The Rule of Too’s: Finding the Right Training Balance

Running is a gradual sport. Unlike other sports, where gains and improvements happen quickly, running rewards patience and persistence. Our brains may want instant results, but our bodies need time to properly adapt to training stresses. As the saying goes, “slow and steady wins the race.”

In this article, we’ll explore the crucial concept I call the “Rule of Too’s”: finding the right balance in your training to optimize progress and avoid injury. Think of it as Goldilocks finding the porridge that’s “just right”!

What is the Rule of Too’s?

The Rule of Too’s states that you should avoid pushing your running:

• Too hard: training at an intensity level your body can’t handle
• Too soon: ramping up mileage or workouts too quickly
• Too often: not taking enough rest and recovery between hard sessions

Essentially, you don’t want to overstress your body beyond what it can currently tolerate. That’s a recipe for injury, burnout, and suboptimal fitness gains.

Finding the right training balance is key for injury prevention and performance optimization.

Why Following the Rule of Too’s Matters

Your body needs time to positively adapt to training stresses. Things like muscle damage, inflammation, and other biological processes occur in response to hard efforts. But give your body the appropriate recovery, and it will bounce back stronger through supercompensation.

However, if you constantly overload your body, you rob it of the chance to fully adapt. You’ll likely just accumulate excessive fatigue and be on the fast track to overtraining or injury.

Essentially, you need to apply the right training “dosage” for your current fitness level—enough to spur positive adaptations but not so much that it breaks you. This idea of balancing stress and rest for optimal gains is key.

Adjusting the Rule of Too’s by Experience Level

The way you implement the Rule of Too’s will depend largely on your individual running experience and background.

Beginners

For new runners, it’s crucial to build volume, frequency, and intensity very gradually over an extended timeframe. Avoid getting overeager and ramping up too aggressively. Be patient and let your body positively adapt to each increase before progressing further.

Common beginner mistakes:

• Jumping into 5–6 days per week right away
• Trying to run as far or as fast as more experienced runners
• Not taking enough recovery days between hard efforts

Experienced Runners

It’s easy to get overzealous coming off a big race—either trying to make quick fitness gains or hastily regaining prior shape after an off-season break. But there’s no need to rush back into intense training.

You retain fitness for quite a while after finishing something like a marathon. It’s just your “race sharpness” that declines initially. Take time to fully heal and mentally recharge before ramping back up.

Common experienced runner mistakes:

• Resuming high mileage too soon after a marathon
• Chasing old paces without proper build-up
• Not scheduling needed recovery between training cycles

Masters Runners

The trap for master runners is having unrealistic expectations based on prior achievements and striving to immediately replicate performances from years ago. But the body changes over time, and training needs to be adjusted accordingly.

Be patient and focus on gradual build-ups to avoid overstressing yourself. Your former self likely had more training time and fewer overall stresses outside running. Accept where you’re currently at fitness-wise and progress deliberately from there.

Common mastery mistakes:

• Expecting to instantly hit the best times
• Overestimating current fitness levels
• Not allowing proper recovery between workouts

How to Tell If You’re Overtraining

It’s tricky to objectively determine if you’re overtraining, but here are some common warning signs:

• Persistent muscle soreness
• Elevated resting heart rate
• Increased fatigue/lethargy
• Frequent illnesses
• Decline in workout quality
• Loss of motivation
• Changes in sleep quality

Essentially, your body is signaling through various channels that it needs more rest. So make sure to listen and proactively take steps to recover!

Adjustments to Regain Training Balance

If you feel you’re training too hard, here are some simple ways to scale back and regain balance:

• Reduce training intensity; back off on speed and effort levels
• Lower training volume/duration: cut mileage, total workout time, intervals
• Increase rest, take an extra day off an, reduce workout frequency
• Prioritize recovery: more sleep, better nutrition, foam rolling

Even small touch-points like prioritizing sleep can make a surprisingly big difference. Evaluate what recovery areas need the most help and start there.

In Closing

Finding the optimal stress/rest balance is a lifelong journey in running. No training program, even for elites, is just all gas, all the time. Periodization and listening to your body are key.

While different experience levels present unique challenges, rushing progress is the number one pitfall for runners across the board. Patience pays off in the long run!

Trust in the process and respect the rule of thumb. Progress will come if you can consistently train, and avoiding injury and burnout is critical to long-term, sustainable gains!

Frequently Asked Questions