Training Principles
The science behind effective training. Progressive overload, periodization, recovery, specificity, and why your plan is structured the way it is.
14 articles
Progressive Overload: The Only Rule (And How People Misuse It)
Your body adapts to stress by getting stronger. But only if the stress increases gradually, consistently, and with enough recovery to absorb it. Most runners get this wrong.
The 10% Rule Is Wrong (Here Is What Actually Works)
The universal '10% rule' is too conservative for beginners and too aggressive for experienced runners. Pacewright uses mileage-dependent caps instead. Here's why.
Periodization for Everyday Runners
Build weeks. Recovery weeks. The alternating pattern that prevents burnout and makes your hard training actually count.
How to Taper Before a Race (Without Losing Your Mind)
Reducing training volume before a race feels wrong. It is not. Here is the science behind the taper, the exact protocol Pacewright uses, and why taper anxiety is a sign it is working.
Recovery Is Training: What Your Body Does on Rest Days
The workout is the stimulus. Recovery is when the adaptation actually happens. Skip recovery and you accumulate fatigue without accumulating fitness.
What Is Threshold Pace? (And Why Tempo Runs Matter)
Threshold pace is the fastest pace you can sustain for about an hour. Training at and near this intensity improves one of the most important predictors of distance running performance.
HRV, Resting Heart Rate, and Daily Readiness: What Your Watch Is Telling You
Your smartwatch gives you HRV scores, body batteries, and recovery ratings. Some of this data is useful. Some of it is noise. Here is how to tell the difference.
The Principle of Specificity: Train for What You Want to Run
Your body adapts to the specific demands you place on it. Training for a 5K and training for a marathon require different workout distributions — and the differences matter more than most runners realize.
What Happens When You Stop Running? The Science of Detraining
You will not lose all your fitness overnight. But the timeline is shorter than most runners hope and longer than most runners fear. Here's what the research actually shows.
The Long Run: How Far Is Far Enough?
The long run builds endurance. But too short doesn't stimulate adaptation, and too long relative to your weekly volume creates injury risk. Here is where the sweet spot is.
Accommodation: Why the Same Workout Stops Working
Your body is efficient. Once it adapts to a training stimulus, that stimulus stops producing gains. The same run at the same pace on the same route eventually becomes maintenance, not progress.
Base Building: The Boring Phase That Makes Everything Else Work
Before you can train hard, you need the aerobic foundation to absorb hard training. Base building is the phase most runners want to skip — and the one that makes everything else possible.
VO2max: What It Is, What It Isn't, and Whether You Should Care
VO2max is the gold standard of aerobic fitness measurement. It is also wildly overemphasized by watch manufacturers and misunderstood by most runners. Here is what it actually means for your training.
Running Economy: Why Some Runners Look Effortless
Running economy is how much oxygen you need to run at a given pace. Better economy means the same effort produces more speed. It is trainable, and it matters more than most runners realize.