Running · 1 min read
Running Down Weeks: When to Reconsider Training Load
Plan lighter training around your recent workload and recovery needs, not a universal percentage cut or fixed calendar rule.
What is a down week?
RunnersConnect coach Jeff Gaudette describes planned periods of reduced training. This is a coaching perspective, not research establishing one reduction or schedule for every runner. A lighter week does not necessarily mean no running at all.
Start with context
Review recent distance and intensity alongside races, sleep and demands outside sport. Do not automatically label persistent fatigue or difficulty with the plan as poor motivation. Discuss adjustments with your coach when appropriate.
Distance, intensity, session frequency or a combination may be adjusted. This article does not prescribe a common percentage, number of weeks or duration. A pre-race taper and a recovery-focused down week may use similar tools but serve different purposes.
Review before rebuilding
A short log can record what changed and how you felt. Reconsider your circumstances before automatically restoring the previous load. Such notes are not a diagnostic tool.
Pain, illness symptoms or unexplained persistent fatigue deserve appropriate assessment rather than an assumption that one easy week will solve them. Reducing load does not guarantee progress or prevent every injury.
The cover is an AI-generated illustration.