New fall running goals? Jump into Barilla Protein+’s No Penne No Gain Challenge

September: the real kickoff to the season

September back-to-school season is the real deal. It’s when sports clubs and teams truly restart. Unlike January resolutions, it tends to stick. And for most runners, it’s the moment you decide to get serious again. Summer has settled one thing for everyone: vacations are great, but pinning on a bib is better. Time to talk goals and training plans, whether it’s 5K, half marathon, or marathon.

Anyone racing Berlin probably regrets grinding through an all-summer build while their friends were sipping cocktails on the beach. But those efforts will pay off soon under the Brandenburg Gate. No pain, no gain... For everyone else, after a few weeks off, the body got a breather and the head did too. Now it’s about using that fresh energy and reset mindset to ease back in.

Barilla Protein+’s No Penne No Gain Challenge: the perfect way to get back into it

First tip: don’t count too much on motivation, it disappears as fast as it shows up. But you can count on Barilla for your first target of the season. For one month, the brand is running the No Penne No Gain Challenge. The idea is simple: complete 10 physical activities on Strava, whatever your level or sport. Participants can then enter a prize draw to win exclusive goodies, including a pair of adidas shoes and Barilla products.

© Barilla

© Barilla

A progressive plan to rebuild on solid ground

Want a structured plan while you take on No Penne No Gain? Totally doable. And good news: you don’t need Jimmy Gressier’s schedule to get back in shape. We’ll spare you the 180 km weeks and “easy” runs at 3:20/km. Three to four sessions a week is plenty to get things rolling again, as long as you build gradually over three to four weeks. So don’t overdo it. That’s the classic September trap: too hard, too fast, too soon. Accept that your peak form has faded and don’t try to claw everything back at once: volume, speed, the “clean living” routine, all of it. And don’t compare yourself to your friends on Strava... Even if the workouts go well, don’t run them in the red or ramp volume too quickly. That’s the fastest way to stack up lingering fatigue and (already) invite injury. Running is a patience game. Seasoned runners know it: a few weeks is enough to rebuild a solid base and get back to your level.

An easy return run in Zone 2. The goal is consistency, not pace: a gentle cardio and mechanical stimulus without chasing speed. It’s the no-stress session, and it often makes up 70 to 80% of a runner’s weekly training.

Short hill reps or light intervals. Instead of diving straight back into hard track work, go for short, controlled efforts to reintroduce faster running without piling on muscle damage. A solid comeback session: 8 x 1 minute at 10K pace, or 12 x 2 minutes at half marathon pace, with 1 minute easy jog recovery between reps.

A long run, but keep it reasonable. Somewhere between 50 minutes and 1 hour, at a pace a touch more honest than true easy. The point is to get your legs used to longer time-on-feet again, without obsessing over mileage. Distance will naturally build as the season goes on.

Why protein matters on a runner’s plate

Getting back to training also means putting nutrition back at the center of the game. Summer often comes with a few excesses, which is only human. But from September on, it can be worth tightening up your routine. That usually means fewer BBQs and aperitifs, and yes, the first couple of weeks can be a mental battle. Just don’t swing too far the other way. The goal isn’t restriction. We all know carbs are still priority number one for endurance athletes: they’re the main fuel reserve during effort. Eating enough carbs is non-negotiable before training. But there’s another nutrient that deserves extra attention when you’re rebuilding: protein.

Too often, protein is still seen as a bodybuilding, mass-gain thing. Recent science paints a different picture for endurance sports. A 2024 meta-analysis (28 randomized trials, 373 athletes) looked at the real impact of higher protein intake on performance. Overall, no significant improvement was found. But when endurance disciplines were analyzed on their own, protein showed a statistically significant effect, particularly on muscle glycogen, a runner’s energy reserve. The most interesting part is methodological: protocols combining protein and carbs show a meaningful performance benefit in endurance, while high protein alone, without carbs, doesn’t deliver the same effect.

And that’s exactly what a comeback phase is: the body rebuilding. Muscles are getting loaded again, recovery needs to be dialed, and your food routine has to find its way back after a summer that may have left a couple extra kilos. Pairing protein and carbs on the plate is a smart move for endurance athletes, and a real lever to restart on the right foot.

© Barilla

Boost your protein intake with Barilla PROTEIN+

Eating protein is one thing. Eating enough of it is the hard part. For runners getting back into routine, the Barilla PROTEIN+ range is a game-changer: an easy way to bump protein intake without turning meals into a project, and without adding stress to an already packed schedule between work, school runs, and training. For athletes, it also means you don’t have to go full Top Chef to eat well.

Clear labeling and simple recipes are big wins, too. The products contain just two ingredients: carefully selected durum wheat semolina and pea protein, for a 100% plant-based boost. The bronze-die process keeps the rough texture that defines Barilla’s new range. The authentic taste is still there, just with extra protein this time. What more could you ask for?

➜ Find all the details on the Barilla PROTEIN+ range on the official website: Barilla.com.
➜ Join the No Penne No Gain Challenge by Barilla Protein+ on Strava.