For Better Or For Worse

How Much Time Off Should Runners Take After a Race Season?

Your race season is over. Now what? This week on For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis talk about one of the most underrated skills in running: taking time off the right way. Alexis took a break after her first 5K race season and now feels stuck in running’s “no man’s land.” She’s unsure when to start again, how hard to train or what her next goal should be. Alex is on day nine of a full two-week reset after the Valencia Half Marathon. He shares what he’s learned from more than a decade of off-seasons, including every mistake he’s made along the way. This episode is brought to you by ASICS: Sign up for a free OneASICS account over at ASICS.com to get 10% off your first purchase, access to exclusive colorways, free standard shipping, and more! ASICS US: asics.com ASICS CA: asics.com/ca/ ASICS UK: asics.com/uk Have a question for Alex or Alexis? Drop it in the comments. And tell us: are you a listener or a viewer of the pod?

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I Ran a PB in the World’s Deepest Half Marathon | For Better or For Worse From Spain!

Alex Cyr takes on the Valencia Half Marathon, which may be the deepest half marathon field in the world. Recording live from Barcelona, Alex and Alexis break down the whole race weekend. This episode is brought to you by ASICS: Sign up for a free OneASICS account over at ASICS.com to get 10% off your first purchase, access to exclusive colorways, free standard shipping, and more! ASICS US: asics.com ASICS CA: asics.com/ca/ ASICS UK: asics.com/uk

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Biggest Takeaways from my First 5k

Alexis ran her first 5K at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend, and it went better than either of us expected. In Episode 22 of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis go through the race one step at a time to show how Alexis crushed her goal time! This episode is brought to you by ASICS: Sign up for a free OneASICS account over at ASICS.com to get 10% off your first purchase, access to exclusive colorways, free standard shipping, and more! ASICS US: asics.com ASICS CA: asics.com/ca/ ASICS UK: asics.com/uk

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Alexis’ First 5K Race: Pacing Strategy & Race Nerves

Alexis’ first 5K race is five days away, and the nerves have arrived. In this episode of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis go through her race week. They cover how to pace a sub-26 5K, whether to bank time or run even splits, handling a crowded start line with no pacer, and what to do when taper-week self-doubt shows up. This episode is brought to you by ASICS: Sign up for a free OneASICS account over at ASICS.com to get 10% off your first purchase, access to exclusive colorways, free standard shipping, and more! ASICS US: asics.com ASICS CA: asics.com/ca/ ASICS UK: asics.com/uk

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Should You PR in Training? Our "Prove It" Workouts Before Race Day

Episode 20 of For Better or For Worse! Alex and Alexis mark the milestone with a game of Two Truths and a Lie. In training updates, Alex goes way too hard in his "Prove It" workout three weeks before the Valencia Half Marathon. He runs an unofficial 10K personal best of 28:56 in practice, and the two of them debate whether you should ever PR in a workout. Alexis looks back on her 7:09 Bloor Street Mile as her own prove-it moment, starts tapering for her 5K at Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend, and deals with a possible cold two weeks out from race day. Join our Chicago Shakeout Run on 10th Oct: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2002027257420 Tickets for our live show, MILE ZERO presented by Zappos: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marathon-handbook-live-mile-zero-presented-by-zappos-chicago-2026-tickets-2001880670976 TORONTO MILE ZERO LIVE SHOW, 17th Oct: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marathon-handbook-live-mile-zero-toronto-2026-tickets-2002512056467 Join Marathon Handbook's RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook Merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com Send us a question: https://marathonhandbook.com/podcast/ Join our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter/

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I Raced My First Ever Mile (It Didn't Go to Plan)

Alexis has finally raced. Just 26 hours after the first-ever Bloor Street Mile in Toronto, Alexis D'Souza Cyr and Alex Cyr go through her first race, from start to finish: the race-morning nerves, the porta-potty standoff, the imposter syndrome at the start line, and Alex's pacing job (he admits it was bad), which sent her through the first 400m about 20 seconds too fast. She still ran a huge 7:09 mile. Then came track hack. This episode is brought to you by ASICS: Sign up for a free OneASICS account over at ASICS.com to get 10% off your first purchase, access to exclusive colorways, free standard shipping, and more! ASICS US: asics.com ASICS CA: asics.com/ca/ ASICS UK: asics.com/uk Join our Chicago Shakeout Run on 10th Oct: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2002027257420 Tickets for our live show, MILE ZERO presented by Zappos: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marathon-handbook-live-mile-zero-presented-by-zappos-chicago-2026-tickets-2001880670976 Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook Merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com Subscribe to our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter/

