The 1% Better Runner with DLake

Your last mile of a race falls apart not because you're tired, but because you haven't trained your body to move weight fast when it counts.

If you've been stuck at the same race pace despite running more miles and following better plans, you're probably missing one thing elite runners have: speed reserve. In this episode, I break down the 10-week experiment where I tested explosive gym training on myself to see if it could actually build real power and speed—and how it helped me hold onto a 17-minute 5K through a chaotic training block. You'll learn what speed reserve actually is, why most runners are lifting wrong for their goals, and how to train for that finishing kick without complicated equipment or endless hours in the gym.

Key Takeaways
Endurance is only part of the equation: If you want to finish races strong, you need more than aerobic fitness. Building power increases your speed reserve so your race pace feels easier and you still have a kick left at the end.
Lifting for runners is about intent, not just reps: Moving moderate to heavy weight fast and controlled trains your body to produce force quickly. That translates to better acceleration, stronger hills, and smoother form late in races.
Testing and progression matter: When you measure power, adjust exercises to fit your body, and progress the right way, you get results without unnecessary strain. Strength work becomes a tool that supports your running instead of competing with it.

Timestamps
[00:27] What You'll Learn
[01:08] Why Runners Should Lift Like This
[02:44] What Is Speed Strength
[03:25] Use This to Be a Stronger Runner
[04:10] What Was I Missing in My Strength Routine?
[04:50] My Background
[05:26] Defining Power and Speed
[06:32] What Happened in My First Test
[08:24] How to Do the Pro Lifting Protocol
[09:07] Why No Back Squats?
[09:54] Did It Actually Work?
[11:34] Do These 5 Bodyweight Workouts If You're New to Strength

Links & Learnings
📈 Get Yor Free Improve Running Speed Strength Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/strengthfree
🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here https://dlakecreates.com/axis
The ONLY 5 Strength Moves Runners Actually Need: https://dlakecreates.com/10w2s-5
Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most runners don’t lose form because they’re weak. They lose it because they never trained their nervous system to hold it.

If you’ve ever filmed your running form at the start of a workout and thought, “That looks solid,” only to feel it completely unravel 30 minutes later, this episode is for you. I break down why form falls apart under fatigue, what elite runners actually do before they run to stay smooth, and how you can train your body to default to efficient movement even when you’re tired. I walk you through a simple pre-run system that takes just a few minutes, explain the movement phases of running in plain language, and show you how to build better mechanics without obsessing over cues mid-race. This is about training your nervous system, not just thinking about posture, so your body knows what to do automatically when it matters most.

Key Takeaways
If your form only works when you’re fresh, it’s not trained yet. You need to practice movement patterns before you run so your body defaults to them under fatigue.
Vertical bounce, forward lean, heel lift, and knee drive all work together. When you isolate and train each phase, your stride becomes more efficient and powerful.
Just a few minutes of focused drills before a run can prime your nervous system. Over time, this makes smooth, strong form feel automatic instead of forced

Timestamps
[00:15] What You'll Learn
[00:55] The Real Problem With 'Fixing' Form
[03:19] How Running Actually Works
[04:19] Use This Free Training Plan To Do The 3 Drills Now
[05:17] Drill #1: Ankling
[06:39] Common Mistakes
[08:19] Drill #2: Butt Kicks
[09:59] Drill #3: High Knees
[12:30] The Arm Swing Phase
[13:14] How To Add This Into Your Pre-Runs
[14:05] Use This To Do A-Skips

Links & Learnings
📈 Get Your Free Form Drills & Plyos Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/formdrillsplyosfree
🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/form3drills
Run Cadence Ultimate Guide: https://dlakecreates.com/cadence
Elite Runners Don't Stretch Before Runs—They Do This 7‑Minute Routine: https://dlakecreates.com/stretching
How to Run Strides, Wind-ups, & Skips: https://dlakecreates.com/strides
Most Runners Are Doing A-Skips Wrong (Are You?): 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.

What if the race you’re avoiding is the one that unlocks your marathon speed?

Most marathoners avoid 5Ks during a marathon build because they’re scared it will wreck their long runs or mess up their aerobic base 5K Marathon. In this episode, I break down why that belief is holding you back, what speed endurance actually is, and how short races can make you stronger late in the marathon without blowing up your plan. I explain why racing teaches you to hold pace when you’re tired, how it builds mental toughness you can’t fake on easy miles, and how to plug 5Ks into your training in a smart, low-risk way. If you want to stop fading at mile 20 and start finishing strong, this gives you the framework to do it.

