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Summary:
In this episode of The Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast, we dive into how endurance athletes can strategically set their race calendar for the season ahead. We discuss the importance of choosing races that align with your goals, fitness level, and life demands, rather than overloading your schedule. You’ll learn how to balance “A,” “B,” and “C” races, why more races don’t always mean better results, and how proper planning supports consistent training, recovery, and long-term performance. Whether you’re a runner or triathlete, this episode will help you build a race calendar that sets you up for success instead of burnout.
Takeaways:
- Setting your race calendar should start with your overall goals, not the number of races you want to do
- Athletes often over-schedule races, which can limit fitness development and increase burnout
- Choosing races should account for life stress, time availability, and recovery capacity, not just motivation
- Using A, B, and C race categories helps prioritize training focus and manage expectations
- An “A race” should anchor the season and guide the structure of the training plan
- B and C races can be used as training opportunities, not peak performances
- Racing too frequently can interrupt consistent training and long-term progress
- The race calendar should allow adequate build phases, recovery periods, and mental breaks
- Choosing not to race because of fear of failure could cause you to miss out on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual growth opportunities.
- Flexibility is important — race plans may need to change as fitness, health, or life circumstances change
- A well-planned race calendar supports consistency, confidence, and sustainable performance
For all things coaching, reach out:
Coach Katie: www.Fuel2Run.com
Coach Justin: www.TabulaRasaRacing.com
Podcast Email: theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com
