Your last race is done. The legs are tired, the calendar is empty, and part of you is already wondering what’s next. This is the trail running off-season, and it’s the part of the year most runners get wrong.
So we asked six Vert.run coaches how they spend theirs: how long they take off, what they do instead of running, the mistakes they see with their athletes, and how they know someone is ready to start base again. They coach from different corners of the world, so their off-seasons land at different times of year. The answers still line up.
At Vert we say it simply: resting is training.
The quick answer: our coaches take anywhere from about a week to two months off structured training after their last big race. Most land somewhere around two to four weeks, with easy movement, no plan and no intensity.
How long trail running coaches take off
And what they do instead of running:
Zeljko Radovic · Hiking, cycling, basketball
“I give myself around a month of loosely structured running that I don’t follow to the letter. I hike, cycle, and run super easy, guilt free. At this time of year I’d rather play basketball and have a beer more often than usual.”
One habit he never skips
“I have a reminder in my calendar on November 1st to start wearing leggings. In the past I’d catch a cold around this transition period, so at some point I decided enough is enough.”
Steve Krenn · Hiking, skiing, strength
“I usually take a week or two away from structured training, sometimes longer. I still move, but without worrying about pace, distance, or a training plan. It’s about recovering mentally as much as physically.”
“I spend more time doing things I enjoy outside of running, like hiking, skiing, strength training, or trying something new. I love running, but I don’t want it to be the only way I stay active or define myself.”
Adam Brown · Mountain biking, hiking, strength at home
“Normally take 1–2 months off, generally from mid Dec to late Jan if not doing Tarawera in NZ. I like to get out mountain biking and hiking, as well as more strength and conditioning sessions at home. Without fail: put on weight.”
Manu Ramirez · Cycling, scuba diving
“I usually take 2 to 3 weeks without doing much. My races are normally outside the city where I live, so I spend a few days getting to know the area. Back home, a bit of cycling, and some scuba diving if I can.”
Every off-season, without fail
“Rest a little more than usual, and some stretching.”
He learned it the hard way
“Early in my time as a trail runner I didn’t respect the recovery time, and it came with some injuries in my ankle.”
Nico Jego · Easy cycling, walking
“Here in central Chile, like in some other places, nothing forces you to stop: you can run and race all year round. What works best for me is taking my off-season right after my A race, around two weeks without running. I stay active with easy cycling and walking, but no structure and no intensity.”
Max Keith · Cycling, climbing, skateboarding
“Normally a week off. But I may be lying about that. I’m terrible at taking days off. Work in progress after 15 years of running, still. I have a problem being still for too long, so cycling is top of the list, but also climbing, or grabbing my board to see if I remember how to skate.”
“No specific workouts. It’s good to have at least 3–4 weeks without anything super strict. If I feel like running a bit harder, I will, but no intervals or deliberate pushes. I also reflect on the season: what worked, what didn’t, and most important, what I’m excited to do next.”
The off-season mistakes coaches see most
Going just as hard in another sport
Nico: “Athletes stop running but go just as hard in another sport, so their body never gets a break. Changing sports is great for the head, but if the intensity stays the same, it’s not an off-season.”
Treating it like another training block
Steve: “Athletes often feel they need to maintain peak fitness year-round, but recovery isn’t lost training. It’s what allows you to keep improving over the long term.”
Not taking enough time
Manu: “Not taking enough off-season time, and keeping the body at high activity all the time.”
Big efforts out of nowhere
Adam: “Too many one-off long efforts out of the blue without enough ‘off’ time!”
Pretending it doesn’t count
Max: “The thing we’re all most guilty of: jumping back into training too soon, or thinking ‘I’m just going to ride my bike easy for 3 hours, that doesn’t count as training’.”
“My watch says my VO2max is dropping”
This is the one that gets almost everyone. A few weeks of easy days, your watch shows a lower VO2max estimate, and suddenly the off-season feels like a mistake.
Your watch says your VO2max is dropping
Zeljko Radovic“The most common mistake: rushing back into hard training the moment their watch tells them their VO2max is dropping.”
Manu Ramirez“VO2max should have dropped a little.”
Steve Krenn“Recovery isn’t lost training. It’s what allows you to keep improving over the long term.”
RESTING IS TRAINING.
The number is an estimate, and it’s supposed to dip when you stop doing hard sessions. That dip is the price of arriving at next season fresh instead of carrying this season’s fatigue into it.
