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* Race performances are used to define training paces. (The FIRST plan is very similar to [[Jack Daniels Running Formula]] and developed by people who worked with Jack Daniels.)
* Athletes only run 3 days per week, all of them quality runs.
** [[Interval Training]].** [[Tempo Runs]].** Long run.* There are plans for different levels of runner:** Novice runners training for their first 5K.** Intermediate 5K runners.** Competitive plans for 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon.** Plans dedicated to Boston qualification.* Athletes cross train 2-3 times per week.* There are sections on strength and flexibility training in the book.
* For the marathon, the long run is performed faster than most runners training pace. The hardest long run is 20 miles at 15 seconds per mile slower than target race pace.
=Fellrnr Likes=
* Lots of quality running, lots of recovery time
* The authors have tested their plan out, showing that runners do make significant gains using their system.
* There are age -compensated pace tables.* An iPhone and Android app are available as companions to the book.
=Fellrnr Dislikes=
* The training paces are fixed offsets from the race pace, not percentages. Running 15 seconds slower than a 6 min/mile race pace is a much bigger drop than for someone racing at 12 min/mile.
* It's not clear how much benefit there is from the cross training, or what cross training is most beneficial. The FIRST folks suggested that they have seen a general improvement in results for those that did the cross training compared with those who did not.
* I am not a big believer in [[Tempo Runs]] and the science indicates that Tempo Runs can provide some benefit for untrained subjects, but not as effectively as either [[Long Run| Long Slow Distance]] or [[High Intensity Interval Training]].
* The book does not have a marathon plan for beginners, but there is one [http://www.wu.ece.ufl.edu/marathon%20training-first%20marathon.pdf online].