Training
24 articles
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.