A couple weeks post marathon and for me the thing that pops up in my mind the most is reflection.  After a race I really like to embrace the excitement of the accomplishment, of the training of the goal.  And then I like to spend some time reflecting on the bigger picture.  Looking at the journey of my running and how it lead to this race.  It really helps to give me some much needed perspective as I move forward to my next adventures ahead.  It helps to put me in a positive mindset, because whether I achieved my goal or not in my last race.  I can look back at my life through this lens of running and see the progress I have made in life thanks to this silly little sport I started back in high school.  

 

So as you finish your fall goal races, take some time to reflect.  Not just on your last training block but on all your running and start your next training block off from a place of excitement for what is to come!

 

Are you running Boston in 2026?  Well be on the look out because we are hosting a group program focused on community and designed to support all levels of runners whether you are running your 1st or 10th Boston.  Road to Race Day: Boston is coming soon, follow along for more details!

 

-Nick K

Overtraining often sneaks up on runners as they get more serious about the sport. Many of us start running to relieve stress or stay fit, and before long we’re chasing new distances, races, and time goals. It’s an exciting shift but one that can clash with why we started in the first place.

 

When running becomes structured training, it can’t always serve as your go-to stress outlet. Rest days, injuries, or recovery blocks are essential if you want to progress. That’s why it’s important to find other ways to recharge whether that’s a hobby, quiet time, or something else that brings you joy.  Your goals in running require you now to have something else to help you recharge when you can't run.  Whether it's for rest days when you NEED to rest or when injuries ultimately pop up and we can't run. These are the times it's most important to have something else to turn to.

 

Running can stay a powerful part of your life, but your goals will demand balance. Give your body the rest it needs and your mind other ways to unwind.

 

-Nick K Baltimore, MD

A lot of runners panic in this moment, rushing to sign up for another race to “use the fitness” or skipping time off because they don’t want to lose their hard-earned progress. That instinct is understandable… but it can set you back.

 

Your growth as an athlete isn’t defined by a clock on a random street in some random town. Peak fitness is still an achievement, even if the PR didn’t show up. Fitness doesn’t disappear just because the goal didn’t.

 

If that race truly was your goal race, immediately chasing another one often backfires. You’re still carrying fatigue, your recovery window gets cut short, and mentally you’re asking your body to perform without resetting. Long-term progress comes from respecting the training cycle: build → peak → recover → rebuild. That recovery phase is exactly what lets you start the next block fitter than the last.  It's the “raised floor” that eventually leads to huge breakthroughs.

 

So if you fall short of your goal, feel the frustration, but don’t rush to fix it. Take the rest your body has earned. The fitness you built will carry into your next block and you’ll be far more prepared to crush it.

 

-Nick K Baltimore, MD

What question do you want the Running Explained team to answer in next week's newsletter mailbag? You tell us! Is there another question you'd like us to answer in a future issue? Send us a note!

 

— JoJo

We asked, you voted “When doing threshold workouts based on pace, but my HR is always way too high, should I adjust by effort instead?” Let's chat about it!

 

Threshold workouts are one of the most misunderstood sessions in any training plan. Threshold pace is simply the pace you could hold for about an hour of running. For some runners that’s a 10K, for others it’s closer to 10 miles. The trouble starts when runners lock into a number and force it, no matter what their heart rate or effort says. That’s how a threshold session quietly turns into race pace. And that’s how recovery quietly derails.

 

Instead, think of threshold as an effort zone, not an exact split. Most threshold sessions involve 15 to 30 minutes of steady running, and the real skill is learning to sense whether you could actually hold that effort for an hour. If the answer is no, ease off. Heart rate helps, but your internal “effort gauge” is just as important. It’s one of the most valuable skills you can take into race day when the watch can’t tell the whole story.

 

Longer threshold reps are the workout I see runners overcooking the most, usually because they’re chasing a rigid pace. When you go by feel instead, you stay in the right zone, recover faster, and stack more strong workouts.

 

So in your next threshold session, tune in. Check your effort. Glance at HR. If either spikes, adjust. Over time you’ll hit the paces you want because you trained by feel first.

 

-Nick K Baltimore, MD

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