Doctors of Running Podcast · Doctors of Running

#266 Do Not Make These Offseason Running Mistakes

·1 hr 9 min·4 clips

Nathan Brown and Andrea Myers agree that two weeks off after a marathon can protect the next training cycle.

The episode starts with a sponsor mention about the lever movement system and its use for an earlier, intentional, sequential return to running after injury. The conversation then shifts into the off-season and why it matters so much for runners who have spent months pushing through a training block. Brown and Myers describe the off-season as a time to manage load, recover from burnout, and stop treating every week like race week. They point out that many runners are not professional athletes and have families, jobs, hobbies, and other responsibilities that get squeezed during heavy training. That makes the off-season a useful time to shift attention back toward the rest of life. Myers says her coaching approach is that runners have to take an off-season and that it is not negotiable. Brown agrees and expands on the idea by talking about burnout and the need to let fitness fall a bit before building again. He uses a house metaphor to explain that you cannot keep building higher if the roof is already at the top. To go higher next time, part of the structure has to come down first. That same logic is used to explain why a temporary dip in fitness is part of the process. They note that this can be hard for runners to accept because watches and training apps constantly reward activity with small fitness gains. Those numbers can make any reduction feel like a setback. The episode pushes back on that anxiety and tries to normalize the idea that a lower point now can support a stronger peak later. The hosts also tie the off-season to the mental side of training. It is not only about legs and mileage. It is also about being ready to work hard again when the next build starts. They describe the off-season as a window to reconnect with the rest of life and the things that training can crowd out. That includes practical responsibilities, general recovery, and the kind of mental reset that makes another cycle possible. The tone stays practical and coach-like throughout. The episode does not treat the off-season as a lazy gap. It treats it as an intentional part of long-term progress. The show closes on a warm note, with the hosts clearly enjoying the chance to talk through a topic that matters to both of their lives.

As heard by us

A practical reset for runners who need to stop treating every week like peak season.

It treats the off-season as part of training rather than a lapse, and that is the review's strongest point. The piece keeps its focus on a basic truth: burnout is real, fitness can be allowed to dip if it will be built back higher, and time can also reopen for families, jobs,…

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Need a cleaner way to come down before your next peak?

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