Reframing the Off-Season as a Pre-Season: Finding the Right Balance

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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