You’ve finished your running program, what next?
Hannah McKimm
Well done! I hope you’re feeling proud and happy to have completed your running program. It can be a funny feeling getting to the end of a program. You work so hard to reach this goal and put so much of your focus into it and then it’s just… done.
So if you have just completed one of our running programs and are not sure what to do next, my advice is to follow these steps to help you avoid injury and maintain the love for running you have hopefully created.
Have a week off
It’s always a good idea to have a week off after completing a program or a running event. You’ve been so focused on this goal, give your body some time to recover, enjoy a week without a schedule and then get back into it the week after. Focus on eating well, getting good sleep and enjoy being able to socialise without the pressure of getting your runs done. If you’re loving the running and just want to get back out there, you can always repeat the final deload week so that it’s nice and gentle on your body.
Check in with yourself and see how you’re feeling physically and mentally
Were you counting down the days until the program ended or were you really enjoying each run? Do you feel energised and fresh, or do you feel tired and a bit over it?
If you’re feeling energetic and excited for the next run, make the most of this and try to keep up the momentum. If you’re feeling a bit flat and were really looking forward to the program ending, that’s ok! Have a break, let your body recover and pick it up again when you feel up to it. You might like to follow our weekly planner or try one of our Pilates programs to say active without the running component.
Decide whether you need to follow a program or if you can self-motivate now
This is very personal. Some people love to stick to a program and others prefer to go with the flow. If you loved the structure of the program, see the options in the next point below. If you would prefer to have a go at self motivating, this is a great option now you’ve ticked off your goal and you can follow these tips:
- Aim for 3 runs per week
- Make sure 1 of these runs is nice and easy
- Include only 1 long run
- Increase your long run by a maximum of 10% per week
- Aim for a day off in between your runs
You can always run freely for a few weeks and get back into a program if you change your mind.
Think about what your new goal will be
If you’re more goal focused and want to keep following a program, you have options. Think about whether your goal is to run further, faster, easier or simply to keep up the consistency you have created:
- If you found the last program challenging enough, repeat the second half of the program again. This is not a backwards step, it’s a great way to stay motivated and keep up your fitness without risking injury.
- If you felt great at the end of the program and want to challenge yourself to a longer distance, start the next program from the beginning and follow it through. You can either repeat the same Pilates classes again, follow our weekly planner or choose your own from our catalogue.
- If you enjoyed the program but don’t have the time to run even further, you might like to challenge your pace. Repeat the program again and try to run a little faster in the intervals and long runs.
If you’re still feeling unsure, please reach out. I love to help guide runners on their journey so you can email me at hello@ourpilates.com.au or DM @ourpilates and we can discuss your options more specifically.
Han x