1. March: A Reopening Rather Than a Start
There's something special about the air in March. Winter isn't truly over — mornings are still cool, days are still hesitant — but something is awakening. Running shoes have been sitting by the door for a few weeks, silent, waiting for the right moment.
That moment is now. But be careful: resuming running after two or three months of slowdown is not like pressing a button. It's more like turning a key in a slightly rusty lock. Gently. With intention.
March invites us to a reopening. Not a reset, not a performance to catch up on, not a season to complete. Just a return to self, to rhythm, to breath. And for that, you have to start by listening to what your body has to say.
2. Rediscovering Your Senses: Breathing, Calves, and Patience
The first strides in March rarely feel as hoped. Your breath goes quickly, faster than you remember. Your calves — those faithful companions — express their surprise from the first kilometer. Your hips need a little time to open up. And your head, it already wants to be five kilometers away when your body is only at the first.
This is normal. It's even healthy. This discrepancy between inner momentum and physical reality is an invitation to slow down, to observe, to feel. Winter doesn't erase a runner's memory; it puts it to sleep. March's job is a gradual awakening.
Breathing, in particular, deserves full attention. If you can hold a conversation out loud without getting out of breath, you're at the right pace. If you're panting after two minutes, that's a sign to slow down — not out of guilt, just information.
Your calves need time. After several weeks without regular strides, your Achilles tendons and calf muscles are less flexible, less accustomed to the repetitive stresses of running. Gentle stretching after exercise, gradual cool-down, and hydration: these are the three allies during this transition period.
3. Gradual Resumption, Without Pressure
The temptation is great to want to regain in two weeks what you had in November. That's a sure recipe for injury or discouragement. Progressiveness, at this time of year, is not a weakness: it's a strategy.
Here are some simple principles for a sensible resumption:
- Start with short outings. Twenty to thirty minutes are enough for the first few weeks. The goal is not distance, but regularity.
- Alternate walking and running if necessary. The run-walk — run two minutes, walk one — is not just for beginners. It's a powerful tool to spare your joints while getting your engine started again.
- Run by perceived effort, not by the clock. Leave your watch in the closet for a few weeks. Let your body set the pace, not the app.
- Allow at least one day of recovery between two outings. The body gets stronger during rest, not during effort.
- Increase volume gradually. A classic rule: do not increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% from one week to the next.
And most importantly, remember that the March resumption prepares you for summer. There's no rush. Spring is long.
4. Three Routes for a Gentle Start
For the resumption to be a pleasure before it becomes a discipline, the choice of route matters. Here are three ideal itineraries for these first few weeks, designed to be as invigorating as they are respectful of your pace.
The Seaside at Sunrise
There's something profoundly re-setting about an outing by the Mediterranean when the sun is just rising. The air is still fresh, crisp, charged with iodine. The Corniche promenade, between the Old Port and the Prado beach, offers a flat and regular surface, ideal for a resumption without elevation constraints.
Go light. No timer, no speed goal. Watch the light change on the water. Let the sound of the waves regulate your breathing. A thirty-minute round trip is enough to start — and you'll want to come back.
Borély Park During the Week
During the week, Borély Park regains its tranquility. The shaded paths, the lake, the lawns still damp from the night: it's an almost rural setting in the heart of the city. The full loop of the park is about two and a half kilometers, perfect for two or three laps at a gentle pace.
This route is particularly recommended if your knees or hips are still a bit stiff: the dirt paths absorb shocks better than asphalt, and the flat topography protects the tendons stressed at the start of a resumption.
As a bonus, a stop by the lake for some stretches in the morning sun transforms the outing into a ritual rather than an obligation.
The First Climbs Towards Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde
For those who feel ready to go a little further, the narrow streets that climb towards the "Bonne Mère" (Good Mother) provide a good introduction to hill training. No need to go all the way to the top on the first outing: the first switchbacks from the Cours Julien district or from Rue d'Endoume are enough to wake up the glutes and quadriceps.
Climb slowly, without forcing it. On a hill, perceived effort naturally increases — that's normal. Walk if necessary. The important thing is to feel the elevation without fighting against it. And the view, at the summit, is a reward that requires no stopwatch.
5. One Watchword: Listen
Returning to running after winter is not a performance. It's a dialogue. A dialogue between your intentions and your body, between your runner's memory and your March reality. The more you know how to listen — to the pain that warns, the breath that asks, the calf that hesitates — the faster you'll rediscover the simple pleasure of running without thinking.
This listening is what distinguishes the runner who lasts over time from the one who gets injured by trying to go too fast. It's not an innate talent. It's a habit that you cultivate, stride after stride.
So, lace up. Go out. Go gently. And let March do its work.
Next week: preparing for long April runs — pace, nutrition, and hydration.
