Run With Hal - Training Plans Reviews

I really like the idea of RunWithHal. It’s easy to use and I like that there are descriptions for each workout. I’ve run 7 marathons (and probably 30 halfs) using pretty much the same plan and am looking to follow a new plan while training for my 8th marathon after having a baby last year. However, I’m only a week in and struggling with the inflexibility of RunWithHal . For whatever reason, it scheduled a long run on a Wednesday even though I said I could only do long runs on Sundays. It also doesn’t allow any flexibility or modification for weather. Right now, NYC is in a heat wave and I simply can’t hit the paces RunWithHal says I should for tempo runs. If I adjust, it “grades” me lower. If I run even .2 of a mile more or less than what is called for, RunWithHal also “grades” me lower. I know several running coaches and many would recommend slowing in response to weather. Yes, consistency is super important in training for a marathon, but the inflexibility in RunWithHal makes it almost unusable. I also feel like the mileage per week is all over the place - some weeks high, some weeks low. Lastly, I wish RunWithHal took into account past running history. I’ve run many races and having been running 2-3 times per week before starting the plan. I feel like the plan from RunWithHal just makes up a schedule and paces out of nowhere. Not sure I’ll continue to use it.

Hal's plans are great, and RunWithHal should be about helping you choose, schedule, and track the best plan, which it does kinda. The plans are inflexible: if you want to make a change, you have to delete the whole thing and start over-- except you can't delete it, it's archived. The archive is where you keep your completed plans, but since you can't delete anything, you have all of your completed plans with all of your trashed plans. There's no way to "look at" at a plan without creating it, so you create it, realize you want to adjust something, trash that plan and then you have to go back and REENTER all of the info. It's a mess. I haven't tried all the plans, but there doesn't seem to be help on how to progress. For example, I completed a novice 5K plan and wanted to try an intermediate plan: the longest run in the novice 5K was 3.1 miles, of course. When I created a 5K intermediate plan, the second workout is 7 miles. How are you supposed to run 7 miles in intermediate if you have never run 7 miles in novice? Run With Hal seems great for training you for a specific race at the level you are currently at, but there's nothing there to help you progress from level to level-- which is what RunWithHal should be good for given that the plans are free on Hal's website.

First the good points. I started using RunWithHal and the plan it gave me looked to be very difficult to keep with. I decided to push myself though and found my body responding in ways that it hadn’t in many years and I was very excited about that. I basically doubled the amount of running that I have done over the last 10 years or so. Now the bad: I was surprised at how difficult the training program was. There’s no way that it could seem to take into account that I am 54 years old and might be prone to knee or shin splints or anything like that. The other thing was that when it gave me a grade it said that I did not follow the program completely and gave me a D. This was after I pushed myself and had only run a little less than the plan. I had pushed harder than I have since I was a walk on for my team for 3 years in college. And was very proud of my progress and thrilled with RunWithHal . I actually was getting fatter and lost weight. But the negative grade was such a letdown. So this was very discouraging and made me really not want to open RunWithHal again. No one wants to work hard and be told they are failing by someone who has offered help. There is also no flexibility on the plan like other users said. No changing or adapting.

I’ve read most of Hal’s books by now, and have a good understanding of his training plans. I’ve ran 3 marathons, but have never tapped into my full potential. I found RunWithHal to be incredibly frustrating on many levels. There is no flexibility or ability to adjust dates or make edits. RunWithHal schedule doesn’t even mirror the schedule Hal outlines for his program (intermediate 2). So what’s the point if it doesn’t even match his training plan? Cross training was on Thursday’s, and had me doing 3 long runs in a row. (For reference, Hal wants cross training on Mondays with longer run Thursday, rest Friday, and two longer runs on Saturday & Sunday). After emailing support they told me nothing could be done, but I could log the runs on different days but this would throw off my running “grade”). Even with 100% availability during the week I couldn’t get my weekly schedule to match his 18 week schedule. I ended up just putting all the runs on my phone calendar and will run them without RunWithHal . If they can invest money to make this more intuitive I will be back. Right now it’s just not working.

