Planning Your Training Week in Ascend

When planning your training week, Ascend helps you build a plan that is appropriate for your current fitness, your upcoming goals, and your ability to recover. Rather than simply assigning a fixed schedule, Ascend adapts your training based on your fitness and, where relevant, the demands of your next priority event.

Your Fitness Profile shows where you are today. It includes your Running Impact Fitness, Speed Fitness, and Cardio Fitness, which help Ascend determine how much running, faster speed work, and cross-training is appropriate for you. This ensures your training progresses gradually from your current level, rather than making sudden jumps in load or intensity.

For example, if you are currently adapted to around five hours of running per week, your plan will not suddenly increase you to ten hours the following week. Progressive overload is an important part of building fitness, but it should happen in a way that is appropriate, sustainable, and based on your current capacity.

Your next priority event also helps guide your running plan. During Basebuilding, training is focused on developing general fitness and is largely independent of event type. As you move into Sharpening and Tapering, your training becomes more specific to the demands of your priority event.

How your weekly plan is organised

Ascend separates your weekly training into two components: a Running Plan and a Cross-Training Plan.

Your Running Plan is designed to develop the running fitness required for your next priority event. It takes into account both the demands of that event and your current fitness, ensuring your training remains appropriate for your ability level while preparing you for your goal.

Your Cross-Training Plan is designed to develop your overall Cardio Fitness. It is based on the strength of your current aerobic engine and, unlike your running plan, is not tailored to your next priority event. This allows you to build or maintain Cardio Fitness regardless of the specific running goal you are preparing for.

When preparing your training week, you’ll start by selecting a running week type from the options available. We recommend using Ascend’s built-in Co-Pilot, which helps you choose the most appropriate option by considering your current fitness, upcoming event goals, recovery status, any niggles, and the realities of your schedule and available training time. Once you’ve selected your running plan, you can decide whether to add cross-training to complement it.

Step 1: Select a Running Week Type

Your available running week types are grouped by training phase. Each phase serves a different role in your training, depending on where you are in your training journey and how close you are to your next priority event.

The sections below explain the purpose of each phase and the week types available within it, helping you choose the option that best fits your current training needs, recovery status, and circumstances for the week ahead.

As a general guide, Basebuilding focuses on developing general fitness and is largely independent of event type. Sharpening and Tapering become increasingly tailored to the demands of your next priority event, with training influenced by both your estimated race duration and your current fitness level. Recovery is also adjusted according to the demands of your race, with longer and more demanding events typically requiring a more cautious return to training.

Basebuilding

Basebuilding is the phase of training focused on developing the foundational fitness that underpins future performance. Unlike later training phases, it is largely independent of your next priority event. Rather than preparing you for a specific race, the goal is to build a solid aerobic foundation and progressively increase your capacity to handle running training. The running fitness developed during this phase provides the platform on which more race-specific fitness can later be built.

Which Basebuilding week should you choose?

Choosing the right week type depends primarily on your available training time, recovery status, and ability to absorb running training. Whichever option you choose, the training will be tailored to your current fitness level, so there is rarely a “wrong” choice from a training perspective, provided you are recovering well and free from injury.

Some runners may use a variety of week types throughout their Basebuilding phase, while others may rely primarily on one or two options. The key is to find an approach that fits your lifestyle and allows you to train consistently over the long term.

Classic Build will be the default choice for most runners. It provides a gradual progression in running load that supports consistent fitness gains while keeping recovery manageable. The priority is to build aerobic fitness and gradually increase running volume, rather than maximising speed or short-term performance.

Build+ follows the same principle as Classic Build, but with a more aggressive increase in running load. Choose this option when you are recovering well, have the time to train, and want to accelerate fitness development without fundamentally changing the structure of your training.

Deload is a tactical recovery week, not a step backwards. By temporarily reducing training load, it allows your body to absorb recent training, reduce accumulated fatigue, and prepare for the next block of progression. For most runners, incorporating a Deload week every 4–6 weeks can help support consistent progress, although you may benefit from one sooner if recovery begins to lag behind training stress.

Long Run Focus is best suited to runners who want to place a greater emphasis on endurance and time on feet. Because it represents the largest increase in running load of any week type, most runners will benefit from using it occasionally within a broader Basebuilding block to provide a targeted endurance stimulus while keeping recovery manageable.

Speed is designed for runners who enjoy interval training and want to place a greater emphasis on speed development. While maintaining the core objectives of Basebuilding, it incorporates a higher proportion of structured interval sessions and faster running. The amount of speed work is personalised to your current Speed Fitness, with interval duration increasing as your capacity for faster running develops.

Sharpening 

The Sharpening phase introduces more race-specific training while continuing to build on the fitness developed during Basebuilding. During this phase, your training becomes tailored to the demands of your next priority event, with the emphasis largely guided by estimated race duration. Each week type serves a different purpose depending on your goals, recovery needs, and where you are in your preparation.

Specific Fitness should be your default choice throughout the Sharpening phase. It provides a balanced mix of sessions designed to develop the key fitness demands of your target event while progressing your running and/or speed load. If your next race is towards the shorter end of the spectrum, this week type will place greater emphasis on speed development. If you are targeting a longer-duration event, there will naturally be more focus on endurance.

Race Simulation is designed to prepare you for the unique demands of race day. Training is structured around fewer but longer key sessions that closely replicate the duration, terrain, and intensity requirements of your next goal event. Most runners will benefit from including 2–3 Race Simulation weeks during Sharpening.

Deload is a tactical recovery week that allows you to absorb training, reduce accumulated fatigue, and prepare for the next block of targeted work. There's still an element of intensity during this week to keep your fitness evolving, but volume is dialed back. If you feel like you need more of a breather, opt for a Recovery week type (see below). Consider using a Deload week every 3–5 weeks, or whenever recovery begins to lag behind training stress.

