Talos

Whatever time you are chasing, your plan starts from the one you run today.

Every week between the time you run today and the time you are chasing, written before you pay anything. Your paces come from your own recent time, and they are rewritten whenever you run a faster one.

£19.99/month FIRST 7 DAYS FREE · CANCEL ANYTIME
Build my programme

PB your race or your money back.

A half marathon in Dubai

How running actually gets faster

Most of it should feel easy.

Aerobic development comes from volume you can repeat, not from sessions that leave a mark. The runners who plateau are usually running their easy days too hard, which costs them the quality days as well.

One long run, and it is the biggest run of the week.

It is the session that builds the durability the last third of a race is decided by. It grows in steps, not jumps, and race-pace segments go inside it as the race approaches.

Your paces come from a time you have actually run.

Training zones derived from a goal rather than a benchmark prescribe the fitness you want instead of the fitness you have, which is how a block quietly becomes too hard to complete.

One or two quality sessions a week, and the format rotates.

Threshold work raises the pace you can hold and intervals raise the ceiling above it, but the shape changes week to week: ladders, cruise intervals, progression runs, six different fartlek formats. Each targets something specific, and none of them is the same session under a new name.

In the app

Talos app screen
Talos app screen

A real week, generated

Intermediate runner, 4 days a week, 23:30 for 5K, chasing 21:00 over a 12-week build.

5K today23:30 Race day21:00
Basewk 1–4 Buildwk 5–10 Peakwk 11 Taperwk 12

30km in week 1 · 40km at peak (week 9) · 16km in race week

Week 1: Base BuildingVolume is the job. One quality touch, everything else genuinely easy.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Progression Run
6.7km · 36 min
1.3km (easy)
1.3km (steady)
1.3km (tempo)
1.3km (threshold)
1.5km (easy) + stretch-down
One run that rehearses the whole range, easy through to threshold, so the gear change is trained.
Wed
Easy Run
6.7km · 42 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Thu
Rest
Fri
Tempo Run
8km · 45 min
Sustained effort:
Continuous tempo run at 5:02/km (comfortably hard)
The pace you could hold for an hour. This is the session that moves a race time more than any other.
Sat
Rest
Sun
Long Run
8.5km · 54 min
Easy long run: time on feet. Keep it conversational the whole way; the aim is aerobic volume, not pace.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 9: Build Phase 2 (peak)The biggest week of the block. Quality went up with the volume, not instead of it.
Mon
Rest
Tue
4 x 1km
7km · 46 min
4 x 1km at 4:23/km
2-3 min jog between reps
Wed
Form Focus
10.3km · 1h 2m
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Thu
Rest
Fri
Progression Run
10.7km · 53 min
2.3km (easy)
2.3km (steady)
2.3km (tempo)
2.3km (threshold)
1.5km (easy) + stretch-down
One run that rehearses the whole range, easy through to threshold, so the gear change is trained.
Sat
Rest
Sun
Long Run
12km · 1h 12m
Steady aerobic long run. Hold an easy, controlled effort and lift to a stronger (still comfortable) rhythm over the last third.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 12: TaperArriving fresh is programmed: volume drops hard, the legs stay primed, then race day.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Easy Run + Strides
4km · 28 min
2.4km (easy)
5 × 15s uphill strides (walk down between each)
1.1km (easy) finish
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Wed
Race-Week Primer
3.5km · 16 min
Short easy run with race-pace strides. 12min easy, then 5 × 100m strides at 4:23/km pace with full recovery between. Cool-down jog. Primes the legs without leaving residual fatigue.
Race-pace strides with full recovery. Reminds the legs what the pace feels like without spending anything.
Thu
Rest
Fri
Pre-Race Shakeout
3km · 18 min
Short easy jog to stay loose before race day
Twenty minutes to stay loose. Doing nothing the day before leaves the legs flat.
Sat
Rest
Sun
Race Day
5km · 21 min
Your goal race. Months of work for this. Eat your usual breakfast 2-3hrs before the gun, get to the start line warmed up, then trust the plan.
The whole block pointed at one morning.