At first, I loved RunWithHal. But a few weeks in, I started to notice a few issues. About 10 weeks into my plan, I was forced to start a new training plan because RunWithHal no longer took into account my preferred days for running. Technical support told me there was nothing they could do so I had to archive the progress I had made up to that point and start again. The new plan I created didn’t take into account the progress I had made so it gave me shorter and easier runs than if I had stuck with the original plan. Then I noticed that Hal’s post-run “commentary” didn’t match my performance. So even though I would meet or exceed that day’s workout, Hal’s commentary would say I hadn’t completed the workout (or I had cut it short) and that would mean my score would be affected. Another annoying issue—it doesn’t have the option to enter a 10-mile race as part of your race schedule. The 10-mile distance is not listed. I had so much hope in RunWithHal!! But as time goes by, I am finding it less and less appealing. Hopefully these technical issues can be solved in future versions.

I have been using Hal’ training program for years, it has been my go to. Any time I had a run to train for I would pull up the Hal training chart for whatever distance I was running. If I had friends who wanted to start running I would refer them to Hal’s charts. During Covid my soul kinda died. With no in-person races happening running was no longer a way of my daily life. My husband suggested I sign up for an in-person race and I found my drive again. I logged on to get my training and saw that there was now an app! I love it! It takes the guess work out and I don’t have to figure out my training plan. I love how it adjusts and adapts to my progress. My only issue is the cross train days. I would love to have an option to log some other cardio on those days. This is my only complaint with RunWithHal. Hal has always had an amazing program, but cross train days weren’t more miles outside of RunWithHal .

I bought this because I had heard so many good things from a friend who has used his run/walk approach. I can’t tell if RunWithHal facilitates this element of his approach at all. You cannot set it to give you intervals as far as I can tell. I have been a runner in the past, I am back at it after taking a break from an injury. I have put in my current pace which is only 14 minutes a mile and I’m barely covering 3 miles a week. It recommended for my first bass run a nine minute mile pace for one and a half miles. What? I sent RunWithHal a question about this never heard anything back from them. I thought, it must be adaptive, so I sit out on my run today using that as my first base run, when I got back, RunWithHal is no longer open anymore, despite my phone being on a lock screen the entire time, and it didn’t even save my run!! It’s as if I didn’t even go today! Which doesn’t seem like that big of a deal except when you are having a hard time initiating a Running program again, and it fails to even record your first attempt. I’m canceling my paid subscription and finding something better!

As a busy professional who’s daily success relies on the efficient use of time, RunWithHal is a blessing! I feel like I have an actual coach preparing my workout plans. I’m 9-10 weeks into my Run with Hal experiment and I have no complaints. The adjustments based on my performance has been spot on. The variety and coaching tips are awesome. The plan saves me research band prep time. It provides motivation and structure that is fueling my race preparation. I can’t wait to review my schedule, look at the plan, and finally hit that Start Run button!!

My only wish or suggestion is that a verbal pace indicator be added. That addition would make RunWithHal beyond incredible. I listen to music and wear my phone in a race belt and don’t like to pull it out to check pace. If I could hear pace indicators through my headphones, I’d be in Running Heaven!! I’d pay more for such an option!

Every marathon/half/ultra I’ve ever run has followed a Hal Higdon plan. As others have stated, the lack of flexibility is a dealbreaker. I could get past the poor UI (ex- it is difficult to tell which day you are looking at- seems like the days of the week should move carousel style like the daily workouts do) if RunWithHal functioned well, but not being able to do simple things like switch my run days around makes this a no go. Yes, in a perfect world I would always do my workouts on the optimal day but sometimes life happens and you need to switch things up. I connected my app to my garmin but the cross training data I uploaded seems to be parsed strangely/incorrectly, making it pretty useless. Perhaps the pay version remedies some of these things, and I’m not opposed to paying for an app but nothing in my experience with the free version makes me think the paid will be any better (and it’s not especially clear how the paid version works- a more thorough explanation of features/benefits could be helpful here).

Simple interface that is easy to navigate. I signed up for Hal+ which is worth every penny. I have a Garmin watch that connects my runs. You can also enter manually which is a breeze. I like that I can rate workout difficulty and log fatigue levels to look back on.

Tracks total miles, sets outline for upcoming 10 training days, adjusts program on the fly to amount of run days/off days/long day. I can modify a run week to less days or different schedule if I’m going out of town yet never feel like I am sacrificing the program and effort for the upcoming race.

