With Coach Kelvin, Online Running Coach for We Run and the We Run Virtual Running Club, and 1:1 Running Coach for Leeds and surrounding areas
What To Do After A Running Event
Hi folks, Coach Kelvin here. This video was prompted by a question from Daniel about what to do after an event – how to recover and what comes next.
Something I see often when reviewing a runner’s training history is a wedge-shaped pattern:
- They train for an event.
- They complete the event.
- Their training drops off.
- They train for another event.
- The cycle repeats.
Every time, they drop back to the same baseline before ramping up again, expecting improvement that doesn’t come. And in all honesty, as we get older, this pattern works against us. Doing the same thing repeatedly while aging isn’t a recipe for progress – it’s closer to the definition of madness.
The Post-Race Fitness Opportunity
When training for an event, the final block typically includes:
- A heavy training load leading up to the race.
- A taper to reduce fatigue and maximise fitness.
- A peak in fitness for race day.
After the event, many runners let structured training take a backseat. Some just go out for casual runs, which is fine if they need mental space after a hard training block.
However, what many forget is that the race itself is a strong workout. If we recover properly, we can gain another fitness boost rather than letting progress slip away.
The key is to slow down the rate of fitness loss after an event rather than letting it drop sharply.
How to Manage the Post-Race Phase
- Accept Some Fitness Loss – but Control It
- It’s natural to lose fitness after a peak, but the goal is to slow down the decay rather than letting it plummet.
- Don’t Use the Peak as a Springboard
- Right after a race, you’re not fully recovered yet. Jumping straight into hard training can lead to injury or burnout.
- Catch the Decline Before It Hits Rock Bottom
- Instead of dropping back to your original baseline, manage training so you start your next training cycle from a higher base than before.
Each time you repeat this cycle correctly, your fitness floor rises, meaning you improve over time instead of repeating the same loop.
Stacking Training Cycles for Long-Term Gains
Rather than seeing training as isolated race-specific phases, I look at what happens between race cycles.
- Has the runner plateaued before their next training phase?
- Or are they dropping down, but not as far as before, stacking progress over time?
Instead of training, peaking, and returning to the same base level, we want a progressive staircase effect:
✅ Train → Peak → Manage the decline → Start the next cycle at a slightly higher base.
Over time, this raises the floor of your fitness, so every time you build for a race, you’re starting from a stronger position.
Why You Need a Coach Post-Race
The time right after a race is when runners most need a coach – but many don’t realise it.
- Race-specific training is straightforward: it reflects the event itself.
- The post-race period is much more individual – it depends on your goals, training preferences, and available time.
This phase requires more thought than just following a generic plan. A coach can ask the right questions to help guide what comes next and prevent unnecessary fitness loss.
Final Thoughts
If you want to keep improving rather than repeating the same fitness cycle, the key is managing post-race training properly.
Instead of dropping back to your starting point, slow the decline and transition into the next phase before fitness fully fades. Over time, this builds a stronger base and leads to continuous improvement.
If you have any questions, pop them in the comments. And for now – happy running! 🏃♂️💨
