By RunDoyen.
Featuring coaching insights from David Jankowski and Ryan Vail.
Adapted from a RunDoyen coach conversation and edited for clarity.
TL;DR
- Base training is where you build durability, consistency, and the aerobic foundation that makes later workouts work.
- You cannot train VO2 max and threshold hard all year without burnout, the “in-between” phase is intentional.
- Timing matters, peak fitness is limited, starting intense workouts too early can steal your best race-day performance.
- Use time-based fartleks (often on hills) to sharpen effort without getting trapped by pace and watch data.
- Rotate shoes so recovery days feel like recovery, higher drop and more cushion can reduce calf stress on easy runs.
If you want a plan that matches your current season (and your personality, whether you need to be held back or nudged forward), use the RunDoyen coach matching process: get matched with a coach.
Table of Contents
- Why the in-between season feels so hard
- What base training is really building
- Why timing beats “more workouts”
- The base-phase workout that keeps you honest
- Shoes that make consistency easier
- Base phase playbook you can copy
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Safety and when to get help
- Closing thoughts
Why the in-between season feels so hard
There is a specific kind of training anxiety that shows up right after a big race block and before the next one ramps up. Track ends, cross-country has not started. Spring marathons wrap, fall training is not fully underway. You are running, but you are not racing every weekend, and you are not doing the kind of workouts that make you feel “fast” on demand.
That discomfort is not a sign you are falling behind. It is often a sign you are in the exact phase that many runners rush through, then regret later.
Two patterns tend to show up here:
- The runner who wants to hammer. They feel guilty if they are not doing intervals, and they chase fitness year-round.
- The runner who wants to stay in “forever base.” They like the comfort of easy mileage and hesitate to press at all.
Both can improve with the same idea: base training is not a pause button, it is a build phase with a purpose.
What base training is really building
Base training is simple on paper, but powerful over months and years: get consistent, build volume gradually, and strengthen your ability to absorb harder work later.
A helpful way to think about it is “time on feet.” The body adapts to repeated, manageable stress. Over time, that consistency supports:
- More resilient muscles and connective tissue
- Better durability across a long season
- A bigger platform for future workouts
- Fewer “random” breakdowns when intensity returns
This is also why runners with a long history of steady mileage can often return to fitness faster than newer runners. The foundation is not just cardiovascular, it is structural. (General guidance: individual injury risk varies, but durability tends to track with long-term consistency.)
If your main goal right now is to train well later, base training is the phase where you buy that ability.
For a deeper framework on building mileage conservatively, see how to increase running mileage without getting injured.
Why timing beats more workouts
A common misconception is that you should add workouts the moment you feel capable of them. In reality, you can only sit at peak intensity for so long before you either burn out or break down.
Hard training is a match you can burn, but you want it to light up the right moment. If you start striking matches too early, you can end up with:
- Great workouts in July
- Flat legs in October
- A peak that arrives before your goal race does
That is why many runners do better when they accept a “gap” phase between heavy blocks of VO2 max or threshold work. One practical framing that came up in coaching discussion: keep marathon-specific hard training more condensed, often around a 12-week stretch, and spend earlier weeks building volume so you can handle that harder block.
This is also why a simple quote resonates for so many athletes: “The best time to start workouts is about two weeks after you feel like you need them.” In other words, when you first get itchy, that is often the sign that you are close, not the sign that you must force it today.
If you are training for a future race but need a plan that matches multiple distances and timelines, the simplest hub to start from is Training Plans.
The base-phase workout that keeps you honest
Base training does not have to mean “only easy runs.” It means the intensity is controlled and purposeful.
One of the best bridge workouts in this phase is a time-based fartlek. Time-based is the key. It reduces pace obsession and teaches you how effort actually feels.
Why time-based fartlek works
- You learn to run by feel (and effort), not by a watch number
- You can do it almost anywhere
- You can adjust effort on the fly without calling it “failure”
- It builds rhythm before formal interval sessions return
A practical example sequence:
- 3 minutes strong, 90 seconds easy
- 2 minutes strong, 1 minute easy
(Repeat in a way that fits your current fitness and total run time.)
Make it hilly on purpose
If you have the option, choose a rolling or hilly route. Hills naturally force honest effort, and you stop caring about mile splits. It becomes “learning the burn,” then learning how to settle back in and open your stride after the hard portion ends.
For more on turning hills into a strength tool (without turning every run into a sufferfest), see hill training for runners.
A quick note on watches
You can still record the run if you like. The point is not to become anti-data. The point is to avoid letting data dictate effort when the goal is to build internal pacing skill.
If you want to calibrate effort to sensible training ranges later, the running pace calculator can help, but base season is also the right time to practice running without constantly checking pace mid-rep.
Shoes that make consistency easier
Shoe talk can get overly tribal, so here is the practical lens: your shoes should help you train consistently, not win an argument.
