5 Emerging Running Trends for 2026
Here is a quick look at five key running trends that will emerge in 2026 based on what we saw at The Running Event trade show.
Every runner inevitably experiences the dreaded “bad workout” day. You wake up feeling tired and heavy, or you get out on your run and your legs just feel flat. Maybe environmental factors like heat, wind, or rain make your prescribed workout feel much more difficult than normal. Maybe you’re stressed about work. Or just don’t feel like training. Whatever the reason, we’ve all been there.
These bad workout days leave you with a decision to make: Do you push through the workout as planned or adjust on the fly? Making the right call can be tricky, but learning how to handle these situations can make a big difference in both your performance and your overall health as an athlete.
The first step is identifying when you’re having an off day in the first place. As much as we wish we could perform at peak levels every time we lace up our shoes, the reality is that is not possible. Our bodies are complex organisms, and many factors influence how we feel on any given day, including:
Pay attention to the signals. Are your legs unusually heavy and slow to get moving? Is your breathing more labored than normal at easy paces? Do you feel yourself struggling earlier in the workout and at lower intensities? Take those signs seriously and adjust accordingly.
Once you confirm you’re having an off day, you have three basic options:
The best option depends primarily on your event focus.
Adjusting pace tends to work best for longer event specialists. The specific pace matters less than completing the workout at the right effort level. As long as you are hitting appropriate physiological intensities, your body will still reap the benefits of training.
Be willing to slow down your paces by 2–6%, depending on how compromised you feel (see table below for guidelines). Avoid the temptation to gut out the bad workout at the prescribed pace when your body is begging you to back off.
Maintaining speed and pace becomes more important the shorter the race distance. For middle-distance track athletes or 5K racers, preserving quality and avoiding additional fatigue may make more sense.
In this case, consider cutting back on the overall volume and reps in the workout while still hitting the prescribed paces. A workout of 6 x 800 m at 5K pace becomes 4 x 800 at 5K pace. You shorten the workout to protect intensity while reducing fatigue.
Use these targets to slow down paces conservatively based on how compromised you feel:
| Feeling | Description | Pace Adjustment |
| A Little Off | Legs just feel “flat.” | -2.5% |
| Heavy Legs | Noticeably lacking pop and snap | -4% |
| Slow & Tired | Really struggling/dead legs | -6% |
| Very Bad | On verge of injury/illness | Bag the bad workout |
Occasionally, even adjusting or shortening the workout still feels too taxing. Listen to your body. Pushing excessively hard into fatigue can easily overtrain you and set you back for days.
Red flags to suggest calling off the bad workout entirely:
In these situations, stop the bad workout. Either cross-train easily for a short session or take a complete rest day instead.
Learning to adjust workouts effectively takes experience and trusting your intuition. Keep these tips in mind:
Not every workout will go perfectly, but by making smart adjustments, you can often still get training value out of even bad workout days. Just be willing to adapt on the fly.
Great question! It’s important to distinguish between a genuine off-day and simply lacking motivation. Pay attention to physical cues like unusually heavy legs, labored breathing at leisurely paces, or struggling earlier than normal in your workout. These are indications of a truly off day. On the other hand, if you’re just feeling unmotivated but your body feels fine once you get moving, it might be more of a mental hurdle. I’ve found that starting the workout and giving it 10–15 minutes often helps me differentiate between the two.
The answer depends on your specific situation, but in general, adjusting your plan is often the smarter choice. Pushing through at all costs can lead to overtraining or injury. I’ve learned the difficult way that it’s better to be flexible and make strategic adjustments. For longer-distance runners, slowing your pace by 2–6% (based on how you feel) can help you complete the workout while still getting the benefits. For shorter-distance runners, maintaining pace but reducing volume might be more appropriate. Remember, one adjusted workout won’t derail your training, but an injury from pushing too hard certainly can!
Great question! The article provides a handy guideline for pace adjustments:
I’ve found these guidelines to be pretty spot-on in my own training. Just remember to listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
There are definitely times when it’s best to completely bail on a workout. Based on my personal experience and as mentioned in the article, there are several red flags to consider.
In these cases, it’s much better to take a rest day or do some light cross-training instead. Your long-term health and training are more important than any single workout!
That’s a wonderful point to bring up! It’s all about balance and honesty with yourself. Here are a few strategies I use:
Remember, the goal is to be a consistent, healthy runner over time, not to crush every single workout!
For More Expert Training Guidance: Training Plans Powered by McMillan Running
Called one of the best and smartest distance running coaches in America by Runner’s World, Greg McMillan is renowned for his ability to combine the science of endurance performance with the art of real-world coaching. While getting his graduate degree in Exercise Science he created the ever-popular McMillan Running Calculator–called “The Best Running Calculator” by Outside Magazine. A National Champion runner himself, Greg coaches runners from beginners to Boston Qualifiers (15,000+ and counting!) to Olympians.
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