Gourdy's Pumpkin Run Training Plans

The Great Pumpkin Run is a fun run for people of all ages and experience levels. At Custom Training Plans, we offer Great Pumpkin Run training plans that are unique to each city’s course. Your Pumpkin Run training program can be further customized to mesh with your current level of physical fitness, your 5K goals, and more. Our Great Pumpkin Run training plans are appropriate for runners of all levels. Choosing a CTP Great Pumpkin Run training plan is a smart decision. Using a training plan that gives you workouts that are at the right intensity for you helps you avoid injury as you prepare for your race.

The Pumpkin Run races are held each year in autumn, making these races a fun way to end your season or a great way to stay motivated as the fall and winter months approach. These races definitely place an emphasis on fun, too – where else can you earn an extra medal for running the entire 5K holding a pumpkin? At the Great Pumpkin Run, you can do just that if you choose to take on the Tough Pumpkin Challenge. With or without a pumpkin in tow, you can up your chances of a strong finish by building your fitness using a training plan for Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run from Custom Training Plans.

The Great Pumpkin Run courses are held off the beaten path on scenic courses that run through wooded farms and orchards. The Lansing, Michigan, edition features a course that runs through a pumpkin patch and an apple orchard, and the Trafalgar, Indiana, race is partially run through a corn maze! The terrain might include dirt, gravel, or grass in addition to paved paths, and a CTP Great Pumpkin Run training plan will include reminders to train on similar surfaces so you’ll be sure footed on race day. We also provide exercises to help you develop additional mobility and stability to help you stay injury-free during your prep and the race itself.

Since each course is different, each Great Pumpkin Run training plan from Custom Training Plans is different too. Every plan focuses on helping you build the type of cardiovascular strength and endurance you’ll need to conquer the course. For example, if your Pumpkin Run course includes lots of hills, your plan will put a special focus on helping you prepare to climb and descend. As you build toward race day, you’ll participate in workouts that include hill repeats and other drills. If your city’s course is flat and fast, a plan can help you build speed and power with workouts incorporating more sprints and intervals.

Preparing for your Great Pumpkin Run is important for runners at all levels. The 5K distance is especially popular for beginning runners and those returning to the sport after a break. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or you run this race every year, you should follow a training plan that accommodates your current physical fitness level. Each workout in the Great Pumpkin Run training plans from Custom Training Plans is tailored to fit you, so your sessions will be at just the right intensity. Generic plans can push you directly into the discomfort zone, leading to burnout and even injury. With Custom Training Plans, you get workouts that push you just far enough so you can build the strength and endurance that you need safely.

Cross-training is an important part of a balanced training program. Whether you prefer yoga, swimming, dance cardio, or another activity, cross-training is also built into every Great Pumpkin Run training plan from Custom Training Plans. We think a focus on mileage only is insufficient, so we take a comprehensive approach to training. Not only does cross-training help you develop your overall fitness, but it also helps you to stay engaged in your training. We don’t just tell you what to do – we tell you why, and how it’s contributing to your Great Pumpkin Run goals. All of our Pumpkin Run training plans are developed with the assistance of professional athletic trainers, so you receive expert training tips that are tailored just for you.

The relaxed atmosphere, runner-friendly fall weather, and supportive crowd make Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run a fun experience for athletes at any level. Whether you’re running in Pittsburgh, Akron, Nashville, Milwaukee, or elsewhere, try customized training and experience the CTP difference. Choose a Great Pumpkin Run training plan from CTP to get workouts that are customized for your city’s 5K route, your current fitness level, and your goals.