A real training plan for the trail and the start line
Answer a few questions and get a week-by-week, printable PDF plan that builds you up the right way and tapers you fresh. No signup. No paywall. No app to install.
Two generators, one principle
Both tools are built on the same sane periodization: a gradual build, a deload to recover, and a taper before the big day. Choose the one that fits your goal.
Hiking and backpacking prep
Heading out on a big hike or a multi-day backpacking trip? Enter your date, distance, elevation gain, and pack weight. Get a plan that ramps your long hikes and loaded carries, then tapers.
Build a hiking planRunning plan
Training for a 5k, 10k, half, or marathon, or starting from the couch? Pick your race and date for a periodized plan, or use couch to 5k mode for a gentle walk-to-run start.
Build a running planBuilt the way a coach builds them
A capped, gradual build
Each week adds a little distance, climbing, or mileage, never more than about ten percent over the last. That ceiling is the widely taught guardrail against doing too much too soon.
Deload weeks that let you absorb
Roughly every fourth week the load drops back. You do not get fitter during hard weeks; you get fitter when your body absorbs them. The deload is the recovery that makes the next block possible.
A real taper before the day
In the final one to three weeks the volume comes down while a little sharpness stays. You arrive at the trailhead or the start line rested and ready, not flat and not overcooked.
Training guides
Plain-spoken guides to building a plan, training for a trip or a race, and why the taper matters.
- Train for backpacking: how to train for a backpacking trip
- Hiking plans explained: hiking training plan
- Couch to 5k: couch to 5k plan
- Marathon plan PDF: marathon training plan pdf
- The taper: what is a taper in training
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free, with no signup?
Yes. Both generators are free and need no account or email. You answer a few questions, see your plan on the page, and download a printable PDF. The plan is built in your browser, so nothing is sent to a server.
What makes these plans different?
They are properly periodized. The weekly load ramps gradually and is capped so no single week jumps too far, a deload week roughly every fourth week lets your body absorb the work, and a taper in the final weeks brings you fresh to the start line. That is what a good coach does, and what static three-level plans and vague chatbot answers do not.
Can I print the plan?
Yes, the output is a clean printable PDF built for paper, week by week and day by day. Print it at 100 percent and stick it on the fridge.
Do I need to be fit already?
No. The hiking plan asks your current fitness and starts the ramp where you are. The running tool includes a couch to 5k beginner mode that walks you up from zero with walk and run intervals.
Is this medical or coaching advice?
No. The plans are general fitness guidance, not personal coaching or medical advice. Train sensibly, listen to your body, and check with a doctor before starting if you have any health concerns.