A training plan that you find online, even if it's an amazing plan, is not customized for your physiology, your history and goals, or your schedule. Some training plans you'll find are not even based on science! It's pretty crazy how many runners out there are doing what they think is right, but is actually the opposite of what has been proven effective. Don't trust Google—or worse, AI—to give you the right answers here. You need an expert who has seen what works for a wide variety of people. But let's say you pay for a 'customized' training plan to meet those criteria. Most likely it's just a stock plan for a race that has been adjusted to fit your mileage and fitness range. Hopefully the person who made it also took into account your strengths and weaknesses based on your athletic history. Even still, training that is geared toward a specific event is most likely not helping you reach your long-term fitness goals. There is a way to do both, but it can't be done with pre-determined training. But then – what happens when you get sick or stressed and need to miss a few days? How do you modify it and get back on track to ensure peak performance? Do you skip the long run? Do you add in a workout on a rest day? Do you run two scheduled workouts in one day? Research shows that pre-determined training (even if it's customized) is not as effective as training that is adapted frequently. Custom coaching builds your training from the ground up around you. It's your body, your goals, and your schedule that we build from, so everything is a custom fit. Training with me prioritizes your long-term development as an athlete, not just your next big race. Inevitably, something will come up and derail you for a few days. Having a coach means they can rewrite your training weekly, or even daily, to ensure you're training as ideally as possible within the context of your life! Coaching also isn't just customized training. It's daily communication, education about the sport, camaraderie, motivation and unconditional support! “Josh has totally reshaped my relationship with running. I thought my best racing days were behind me, but my improvements have continued to come!” –Adam