I have already recommended to a few friends and would continue to do so. The daily words from Hal are also great to focus in the point of the days workout allowing me to never lost sight of the bigger picture while focusing on the day to day.

I ran cross country & track in high school, but just stuck to working out in a gym after that. I wanted to lose weight & also my gym closed with the quarantine, so I thought running would be nice to do. Boy was i wrong! It’s much more challenging than it used to be, and I can’t even run a few miles comfortably anymore. RunWithHal actually helps motivate me, it keeps me in check for my pace and not overtraining, and for the first time ever i think i can comfortably run a half marathon! Comfortably?! Yes. Even living in a city, RunWithHal shares tips and gives me confidence that I can run. it might be slow, but at least i’m doing it. I wouldn’t be able to do it without RunWithHal.

& i think i’ve only written one review on RunWithHal store before, but RunWithHal is so great i have to. And i rarely pay for apps either, so this is a big deal!

Should you get the paid version? Well, i think so. try out the 14 day free trial & use it on your runs. it has a GPS and tells you your pace, and you can view all your workout tips in there, as well as pause the workout.

it’s so good and i really love it! it’s completely changed how i run, and even with the Notes box has helped me keep track of how i’m feeling, and what i should aim for. thank you, Hal!

Such a great app. I’ve tried so many running apps but this one really breaks it down to only running a few times a week and encourages comfortable paces and consistency. It builds the plan foe you, and if you stick to it, it genuinely is so rewarding in how easy it is to not only track but feel your progress. If you want to run and have tried all the other apps, give this one a try and be patient with yourself and committed to the plan as best as you can. I’m a novice runner preparing for a half marathon in just a month I’m comfortable at running three to five miles, although it doesn’t mean my face isn’t beat red and I’m tired sometimes. If I keep with RunWithHal, I hope to run a marathon within a year of comfortable training

I started using RunWithHal a few months ago doing a base building program for a half marathon. I am not a runner and have managed to go from barely 5 min of running at a time to 4+ mile sessions. I love how straightforward the plans are to follow! I do not like that the text on the day doesn’t always line up with the workout assigned. For example, on a 2 mile recovery run (which is supposed to be at an impossibly slow pace of 18min/mile) the text box says that I’m running 3 (wrong mileage) miles at my normal pace (not even close to 18min). Also a lot of dialogue about calories burned which I couldn’t care less about. I’m planning to stick with RunWithHal for the duration of my training but probably going to skip reading the useless text portion of the plan. I also wish it was more user friendly and wouldn’t dock my “score” if I have to workout on a different day than the assigned day.

This program has been very helpful in providing a structured routine to get back into running. I have been using RunWithHal for the past three months and for the most part, it’s been great.
I am not fan of the new grading feature. RunWithHal wants me to run a 18 minute mile and that’s incredibly slow (and I’m a slow runner), I probably could walk a mile in that time. So the constant mark downs are annoying and counterproductive. I get marked down for for running a 12:00-13:30 min/mile (I do my longer runs at a slower pace) because this is a comfortable pace for me- my heart rate is in the correct zone and I’m able to hold a conversation.
Overall, a helpful program! I will continue to use as I have many runs planned for this summer and fall. I am currently training for a 10k, then 10 miles in August and a half in October.

Hal Higdon is a legend in the running community and his books and training plans have helped tens of thousands of runners achieve their goals. He should be ashamed at the lackluster quality of RunWithHal and its total lack of updates to justify it’s subscription cost. I’ve downloaded RunWithHal every year and found no improvements have been made despite it charging yearly. Principally what is missing:

1. There is still no Apple Health Sync. No Apple Watch app either. I can’t think of a single other paid running app on RunWithHal Store that doesn’t include this. RunWithHal is so rudimentary RunGap can’t support it.
2. No feedback or voice cues. Again, a standard feature on nearly every free and paid running app, even if it’s just through Siri.
3. Undefined, vague, and unhelpful feedback on your training sessions. Why pay $50/year for a training plan that can’t even tell you how you’re doing? Apple’s Fitness App provides more valuable, measurable feedback but your data is locked in this useless app.

