Running training: how does Kaizen’s doughnut actually work?

We often receive questions about Kaizen’s training doughnut—that simplified, though lovely circle that guides us sun-like towards our running goals. (OK, this is a not-so-subtle big up to Kaizen Fred’s strong design skills).

The key question we get is this: why does the distance sometimes do unexpected things? Why does, say, a 10k run sometimes add to the doughnut as more or less 10k in the app? Why does it sometimes reduce the doughnut by 8k, for example? Or 12k? 

The short answer is this: the distance target in the doughnut is really a distance target at a set pace—the pace being your established average running pace that week. 

Kaizen’s doughnut is really showing you a training load target. 

In the image above for example, the runner has to run another 19k at their average running pace that week in order to hit the training-load target. 

To give another example, a 10k at a faster pace gives a greater training load than a 10k at a slower pace. The app needs to account for this in order to keep you on track.

Explainer: how the Kaizen system works 

The logic behind Kaizen is that people have different schedules on different weeks. The app works with this fact. It gives you a training-load goal, while also giving you the freedom to achieve this goal however you can. 

Ultimately you can achieve this training load in a variety of different ways—and at different paces. 

All the following examples could lead to the same training load: 

• 15k run very fast

• 40k run slowly

• 25k run at your average pace

And, of course, these distances can also be split over any number of days too. Your training really can be that flexible. You really can fit in preparing for a marathon, or any kind of race, around meals and deadlines and childcare. 

And, again, these numbers are only examples. 

Put another way, at the start of the week, Kaizen takes your recent training and your training goal and uses these to set a training load target.  

This is then converted to a distance target according to your expected pace. 

With this system, on any given week, you work with the time you have available and train in a way that suits you best. 

An example 

Your race is edging ever closer, and your weekly distance target is 50km.

You accumulate 40k on your training doughnut with two 20k runs (or a 15k and a 25k, or any other combination over multiple, or single runs—however you see fit) at your normal running pace.

It gets to Friday and you run with your partner in a moment of wholesome fitness-based bonding. Your partner runs slower than your average pace, and by the time you’ve finished, the 10k you ran together only added 2k onto your doughnut. 

So what’s happened? 

Kaizen is reacting to the decrease in your average pace: it reflects the truth that this last run with your partner didn’t give you the same level of training load as the same distance at your normal pace. 

Ultimately, this reflects how Kaizen constantly adapts to your data.

During your next run—when you set out with the aim of running the final 8k needed to complete your doughnut—your average pace has reduced: so this time it’ll be easier to achieve the 8k, and if you run back at your normal pace those kilometres will fill up 8k and a little more of the doughnut.  

Photo by Jeremy Lapak on Unsplash

Misleading information 

Ultimately, in the running world there’s a lot of conflicting ideas and data. 

We at Kaizen are trying to sidestep some misleading conventional wisdom. We’re focussing on our aim of making running simple and enjoyable, just as it should be. 

For example, there’s this idea that  you should not increase your distance by more than 10% each week. But this is not the full picture, what really matters is that your training load doesn’t increase too fast. 

And remember, training load is defined by the relationship between distance and pace together. So increasing your distance by 10% will only increase your training load if you also run that distance at the same pace as usual.  

To bring the point home; you can easily go from 20k to 30k in a week—a huge, 50% increase in distance—if your pace slows at a corresponding rate. 

The bottom and most-exciting line is this: Kaizen is on top of all of this. With Kaizen there’s no guesswork. Kaizen is acutely aware of the fluctuations and shifts in your training load. The app is paying attention in the best (non-creepy) way possible.  

It’s an elegant system—which is why we’re so proud of it. 

And it’s why we often say that Kaizen is like having a personal trainer in your pocket. No other system comes close. 

So that’s it for this blog. The beauty of Kaizen is that it’s flexible and responsive. 

Unlike the fixed training plans of other apps, Kaizen constantly analyses your training data, and keeps you focussed by giving you a very clear distance target in order to achieve the target time you set for your race. 

It’s also clearly very complicated too, under the hood. 

How has your progress been while using Kaizen? 

An exciting update, Kaizen [1.8—I’m not sure about this number!], is coming soon, and we invite you all to share your feedback and questions with us on our Discord and Strava. 

And don’t forget we have a free trial and ETC.