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A 14:13 5k for Alex, Alexis Chooses Her 5k Race Pace

On Episode 18 of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis kick things off with the ultimate runner's hypothetical: 300 meters from the finish line, in the lead, and your body betrays you... do you hold the line or take the L? Then it's training-update time: Alex breaks down his Yorkville 5K (14:13, just off the podium) and gets brutally honest about whether his competitiveness has turned into a problem, while Alexis talks through her hardest training week yet and locks in an official 5K goal pace as race day gets close. We close out with a deep dive into Keeley Hodgkinson's head-to-toe 3D-printed Nike speed suit at Aflos London: is it fashion, is it "technological doping," and should it even be legal? Plus a listener question about how (and whether) to combine a honeymoon with a race-cation.

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Should Your Partner Have to Attend Your Races?

On this episode of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis kick things off with a truly disgusting round of "worst first impressions" (snot rockets, projectile vomit, and a barrata tomato incident) before rehashing the real story of their own disastrous first date. Then it's into the training: Alexis tackles a 5x4-minute threshold workout with Alex coaching from the e-bike, followed by an honest check-in on runner burnout as they close in on the Toronto 5K. The big debate of the week: is it "princess treatment" or just bare-minimum support to expect your partner at every race? Plus audience questions on run-walk pacing strategy, the real science behind bee stings, and whether runners should share their training journey on social media at all. Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook Merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com Send us a question: https://marathonhandbook.com/podcast/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter/

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A 97-Mile Week, a Bee Sting, and Should Marathons Have Time Limits?

Alex is coming off the biggest mileage week of his life (97 miles / 154K!) and just signed Alexis up for a surprise race, while Alexis is nursing a bee sting and celebrating a new 5K race-pace PB. Then we get into the big one: should marathons have stricter time cutoffs, or should courses stay open all day for anyone who wants to finish? We debate both sides: city logistics, injuries and disabilities, qualifying standards, and why the media loves a "last place finisher" story a little too much. Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook Merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com Send us a question: https://marathonhandbook.com/podcast/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter/

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We Ranked All 7 World Marathon Majors (Alex Is Back From Sydney)

Alex just landed back in Toronto after covering the Sydney Marathon, and Alexis has news of her own: she signed herself up for her very first race ever, without telling Alex first. They break down what actually makes a marathon a "major," the six-star (now seven-star) finisher medal, Boston's brutal qualifying standards, and then go head-to-head ranking every major from worst to best, with some surprising results. Plus: a stunt-eating segment with duty-free crocodile jerky, training updates (including a brand new 5K PB), and an audience Q&A on how many days a week you actually need to run. Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook Merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com Send us a question: https://marathonhandbook.com/podcast/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter/

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We Play "Kiss, Marry, Kill" (Long Runs vs Workouts vs Easy Runs)

Today, we're playing Kiss, Marry, Kill... running edition. Alex and Alexis each pick which type of run (long run, workout, or easy run) they'd keep forever, marry for life, and never do again. Along the way: Alexis completes her first full week of real training for her October 5K, the two debate whether ultra running is more impressive than a fast 5K, and things get surprisingly sweet when the game turns into a conversation about what actually makes a marriage work. Plus, in this week's His & Hers: is Wiz Khalifa really a runner now, is Harry Styles secretly running marathons dressed as Daddy Pig from Peppa Pig, and are costumed race records (handcuffs, blue jeans, sleeping bags) a fun goal or a weird gimmick? We close out with a tough audience question about whether Alex is truly committed enough to chase a spot on Canada's national team. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex.is.pod/

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I DNF'd My World Championships Qualifier... Here's What I Learned

Alex heads to Edmonton for the Canadian Half Marathon Championships with one goal: run fast enough to punch his ticket to the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen. What actually happens is a start-line scare over recording gear, a rough patch at 5K, and a DNF at 6K after throwing up twice on the course. In this episode, Alex gives Alexis (and you) the full, unfiltered "word vomit" recap recorded just 24 hours after the race: the good, the bad, and the humbling. Along the way there's a chance airport run-in with Canadian Olympian Cam Levins that completely resets Alex's perspective on what it actually takes to be mentally tough at the top of the sport. Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Subscribe to our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter/

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Building a Sub-27 5K Plan: Can a Husband Coach His Wife?

