Running During the Holidays: A Flexible Weekly Plan to Stay Consistent This Christmas

We are properly into mid-December now, and if your week is anything like mine, it is a mix of family catch-ups, last-minute errands, maybe some travel, and a few extra treats along the way.

You probably still want to run, but the idea of sticking to a normal schedule feels unrealistic, and the thought of skipping everything until January feels worse.

I have been in this exact spot plenty of times. Last year, a family trip completely disrupted my usual running routine - it always does.

I could have written the week off, but instead I strung together a handful of short, low-pressure runs. Nothing heroic, just enough to keep the habit alive and ensure my Strava weekly mileage never says '0 km'.

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The payoff was huge, I started the new year already feeling like a runner, rather than someone rebuilding from scratch.

That is the aim for the next couple of weeks; protect your consistency without adding pressure, and accept that the runs might be shorter, slower, or fewer than usual.

A 25-minute easy jog still counts, the goal is simply to finish the week feeling connected to your running, not guilty about not doing it.

A Few Guiding Principles for Holiday Weeks

These are the rules I come back to whenever life gets chaotic, which it inevitably does around this time of year.

• Run by feel, not by numbers. If your watch is asking for paces that feel impossible after a late night or a large meal, just ignore it completely, and get some base miles in.
• Short and frequent is better than long and missed. Three quick runs protect momentum far more than one ambitious session that never happens.
• Build in proper rest days without apology, take at least two full off days this week, recovery is part of consistency.
• You'll need to adjust things when your usual routine falls apart. Traveling? A hotel treadmill or a quick out-and-back is perfectly fine. Extra food or drinks? Expect heavier legs and dial the effort down.
• There's no need for breakthrough workouts; these are not the weeks for speed or volume PRs. Save that energy for January.

Three Flexible Frameworks - Choose What Actually Fits

I have laid out three options based on how much time and energy you realistically have. Feel free to mix elements or tweak as the week unfolds.