I have set a goal to run a marathon next year. Naturally, I looked online to find training plans and some advice – how many runs to do per week, how many workouts vs. slow runs, what pace etc., and was surprised to find that there is no real consensus.

Emil Zatopek, the first person to win the 5km, 10km, and marathon at the Olympics, famously did most of his training through 400m repeats. On the other hand, seasoned marathoners like Josh Sambrook swear by the benefits of slow running, and rarely ever do track sessions. While there are some workouts that find themselves in most training plans, there appears to be no “golden formula” in running, despite it being one of the most fundamental activities for our species.

Which is liberating, albeit a bit scary. When there is no clear path laid out, there is freedom to write your own story. Making mistakes doesn’t feel as bad, because you couldn’t have known – nobody knows. And if something works for you that seems to match another training plan, maybe that can be your guide in the right direction.

Doing what feels right to you, noting but not following collective opinion, appears to be the most natural mode to be in.