It's finally February after what felt like 73 days of January and onto the second month of the year.  As we come back to the newsletter this week we are going to be hitting on some of the things that might pop up for you in February like some of the winter blues or what happens when you need to miss a week of training and tips to get you back on track.  This advice is the same advice I give my athletes and I promise you it proves to be more helpful when you need to ease back in versus some of the more aggressive tactics from AI driven training plans.  As I am sick this week, my plan is going through a big adjustment when I am finally healthy soon.

 

You may also love our conversation in the podcast down below with Alison Mariella Désir.  Let's dive into this week's newsletter! 

Winter can quietly take a toll on your mood, even if you are doing all the “right” things with your training. Shorter days, less sunlight, colder temperatures, and disrupted routines add up, and it is common for runners to feel heavier emotionally in February than they did at the start of the year when things were more fresh and exciting. This does not mean anything is wrong with you, your motivation, or your fitness. It means you are human, moving through a season that naturally asks more of your nervous system.

 

Running can be a powerful tool for supporting mental health during this time, but only when it is used as support rather than pressure. There is a fine line between letting movement help regulate your mood and turning your training into something you feel guilty about if you skip or modify. When running becomes another box you must check to feel okay, it stops serving its purpose.

One helpful shift is to release the expectation that every run needs to improve your mood immediately. Some days, running will lift you up. Other days, it will simply give structure to your day or a brief change of scenery. Both outcomes are valuable. A run does not need to feel amazing to be supportive. It just needs to be allowed to exist without judgment.

 

It is also important to recognize that winter fatigue is real, both physically and mentally. You may need more rest, more flexibility, or more compassion toward yourself right now. Supporting your mental health might look like shortening a run, choosing the treadmill without guilt, or swapping a hard effort for something truly easy. These choices are not signs of weakness. They are signs of awareness and listening to your body.

 

If you notice that your internal dialogue around running has become harsh or all-or-nothing, that is worth paying attention to. Running should be something that adds steadiness to your life, not something that determines your worth or mood for the entire day. On days when getting out the door feels overwhelming, it is okay to ask what you actually need instead of forcing the plan at all costs.

 

Winter will not last forever, even though it can feel endless while you are in it. The work you are doing now, both physically and mentally, is quiet and foundational. Let running be one piece of support among many, not the sole solution. When you allow movement to meet you where you are instead of where you think you should be, it becomes a steadier companion through the harder weeks of the season.

 

-Nick K Baltimore, MD

Missing a week of training can feel bigger than it actually is. For many runners, the immediate instinct is to panic, assume fitness has been lost, and try to “make up” the miles as quickly as possible. From a coaching perspective, that reaction is far more likely to cause problems than the missed week itself.

 

First, it helps to name the reality of what is happening. A single week away from structured training does not erase your fitness. Aerobic adaptations are built over months and years, not days. In many cases, especially during heavy training blocks or stressful seasons, a short break can even leave you feeling more refreshed once you return. What matters most is how you respond, not the fact that the week was missed.

 

The most important rule after time off is not to chase what you think you lost. Trying to cram missed mileage or workouts into the following week often leads to excessive fatigue, poor-quality sessions, or injury. Fitness does not come back faster because you punish yourself. It comes back when you reintroduce stress gradually and consistently.

 

When returning after a missed week, think in terms of easing back rather than jumping ahead. Start with easy runs at comfortable efforts. Let your body and mind re-acclimate to the rhythm of training. If your plan included a workout or long run, it is usually wise to delay those by a few days or even a full week, depending on how you feel. This does not mean you are falling behind. It means you are rebuilding intelligently.

 

Context also matters. If the missed week was due to illness, high life stress, or poor sleep, your body may still be catching up. In those cases, returning at reduced volume or intensity is often the safest approach. If the time off was unplanned but you feel physically and mentally refreshed, you may be able to resume normal training more quickly, but even then, restraint pays off.

 

One of the most overlooked pieces of returning after missed training is mindset. Guilt-driven training decisions tend to override good judgment. Instead of asking, “How do I make this up?” a better question is, “What is the next best step today?” That shift keeps you focused on forward progress rather than past disruption.

 

Missed weeks happen to every runner at some point. They do not define your season or your ability. The runners who stay healthy and consistent over time are the ones who respond calmly, adjust without drama, and trust that fitness returns when training is allowed to flow again.

 

You do not need to earn your way back into your plan. You just need to show up, rebuild patiently, and let consistency do the work.

 

Nick Klastava, Baltimore, MD

 

In this episode of the Running Explained Podcast, we sit down with Alison Mariella Désir to talk about running as more than miles and paces. Alison shares how movement, community, and freedom of motion intersect with identity, safety, and belonging, especially for Black and Brown runners. From founding Harlem Run to hosting a PBS series that reclaims outdoor spaces, she reflects on how running can save lives, build community, and challenge an industry to do better. It is an honest, grounding conversation about empathy, allyship, and continuing to show up for the things we love even when the world feels heavy.

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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!

You asked, we answer, and this week's question is “Should easy runs feel easy all the time?”

 

In theory, yes. In practice, not always. Easy runs are designed to feel comfortable, controlled, and sustainable, but that does not mean they will feel effortless every single time you lace up. Understanding the difference between an easy effort and an easy experience is where most runners get tripped up.

 

From a training standpoint, an easy run should be run at an effort that allows your body to recover while still accumulating aerobic volume. You should be able to breathe comfortably, hold a conversation in full sentences, and finish the run feeling like you could have kept going. That is what “easy” means in terms of purpose. It does not mean your legs will always feel fresh or that the run will feel light and bouncy.

 

There are many reasons an easy run can feel harder than expected without it being a problem. Cumulative fatigue from training, poor sleep, stress, dehydration, low fueling, heat, cold, hills, or even just an off day can all raise perceived effort. In those situations, the key question is not, “Why does this feel hard?” but rather, “Am I keeping the effort easy anyway?” Slowing down, shortening the run, or focusing on effort rather than pace is often the correct response.

 

So yes, easy runs should feel easy in effort and intention. But they will not always feel good, smooth, or energizing. The goal is not perfection. The goal is restraint. When you honor the purpose of easy running, even on days it feels a little heavy, you give your body the space it needs to adapt and stay healthy over the long term.

 

If you are unsure, err on the side of easier. Easy days done truly easy are rarely the reason training stalls. More often, they are the reason it keeps working.

 

-Nick K Baltimore, MD

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