M | Tu | W | Th | F | Sa | Su |
Easy w/ 8-12 strides | Easy | Intervals or Tempo Run | Easy / off | Easy | Long Run easy or 3 miles at GMP | Easy / off |
If marathon training feels like a second job, this week is your paid time off. Welcome to your first cutback week, a planned reduction in mileage designed to help you recover, rebuild, and ultimately run stronger.
Think of it as a strategic downshift, not a break. You’ll reduce your weekly mileage by about 20–30%, keep one or two quality workouts (but scaled down), and let your body absorb all the work you’ve done so far.
Why Cut Back?
Physiologically, your body can’t adapt without recovery. After several weeks of increasing mileage and stress, your muscles, joints, and nervous system need time to repair. During cutback weeks, your body lowers inflammation, rebuilds microtears in muscle fibers, and strengthens bones, particularly important for avoiding stress fractures and overuse injuries.
There’s also a neurological and hormonal benefit. Markers of muscle damage like creatine kinase drop significantly during lower-volume weeks. Cortisol levels settle. Sleep improves. You start to feel like a human again.
Mentally, a cutback week keeps burnout away. Training for a marathon while working 50+ hours a week is no joke. Taking the foot off the gas helps you reset, refocus, and stay in the game for the long haul.
What Should You Do With the Extra Time
Some runners panic when they see fewer miles on the schedule. Don’t. Use the time intentionally.
Get more sleep, even 30 extra minutes can pay off. Tackle that neglected work project while your brain is a little fresher. Take your kids to school or your partner to coffee. Use the mental space to revisit your “why” for this training cycle.
And yes, a little cross-training or mobility work is fair game, just keep it low-intensity and restorative, not a backdoor speed session.
How to Train This Week
You’re still running, just less. Keep your long run, but trim the distance. Hold one workout, maybe a short tempo or light hill effort, but don’t force intensity. Sprinkle in some strides if you feel good. The goal is to stay sharp, not squeeze in more.
The bottom line: Cutback weeks aren’t lost progress, they’re part of the plan. Let your body recharge. Let your mind breathe. The next phase of training will demand more from you, and thanks to this week, you’ll be ready for it.