If you want a better guide than the watch during these weeks, run by feel. Our perceived effort scale is how we coach easy running all year anyway.
What coaches wish more athletes did in the off-season
Steve Krenn
“Use the off-season to address the things that get neglected during race training. Strength, mobility, sleep, and even other sports. It’s a great opportunity to become a healthier, more well-rounded athlete.”
Zeljko Radovic
“An honest look back at what went wrong last season, and making it a priority to fix those mistakes during the base building phase.”
Adam Brown
“Extra strength and conditioning sessions. More stretching and mobility or yoga!”
Manu Ramirez
“Rest, stretching, yoga, or what you’d call cross-training.”
Max Keith
“Honestly, pure rest and leisure, especially if the season was loaded. If you’re new to the sport, it’s alright to be a bit more active, but if you’re a seasoned ultra runner, it’s hard to get people to chill.”
If strength is the thing you keep promising yourself, the off-season is the time. Start with our guide to strength training for runners. And if your last race was a long one, read how to recover from an ultramarathon before you plan anything.
— Vert Pro • Vert Coaching: built and reviewed by expert trail coaches.
Ready for base when you are
When your off-season is done, Vert builds your plan around your next race and the time you actually have. A real coach reviews it in the first 24 hours, and it adapts week to week as your training goes.
How to know you’re ready to start base again
Put the coaches’ answers together and you get a simple checklist:
- You’re sleeping well.
- Your legs feel normal on easy runs.
- Your resting heart rate is back to your usual baseline.
- Your heart rate on easy runs looks like it did before your race.
- You actually want to run again, not just because you’re scared of losing fitness.
Zeljko Radovic
“When they want to run again. They sleep well, their legs feel normal, their resting HR is back to baseline, and they start asking me about next season’s races (that last one can be a trap…). If they’re still dragging themselves out the door, we wait a bit longer.”
Steve Krenn
“I look beyond physical recovery. Are they sleeping well? Feeling healthy? Excited to train again? When an athlete is physically recovered and genuinely looking forward to running, that’s usually a good sign they’re ready.”
Manu Ramirez
“I usually look at their heart rate on easy runs and compare it with their earlier data.”
Max Keith
“They start asking for a higher training load, insistently. Or they’re itching to work hard on some ‘weakness’. The ‘I’m going to lose fitness’ trap is definitely what scares people the most. For myself, I always give it 2–3 extra days from whenever I feel ready.”
And once you’re back, go slower than you think.
Adam Brown
“A month or more of nice consistent weeks with regular cross training, strength and intro of shorter runs.”
He speaks from experience
“My mistake: after a month of base building, thinking I am sweet and ramping up distance and elevation too quickly! Can’t get away with it as you get older. Patience and gradual increases are always best!”
When you’re there, our 8-week base-building plan shows what those first weeks can look like. If you’re already looking ahead, how to plan your trail running season helps you pick the races and work back from them.
Resting is training
Six coaches, six different off-seasons: a week for one, two months for another, basketball, scuba diving, a skateboard. What they share is the part that matters. No structure, no intensity, enough time to want it again, and a patient way back in.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a trail running off-season be?
Our coaches take anywhere from about a week to two months. Most land around two to four weeks of little or no structured running after their last big race, and longer after a long or hard season.
Should I stop running completely in the off-season?
Not necessarily. Nico takes around two weeks without running, while Zeljko keeps running super easy with no plan. What matters is dropping the structure and the intensity, not hitting zero kilometers.
Is cross-training OK in the off-season?
Yes, as long as it stays easy. Cycling, hiking, skiing or climbing are great for the head, but if you go just as hard in another sport, your body never gets the break.
Will I lose fitness in the off-season?
A little, and that’s expected. Your watch’s VO2max estimate will usually dip. Recovery isn’t lost training: it’s what lets you keep improving season after season.
When should I start base training again?
When you sleep well, your legs feel normal, your resting heart rate is back to baseline, and you actually want to run, not just because you’re afraid of losing fitness. Then start with a few consistent, easy weeks before adding volume or vert.
Answers by Vert.run coaches Zeljko Radovic, Steve Krenn, Adam Brown, Manu Ramirez, Nico Jego and Max Keith.
— Vert Pro • Vert Coaching: built and reviewed by expert trail coaches.
Start next season fresh
A coach-built plan around your next race and the time you actually have, reviewed by a real coach and adapting as you train.
