Sandro Sket, CSCS

Interval training for runners involves efforts at or above the lactate threshold with well-timed rest periods, leading to sharp increases in running fitness.  If you are a dedicated runner with performance goals, then intervals are likely a staple of your weekly running routine. But do you use the full scope of interval workouts and progress […]

Have you ever considered hiring an online running coach?  If you haven’t, you were either held back by the costs or didn’t see the benefit to your training and racing. But I will argue the costs of foregoing professional guidance weigh heavier – think stagnation, injury, and monotony. Running may be a simple sport but

Track workouts are the staple of sprinters and middle-distance runners. But are they worth the time for distance runners? The answer is a resounding YES! There’s no runner—regardless of race distance—who couldn’t benefit from regular speed work. You can also take your VO2 max intervals to the track. There are no excuses to dodge pre-defined

Do you want to run a faster marathon? Here’s exactly what you need to do to shine on race day.  A marathon is the ultimate test of endurance among the classic road race distances. Whoever finishes one has earned bragging rights for a lifetime. It’s never easy—even for advanced competitors—and that challenge attracts hundreds of

Do you want to run a faster half marathon? Here’s how to improve your time.  The half marathon (HM) is a popular race distance because it’s long enough to earn respect but not quite as flattening as a full marathon—not by a long shot. We sometimes get the impression the HM sits somehow in the

Do you want to run a faster 10K? Look no further than this article. The 10K sits between two popular road race distances: the 5K and the half marathon—but not quite in the middle. The 10K is only 5 km longer than a 5K race but 10 km shorter than a half marathon. Hence, the

Do you want to know how to run a faster 5K? You are in the right place.  The 5K is the shortest of the classic race distances. Unless you are coming off the couch, just completing a 5K won’t get you standing ovations, other than from your family perhaps, who is glad you got moving

When was the last time you gave lactate threshold training a second thought?  Chances are, you get frequent notifications about your lactate threshold (LT) on your smartwatch. You also know it’s a bona fide performance benchmark for endurance training — akin to the bench press for a strength athlete. But do you have a sound

Running form is often overlooked as a means to improve performance. We tend to obsess about the metabolic side of adaptation, such as increasing VO2 max and the lactate threshold. Yet improved running form leads to a better running economy and, therefore, faster running at the same effort.  “Proper running form results in a better

Progression runs are a useful tool in the competitive runner’s training arsenal. They involve progressively faster running (negative splits) toward the end of a workout without accumulating excessive fatigue. “Progression runs are potent but easy to recover from.” In this article, I describe 5 types of progression runs in more detail and how you can