The 1% Better Runner with DLake

If you only run three days a week, making all three runs easy is the fastest way to stay slow.

Two runners can train the same three days a week, and one keeps getting faster while the other stays stuck for months. In this episode, you'll hear why more easy running is the wrong fix when you only have three days. You'll also learn the three runs that move the needle, how hard each one should feel, and two tiny add-on days almost nobody talks about. It matters because three easy runs is a watered-down version of a plan built for someone with double your time. By the end, you'll know which runner you are, and you'll have a free 30-day plan to put it into action.

Key Takeaways
Easy running only pays off when you have the volume, and three days don't give you that. So stop making all three runs easy and give each one its own job.
Your three runs are a fast day (short intervals, seven or eight out of 10), a moderate day (five or six out of 10) and a long easy day of 60 to 90 minutes. So match the effort to the day, and keep your moderate day comfortably hard, never 5K pace.
Two short strength sessions and a few strides add about 40 minutes to your week and make you more efficient without running more. So do your strength right after your moderate and long runs, and finish a run with a few strides.

Timestamps
[00:00] Can 3 Days a Week Make You Faster?
[00:58] Does Easy Running Work With Only 3 Days?
[01:41] What Is the Gray Zone Trap?
[03:12] What Should Your Fast Day Look Like?
[04:01] How Hard Should Your Moderate Run Feel?
[04:24] Tempo Run vs Gray Zone: What's the Difference?
[05:15] How Slow Should Your Long Run Be?
[05:41] How Do You Add Strength and Strides?
[06:44] Do Strength and Strides Make You Faster?
[07:51] Is Your Running Form Wasting Energy?

Links & Learnings
📈 Improve your base training with this 30 day plan now https://dlakecreates.com/base
🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/3runs
Learn more about staying out (and in) of the Gray Zone dlakecreates.com/grayzone
Get The Best 10 Strength Exercises in the Least Time for Runners: https://dlakecreates.com/runner-strength-training-guide/
Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507
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15 seconds at the end of your run can wake your legs up. Most runners skip it because it feels too small.

Ever finish a run feeling flat and heavy and just glad it’s over? Nicole Burnham, an author and marathon runner from the Boston area, and I get into the small step at the end of a run that most runners skip. You’ll hear why it feels too small to matter, how sprinters think about warming up, and why chasing the wrong goals wears you down. It matters because a tiny change at the end of your run can change how the rest of your day feels. Listen in, then try it on your next run.

Key Takeaways

Strides are 10 to 25 second bursts at the end of a run, at about 80 to 90% effort. Add a few after your next run, stay tall and smooth, and notice how awake your legs feel.
Sprinters warm up by skipping, not jogging, so skipping is the easy first step toward speed. Skip for 20 seconds, walk for 40, and repeat three to four times before your strides.
The “shoulds” push you to chase goals that don’t fit you. Pick one goal that works for you today, not the one your past self or your followers expect.

Timestamps

[00:00] Hook and episode preview
[00:27] Intro and meet Nicole Burnham
[00:49] Nicole, the Sydney Marathon and strides
[01:14] What strides are
[01:47] Nicole on turnover and muscle
[02:23] Terminology: strides, sprints, windups
[03:17] Skipping and Stuart McMillan
[04:24] The skip and stride workout
[05:06] Ego and the should trap
[06:37] Freebie pitch: strides training plan and newsletter (starts inside this line, after the ego wrap-up)
[07:17] Learn how to do strides now with this free plan
[08:44] Nicole on writing, running and life
[10:43] Strides wake you up and one small action

Links & Learnings

📈 Get your free 1% better 6-weeks to strides, sprints, and habits training plan - https://dlakecreates.com/stridesfree
🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/nicole
Get my strides, sprints, windups and run-throughs deep dive toolkit here - https://dlakecreates.com/strides
Nicole Burnham Books & Website - https://nicoleburnham.com/
Nicole Burham on Instagram - https://nicoleburnham.com/
Follow me on Strava - https://dlakecreates.com/strava
Follow me on Instagram - https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chasing 180 steps per minute won't fix your overstriding. Shorter steps and driving your knees up will.

