Research Topic
Marathon Training
9 articles
Your 5K Time Doesn't Predict Your Marathon — And Aerobic Decoupling Explains Why
VO2max alone can't predict marathon performance. Aerobic decoupling — the divergence between pace and heart rate over time — is the metric serious marathon runners need to understand.
5 min read · 2026-09-22
Most Marathon Runners Carry Either Too Many Gels or Too Few. The Calculation That Fixes This Takes About 90 Seconds.
Marathon energy gel count depends on finish time, not distance. A 4-hour marathoner needs 8–10 gels at 60g/hr. A 3-hour runner needs 6–7. The calculation is duration × carb rate ÷ gel carb content — and most runners skip it.
5 min read · 2026-09-22
A 3:15 Marathon at 55 Might Be More Impressive Than 2:45 at 28. World Masters Athletics Has the Maths.
Age-graded performance factors let masters athletes compare times across age groups using World Masters Athletics tables. Here's the science behind age-adjusted marathon prediction.
5 min read · 2026-09-22
Your 3:30 Marathon Pace Was Built in October. It's June Now. Here's What Changes.
Race performance degrades predictably with temperature. A 3:30 marathoner can expect to lose 10–20 minutes in warm conditions. Here's the physiological mechanism.
5 min read · 2026-09-01
Taking Your First Energy Gel at the Start Line Is a Mistake. So Is Waiting Until You Feel Hungry. The Science of Pre-Emptive Fuelling.
The optimal window for a first race gel is 20–30 minutes in — not at the gun, not when hunger signals arrive. Hunger is a lagging indicator of glycogen depletion, and by the time you feel it, your pace has already started to decline.
5 min read · 2026-08-25
Drinking More Water During a Race Won't Fix This — And Sometimes Makes It Worse
Hyponatraemia — dangerously low blood sodium — is more common in endurance events than most athletes realise. And it's almost always caused by drinking too much plain water, not too little.
5 min read · 2026-08-18
Carbohydrate Loading Is Not Just 'Eating More Pasta'. The Protocol That Actually Maximises Race-Day Glycogen.
Muscle glycogen capacity is approximately 400–600g in trained athletes — but most reach race day at 60–70% of that ceiling. The modified carbohydrate loading protocol from Bergström 1967 onwards can push glycogen stores to true ceiling in 36–48 hours.
5 min read · 2026-07-14
The Shoe That Changed Marathon Times Overnight — And What Actually Makes It Work
Carbon plate shoes improved marathon times by up to 4%. But what is the actual biomechanical mechanism — and does the benefit apply to all runners?
5 min read · 2026-07-14
Chews vs Gels vs Liquid Carbohydrate: Which Fuelling Format Wins on Race Day?
Energy chews, gels, and carbohydrate drinks all supply race fuel — but their gastric emptying rates, palatability profiles, and practical applications differ significantly. Here's the science.
5 min read · 2026-07-14