Why Training Beats Casual Jogging

A Love Letter to Structure, Progress, and Purpose

Feb 28, 2025

Back At It

I have been back in structured training for a few weeks now. Currently my training weeks are as follows:

Monday: Rest day.
When the boredom gets unbearable, I get on the bike.
Tuesday: Not-so-easy easy run.
A typical 3/10 effort run that usually feels quite powerful due to the rest day.
Wednesday: Intervals.
Since the local track is closed until April, I usually do time intervals on wishfully flat dirt roads. These are short, intense peaks to get back into the swing of running fast.
Thursday: Recovery run.
On feeling. Sometimes a slow pace of 6+ min/km feels right, sometimes the run is more like Tuesday's.
Friday: Mountain adventure day.
Fire away for a few hours, racking up elevation gain and shredding legs downhill.
Saturday: Recovery run.
Again. Maybe with some strides thrown in.
Sunday: Rolling hills.
My coach Karim's favorite session. 20-25 kilometers of easy rolling terrain with pressure on the flats and climbs and deep-breathing relaxed downhills. Towards the end it can get a little faster and more intense.

I also try to get in at least two 30-40 minute strength training sessions a week. Once is guaranteed. Twice is now and then.

With this training plan, I get about 90 kilometers of running and about 11 hours of training in total. Right now, this suits me perfectly, both physically and mentally.

But why is structured training so important to me?

Structure Brings Freedom – The Paradox of Discipline

At first glance, the idea that structure leads to freedom might seem counterintuitive. Isn’t running supposed to be about escaping rules, just putting on your shoes and heading out the door?

Yes, but:

The reality is, structure does something magical: it removes the burden of choice. When I follow a structured training plan, I don’t waste time deciding how far or how fast I should run. I already know. The plan is set, my goal is clear, and paradoxically, that clarity brings an immense sense of freedom.

Instead of feeling lost in the open vastness of unstructured movement, I can fully immerse myself in the joy of running, knowing that every step has purpose.

The Sweet Taste of Earned Success

Harsh truth:

If we only ever ran based on what felt comfortable, we would never push ourselves to true breakthroughs. No one volunteers to log brutally hard session just for the fun of it. But those hard sessions — the ones that demand everything and more from us — are the ones that leave the deepest satisfaction.

Nothing compares to the feeling of completing an interval workout that, halfway through, felt impossible. That rush of achievement, that deep, physical exhaustion paired with emotional elation, is irreplaceable. Something that doesn’t come from casual jogging.

Training Means Having a Goal — And Goals Give My Life Direction

Running without a goal is like driving in a car without a destination. Sure, you might enjoy the scenery, but you’re not going anywhere in particular. Training, on the other hand, sets a clear path. It gives me something to strive for — a race, a personal best, an endurance challenge that seems just out of reach.

Goals create motivation.

They give our movement meaning. They remind us that we are not just drifting through life but actively shaping it, one conscious step at a time.

Micro-Successes Keep Me Moving

One of the most rewarding aspects of structured training is the constant, tangible sense of progress. Unlike casual jogging, where improvements are vague and hard to measure, training provides clear benchmarks. Running my fastest interval yet, adding another mile to my long run, or simply feeling stronger and more confident than I did last week — these are the…

Micro-successes (that) add up over time.

They keep me motivated because I can see the transformation happening in real time. And progress, no matter how small, is one of the most powerful forces for sustained effort, consistency and long-term fulfillment.

Training as Ritual

At its core, training is nothing more than a set of rituals — structured, meaningful repetitions that shape our days. And if I have to build my life around rituals, I'd rather have them be the ones I choose.

I’d rather let my days be defined by mountain runs, interval sessions, and long endurance efforts than by endless work meetings, tax deadlines, and life’s many bureaucratic demands.

Training gives rhythm to life.

And rhythm energizes me instead of draining me.

Training Opens Doors

Some of life's greatest adventures require preparation. Whether it's running a fast marathon, tackling an endless ultra, or taking on a personal challenge, these experiences require extensive preparation. For me, the most enjoyable and effective preparation comes in the form of structured training.

And the reward?

Being able to show up fully primed and pumped, to embrace the moment without hesitation, to not just participate but to thrive. My best races, my most epic personal adventures — they are only possible because I committed to the journey long before the starting line.

The Deep Satisfaction of Structured Training

So why do I train instead of just jogging for fun?

Because training is about more than just running. It's about shaping myself into something greater. It's about structure that gives me freedom, effort that brings satisfaction, goals that give me direction, progress that fuels my motivation, and rituals that make my life more meaningful.

Structured training unlocks experiences that would otherwise remain out of reach. Ultimately, training is a love letter to discipline, growth, and self-discovery. It is what I choose over simply jogging away my time.

Everything Not Running

It was a real pleasure to be a guest on OUTDOOR Magazine's "Hauptache raus!" podcast. We talked about running, of course, but the focus and target audience was a little different. OUTDOOR Magazine is aimed more at hikers and people who just like to be active outdoors in a variety of ways, rather than die-hard runners.

I found it exciting to explain "my world" to this audience and maybe make one or two of them curious about trying a half marathon. But listen for yourself!

On Repeat

It was ten years ago that I posted this video on Facebook and I wrote: "This is the best song that has ever been written.”

We all know that one should be careful with superlatives, so I'll correct that to "ONE of the best songs ever written", but I'll stick to that.

KILLER BE KILLED is an all-star band that truly deserves the title. With members from The Dillinger Escape Plan, Soulfly, Mastodon and Converge, this group is a who's who of the metal scene. This concentrated power of experience in writing hard but melodic music literally explodes in your face when you listen to their songs.

What is particularly impressive is that each of the musicians and their musical backgrounds can be heard in every single song. Especially the piercing voices of Max Cavalera, Greg Puciato and Troy Sanders, which could not be more different, make each song a unique work of art.

And why the song "Wings Of Feather And Wax"? Because it's perfect. Not too much or too little of anything, a perfect arc of tension, heaviness, melody, groove, expression, message. I'll say it again in no uncertain terms: it's the perfect song.

A loyal reader/listener takes the trouble to put all the On Repeat recommendations into a Spotify playlist. So if you want to experience directly and immediately how varied the "best bad taste in music in the world" can be, check this out: