Is My Running the Right FITT for Me?

There is no such thing as a “perfect” training program. Sorry if we’re the first to break it to you. Every runner responds to training differently because everyone has a unique history and experience with running. Instead of searching for the best training plan, it’s more helpful to understand the basic principles of training. This way, you can adjust your training to suit your specific needs.

To make these principles easier to understand, we use the FITT Framework. “FITT” stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type:

• Frequency is how often you run in a given time period (typically per week).
• Intensity refers to how challenging your training is. We like to refer to this as the number of quality run sessions per week. A quality session includes anything faster than your easy pace, as well as long runs - if the long run is long enough for your body to be significantly more fatigued than after a typical easy run.
• Time measures how long your runs are or how many miles you cover in a typical easy run.
• Type involves the surface you run on (like roads, trails, or beaches), the elevation gain, the weather, altitude, or even your choice of shoes. This category is broad, so anything that doesn’t clearly fit under the other three can go here.

When increasing your training, especially after an injury, it’s important to be careful about how many of these factors you change at once. For example, if you go from running easy 3 times a week for 2 miles each run to running 3 days in a row for 4 miles with a workout on one day, you’re more likely to get injured. To reduce this risk, focus on changing just 1–2 of the FITT factors at a time.

Remember, it takes time for your body to adapt to new training levels, and this process is different for everyone. Some people are ready for changes after a week, while others may need 2–4 weeks before progressing. The best way to figure this out is through educated guesses based on your body’s feedback. Working with a running specialist physical therapist can help because we combine knowledge of injury rehab and training to create progressions tailored to you.

Even with expert guidance, your physical therapist can’t be with you for every run. That’s why understanding these principles is so important—it helps you make adjustments based on how you feel each day.

One of the most critical times to listen to your body is during a workout. Workouts vary widely, and all can be adjusted. The first step is to understand the purpose of the workout. Are you trying to get faster? Simulate race conditions? Build endurance? While it would be great if one workout could do it all, that’s not realistic. Instead, focus on a primary goal for each workout, with any additional benefits as a bonus. A running specialist can help determine what’s most important for your current goals.

Once you know your goal, you can modify the workout if needed—especially if you feel discomfort or pain. The FITT Framework helps here, too:

• Reduce the number of workouts per week (Frequency)
• Slow down your pace (Intensity)
• Shorten the duration or distance of repetitions (Time)
• Decrease the number of repetitions (Time)
• Increase rest time between repetitions (Time)
• Change your rest from jogging or walking to standing still (Type)

Knowing the goal of the workout helps you decide what to adjust. For example, if the goal is endurance, you might prioritize keeping the duration and repetitions but run at a slower pace. If the goal is speed, you might keep the pace but reduce the reps or lengthen the rest time. You can also combine changes. On a particularly tough day, you might cut a couple of reps and slow down the pace. The key is listening to your body!

If you’re recovering from an injury, certain modifications may be especially helpful. For instance, after an Achilles tendon issue, you might benefit from running slower or taking standing rests instead of jogging, as more intensity puts more stress on our tendons. A running specialist physical therapist can advise you on the best adjustments for your situation!

While no training program is perfect, understanding the FITT principles allows you to fit your plan to meet your needs!

We recently launched an app to help you make sure you're progressing your running appropriately. It's free. Find it in the Apple Store here “Steady State”. It'll also be launching on android soon!