It’s Time to Rebrand “Off-Season” for Runners

As the marathon season in the United States winds down, a lot of runners are thinking about their 2024 goals and structuring some well-deserved time off from formal training.

Judging by social media, many runners are now taking an “off-season” that provides more robust mental and physical recovery. This off-season is often considered mandatory, with most runners planning a few months of it before beginning formal training in the new year. But what exactly is an off-season?

What Is an Off-Season?

Truthfully, I’m not entirely sure. That term isn’t a formal vocabulary word from the world of running, meaning that you won’t find it in the coaching curriculum of USA Track and Field, the governing body for the sports of track and road running. It does say, however, that “time spent in non-training status should be minimized.” As we’ll soon see, most “off-seasons” only include non-training exercise.

I also didn’t ever hear that phrase from any of the 11 coaches that I had during my eight-year career running cross-country and track at both high school and collegiate levels. While we had one season “off” from formal competition—the summer months—this phase of base training was widely considered the most important training period of the year because it built the foundation of our endurance required while “on” season. But it was certainly never described as an off-season.

Curious to know how the term and concept of “off-season” is being used in some of my favorite running books, I took a look, and here’s what I found:

• In Training for the Uphill Athlete by Steve House and Scott Johnston, there’s no mention at all of the phrase.
• In Daniels’ Running Formula by Jack Daniels, there’s no use of “off-season.”
• In Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger, he does not use the term “off-season,” but recommends “a few weeks of no running or easy training.”
• In Run Faster by Brad Hudson—my favorite training book—he does mention the term off-season but recommends only one week off with plenty of cross training. He also disparages “off-season slackers.”

So, where does this leave us? Is off-season training something you need to plan or care about, or is it mostly a made-up phase of training popularized by Runfluencers?

The Main Problem with Off-Season Training

The fundamental sticking point with the  term “off-season” is that there’s no clear definition. It’s more of a colloquial phrase used haphazardly by more casual runners. Since you won’t find instructions on this topic from the sport’s governing body, nor are most well-recognized coaches using the term, it can mean almost anything.

I’ve seen respected coaches claim that the off-season is…

• 8-10 weeks long
• A 20-50 percent reduction in mileage
• Time off completely
• An opportunity to try other sports

I’m not sure exactly how long an off-season should be, nor am I clear on exactly what kind of training (or lack thereof) should be included. There seems to be a wide variety of opinions, and none of them are wrong, but when a term has no real definition, it can mean anything. And when something can mean anything, it doesn’t really mean anything. We can’t expect recreational runners to apply a vague term appropriately to their training with any amount of success if the best coaches in the industry can’t even define it.

Thankfully, there’s a better option.

Instead, Let’s Say “Preseason”

In episode 325 of the Strength Running Podcast, I had a conversation with running coach and 2:34 marathoner Matthew Meyer about this topic. Meyer wants to change our language and have us call this time period a “preseason.”

Suddenly, we now have a framework for understanding our goals during this critical phase of training. It’s neither a period off from running, nor is it a time to dramatically reduce our workload. It’s also not a static training phase that stays the same for a predetermined length of time.

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Instead, our goal with “preseason” is to calibrate ourselves for the upcoming racing season. This preparation will look different based on our goals and our individual strengths and weaknesses.

Broadly speaking, a preseason block of training should follow a few fundamental principles. It should:

1. Address weaknesses like weight training, lack of endurance or speed, or high injury risk
2. Build a foundation of general fitness that will support the specific demands of training in the future (this is often a good time to set “training PR’s” like weekly mileage, for example)
3. Progress mileage, long run distance, workouts, and even strength training intelligently (this is not a static phase of training)
4. Last about four to eight weeks (any longer and you’ll begin to miss out on other valuable forms of training)
5. Occur one to two times per year

Ultimately, your preseason should look very similar to your regular season of training. The main difference is the focus. During preseason, we may do far fewer high-intensity workouts (leading to more recovery and less injury risk) and plyometrics, but more overall mileage and cross-training. We may lift weights more often, but with less power. It’s a season of preparation, addressing weaknesses, and building training capacity.

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When Can I Take Time Off?

Don’t worry, runners. I’m not recommending that you never take any time off. Far from it! In fact, I think regularly scheduled time off (and time for reduced training) is highly valuable.

Running is cyclical, so a period off after a major goal race is a smart idea. Most runners will thrive on one to three weeks of no running post-race, with more time awarded to runners who are finishing a particularly challenging season that might have been longer, more intense, or more psychologically draining than usual.

After a few weeks of no running, preseason training can begin. The first one to two weeks will be easy, followed by progressive increases in volume and the reintroduction of workouts. Ultimately, runners should plan for about a month of time off and easy running before more formal preseason training begins.

Though the term “off-season” might not be formally recognized, it does point to the need for recovery and variety. So let’s redefine this season not as “off,” or one with a dramatic reduction in training, but more as a forward-leaning “preseason” that invests in our future goals while prioritizing our need for recovery today. This approach respects the recovery process, helps you prepare for the future, and addresses your weaknesses so you can keep improving for years.