Are You Training Harder, or Smarter for the Dallas BMW Marathon?
Every runner training for the BMW Dallas Marathon is logging more miles, tracking splits, and chasing PRs.
But one question few ask is:
“Am I programming my training in a way that helps my body adapt, rather than break down?”
That’s where the concept of macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles comes in.
At North Dallas Physical Therapy, we help runners understand the science of how the body adapts, and how to move efficiently through each phase. It’s what we call the Body-to-Run Connection: linking your movement quality to your running performance.
Understanding Training Phases: Macrocycle, Mesocycle, and Microcycle
Even if you’re following a marathon plan, it’s easy to lose sight of how it’s structured, and what your body needs in each phase.
Macrocycle: The Big Picture
Your macrocycle is the entire season. It outlines your long-term goal: finishing strong, setting a PR, or staying healthy throughout the training cycle.
Mesocycle: The Building Blocks
Each mesocycle lasts about 3–6 weeks and focuses on a specific goal, like base building, speed work, or tapering. This is where the right balance between training load and recovery matters most. Most of the time you see your “offseason program and or pre-season program in this phase of training."
Microcycle: The Weekly Plan
Your microcycles are your week-to-week schedules, the day-by-day details. This is where runners often overdo it by stacking too much intensity and not enough recovery.
When these cycles are programmed correctly, your body adapts. When they’re not, pain and fatigue creep in.
Our Body-to-Run Connection Assessment ensures your body is ready for each training phase, by identifying mobility, stability, or movement limitations that can derail progress.
📅 Book Your 60-Minute Body-to-Run Connection Assessment
Pain and Performance: What We Actually Look For
Pain during marathon prep isn’t “just part of the process.” It’s information, and your body’s way of signaling inefficiency.
We use two evidence-based tools to uncover the why behind your pain or limitation:
🟢 Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
For runners not currently in pain, the FMS identifies movement patterns that could become future injury risks. Think of it as a performance diagnostic that helps you train smarter before problems start.
🔴 Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)
For runners with current pain, the SFMA digs deeper to find the root cause, not just the symptom. Knee pain might originate from hip or ankle dysfunction. The SFMA helps connect those dots.
Together with our running analysis, we can see exactly how these patterns show up in your stride and design a plan that keeps you running strong.
Simple Tip: Improve Your Cadence for a Healthier Stride
One of the easiest changes you can make is improving your running cadence, the number of steps you take per minute.
Many runners we assess take long, slow strides that increase ground impact and stress on the knees and hips.
Our goal is to help you gradually increase cadence toward at least 170.
Here’s an easy way to start:
Increase your cadence by just 2 beats per minute per week until you’re close to that target.
This simple tweak reduces ground contact time, improves efficiency, and decreases injury risk.
We’ve seen countless runners perform pain-free by making this one change, even just after the evaluation..yes you heard me right. That’s one visit making them pain-free in running!
Ready to See How Your Body and Run Connect?
Whether you’re ramping up mileage or managing tightness, your body’s movement quality determines how far and how fast you can go.
Our 60-minute Body-to-Run Connection Assessment combines:
- 🎥 running analysis
- 🧠 Functional or Selective Movement Screen
- 💪 Personalized movement and training plan
You’ll leave with clear insight into what your body needs to train smarter, recover better, and run pain-free.
Want to know what it's like training with us?
📅 Book Your 60-Minute Body-to-Run Connection Assessment
📍 North Dallas Physical Therapy, located inside Athletic Republic North Dallas
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Low Back Pain Program (8 week)
Are you tired of dealing with nagging low back pain? Our 8-week program is designed to help you regain control and confidence in your movement. We start with the essentials, focusing on neutral spine foundational exercises that target painful movement, enhance mobility, and build core stability.
As you progress, we'll guide you into dynamic movement patterns and capacity training, preparing your body for a safe return to weight room activities. Whether you're looking to get back to the gym or simply move through life without discomfort, this program is your path to a stronger, pain-free back.
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