29/05/2026
The last 4 weeks before a race are the ones most athletes get wrong.
Not because they stop working hard. Because they don’t understand what is actually happening inside their body during this phase, and so they panic, second guess everything, and either push too hard or pull back too soon.
Here is what is actually happening.
4 weeks out -
Volume is building and intensity is climbing. Your body is adapting but fatigue is starting to accumulate. You feel the load. Sessions feel harder than they should. That is expected. Stay the course.
3 weeks out -
This is peak week. Volume is at its highest, stress is at its highest, and your body is under the most strain it will experience in the entire block. Cortisol is elevated, inflammation is high, muscle damage is accumulating, and you will feel it in every session. Tired legs. Heavy head. Emotions closer to the surface than usual. This is not a sign something is wrong. This is the peak of the work. The most important thing you can do here is not panic, not add, and not back off. Eat, sleep, and execute.
2 weeks out -
The shift begins. Volume drops. Intensity stays sharp but the load reduces. Your nervous system starts to recover. Inflammation begins to settle. The fatigue that has been sitting in your legs starts to lift. You may feel flat before you feel good. That is part of the process.
Race week -
Your only job is to arrive fresh. Sleep. Eat well. Short sharp sessions only. Your inflammation markers are settling, your glycogen stores are filling, your mind is sharpening. Do not add. Do not test. Do not try to cram anything in. The work is done.
Everything you built over months is sitting right underneath the surface. Race day is just the moment it gets to come out. 🏁
If you are 4 weeks out from a race and not sure whether your training is structured correctly for this phase, that is exactly what I help with. Link in bio.