Training
55 articles
TrainingSeptember 1, 2026 · 9 MIN
Bodyweight Strength Training for Endurance Athletes: No Gym Required
Strength training improves running economy by 2–8% and reduces injury risk by up to 50%. This complete bodyweight programme delivers those benefits anywhere — hotel room, park, or living room — with zero equipment.
TrainingAugust 31, 2026 · 8 MIN
Ankle Sprain Prevention for Trail Runners: Evidence-Based Stability Training
Trail running ankle sprains account for up to 30% of all trail injuries. Build lateral stability with proprioception drills, targeted strengthening, and smart terrain strategies to stay injury-free on technical trails.
TrainingAugust 31, 2026 · 9 MIN
The 10 Most Common Beginner Triathlon Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Up to 40% of sprint triathlon DNFs stem from preventable nutrition and pacing errors. Avoid these ten beginner mistakes to finish your first triathlon strong and set a foundation for future races.
TrainingAugust 30, 2026 · 9 MIN
Cold Weather Warm-Up Protocols for Injury Prevention
Injury rates increase 20-30% in cold months. Cold muscles are stiffer, less elastic, and slower to respond — and your warm-up needs to reflect that. Here is the extended protocol for training below 10 degrees C.
TrainingAugust 29, 2026 · 10 MIN
Training Around Your Menstrual Cycle: When to Push and When to Rest
Performance can vary by 5-15% across the menstrual cycle. Understanding the four phases — and what each one means for your training — lets you work with your biology instead of against it.
TrainingAugust 27, 2026 · 10 MIN
Sprint Interval Training (SIT) for Endurance Athletes
Sprint interval training delivers similar VO2max adaptations in one-fifth of the time of traditional steady-state cardio. Here's the physiology, optimal protocols, and how to integrate SIT into a polarised endurance plan without burning out.
TrainingAugust 24, 2026 · 8 MIN
Gravel Cycling Training and Nutrition: How to Prepare for Long Off-Road Events
Gravel cycling demands 15-25% more energy than road riding at the same speed due to rolling resistance, vibration dampening, and upper body engagement. This guide covers training specificity, self-supported nutrition strategies, and pacing for long off-road events.
RecoveryAugust 23, 2026 · 11 MIN
Circadian Rhythm and Athletic Performance: When to Train for Maximum Gains
Your body temperature peaks at 4-6 PM, correlating with peak power output, reaction time, and VO2max. Learn how to align training with your circadian biology for measurable performance gains.
TrainingAugust 22, 2026 · 11 MIN
Essential Swim Drills for Triathletes: Build Speed Without Wasting Energy
Most age-group triathletes waste 10-15% of their energy on inefficient swim technique. These 8 targeted drills will improve your catch, body position, and bilateral breathing — cutting seconds per 100m without increasing fitness.
TrainingAugust 21, 2026 · 9 MIN
The Norwegian Double Threshold Method: How to Structure Two Daily Threshold Sessions
The Norwegian double threshold method accumulates more time at lactate threshold without the fatigue penalty of single long sessions. Here is how to structure, schedule, and recover from two daily threshold workouts.
TrainingAugust 21, 2026 · 10 MIN
Cycling Power Zones Explained: How to Train with a Power Meter
Power meters remove guesswork from cycling training by measuring actual mechanical output in watts. Learn how to test your FTP, set all 7 power zones, and structure a training week that avoids the dreaded zone 3 trap.
TrainingAugust 20, 2026 · 11 MIN
Open Water Swimming for Triathletes: Conquering Anxiety and Building Race-Day Confidence
Up to 50% of first-time triathletes report significant anxiety about the swim leg. Open water panic is the leading cause of triathlon swim DNFs — but it is entirely trainable with progressive exposure, technique adaptation, and psychological strategies.
TrainingAugust 19, 2026 · 11 MIN
Winter Cycling: Indoor Trainer vs Cold Weather Riding — What Science Says
Indoor training offers controlled intervals and zero weather excuses, but outdoor cold-weather riding builds mental toughness and stimulates unique physiological adaptations. Here's how to structure a winter cycling programme that uses both.
