Off-Season vs. Base Training vs. Pre-Season with 2:34 Marathoner Matt Meyer
The Strength Running Podcast
Reinforcing the Training-to-Fitness Funnel and Increasing Durability
In this chapter, the speaker discusses reinforcing the training-to-fitness funnel and increasing durability. They share their weak point, the lower leg, and explain how they are focusing on strengthening it to handle training demands.
On the podcast this week to discuss the best way to plan your pre-season running is Matt Meyer, who competes with the competitive crew of The Track Club in Boulder, CO. Matt is both a running coach and strength coach, and he joined me on a previous episode of the podcast to talk about high-mileage training.
He recently ran a marathon PR of 2:34:35 in Berlin, and set a back squat PR of 265 pounds. Who says fast marathoners can’t be strong?!
Matt and I address the concept of a pre-season versus an off-season and why time away from heavy training is a great opportunity to address any weaknesses or imbalances you may have. Our conversation will help you get the most out of both your pre-reason and race-specific training.
We discuss:
- Why Matt's recent PR training cycle necessitated more time off
- The importance of true rest for physical and psychological recovery
- Why pre-season is a great time to become a more well-rounded runner
- How to use past training cycles to plan the length of your pre-season and race-specific training
- Using pre-season training as a chance for a new stimulus
- Limiting pre-season intensity to avoid burnout
Matt's positive energy and nuanced approach to training will benefit runners of all levels!
Links & Resources from the Show:
- Follow Matt on Instagram and Strava
- Learn more about Matt
- Listen to my previous episode with Matt on high mileage running
- Read more about base-building
- Don't miss out on our complimentary strength series
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