In this episode of For Better or For Worse, Alex walks Alexis (and you) through the 10-week beginner 5K training plan he built her from scratch, easy pace vs. threshold pace vs. race pace, how many days a week she should actually run, strength training, warm-ups, heart rate zones vs. running by feel, and why a 5K plan somehow includes a 10K long run. Alexis pushes back on almost all of it, they debate whether women handle pain differently than men, Alex recounts a terrifying anaphylactic ER story, and they close out with a heated take on race bandits after a viral clip of a 70-year-old runner getting taken down by a race marshal in Mexico. If you're training for your first 5K, trying to understand easy pace vs. threshold pace vs. race pace, or just enjoy watching a married couple try (and sometimes fail) to talk running strategy without it turning into a marriage counseling session... this one's for you. Chapters: 0:00 Is Summer Already Over? 5:31 Alex's Birthday & the Fall Training Reveal 7:52 Recap: Alexis's 5K Time Trial (28:53) 9:53 Breaking Down Alexis's First-Ever Training Plan 12:32 The 3 Key Paces: Easy, Threshold & Race Pace 17:45 How Many Days a Week Should Beginners Run? 20:15 What Should Race Pace Actually Feel Like? 22:33 Alex's "Coaching Credentials" 23:29 Strength Training for Runners, Explained 24:16 Do You Need an Accountability Partner? 26:43 Why Warm-Ups & Cool-Downs Matter 29:00 Turning the Plan Into a Color-Coded Tracker 30:08 Why a 5K Plan Includes a 10K Long Run 32:54 Heart Rate Zones vs. Running by Feel 35:22 Do Men and Women Handle Pain Differently? 37:08 Alex's Terrifying Anaphylactic Shock Story 39:12 Ranking the Most Important Run Days 41:32 Why Alex Trains on the Treadmill (Even in Summer) 43:26 Reading Comments: How Fast Can Alexis Go? 46:09 Is Race Banditing Ever Justified? 48:29 The Viral "Don Jose" Race Cop Video 51:44 Facial Recognition, Privacy & the Future of Racing 55:51 Fan Q&A: Marathon Major Guilt 55:55 "You Said You'd NEVER Let Him Coach You" 57:37 Up Next: Canadian Half Marathon Championship Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook Merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com

Her First 5K Time Trial Shocked Us Both | For Better or For Worse

Alexis just ran her first-ever 5K time trial and blew past everyone's predictions with a 28:53. In this episode of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis break down the splits, the pre-race chaos (forgotten cameras, a Diet Pepsi "fueling strategy," and a rookie pacing mistake), and what it revealed about how hard Alexis can actually push. Then the big reveal... Alexis is officially racing her first 5K at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon Weekend this October, and Alex is building her a 12-week training plan on air. Chapters: 0:00 Intro — is Alexis getting "super shoe curious"? 1:16 The Borat relationship test 3:46 Nike x Skims running unitard: honest review 8:30 Alexis reveals her 5K time trial result 10:30 Breaking down the splits (and the pacing mistake) 19:22 Biggest lessons — and filming fails — from the time trial 23:34 Super shoes, shoe choice, and attire mistakes 24:49 BIG NEWS: Alexis's first 5K race announced (Toronto Waterfront Marathon Weekend) 29:09 Alexis's first running injury — a shin splint scare 34:52 Alexis is officiating a wedding + the celebrity officiant game 39:09 Alex's secret Canadian Half Marathon Championship build-up 43:32 Answering your comments and questions 47:00 Outro

