In the world of running, there’s a big difference between simply racing often and racing well. While it’s tempting to sign up for every event that pops up on your calendar, the truth is that smart race planning is one of the most powerful tools you have as a runner. It allows you to train with purpose, avoid injury, and make steady, sustainable progress toward your ultimate goals.
At the heart of effective planning is the careful consideration of “A,” “B,” and “C” races. Each type of race plays a different role in your journey, and together they create a roadmap that balances ambition with recovery, focus with fun.
“A” Races: The Ultimate Goal
“A” races are the cornerstone of your race season — the marathons, ultras, or other major events you want to peak for. Everything in your training calendar should build toward these. Training cycles for “A” races are typically structured into distinct phases: base building, a progressive build phase, peak training, and finally, a taper to sharpen fitness before race day.
These events demand the most from both body and mind, which is why it’s vital to avoid cramming too many into one year. After an “A” race, your body needs time to recover fully. Physiological adaptations don’t happen overnight; they are cemented during periods of rest and lower intensity. Rushing into another hard training block without recovery risks injury, burnout, and mental staleness.
“B” Races: Sharpening the Sword
“B” races are the practice grounds. These are shorter events, often a few weeks or months before your “A” goal, where you ease back only slightly in the days beforehand. Their value lies in feedback: they show you where your fitness stands, allow you to test pacing strategies, and help you build race-day confidence.
You might use a “B” race to practise running negative splits, tackling hills with sustained effort, or holding your goal marathon pace for a significant distance. They provide a reality check without derailing your larger training cycle. More importantly, they inject variety and excitement into your build-up, keeping training mentally engaging.
“C” Races: Community and Companionship
Not every race needs to be about performance. “C” races are your social runs — the events you enter simply because you don’t want to log a long run alone. These should be run strictly at an easy, conversational pace. Their purpose is not to test your limits, but to keep you connected with the running community, add variety, and remind you why you love the sport in the first place.
These races protect against the mental staleness that can come from months of rigidly structured training. They give you freedom, fun, and camaraderie without pulling you off track from your main goals.
Why Race Planning Protects You
Smart race planning isn’t only about setting targets; it’s also about protecting your health. Pushing hard too often can lead to overtraining, injury, and plateaus. By identifying “A,” “B,” and “C” races, you can map out where the hard efforts belong and where recovery phases must take place.
Physiological adaptation occurs in the spaces between hard training. Muscles repair, energy systems improve, and your body consolidates fitness gains during recovery. Without these periods, you risk stagnation. Likewise, mental fatigue is a very real threat. Training without breaks or constantly racing at high intensity can leave you feeling stale and unmotivated. Planned recovery after an “A” race, and lighter phases sprinkled throughout your calendar, help you stay fresh and hungry for the next challenge.
The Coach’s Role in Race Planning
As a coach, knowing which races matter most to you is essential. A clearly defined set of “A,” “B,” and “C” races allows me to design a focused, personalised training plan. Every session, every long run, and every workout can then serve a purpose, building toward the right peak at the right time.
If your calendar is crowded with too many high-priority events, training becomes scattered. Instead of progressing steadily, you risk spreading yourself too thin. But when you provide your race ambitions upfront — your ultimate goals and your stepping-stone events — I can help structure your year in a way that maximises performance, minimises risk, and keeps you motivated.
The Big Picture
Planning your races is not about limiting yourself; it’s about giving yourself the best chance to succeed. “A” races provide the big targets, “B” races sharpen your skills, and “C” races remind you of the joy of running. Together, they create a balance between ambition, adaptation, and enjoyment.
A thoughtful race calendar allows you to build fitness progressively, recover effectively, and stay mentally fresh. Most importantly, it ensures that when you stand on the start line of your goal race, you are healthy, confident, and ready to perform at your best.