Pro tip: Aim to complete a Deload week approximately two weeks before your priority race. Shedding accumulated fatigue before entering the taper can help maximise freshness and improve race-day readiness.

Tapering

The Tapering phase is your final tune-up before race day. Ascend will automatically lock in a 7-day taper designed to reduce fatigue and help you arrive at your priority event feeling fresh and ready to perform.

During this week, you can expect a noticeable reduction in training volume, alongside short efforts to maintain sharpness without adding unnecessary fatigue. The training prescribed during Tapering is tailored to both your current fitness and the demands of your next event.

Avoid supplementing your plan with additional running or cross-training during this phase, as the goal is to recover, freshen up, and trust the work you have already done.

As highlighted above, aim to complete a Deload week two weeks before your priority race. This helps reduce accumulated fatigue before entering Tapering, giving you the best chance of arriving at race week relatively well recovered.

Recovery

The Recovery phase is designed to help you return to training after a priority race, illness, injury, or an extended break from running. Rather than rushing back into full training, the goal is to gradually restore consistency while giving your body time to recover and adapt.

This phase consists of three week types that can be used independently or as a progression, depending on your circumstances.

No Running is intended for periods when complete rest is the most appropriate option. Following a demanding race, or during periods of illness or injury, taking time away from running can support recovery and help reduce the risk of setbacks.

Ease-In provides a gentle reintroduction to running through short, low-intensity sessions. This is typically the best starting point when returning from a break, allowing you to rebuild routine and confidence without placing excessive stress on the body. The running load is tailored to your current Running Impact Fitness when planning your week.

Reload bridges the gap between recovery and more structured training. Running volume and frequency begin to resemble a more normal training week, but overall load remains controlled relative to your Running Fitness, helping you transition back into full training gradually.

Recovery needs vary between individuals and events, but it is especially important to be patient after races lasting longer than 3–4 hours. While muscle soreness and fatigue may subside within a few days, the broader physiological stress of a long endurance event can take weeks, and in some cases months, to fully resolve. Hormonal balance, immune function, nervous system recovery, and overall readiness to train may remain affected long after your legs start to feel normal.

For this reason, avoid using muscle soreness alone as a measure of recovery. Instead, pay attention to factors such as energy levels, motivation, sleep quality, mood, and how your body responds to short, easy training. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and spend longer in each recovery stage before returning to full training.

Step 2: Select A Cross-Training Week

Once you have selected your running week type, you can decide whether to add a cross-training plan to further develop your Cardio Fitness.

The available options are Maintain, Build, Build+, Deload, and No Cross-Training. These options allow you to manage your Cardio Fitness independently from your running-specific fitness, giving you the flexibility to adapt your training based on your goals, available time, and recovery needs. Keep in mind that your cross-training plan is based on your current Cardio Fitness (i.e. the strength of your aerobic engine) and is not influenced by your next priority event.

Ascend automatically balances your cross-training plan with your selected running plan. This is because both running and cross-training contribute towards your Cardio Fitness.

For example, if you choose a higher-load running week and select Maintain for your Cardio Fitness, you may not see any cross-training sessions in your plan if the running workouts alone are sufficient to maintain your current level of Cardio Fitness.

Similarly, selecting Build or Build+ will only add as much cross-training as needed to achieve the desired improvement in Cardio Fitness, taking the cardio benefit of your running workload into account. This helps ensure your overall training load remains appropriate, sustainable, and aligned with your recovery capacity.

Which cross-training option should you choose?

Maintain is designed to preserve your current level of Cardio Fitness. Choose this option if you're happy with your current fitness level and want to focus on maintaining, rather than increasing, your aerobic capacity.

Build should be the default choice for most runners looking to improve their Cardio Fitness. It is particularly useful during the Basebuilding phase, when the focus is on developing a stronger aerobic engine. By gradually increasing aerobic capacity through a sustainable amount of cross-training, it helps you make consistent progress without placing excessive demands on recovery.

Build+ follows the same principle but with a more aggressive rate of progression. This option is best reserved for shorter periods when you have the time, energy, and recovery capacity to support a higher training load.

Deload reduces your cross-training load to promote recovery and absorb recent training. Consider using this option whenever recovery begins to lag behind training stress, or tactically every 4-6 weeks.

No Cross-Training removes all cross-training recommendations from your plan and is appropriate if you prefer to focus solely on running. It can be particularly useful in the final weeks before a race, when running load is typically at its highest and recovery capacity becomes increasingly important.

General Tips When Planning Your Week

The Sunday Rule. While you can preview future training weeks ahead of time, we recommend planning your upcoming week once you've completed all training for the current week (typically on Sunday afternoon). This gives Ascend access to your latest Fitness Profile, including Running Impact Fitness, Speed Fitness, and Cardio Fitness, helping ensure the following week's recommendations accurately reflect your current fitness and most recent training.

Adjust your workouts when needed. You can (and should) drag and drop planned workouts to better fit your schedule, energy levels, or even the weather. Simply head to your weekly plan and tap the pen icon in the bottom-right corner.

Trust the plan. When it comes to your training, more isn't always better. Ascend has tailored your training load to your current fitness and goals, so try to resist the temptation to add extra sessions unless there's a clear reason to do so.

Listen to your body. A training plan is a guide, not a set of rules. Knowing when to adjust, shorten, or skip a session is an important part of becoming a better athlete. If you're carrying excessive fatigue, dealing with unusual soreness, or navigating a particularly busy week, give yourself permission to adapt.

By leveraging Ascend's real-time fitness analysis and adaptive planning, you can train smarter and more sustainably, keeping your progress on track while minimising the risk of overtraining. Above all, we hope you enjoy the training process as much as we do.

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