Ever notice how the start of a new training block feels almost suspiciously smooth? You lace up for a fresh plan and suddenly your legs cooperate, your motivation is steady, and everything clicks like your body finally decided to get on board.
There’s actually a reason for that. Paulo Coelho calls it the Principle of Favorability — that little boost you get when you finally commit to something meaningful. Athletes feel it all the time. The early wins, the quick improvements, the “wow, I might be good at this” energy. If you’re new to structured running, coming back after time off, or shifting into a strength cycle, those first few weeks feel like magic.
Then the magic changes shape.
Workouts get harder.
Gains slow down.
Your paces stop dropping like they were.
Suddenly the whole thing feels less like a breakthrough and more like work.
This isn’t a plateau.
It’s your physiology doing exactly what it’s designed to do.
You’ve entered the Law of Diminishing Returns — the part of training where your body has already adapted to the initial stress and now needs a more intentional approach to keep progressing. It’s quieter, slower, and much less glamorous than the beginner boost. But it’s also where the strongest athletes are built.
This is the phase where you start seeing the real patterns:
Your recovery needs go up, not down.
Your protein intake matters more than ever.
Your aerobic base wants to be nurtured, not ignored.
Your paces stop telling the whole story.
And here’s the part people forget most — when progress slows, your body is usually reorganizing behind the scenes. It’s stacking adaptations, reinforcing movement patterns, strengthening connective tissue, and preparing you for the next leap. The work is happening whether it’s obvious or not.
If you’re in this phase, it’s not a sign to quit. It’s a sign you’re ready for more strategic training — the kind that builds longevity instead of relying on early momentum.
This is when variety, intention, and smart stress matter most. It’s when playful speed work wakes up your turnover without frying your nervous system, and when steady aerobic development pays off more than white-knuckling your way through every run.
If this slowdown season is nudging you toward something more intentional, this is exactly where strength training becomes the difference-maker. Not the vanity kind. The kind that supports your stride, keeps your pelvis stable, strengthens your single-leg patterns, and makes your whole body more resilient when your progress shifts from fast and loud to slow and foundational.
If you’re in that place right now — where your body is asking for something deeper than miles — this is where Built to Go the Distance comes in.
It’s my 12-week strength program made for runners who want to feel stronger in motion, not just in the gym. You’ll build core stability, single-leg strength, balance, and control so your training feels smoother and your body feels supported through every phase — the quick gains and the slow, steady ones.
And if you’re craving a little spark or variety in your running again, Speed Play is perfect for bringing back rhythm, playfulness, and structured intensity without burnout.
Here’s one more piece most runners miss when progress slows: your fueling matters even more than it did at the beginning. Early gains can hide sloppy nutrition, but the deeper you get into real training adaptations, the more your body demands consistency, carbs, protein, and electrolytes. If you’re feeling that “why am I tired again?” wave or noticing workouts hit harder than they should, it’s not a motivation problem — it’s almost always a fueling gap.
If you want to shore up that side of your training so your progress doesn’t stall in this phase, my Fuel Like You Mean It guide will walk you through exactly how to fuel for strength, speed, and recovery in peri/menopause. No extremes. No restriction. Just strategy that actually supports the athlete you are right now.
Fuel smarter so the work you’re doing actually pays off.