PMPRunning is an online running coaching service founded by coach Henri Forcella (USATF Apprentice Coach, TrainingPeaks and CFSC certified), based in El Paso, TX and coaching runners across the USA and Latin America since 2019. We provide science-based, individualized training plans for runners from 5K to marathon distances, in Spanish and English.

How do I get faster at running?

Getting faster at running requires building an aerobic base with 80% easy running (Zone 2), adding 20% high-intensity work at threshold and VO2max, improving running form and economy, and allowing proper recovery. Consistency over months is the key driver of performance improvement.

What is the 80/20 rule in running training?

The 80/20 rule (polarized training) means spending approximately 80% of your weekly training volume at low intensity (easy, conversational pace) and 20% at high intensity (threshold or above). Research shows this distribution produces better fitness adaptations than training at moderate intensity most of the time.

How should I train for a marathon?

Marathon training requires 16-20 weeks of structured preparation including a base-building phase, lactate threshold development, long runs building to 18-22 miles, and a 2-3 week taper. Most runners benefit from 4-6 days of running per week with one long run on weekends. Nutrition, sleep, and recovery are as important as the runs themselves.

What is lactate threshold and why does it matter for runners?

Lactate threshold is the running pace at which lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood faster than it can be cleared. It is the strongest predictor of marathon performance for trained runners. Training at and slightly below threshold pace (tempo running) raises this threshold, allowing you to run faster before fatigue sets in.

¿Cómo puedo correr más rápido?

Para correr más rápido necesitas construir una base aeróbica sólida con el 80% del entrenamiento a ritmo fácil (Zona 2), añadir sesiones de calidad al umbral de lactato y VO2máx, mejorar tu técnica de carrera y recuperar adecuadamente. La consistencia durante meses es el principal factor de mejora.

¿Qué es un entrenador de running online?

Un entrenador de running online es un coach certificado que diseña planes de entrenamiento personalizados y te guía de forma remota a través de análisis de tus datos de entrenamiento, comunicación regular y ajustes al plan según tu progreso. PMPRunning ofrece coaching online para corredores de todos los niveles.

How does online running coaching work?

Online running coaching at PMPRunning starts with an assessment of your current fitness, goals, and schedule. Coach Henri creates a personalized weekly training plan, reviews your data from GPS watches, provides feedback on form, and adjusts the program weekly based on how you're responding to training.

Who wrote this article?

This article was written by Henri Forcella, a USATF certified running coach and founder of PMPRunning. Henri coaches endurance athletes from beginner to competitive masters level.

How can I apply this coaching advice to my training?

You can apply this advice by starting with small changes to your training routine, testing new approaches over 4-6 week blocks, and tracking your response. For personalized guidance, work with a coach who can adapt these principles to your specific fitness level, goals, and schedule.

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The Day Before Your Half Marathon: What to Eat, How to Rest, and What to Avoid (Especially at Altitude)

half marathonrace prepaltitude trainingBogota runningtaperrace day nutrition

Photo by Jozsef Hocza on Unsplash

The half marathon is a distance people love to underestimate — and doing it in Bogota, with altitude and a brutal elevation profile, punishes that mistake fast. Here's exactly what to do 24 hours out, from your last training session to your shoelaces.

Let's Get One Thing Straight: The Half Marathon Is Not a "Long Run With a Number Pinned On"

I see this every season. Runners treat the 21.1K like it's a stepping stone distance — not quite a marathon, so it doesn't deserve marathon-level respect. That's a mistake. The half punishes bad pacing, bad fueling, and bad taper decisions just as harshly as its bigger sibling, just faster. And if you're racing in Bogota — altitude around 2,600m, with rolling hills that never let your legs settle into a rhythm — the margin for error shrinks even further.

Here's the good news: if you've trained properly, you are already fit. The work is done. Fitness doesn't disappear in 24 hours. What can disappear — fast — is that fitness expressing itself on race day, because of poor sleep, bad nutrition timing, or an ill-advised "shake out" that turns into an accidental tempo run. This is the day we protect the investment.

Why You Should Feel Strong Right Now (And Why That's Science, Not Vibes)

If your training block was built correctly, you should be feeling primed, not fatigued, the day before the race. This isn't wishful thinking — it's supercompensation theory in action. The taper period allows accumulated fatigue to dissipate while fitness adaptations remain, which is why well-tapered runners consistently outperform their training paces on race day.

This is also why monitoring how your body is actually responding matters more than trusting a spreadsheet blindly. Modern exercise science increasingly uses biomarkers to track how the body is truly recovering and adapting to training load — not just how many miles you logged [PMID:41922043]. I tell my athletes: the plan is a hypothesis, your body's response is the data. If you're still carrying heavy soreness or your resting heart rate is elevated the day before, that's information, not something to push through with one more hard effort.