How to Pace Your First 5K Time Trial

Alexis is running her first-ever 5K time trial and the whole Marathon Handbook crew is showing up to document it. In this episode of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis break down exactly how a beginner runner should prepare for a race-pace effort: pre-race fueling, sleep, shoe choice, and a full pacing strategy to chase a sub-30-minute (and maybe sub-29!) 5K. Plus: weird interactions on the run, the headphones-or-not debate, an update on Alex's build toward the Canadian Half Marathon Championships, and a listener Q&A on getting your partner into running. Chapters: 0:00 Intro: setting the "annoying pacer" ground rules 0:59 Welcome to For Better or For Worse 1:15 Weirdest run interactions: cat calls & a street preacher 7:57 Headphones on the run: yes or no? 11:31 Today's topic: Alexis's first 5K time trial 13:22 What actually is a "time trial"? 15:36 The plan: the MH crew descends on Toronto Beaches 17:34 Alexis walks through her full pre-race routine 21:31 Sleep, rituals, and pre-race nerves 25:40 Race morning fueling and timing 29:00 Shoe rotation: Asics, Saucony, or Hoka? 30:13 Building Alexis's pacing strategy 33:11 Why even pacing beats a fast start 38:53 New challenge: sub-30 to sub-29 42:45 Alex plans how to be the "annoying" pacer 45:33 Alex's training update: 150km week & marathoner hunger 48:48 Prepping for the Canadian Half Marathon Championships 49:38 Balancing wedding season with marathon training 55:00 Listener Q&A: getting your partner into running 1:02:32 Comment section: the ice cream fueling debate 1:04:10 Karaoke song picks for Alex's bachelor party 1:09:00 Wrap-up: predict Alexis's 5K time Subscribe to our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter/ Join Marathon Handbook’s RunClub for access to our members-only podcast, training plans, community rooms, merch and more: https://marathonhandbook.com/runclub Shop Marathon Handbook merch: https://store.marathonhandbook.com

Post-Wedding Running Motivation & Our Fall Half Marathon Plans!

What happens to your running motivation after a huge life event? We got married a few weeks ago, and while Alex went straight back into his toughest training block ever, Alexis hit a full week of "bride blues" and zero desire to run. We break down why that split happened, whether running couples should target the same race season, and what's next for both of us. Chapters: 0:00 Cold Open 0:51 Welcome to For Better or For Worse 1:18 Old Man Breakfast Roast 1:54 Hiding in the Bathroom for Josh Kerr's Mile 5:37 Breaking Down the New Mile World Record (3:42.66) 7:33 Today's Topic: Two Versions of Post-Wedding Running 9:25 Alexis's "Bride Blues" and Missing Motivation 12:24 What Are "Bride Blues"? 14:20 Should Running Couples Race the Same Season? 19:06 Alex's Fall Plan: Chasing a Lifetime-Best Half Marathon 21:53 The Chase for a Team Canada Worlds Spot 23:30 Inside Alex's Toughest Training Block Ever 24:29 Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation 29:16 Why Valencia? Picking a "Business Trip" Race 31:51 The Half Marathon "Golden Ticket" Into Major Marathons 36:46 Wedding Crashers Update 38:34 His vs. Hers: Pregnant Mile Record vs. Marathon PR 45:09 Listener Story: Betty & Chaz 48:10 Shoe Talk & Upcoming Reviews 49:51 Outro

Our Wedding Recap! a 5K, Burnt Veil, and Wedding Crashers

After 8 episodes of wedding-season training talk, Alex and Alexis are officially married! In this episode of For Better or For Worse, the running couple breaks down their entire wedding week in Prince Edward Island: a 16-act talent show, a surprise 5K run for 90 guests, a burnt wedding veil, an unexpected blessing from the Pope, and six uninvited wedding crashers. They also cover how they each balanced training with wedding week chaos, share their Rose & Thorn moments, debate whether crashing a wedding is ever okay, and answer a listener question on training by heart rate vs. pace. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:30 Is Alexis changing her name? 2:04 Wedding Week Recap Begins 3:22 Are We Happy We're Married? 5:06 Wednesday: Guests Arrive in Charlottetown 6:08 Alex's Acadian Hometown Tour 8:58 The Wedding Talent Show (16 Acts) 14:15 We Hosted a 5K at Our Wedding 19:33 Why We Had a Big Wedding 20:33 The Wedding Veil Disaster 23:36 Walking Down the Aisle & The Vows 26:10 Blessed By the Pope? 28:14 Rose & Thorn: The Handmade Wedding Ship 31:04 Rose & Thorn: The Hotel Breakfast Fiasco 33:11 Rose & Thorn: Best Day of My Life 35:11 Alexis's Biggest Mileage Week Ever 36:43 Turning a Wedding Into a Fitness Goal 38:08 Finding Your Running "Goldilocks Zone" 40:46 Skipping Double Runs on Wedding Week 42:13 Turning Down a 32K Run Pre-Wedding 43:33 Homework: Finding New Motivation 45:03 Homework: Weekly Date Nights 46:30 His or Her Debate: Are Wedding Crashers OK? 53:00 Listener Q&A: Heart Rate vs. Pace Training 56:57 Outro Follow along: Instagram: @alex.is.pod marathonhandbook.com Got a question for the show? Drop it in the comments!

