Here’s a little something I wish I’d discovered before running that 5K last fall: The Runner’s World Smart Coach, a free online tool that helps you train for any distance race. Like Runner Girl, we love Smart Coach’s fast-and-easy service - just answer a few quick questions (what distance you’re training for, your schedule length, etc.) and the program will automatically develop a training plan for you. With every last detail taken care of - including cool-down and warm-up strategies - my just-generated Smart Coach plan leaves me with no excuse not to get my time way down for whichever race comes next.