Intermediate runner, 5 days a week, 43:30 for 10K, chasing 39:30 over a 12-week build.

10K today43:30 Race day39:30
Basewk 1–4 Buildwk 5–10 Peakwk 11 Taperwk 12

30km in week 1 · 46km at peak (week 9) · 25km in race week

Week 1: Base BuildingVolume is the job. One quality touch, everything else genuinely easy.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Progression Run
5.5km · 27 min
1km (easy)
1km (steady)
1km (tempo)
1km (threshold)
1.5km (easy) + stretch-down
One run that rehearses the whole range, easy through to threshold, so the gear change is trained.
Wed
Easy Run + Strides
5.1km · 33 min
4.6km (easy)
5 × 20s strides (walk back between each)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Thu
Easy Run
5.1km · 29 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Classic Fartlek
7km · 36 min
Classic Fartlek:
Varied pace play with faster surges
Surge on feel, float the recoveries.
Surges on feel, floats in between. Quality without a stopwatch, which keeps the hard days honest.
Sun
Long Run
7.1km · 41 min
Easy long run: time on feet. Keep it conversational the whole way; the aim is aerobic volume, not pace.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 9: Build Phase 2 (peak)The biggest week of the block. Quality went up with the volume, not instead of it.
Mon
Rest
Tue
2 x 2km
7km · 36 min
2 x 2km at 3:53/km
3 min jog between reps
Wed
Easy Run + Strides
8km · 49 min
7.5km (easy) with form focus
7 × 15s strides with form cues (walk 45s between)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Thu
Form Focus
8km · 44 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Progression Run
9.1km · 41 min
1.9km (easy)
1.9km (steady)
1.9km (tempo)
1.9km (threshold)
1.5km (easy) + stretch-down
One run that rehearses the whole range, easy through to threshold, so the gear change is trained.
Sun
Long Run
14km · 1h 17m
Steady aerobic long run. Hold an easy, controlled effort and lift to a stronger (still comfortable) rhythm over the last third.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 12: TaperArriving fresh is programmed: volume drops hard, the legs stay primed, then race day.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Easy with Pickups
4km · 22 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Wed
Easy Run + Strides
4km · 26 min
2.4km (easy)
5 × 15s uphill strides (walk down between each)
1.1km (easy) finish
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Thu
Race-Week Primer
3.5km · 16 min
Short easy run with race-pace strides. 12min easy, then 5 × 100m strides at 3:53/km pace with full recovery between. Cool-down jog. Primes the legs without leaving residual fatigue.
Race-pace strides with full recovery. Reminds the legs what the pace feels like without spending anything.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Pre-Race Shakeout
3km · 17 min
Short easy jog to stay loose before race day
Twenty minutes to stay loose. Doing nothing the day before leaves the legs flat.
Sun
Race Day
10km · 39 min
Your goal race. Months of work for this. Eat your usual breakfast 2-3hrs before the gun, get to the start line warmed up, then trust the plan.
The whole block pointed at one morning.

Intermediate runner, 5 days a week, 50:00 for 10K, chasing a 1:48 half over a 14-week build.

10K today50:00 Race day1:48:00
Basewk 1–4 Buildwk 5–11 Peakwk 12 Taperwk 13–14

31km in week 1 · 54km at peak (week 11) · 36km in race week

Week 1: Base BuildingVolume is the job. One quality touch, everything else genuinely easy.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Progression Run
6.7km · 38 min
1.3km (easy)
1.3km (steady)
1.3km (tempo)
1.3km (threshold)
1.5km (easy) + stretch-down
One run that rehearses the whole range, easy through to threshold, so the gear change is trained.
Wed
Easy Run + Strides
5km · 37 min
4.5km (easy)
5 × 20s strides (walk back between each)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Thu
Easy Run
5km · 33 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Classic Fartlek
7km · 41 min
Classic Fartlek:
Varied pace play with faster surges
Surge on feel, float the recoveries.
Surges on feel, floats in between. Quality without a stopwatch, which keeps the hard days honest.
Sun
Long Run
7.1km · 46 min
Easy long run: time on feet. Keep it conversational the whole way; the aim is aerobic volume, not pace.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 11: Build Phase 2 (peak)The biggest week of the block. Quality went up with the volume, not instead of it.
Mon
Rest
Tue
5 x 1km
8km · 51 min
5 x 1km at 4:43/km
90s jog between reps
Wed
Easy Run
10km · 1h 4m
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Thu
Easy Run + Strides
8km · 55 min
7.5km (easy)
5 × 20s strides (walk back between each)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Threshold Intervals
9km · 53 min
• Run 3 x 2km at 5:03/km
The sharp end. Reps at 5K effort so goal pace feels like cruising on the day.
Sun
Long Run
19km · 2h 2m
19km with 2×4km @ 5:07/km (HMP). Run easy outside the goal-pace segments.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 14: TaperArriving fresh is programmed: volume drops hard, the legs stay primed, then race day.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Cadence Focus
4km · 26 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Wed
Easy Run + Strides
4km · 30 min
3.5km (easy) with form focus
7 × 15s strides with form cues (walk 45s between)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Thu
Race-Week Primer
3.5km · 16 min
Short easy run with race-pace strides. 12min easy, then 5 × 100m strides at 4:47/km pace with full recovery between. Cool-down jog. Primes the legs without leaving residual fatigue.
Race-pace strides with full recovery. Reminds the legs what the pace feels like without spending anything.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Pre-Race Shakeout
3km · 19 min
Short easy jog to stay loose before race day
Twenty minutes to stay loose. Doing nothing the day before leaves the legs flat.
Sun
Race Day
21.1km · 1h 48m
Your goal race. Months of work for this. Eat your usual breakfast 2-3hrs before the gun, get to the start line warmed up, then trust the plan.
The whole block pointed at one morning.

Intermediate runner, 5 days a week, 50:00 for 10K, chasing a 3:45 marathon over 16 weeks.

10K today50:00 Race day3:45:00
Basewk 1–4 Buildwk 5–11 Peakwk 12–13 Taperwk 14–16

32km in week 1 · 68km at peak (week 12) · 57km in race week

Week 1: Base BuildingVolume is the job. One quality touch, everything else genuinely easy.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Progression Run
6.7km · 38 min
1.3km (easy)
1.3km (steady)
1.3km (tempo)
1.3km (threshold)
1.5km (easy) + stretch-down
One run that rehearses the whole range, easy through to threshold, so the gear change is trained.
Wed
Easy Run + Strides
5.3km · 39 min
4.8km (easy)
5 × 20s strides (walk back between each)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Thu
Easy Run
5.3km · 35 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Classic Fartlek
7km · 42 min
Classic Fartlek:
Varied pace play with faster surges
Surge on feel, float the recoveries.
Surges on feel, floats in between. Quality without a stopwatch, which keeps the hard days honest.
Sun
Long Run
7.3km · 48 min
Easy long run: time on feet. Keep it conversational the whole way; the aim is aerobic volume, not pace.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 11: Build Phase 2 (peak)The biggest week of the block. Quality went up with the volume, not instead of it.
Mon
Rest
Tue
3 x 1.6km
7.8km · 48 min
3 x 1.6km at 5:09/km
2 min jog between reps
Wed
Easy Run
8.7km · 57 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Genuinely easy. This is where the aerobic base is built, and where most runners go too hard.
Thu
Easy Run + Strides
7.6km · 54 min
7.1km (easy)
5 × 20s strides (walk back between each)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Threshold Intervals
9km · 53 min
• Run 2 x 3km at 5:09/km
The sharp end. Reps at 5K effort so goal pace feels like cruising on the day.
Sun
Long Run
29km · 2h 52m
29km with 2×6km @ 5:21/km (MP). Run easy outside the MP segments.
The biggest run of the week, every week. The last third lifts, so the aerobic work carries an edge.
Week 16: TaperArriving fresh is programmed: volume drops hard, the legs stay primed, then race day.
Mon
Rest
Tue
Breathing Focus
4km · 26 min
Conversational pace, building aerobic base
Wed
Easy Run + Strides
4km · 30 min
3.5km (easy)
5 × 20s strides (walk back between each)
Fifteen seconds at a time. Keeps leg speed alive through the heavy weeks at no fatigue cost.
Thu
Race-Week Primer
3.5km · 16 min
Short easy run with race-pace strides. 12min easy, then 5 × 100m strides at 4:52/km pace with full recovery between. Cool-down jog. Primes the legs without leaving residual fatigue.
Race-pace strides with full recovery. Reminds the legs what the pace feels like without spending anything.
Fri
Rest
Sat
Pre-Race Shakeout
3km · 20 min
Short easy jog to stay loose before race day
Twenty minutes to stay loose. Doing nothing the day before leaves the legs flat.
Sun
Race Day
42.2km · 3h 45m
Your goal race. Months of work for this. Eat your usual breakfast 2-3hrs before the gun, get to the start line warmed up, then trust the plan.
The whole block pointed at one morning.