Most runners are told a higher cadence is the answer to overstriding. In this episode, I explain why that advice leaves so many runners stuck and what actually changes where your foot lands. You'll hear a 30-second test to run on your next easy run, and why your heart rate can jump when you try to fix this. I also share the weak spot I missed for eight months, even though I was sure my form was solid. You'll leave with a plan for this week and a realistic timeline for making the change stick.

Key Takeaways

1. Cadence is a symptom of good form, not the cause. Shorten your steps and drive your knees up from your hips, and your cadence will rise on its own.
2. If your heart rate jumps when you raise your cadence, you likely sped up without shortening your stride. On your next easy run, hold your pace for 30 seconds with quicker, lighter, shorter steps, and reset if your pace jumps.
3. Fixing overstriding takes six to 12 months, not six weeks, because your body needs time to catch up to your new form. Do your drills before runs two or three times a week, train your hip flexors twice a week, and judge your progress at six months.

Timestamps

- [00:00] Why Is Overstriding So Hard to Fix?
- [00:48] Does Higher Cadence Fix Overstriding?
- [02:21] What Actually Fixes Overstriding?
- [02:40] Can You Overstride at a Fast Pace?
- [03:34] What Does Good Knee Drive Feel Like?
- [06:34] Which Drills Fix Overstriding?
- [07:45] Why Does My Heart Rate Jump With Cadence?
- [09:12] What Is the 30-Second Cadence Hack?
- [09:47] What Does the Science Say About Cadence?
- [10:07] Why Does Fixing Overstriding Take Patience?
- [11:46] Why Does Cadence Change With Speed?
- [13:34] How Long Does Fixing Overstriding Take?

Links & Learnings

📈 Get Your Free 6-Month Increase Cadence Training Plan Here - https://dlakecreates.com/cadencefree
🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/overstriding2
Heiderscheit et al., 2011 step rate study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20581720/
Daniel Lieberman's Harvard study on reaching the foot out https://www.nature.com/articles/nature03052
The 1% Better Runner Book (early access): https://dlakecreates.com/bookaccessyt
Run Form Master Class: https://dlakecreates.com/running-form-fixes/
A Skips video: https://dlakecreates.com/askips
Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One number predicts how fast you can race and how long you'll live.

It's your VO2 max, and you can train it. VO2 max is the number runners chase for race times and sports scientists track for how long people live. In this episode, I explain what it actually measures, why it matters even if you never race, and how to start raising it without hurting yourself. You'll also see why your watch number is only an estimate and a simple way to track how your body responds to your training and eating.

3 KEY IDEAS
Your Ceiling: Every pace you run, from easy jogs to sprints, lives under your VO2 max, so raising it gives you more room for everything.
Speed And Lifespan: The same number that predicts your race times also lines up with how long and how well you live.
Base Then Intervals: Build an easy zone 2 base first, then add a small, sharp dose of hard intervals on top.

LINKS & LEARNINGS
📈 Get your free improve Vo2 Max Training Plan here - https://dlakecreates.com/vo2masterfree
🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/vo2maxhume
Get the Hume Body Pod and save up to 50% off:
👉 https://dlakecreates.com/humediscount || Use code 1BETTERRUN
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Training inconsistently? Here’s how that might be holding back your race goals.

In this episode, we dive into what separates fast runners from the fastest: consistency. Learn from Audrey’s journey to shave time off her 5K and uncover what training habits might be keeping you from your personal best. We’ll cover her favorite dynamic warm-ups, interval tips, and lifestyle tweaks to keep you injury-free and consistently on track for your goals. Whether you're an elite runner or just getting started, this episode has practical takeaways for anyone looking to improve!

Timestamps of What You’ll Learn

[00:00] Why Consistency is Key to Training
[00:55] First Time Meeting Audrey
[01:32] Barriers to Breaking the 15-Minute Mark
[02:21] Dynamic Warm-Up Routine Breakdown
[03:22] Goals and Fitness Priorities
[04:08] Fun Fuel Choices for Training Days
[06:00] Learning from Interval Mistakes
[07:18] Final 400m Interval Push
[07:52] How to Train for Speed in 800m
[10:19] Breaking Bad Habits for Consistency

Links For Greatness
📈 Get your free 1% better 30-day guide to consistency/improving your Vo2 Max - https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/audrey
DLake Runs on Instagram
Audrey on Instagram
Watch and read the full episode
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