It's Been 6 Months... Alexis' 6 Running Lessons | For Better or For Worse

We're recording from Prince Edward Island, Alex's childhood home and the site of our wedding in ONE WEEK! Alex walks Alexis through 6 key categories every new runner struggles with: building mileage, nutrition, run intensity, Strava and the social pressure of running, sticking to a routine, and running with friends. The answers are honest, sometimes surprising, and genuinely useful for anyone who's just getting started. We also read listener comments, discuss the viral reel of a girlfriend who secretly trained for a half marathon without her runner boyfriend noticing, and tease what's coming next week (hint: a wedding 5K).

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Should You Run at Your Bachelor Party? + AI Coaches & Can Runners Dance?

We're two days out of our bachelor and bachelorette parties and Alex ran through his. Every morning. Hungover. Was that crazy, or completely reasonable? Alexis has strong thoughts, and you get to decide who's right in our new "His or Hers" segment.This week on For Better or For Worse, Alex Cyr and Alexis D'Souza get into it about running on big life days, how to stay motivated when your next race is four months away, whether AI coaches are going to replace human ones and why Alex is convinced that distance runners physically cannot dance.Chapters:0:00 – Cold open: the AI coach question0:48 – Welcome to For Better or For Worse1:08 – First solo episode (no videographer)2:17 – Bachelor & bachelorette party highlights6:09 – The Goan Ros ceremony: coconut milk, blessings & a rogue beer10:11 – His or Hers: should you run on your bachelor party?15:04 – Alexis's case for designing your own celebration18:06 – Alexis runs with a friend for the first time19:00 – Motivation check-in: two runners, opposite problems24:51 – Alex's mid-season motivation crisis (19 weeks to Valencia)26:11 – The fix: sign up for more races & the Buffalo proposal31:18 – AI running coaches: hot or not?33:27 – Alexis would go AI first, human coach second37:44 – What happens when your run goes wrong — human vs. AI42:05 – Should we try an AI-assisted training plan?44:45 – Homework review: Alexis's longest run & Alex's wedding planning grade47:11 – New homework: Alex must learn to dance48:18 – The slow-twitch theory: why runners can't dance53:32 – Could Rory Linkletter do the worm? A serious discussion55:36 – Alexis's big running milestone: out of clean kit56:51 – Wedding 5K in PEI + what's coming next

Alex FAINTED at a Dinner, Got 5 Stitches & Raced a National Championship

Alex and Alexis are back, and this might be their most chaotic week yet. Alex face-plants at a sushi restaurant two days before racing the Canadian 10K Championships in Ottawa, then has a close encounter with Hell's Angels on the highway. Somehow, he still finishes 7th... his best-ever national championship result. Chapters:0:00 Cold Open — Fight or Flight 1:00 Welcome to For Better or For Worse 2:00 The Week That Was 5:47 Alex Faints at a Sushi Restaurant (ER Visit) 14:16 Hell's Angels on the Highway 17:34 Ottawa Race Weekend — Canadian 10K Championships 21:43 Should Partners Attend Race Weekends? 29:00 Alexis's Running Update 30:07 Finding the Runner's High 33:23 Running Neurosis & the Mileage Plateau 36:30 Homework: The Long Run 40:52 Wedding Planning Check-In 43:29 Mutual Homework Assignments 47:09 Hot or Not: Running Posture 51:49 Hot or Not: The Enhanced Games (Doped Olympics) 1:00:14 Plugs & Outro