Every one of these is real output from the generator, frozen on the page. Yours is built from your numbers, and unlike a page it moves every week.

Build my programme

7-day free trial, then £19.99/month. Cancel anytime.

PB your race or your money back.

Founding-member price. It will be £29.99 for new members later; join now and yours stays where it is.

The programme is most of this page. It is not most of the membership.

Your day, and what everyone else is doing.
Your day, and what everyone else is doing.
Message Rob, and a room open all week.
Message Rob, and a room open all week.
Recipes portioned to your macros, not just calories.
Recipes portioned to your macros, not just calories.

Build your own programme

Pick your goal in the app and your first week is generated in about a minute, free for 7 days. Every week after it is written too.

Build my programme

Before you decide

Do I need a watch or Strava?

No. You can log a run by hand in a few seconds. Connecting a watch means the plan re-reads your fitness automatically rather than waiting for you to tell it.

What happens if my race moves, or I miss a week?

The block is rebuilt from where you actually are. Change the date and the phases and paces re-plan around the new runway. Miss a week and the following weeks adjust rather than carrying on as though it happened.

I am not fit enough to start yet.

The plan starts from your current numbers, not from a level you are supposed to have reached. Week one is anchored to the volume you are already doing, and if the goal you have picked is not reachable in the time available the plan says so in plain words instead of quietly failing.

Can I see what I would actually be doing before I pay?

You already can. Everything above this is real output from the same engine you would be using, and the picker on the home page will build any goal you like, week by week, without an account.

I do not have five or six days a week.

Pick the number you have. The plan is designed for that commitment from the start, and two days is a complete programme.

What do I need in the gym?

You tell it what you have and it selects from that. A full gym, a home rack, or dumbbells and a bench all produce a real programme rather than a reduced one.

Is there a real person, or just the app?

Rob Hartley built Talos and trains with it every day: he races HYROX and marathons on the same plans you would be given. You can message him any time from the coaching screen and he replies within 24 hours. That is included, not an upgrade.

How does the money-back guarantee work?

Finish the block, log your sessions, and test or race at the end. If you have not set a PB, email us within two weeks of the block ending and we refund your membership for it. No forms, no argument.

How do I cancel?

In the app, under Settings. If you subscribed through the App Store, cancel in your App Store subscription settings instead, the same as any other subscription. The first seven days are free and nothing is taken until they are up.

Build my programme

7-day free trial, then £19.99/month. Cancel anytime.

PB your race or your money back.

Founding-member price. It will be £29.99 for new members later; join now and yours stays where it is.