Progress often presents itself in the margins of a training log: You finish a quality workout feeling strong instead of spent. The final interval of a workout comes with control rather than desperation. An easy run actually feels…easy.

Subtle signals like these can tempt you to speed up every run. But before you change your targets, you need to establish a clear pattern of progress. For example, your body may adapt to a hard workout within seven to 14 days, but noticeable pace and performance gains often take eight to 12 weeks, Laura Norris, an RRCA-certified run coach and exercise scientist, previously told Runner’s World.

But taking note of progress ahead of those longer-term speed gains acts as the ultimate motivator and can help inform even smarter training. So coaches share the signs you’re progressing your fitness and when to push the pace without sacrificing recovery.

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