Rotate shoes by day type
A simple, effective approach is having:
- A lighter or more minimal shoe for workouts and race-day type running
- A more cushioned, higher-drop shoe for easy and recovery days
Why this matters: higher drop (the heel-to-toe difference) generally reduces stress on the calves when you are running slower and spending more time on your feet. Lower drop can feel great when running fast because you are naturally more on the forefoot anyway.
Drop varies widely by brand and model. The useful takeaway is not the “perfect” number, it is that different drops can create different stress patterns.
Fit should feel good immediately
If a shoe feels uncomfortable right away, do not assume it will “break in” into a great fit. Especially in base season, discomfort is rarely worth it, because base season is about stacking weeks, not testing your pain tolerance.
Size and width are performance factors
Many runners underestimate size. Feet swell during runs, and toes splay. Getting an extra half size (sometimes a full size) can be the difference between finishing a long run comfortably or nursing black toenails.
Width matters too. A wider toe box with a snug heel can be a game changer. If the heel locks in and the forefoot has room, many runners do well going wider without losing security.
Switching to zero drop needs a ramp
If you are moving from a higher-drop trainer to a zero-drop model, treat it like a training change. Keep the higher-drop shoe for longer runs and ease the zero-drop shoe into shorter runs until calves adapt. You are not proving toughness, you are giving tissue time to adjust.
And remember, there is no universal rule that zero drop is “better.” The best shoe is the one that helps you train consistently.
(General guidance: if you have recurring pain patterns, shoe changes alone may not solve the root cause.)
Base phase playbook you can copy
The simple base phase checklist
- Pick your main goal for the phase: consistency, mileage, and staying healthy.
- Build volume gradually: add mileage in small steps, keep most runs easy.
- Protect recovery days: run easy enough that you could do it again tomorrow.
- Add 1 light “bridge” stimulus weekly: time-based fartlek or relaxed pickups.
- Choose terrain that fits the day: flatter for truly easy runs, rolling for fartlek days.
- Rotate shoes intentionally: workout shoe for faster sessions, cushioned higher-drop option for easy days.
- Delay formal workouts slightly longer than you want: the itch is not an emergency.
- Track how you feel, not just what you ran: energy, soreness, sleep, motivation.
Key takeaways: Base season is not about doing nothing. It is about stacking weeks, building time on feet, and adding just enough faster running to keep touch with effort. Your reward is arriving at the next workout block healthy and hungry.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting VO2 max style workouts too early because you feel “lazy” without them
- Turning every fartlek rep into a race, then needing extra recovery
- Treating easy days like moderate days, so you never truly recover
- Increasing mileage and intensity at the same time
- Believing your watch pace on every route (especially hilly terrain) instead of learning effort
- Switching shoes dramatically (like moving to zero drop) and also increasing volume
- Keeping shoes that feel wrong because you assume discomfort will fade
- Chasing a “big workout PR” instead of aligning training to race-day timing
For a practical way to think about effort on easy days, read easy run pace and recovery days.
Safety and when to get help
Training should include challenge, but it should not require denial.
Use caution and consider getting professional help if you notice:
- Pain that changes your stride
- Pain that worsens as you run, or lingers and escalates day to day
- Sudden sharp pain, swelling, or inability to bear weight normally
- A pattern of recurring “same spot” pain that returns when mileage rises
- Persistent fatigue, mood changes, or loss of motivation that does not resolve with rest (General guidance: these can be signs of under-recovery or overreaching, and deserve attention.)
If you are unsure whether something is a normal niggle or a warning sign, this guide can help you think clearly before you push through: niggle vs injury in running.
Closing thoughts
Base training between seasons asks for patience, and patience is hard. It can feel like everyone else is doing faster work, while you are “just running.” But the runners who build long-term success usually learn this truth: the boring weeks are the ones that make the exciting weeks possible.
If you want help choosing the right level of volume, the right bridge workouts, and the right time to begin formal workouts for your next race, you can browse the coaching roster here: browse RunDoyen coaches.
FAQ
1) How long should base training last between seasons?
General guidance: long enough to rebuild consistency and durability before the next hard block. Many runners do well with several weeks of volume-focused training before sharpening.
2) Do I lose fitness if I stop doing intervals for a while?
Not necessarily. A well-run base phase can maintain fitness while improving durability and aerobic support, which often makes later speed work more effective.
3) What is a fartlek, and why use time instead of distance?
A fartlek is unstructured “speed play” using alternating hard and easy segments. Time-based reps help you focus on effort instead of pace, especially on rolling terrain.
4) Should base training include hills?
Yes, often. Hills are a low-tech way to build strength and honest effort without forcing track splits.
5) How do I know if I am doing my easy runs easy enough?
A simple check is whether you could do the same run again tomorrow. If every easy run leaves you flattened, it is probably too hard (General guidance).
6) Do I need different shoes for easy days and workouts?
You do not “need” them, but rotating shoes can help. A cushioned, higher-drop shoe can reduce calf stress on slower days, and a lighter shoe can feel better for faster sessions.
7) How can an online running coach help during the base phase?
Online run coaching can keep you from starting workouts too early, set a safe mileage progression, and choose the right bridge sessions so you arrive at the next race block healthy and confident.
