Week 6: Back to Business

Vacation’s over, time to get back to work. After last week’s well-earned cutback, we’re stepping back into the arena with more miles, more momentum, and probably a few more spreadsheet tabs open than we’d like.

This week, we’re aiming to top Week 4’s mileage by about 10–15%. Not a huge leap, but enough to get your legs humming again. We’re also hitting the halfway mark of the training cycle, which means the fitness is kicking in, the fatigue is creeping in, and you’re officially entering what I call “the bulk season” of marathon prep. It’s where real progress is made… and where your calendar starts to feel suspiciously full.

Cutback weeks are like PTO: you need them to avoid burnout, but if you don’t use the recovery wisely, you’ll come back even more tired. The science agrees, a strategic drop in mileage lets your body recover, rebuild, and come back stronger. Muscles repair, energy systems reset, and your legs start to feel snappy again. That’s supercompensation in action, your body adapting so it can handle more next time.

So what do we do with this newfound readiness? We build. Remember, we are increasing Week 4 mileage by by 10–15% (not Week 5, the cutback week). So if you were at 35 miles, aim for 38–40. Keep your long run and add a mile or two. Bring back one strong workout, a tempo run, some intervals, maybe hills if you enjoy running up metaphorical and actual inclines.

Important to note this is still a business week. Don’t try to impress your Garmin with a hero week. Keep it structured, intentional, and manageable. You wouldn’t roll back into the office after vacation and pull a 16-hour day to prove something, right? (Actually… if you’ve worked in consulting, maybe you would. But you shouldn’t.)

If there’s one thing 13 years of training while working in high-stress corporate environments and running my own business has taught me, it’s that consistency beats chaos. Just like in a client meeting or quarterly close, the key to this week is execution. Get the work in, nothing flashy, nothing sloppy. Your legs are your new team, and they don’t need micromanagement, just a solid agenda and room to perform.

That means protecting your training time like it’s a board meeting. Early morning run before back-to-backs? Great. Midday jog squeezed between Zoom calls? Also works. Just don’t let the return to “real life” undo your training rhythm. We’re in that phase where the margin for error gets slimmer, so stack good weeks while you can.

Yes, you’ll be a little tired. That’s normal. It’s Week 6, not taper time. But if you’re already eyeing that office nap pod or wondering if “walking to the printer” counts as recovery, take stock. The goal is “pleasantly fatigued,” not “falling asleep on the keyboard during a 3 p.m. meeting.”

Bottom line: This week, you’re back to business. Let the cutback week do its job, then meet your fitness where it is, sharper, more efficient, and ready for volume. Add smart mileage, reintroduce some intensity, and keep showing up. You don’t need fireworks, just solid execution.

And if your coworkers wonder why you’re walking a little funny this week? Just tell them: Q3 goals. They'll understand.