TrainingAugust 19, 2026 · 11 MIN
Concurrent Training: How to Combine Strength and Endurance Without the Interference Effect
The "interference effect" — where strength and endurance training blunt each other's adaptations — is real but manageable. Proper programming, timing, and nutrition can minimise interference and produce athletes who are both strong and aerobically fit.
TrainingAugust 18, 2026 · 10 MIN
Triathlon Brick Workouts: Mastering the Bike-to-Run Transition
The bike-to-run transition is where triathlon races are won and lost. Brick workouts train your neuromuscular system to switch from cycling to running — reducing "jelly legs" by 30–40% and T2 pace deficit from 45 seconds to under 15 seconds per kilometre.
TrainingAugust 16, 2026 · 9 MIN
HIIT for Endurance Athletes: When High-Intensity Intervals Actually Help
High-intensity interval training can boost VO2 max by 7–10% in just 4 weeks — but only when programmed correctly within an endurance framework. Here's the evidence-based approach to HIIT for runners, cyclists, and triathletes.
TrainingAugust 16, 2026 · 10 MIN
Cold Weather Running: How to Train Safely and Effectively Below 5°C
Running in cold weather is safe down to −20°C with proper layering — and can actually improve fat oxidation by 12–30%. This guide covers thermoregulation science, gear layering, breathing strategies, and performance adjustments for winter training.
TrainingAugust 10, 2026 · 7 MIN
Race Week Training Protocol: What to Do (and Avoid) in the 7 Days Before a Race
Race week is not the time to build fitness — that window closed 2 weeks ago. Every training decision in the final 7 days should serve one purpose: arriving at the start line fresh, sharp, and physiologically primed. Here's the complete race week training protocol.
RecoveryAugust 9, 2026 · 8 MIN
Recovery for Masters Athletes: How Training Adaptation Changes After 50
Masters athletes (40–70+) train with the same passion as their younger counterparts but recover measurably more slowly. Here's the evidence on how recovery changes with age — and the specific adjustments that keep older athletes training consistently without breaking down.
NutritionAugust 8, 2026 · 7 MIN
How to Fuel Your Long Run: Training Nutrition That Prepares You for Race Day
Most runners undereat on training long runs — then bonk in races on a nutrition plan they never actually practised. Here's how to fuel your long runs correctly, train your gut, and arrive at the start line with a tested fueling strategy.
TrainingAugust 7, 2026 · 7 MIN
Triathlon Off-Season Training: How to Structure Your Winter for Maximum Gains
Athletes who do nothing in the off-season lose 8–10% of VO₂max within 4 weeks. Athletes who do everything get injured. The optimal off-season builds long-term durability without burning out on year-round triathlon volume.
TrainingAugust 7, 2026 · 7 MIN
Return to Running After Injury: A Structured Protocol That Prevents Re-Injury
Feeling better is not the same as being ready to run. The return-to-running phase carries the highest re-injury risk of any stage of recovery. Here's a science-backed progression from walking to full training load.
TrainingAugust 6, 2026 · 8 MIN
Trail Running for Road Runners: The Complete Training Guide
Transitioning from road to trail requires more than swapping your shoes. Here's how to build trail-specific strength, technique, and endurance without wrecking your ankles or burning out your quads on the first descent.
TrainingAugust 6, 2026 · 7 MIN
Strength Training for Runners: A 12-Week Program That Actually Works
Running more is not always the answer. Two sessions of targeted strength work per week improves running economy by 2–8%, reduces injury risk by up to 50%, and builds the structural durability that pure mileage cannot provide.
TrainingAugust 5, 2026 · 7 MIN
Air Quality and Outdoor Training: When to Run, When to Move Inside, and How to Protect Your Lungs
Poor air quality from wildfire smoke, traffic pollution, and industrial sources impairs endurance performance and carries long-term respiratory health risks. AQI thresholds for training decisions, protective strategies, and indoor alternatives when outdoor conditions are unsafe.
TrainingAugust 1, 2026 · 7 MIN
Hill Repeat Training for Runners: Protocols, Benefits, and Race-Specific Application
Hill repeats build power, running economy, and VO₂max simultaneously — with 20–30% lower impact forces than flat speed work. Complete protocol guide for short hills, long hills, and race-course-specific integration.
