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January is coming to an end — and with it, hopefully, the toughest part of winter.

This past weekend brought winter storms across large parts of the U.S., while some regions in Latin America are settling into rainy season. Conditions haven’t been ideal. Cold mornings, slick roads, wind, rain.

But here’s the good news:
​training doesn’t stop when conditions change — it adapts.

Easy runs can be done outdoors or indoors.
Treadmills count.
Controlled environments still stimulate adaptation.

And that brings us to today’s topic — because easy runs matter far more than most people think, especially as we close out January and early-season enthusiasm starts to collide with fatigue.

¿Hablas español o conoces a alguien que sí? Endurance Mindset en Español (¡Ya disponible!): desde cero al maratón, con ciencia y estructura. Compártelo o regístrate y forma parte desde el comienzo. 🏃‍♂️📩 ¡Registrarme!

🎯 The Misunderstanding Around Easy Runs

Many runners treat easy runs as:

• filler
• recovery-only
• something that “doesn’t really count”

The logic sounds familiar:

But physiologically, easy running is not passive.
It is foundational.

Most long-term endurance adaptations happen below your threshold — not above it [1,2].

When easy runs disappear, progress eventually follows.

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Post of the week The first Ugandan woman to win a World Athletics Platinum Label marathon. Read article

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🔬 What Aerobic Physiology Actually Shows

1. Easy running drives mitochondrial development

Low-intensity aerobic training increases:

• mitochondrial density
• mitochondrial efficiency
• fat oxidation capacity

These adaptations allow you to produce energy longer, with less fatigue [1,3].

High intensity stresses the system.
Easy intensity builds the system.

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2. Aerobic adaptations require volume, not strain

Mitochondrial biogenesis responds best to:

• frequent exposure
• sustained duration
• manageable intensity

Trying to replace easy volume with intensity often leads to stagnation or overload [2,4].

You can’t shortcut aerobic development.

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3. Easy runs protect consistency

From an injury-prevention standpoint, easy runs:

• reduce neuromuscular fatigue
• limit excessive mechanical stress
• allow higher weekly frequency

This creates training durability, which matters more than any single workout [5].

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🏃 Practical Takeaway (This Week)

If weather, fatigue, or life limits your training right now:

• Use the treadmill without guilt
• Keep easy runs truly easy
• Focus on time, not pace
• Breathe comfortably
• Finish feeling refreshed, not depleted

Easy runs are not about proving fitness.
They’re about building capacity.

And capacity is what allows hard sessions to actually work.

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🔁 Weekly Challenge

This week, commit to protecting your easy runs.

That means:

• no pace pressure
• no comparison
• no turning them into “moderate” days

Let easy days be easy — on purpose.

That’s where endurance is quietly built [1,2].

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What's Going On in the World of Running?

🌴The 2026 Life Time Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon took place on Sunday, January 25, 2026, with approximately 18,500 participants. Full Marathon Winners

• Men’s Elite: Dominic Ondoro (Kenya) won with a time of 2:17:47.
• Women’s Elite: Christina Welsh (USA) finished first with a time of 2:42:15.

Half-Marathon Winners

• Men’s Elite: Mauricio Gonzalez (Colombia) won the men's division.
• Women’s Elite: Tracy Barlow (England) won the women's division.

🌎 Osaka Women’s Marathon (Jan 25): Stella Chesang (Uganda) secured a commanding victory with a time of 2:19:31.

🧠New National Records: High school sensation Sophie Rambo recently shattered the national 500m record with a time of 1:10.07.

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What usually makes your easy runs harder than they should be? 🔘 Running by pace instead of effort 🔘 Comparing workouts to others 🔘 Turning every run into a “moderate” run 🔘 Time pressure 🔘 I don’t do easy runs consistently

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​¡Cuéntanos qué temas te interesan más en el enlace 'Preferencias' al final de este correo!

References

1. Seiler, S., & Tønnessen, E. (2009). Intervals, thresholds, and long slow distance: The role of intensity and duration in endurance training. Sportscience, 13, 32–53.

2. Seiler, S. (2010). What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 5(3), 276–291.

3. Holloszy, J. O., & Coyle, E. F. (1984). Adaptations of skeletal muscle to endurance exercise and their metabolic consequences. Journal of Applied Physiology, 56(4), 831–838.

4. Bishop, D., Jones, E., & Woods, K. (2008). Recovery from training: A brief review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(3), 1015–1024.

5. Soligard, T., et al. (2016). How much is too much? (Part 1): International Olympic Committee consensus statement on load in sport and risk of injury. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(17), 1030–1041.​

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Stay Motivated and run easy,

Coach Henri.
​Your Endurance Mindset Team

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