with…

7. 

   21 May 2026 · 14 min

   This is Why Silly-Looking Skips Are Really Powerful for Runners

   Could a few minutes of skips and hops each week actually help you run faster and stronger? Learn how powerful plyos can be in your run training. Research continues to show that short bouts of plyometric training can improve running economy, lower leg stiffness, force production, and neuromuscular coordination. On today’s show, we’re going to talk about the power of plyometrics. You’ll learn why explosive training matters even for marathoners how plyos improve running economy and durability the biggest mistake runners make when adding them and my favorite simple way to sneak plyometrics into…

8. 

   15 May 2026 · 6 min

   BONUS: 5-Minute Guided Warm Up for Long Runs

   Coach Claire guides you through a 5-minute audio warm up for your next long run. This one will be all standing, perfect before heading out the door or right when you get out of your car. As you work through each movement, she will offer you some phrases to think about that you can carry with you on this run and beyond. Calm music helps remind you to keep everything relaxed. Warm up exercises: leg swings hip openers quad stretch knee to chest calf raises arm swings double leg hops single leg hops Welcome to the Planted Runner. I’m Coach Claire Bartholic and my mission is to help you improve…

9. 

   14 May 2026 · 15 min

   The Real Reason You Hate Rest Days Will Surprise You

   For many runners, rest days don’t feel like recovery. They feel like falling behind. And there are very real neuroscientific reasons this happens. So how did recovery become the hardest workout of the week.for so many runners? Let’s find out. On today’s episode, you’ll learn: why productivity can become psychologically addictive, why many runners feel unsafe or uncomfortable when they rest, and how to reframe rest as an essential part of high performance instead of a sign of weakness. As a high-achieving go-getter myself, this episode really hits home for me and you’ll see how this topic…

10. 

    8 May 2026 · 6 min

    BONUS: 5 Minute Guided Warm Up for Your Easy Run

    Coach Claire guides you through a 5-minute audio warm up for your next easy run. This one will be all standing, perfect before heading out the door or right when you get out of your car. As you work through each movement, she will offer you some phrases to think about that you can carry with you on this run and beyond. Calm music helps remind you to keep everything relaxed. Warm up exercises: leg swings hip openers quad stretch knee to chest calf raises arm swings double leg hops Welcome to the Planted Runner. I’m Coach Claire Bartholic and my mission is to help you improve your running,…