You are far better off buying Higdon’s plans on TrainingPeaks directly which supports nearly all these features for the same price. Or if you’re looking for feedback and voice cues, literally any other running app on RunWithHal Store and grabbing a book by Hal and inputting each workout into your devices as you go.

RunWithHal is a joke and an expensive one.

I love RunWithHal. At the beginning of the year a big goal of mine was to run a marathon. I figured the best way to figure out if I actually *liked* running was to just force myself towards a big goal. Hal’s app has been awesome so far - it’s simple enough to not be overwhelming, and I love all the advice. I’m significantly more confident in my running and my ability to complete all 26.2 miles, knowing I have this proven plan to build me up to that mileage. For me, the most effective app is one I find myself using, and Hal’s is right in the sweet spot for that.

A couple thoughts I have about improving an already great app:
1. It would be great to see splits when tracking mileage with RunWithHal
2. On that same note, syncing with other apps or running watches would be a very nice feature as well
3. Getting auditory cues (even a bell) when hitting mileage or some other way to track pace without looking at phone
4. More advice around pace: I’ve found I’m naturally running faster than the recommended pace by a significant margin, but I have no idea if that just means I need to slow down to not burn out later, or if I should be adjusting my goal

Great idea, but so much of the design of this doesn’t feel thought out or tested. Basic things don’t work, like the Save button when editing name and weight. Some edits require a Save, and others you just arrow back. No confirmation messages for saved changes. There’s also no way to create a program if you’re already in a training program. For example, I’m in the middle of marathon training and would like to use RunWithHal for the rest of my training. When I plug in my race date I get this weird hodgepodge of workouts; e.g., next week I run 4 miles on Tuesday and 19 on Saturday. That’s it. I can’t believe any training algorithm or coach would recommend that, even if I were literally starting at the beginning. Maybe I’ll give it another shot after my race, hopefully after more actual development has taken place. Not worth a monthly subscription cost at this point IMO. I do like the Higdon feedback/tips on the workout days.

I’m a few weeks into using the program and had to drop out for 2 weeks due to injury. I used to be able to run really well but the past couple years have seen a decline. I really like how RunWithHal plans out your runs for you and am curious how it will all work out in a couple months come race day.

I’m basically trying to build back up from scratch and input what I thought I’d be able to walk/run. Turns out I’m faster than that at my slowest and hoping RunWithHal adjusts down the road.

What I don’t understand is the effort and exhaustion part. At this point getting out the door and getting through a run require my maximum effort. I hope as I build back up that there will be some variation of effort. I walk when I just can’t run anymore until my breathing and heart rate come back in range. And I am exhausted for every run. Again I hope to have some in the tank after a couple weeks back in the saddle.

Distance is the other hard part. I don’t have a good route that matches up with the required distance so I’m probably going to run longer than prescribed more often than not. My hope is that RunWithHal adjusts accordingly.

When I decided I wanted to do a half marathon, I just figured I would print out whatever training schedule I could find online. But a friend recommended RunWithHal to me, and I’m so glad they did. Having a schedule and tips from a professional really helped me push farther than I had gone before. Before, my max was 6 miles, and that was two years before this. A few weeks after, I had run 10 miles and knew exactly what and when to run to keep my progress going.

My one critique is that there is no option to edit the schedule, like changing your race date or something like that. Other than that, great app.

I have always run marathons and ultras without having a training plan. I suffered though training on my own when I could and suffered more though the races because I was not trained properly. RunWithHal was recommended to me by a co-worker and it is amazing. I put in my schedule and blackout dates, Hal even caters the weeks based on how well I do from the previous weeks. My Garmin connects making it easy to track workouts. I don’t ever follow it exactly but having any type of structure is important for me. I highly recommend this for anyone who needs some direction on how to train for a race with a busy schedule.

I re-started running after a series of injuries and basic laziness. I tried doing 5 mile daily runs and 7-10 mile weekend runs but it was a disaster. Slow. Painful. And making no progress.

Hal’s App started me out correctly....3 miles seemed short for base runs, but I have gained essential and strategic muscle mass and most of all confidence. I am not trying to over-run in order to match my previous speeds and distances. The ‘plan’ shows me that several months in the future I will be ‘there’ but this is the time for re-learning or re-gaining those essential elements that will help me return to the running achievements of my recent past.