Hit Breakpoint Volume? Train Less or Recover Better
As volume ⬆️... fitness (pace for a given HR) should ⬆️ When this stops being the case, you've hit breakpoint volume. You have 2 options at that point: 1/ Train less. 2/ Recover better.
Race Specialty Dictates Training Focus: Sprinters vs Distance
Thanks @lupinrider 🙏 I think the races/events that the athlete is good at offers a lot of info - both on how they should train late in the build and what race they should be focused on at the end of...
Volume Sets Your Performance Ceiling, Not Sharpening
I agree with @zbitter - this is how it should be done... 1/ Build volume (6+ mo) 2/ Sharpen for a race (2-4 mo) 3/ Recover (1-2 mo) 4/ Build to a higher volume. The problem comes when time-limited athletes stop at phase 2 and...
Increase Training Volume for Sustainable Performance Gains
Your training volume sets your performance limit. Sure you can do intervals for a couple of months to get a temporary boost. But, for lasting, sustained improvement, the only way forward is to figure out how you can do (and absorb) more.
Tailor Your Training: Athlete Types Guide Updated
Updated my latest article on "What Type of Athlete Are You?" I wasn’t satisfied with just explaining the athlete types… So I added a NEW section on how to actually adjust training for each one... - What to emphasize through the season - How...
Consistent Easy Miles Beat Intervals for 5K Success
I dunno, man... If you're say a 20 minute 5K runner doing 30mi/wk w/ 2 specific interval workouts/wk. You drop the interval workouts for a year and commit to building to consistent 60mi/wk of *only* easy miles plus strides. Then run a...
Nature Syncs Our Heart Rhythm, Boosting Health
Something we overlook… Our body is constantly syncing with our environment. Every time I’m by the ocean, my #HRV starts to mirror the waves. Maybe better health isn’t another intervention… Maybe it’s reconnecting with nature. 🌊 https://t.co/x5xbhjlner
No Speed Without Mileage: Denial Won’t Boost 5Ks
Thinking you can run fast in anything 5k or more without putting in serious time/mileage is bathing in a river called denial.
90% of Fitness Gains Come From Pure Base Work
(Sadly) leaving ice cream metaphors behind, the number is ~90/10. That is, you'll get ~90% of your fitness potential from pure base *work* (sub LT1) You'll get ~10% by adding "the fancy stuff" More concretely, your typical runner with the potential to run...
Your Training Plan Should Fit You, Not Be Universal
The right training plan is like the right relationship… There’s no universally “perfect” one. There’s just the one that perfectly fits you.
Amateurs Train by Time, Pros Train by Calories
The key question for an amateur endurance athlete: "How much time do you have to train?" The key question for a professional endurance athlete: "How much food can you eat?"
No Such “Magic” Workout Ratios—Just Personal Preference
If you believe in & want to argue for "magic workouts"... Like 45/15 is somehow special & universally superior to 30/30 or 20/40 or 15/45 or 180/180 or 3000/300 or any other possible interval permutation... Please let me know so I...
Monitor Heart Rate: Ignoring It Leads to Bad Outcomes
This is exactly why you *should* pay attention to heart rate. A lot of variables beyond the pace/power you're pushing go into the mix to determine physiological stress at any point in time. You can't ignore those variables. I mean, you can, but...
Lower Resting Heart Rate Lets You Work Harder
One thing I like about a fixed HR cap... It naturally grows with your fitness. 120 bpm is a much higher relative effort for someone with a resting heart rate of 40bpm, than it is for someone with a resting heart rate...
Walking Reduces Calorie, Hydration, and Heat Limits
95% Calories, fluid & heat management are 3 of the biggest limiters to marathon performance. All go down a lot easier when walking.