TrainingJuly 31, 2026 · 7 MIN
Running in the Rain: Performance, Safety, and Gear Guide for Wet Conditions
Rain does not have to derail training. With the right gear, adjusted pacing, and foot care strategy, wet-weather running is manageable and sometimes faster than dry conditions. Here is a complete guide to running in the rain.
TrainingJuly 27, 2026 · 7 MIN
Core Strength for Endurance Athletes: The Evidence-Based Approach
Eight weeks of structured core training improved running economy by 4.7% in competitive distance runners — equivalent to a 3-minute marathon improvement. Here is the science and a practical 20-minute program.
TrainingJuly 20, 2026 · 7 MIN
Fartlek Training: The Most Versatile Speed Workout for Endurance Runners
Fartlek — Swedish for "speed play" — is an unstructured form of interval training that builds VO2max, improves running economy, and develops mental toughness. Here's how to use it effectively across the training calendar.
TrainingJuly 18, 2026 · 9 MIN
Perimenopause and Endurance Training: Adapting Your Training and Nutrition as Hormones Shift
The hormonal transitions of perimenopause — typically beginning in the early-to-mid 40s — directly affect VO2max, recovery rate, muscle mass, bone density, and thermoregulation. Evidence-based adjustments to training and nutrition can preserve or even improve performance through this transition.
TrainingJuly 9, 2026 · 7 MIN
Treadmill Training for Runners: When It's Worth It, How to Calibrate, and Key Differences from Road Running
Treadmills are not just fair-weather substitutes — used correctly, they offer pacing precision, controlled interval training, and incline work that outdoor running cannot replicate. Here's how to use them effectively.
RecoveryJuly 6, 2026 · 7 MIN
Deload Weeks: Why They Work and How to Structure Them for Endurance Athletes
Most athletes understand tapering before a race. Fewer plan systematic deload weeks within their training blocks. Here's the physiology behind recovery weeks — and the exact protocol for building them into your training year.
RecoveryJuly 1, 2026 · 8 MIN
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) for Athletes: How to Use It to Train Smarter
HRV is the most sensitive real-time indicator of recovery status available to athletes. Here's what it measures, how to track it reliably, and how to act on what it tells you.
TrainingJune 24, 2026 · 6 MIN
Cycling Cadence Optimisation: Finding Your Ideal RPM for Efficiency and Power
Should you spin fast or push big gears? Research on cadence and cycling efficiency challenges the conventional wisdom — and the optimal RPM is not the same for every athlete, every terrain, or every phase of a race.
RecoveryJune 23, 2026 · 7 MIN
Active Recovery vs Passive Rest: What Actually Works After Hard Training
Active recovery has become near-mandatory in endurance coaching discourse — but the evidence shows passive rest is sometimes superior. Here is when each approach works best and why.
TrainingJune 19, 2026 · 7 MIN
Swim Training for Triathletes: Open Water vs Pool and How to Build Swim Fitness
Swimming is the triathlon leg where fitness gains have the smallest impact on race time — yet it's where training effort is often disproportionate. Here's an evidence-based approach to building swim fitness efficiently.
TrainingJune 18, 2026 · 7 MIN
HIIT for Endurance Athletes: High-Intensity Interval Training That Actually Works
High-intensity interval training dramatically improves VO2max and lactate threshold in less time than traditional volume. Here's the evidence-based approach — protocols, scheduling, and when not to use it.
TrainingJune 17, 2026 · 7 MIN
Brick Workouts for Triathletes: The Science of Bike-to-Run Transitions
The "jelly legs" feeling in triathlon's run segment isn't inevitable — it's a neuromuscular transition problem. Here's how brick sessions fix it and how to structure them for your event distance.
TrainingJune 16, 2026 · 8 MIN
Zone 2 Training for Cyclists: The Aerobic Base That Makes Everything Else Work
The most important training zone for cyclists isn't the one that hurts. Zone 2 — boring, conversational, and frustratingly slow — is where metabolic fitness is built. Here's the physiology and the protocol.
TrainingJune 15, 2026 · 8 MIN
5K Training: The Science of Racing 5 Kilometres Faster
The 5K looks short. It isn't. Racing 5 kilometres at maximum effort requires the highest aerobic intensity of any common road distance. Here's the training science that actually moves the number.
TrainingJune 15, 2026 · 8 MIN
Running Economy: Why Two Runners With the Same VO2max Run Different Times
Running economy — the oxygen cost at a given pace — varies by up to 20% between runners of equal aerobic capacity. Here's what drives those differences and what you can actually change.
RecoveryJune 14, 2026 · 8 MIN
Sleep for Athletes: The Recovery Tool That No Supplement Can Replace
Elite athletes sleep 9–10 hours per night. Most recreational athletes sleep 6–7. The performance gap this creates is larger than most training interventions can bridge.
TrainingJune 14, 2026 · 9 MIN
Half Marathon Training: A 12-Week Guide Built on Running Science
The half marathon rewards a specific combination of aerobic base, lactate threshold, and pacing discipline. Here's the evidence-based training structure — and why most plans get the balance wrong.
TrainingJune 13, 2026 · 8 MIN
Genetic Potential in Endurance Sport: What the Science Says
How much of your endurance performance is determined by genetics — and how much can training change? The answer is more nuanced than either fatalists or optimists suggest.
TrainingJune 11, 2026 · 8 MIN
Lactate Threshold: What It Is and How to Train It
Lactate threshold is the most trainable determinant of running performance. Most runners train it wrong — or not at all. Here's the physiology and the exact protocols that work.
TrainingJune 11, 2026 · 7 MIN
Heart Rate Zones for Running: How to Find Yours and Use Them
Running by heart rate removes the guesswork from training intensity. Here's how to calculate your zones, what each one develops, and why most runners spend too much time in the wrong zone.
TrainingJune 11, 2026 · 8 MIN
How to Taper for a Marathon Without Losing Fitness
The taper is the most psychologically difficult phase of marathon training. Here's the physiology behind why it works — and the exact protocol to arrive fresh without detraining.
NutritionJune 10, 2026 · 7 MIN
How Many Calories Do You Burn Running? A Pace-by-Pace Breakdown
Running burns roughly 1 kcal per kilogram per kilometre — but the actual number varies more than most apps suggest. Here's what actually drives calorie burn and how to calculate yours.
TrainingJune 9, 2026 · 7 MIN
Running at Altitude: How It Affects Your Pace and How to Adjust
At 2,000m above sea level, your easy run pace needs to slow by 10–15 seconds per kilometre to feel the same. At 3,000m, it's 20–30 seconds. Here's why — and how to calculate the exact adjustment.
TrainingJune 8, 2026 · 9 MIN
Polarised Training vs Threshold Training: What the Research Actually Shows
Two training philosophies dominate endurance sport. One has more research support than most coaches acknowledge. A direct comparison of the evidence.
TrainingJune 8, 2026 · 7 MIN
How to Find Your Cycling FTP — and What to Do With It
FTP is the foundation of structured cycling training. Here's how to test it accurately at home, what the number actually means, and how to use it to set every training zone.
TrainingJune 4, 2026 · 9 MIN
How Does VO2max Decline With Age — and Can Training Actually Slow It?
Conventional wisdom says VO2max drops 10% per decade after 30. But for consistently training athletes, the picture is very different — and more encouraging.
TrainingApril 21, 2026 · 9 MIN
VO2 Max Explained: What It Is, How to Test It, and How to Improve It
VO2 max is the single best predictor of endurance performance. Here's what it measures, how to find yours — and the training methods proven to raise it.
TrainingApril 14, 2026 · 9 MIN
Zone 2 Training: The Complete Guide for Endurance Athletes
Zone 2 is the foundation of elite endurance training — but most amateur athletes spend too little time here. Here's how to train it correctly and why it works.
TrainingApril 2, 2026 · 7 MIN
Fueling Your Morning Run: Fed vs Fasted
Should you eat before your morning run or train on empty? The answer depends on your goals, training phase, and how long you plan to go.