Key Takeaways
Short races build the strength you can’t get from easy runs: Running comfortable miles won’t prepare you to hold pace when you’re exhausted 5K Marathon. A 5K trains your body to stay strong under fatigue.
Racing teaches skills beyond fitness: You practice pacing, nerves, fueling, and race-day routines in a low-pressure setting 5K Marathon. That experience pays off when the marathon matters most.
You can add 5Ks without hurting marathon training: When placed in the right weeks, they sharpen fitness instead of draining it 5K Marathon. The result is better speed and stronger finishes.

Timestamps
[00:32] What You’ll Learn
[01:10] Why 5K Helps The Marathon
[02:09] Use This Marathon Training Plan To Schedule 5Ks Right
[02:38] Lactate Tolerance Training
[03:37] Use This One Thing To Stop Getting INjured
[05:28] What Did Brenton Actually Do?
[06:53] Use This To Run A Faster Marathon & 5K

Links & Learnings
📈 Stop getting injured and start running faster https://dlakecreates.com/groupcoachinjury
📈 Get Your Free Marathon Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/marathonfree
🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/5kmarathon
This Pro Run Coach Got Me To Run a 16:45 5K: https://dlakecreates.com/expro
Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can build the strongest aerobic engine in the world, but without threshold, it never learns how to race.

If you’ve been logging miles but your race times have hit a wall, the problem might not be your effort; it’s that you’ve been skipping the one zone that connects easy running to race pace. In this episode, I break down what threshold training actually is, why it sits right at the center of performance, and how it connects your easy miles to your race pace. You’ll learn how to identify it, train it without burning out, and avoid the common mistakes that quietly stall progress. If you’ve ever felt fit but couldn’t translate that fitness into faster times, this will help you close that gap with practical, repeatable strategies you can start applying right away.

Key Takeaways
You can build a big aerobic engine, but threshold is what teaches you how to use it at race effort. Without it, your training stays strong but your race results stall.
Going too hard, skipping base training, or doing it while exhausted turns threshold into wasted effort. When done right, it becomes controlled, repeatable, and sustainable work.
Simple field tests, race data, and structured workouts can get you close enough to train effectively. Precision helps, but consistency matters more.

Timestamps
[00:23] What You'll Learn
[01:27] Understanding Lactate Threshold
[01:54] Four Key Fun Run Science Facts About Lactate
[03:23] What Happens When You Train At Threshold
[03:57] Use This To Find Your Threshold
[04:45] Why Threshold Sits At The Center Of Your Training
[05:27] Three Ways to Train Threshold
[08:22] The One Thing Injured Runners Need
[09:58] Metaphors To Help Threshold Make Sense
[10:51] The 5 Dumbest Threshold Mistakes
[11:45] Mistake Number 2 - Skipping The Aerobic Base Phase
[12:37] Mistake #3: Doing Threshold While You're Fatigued
[13:44] Use This To Find Your Threshold And Train Smarter
[14:11] Mistake #4 - Calling Everything Threshold
[15:28] Mistake #5 Doing It Every Week Forever
[16:42] Bonus Tip - Do Threshold Runs In The Same Consistent Place
[17:29] The Difference Between Zone Two Threshold And VO Two Max.
[18:00] Zone 2: The Foundation Of Aerobic Base Building
[18:47] Run Science Nerd Break: Threshold Fun Facts
[20:06] Defining Vo2 Max And Why It's So Important
[20:39] Run Science Nerd Break - Aerobic Vs Anaerobic
[22:04] Use This Cheat Sheet To Train Your Sub Threshold
[22:32] My Vo2 Max Lactate Threshold Test Results
[24:07] Why This All Matters For Runners
[25:42] How I'm Training After The Test
[28:40] Number Three Best Threshold Test - Online Calculators/Race Data
[30:06] Number 2 Best Threshold Test - Field Test
[31:26] Number One Best Threshold Test - Lab Test (Plus Vo2 Max Test)
[33:36] What I Learned Doing Them All

Links & Learnings
📈 Stop getting injured and start running faster https://dlakecreates.com/groupcoachinjury
📈 Get Your Free Lactate Threshold Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/thresholdfree
🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/thresholdmasterclass
Why Most Runners Get VO2 Max Wrong: ****https://dlakecreates.com/vo2-max-training-runners/
Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Running doesn't destroy your body—sitting on the couch for 30 years does.

If you’ve ever wondered what running is actually doing to your body long term, this episode breaks it wide open in a way most runners never think about. I unpack what really changes inside your muscles, brain, and cardiovascular system when you run consistently, why so many runners get injured despite good intentions, and what separates those who quit early from those still running strong decades later. More importantly, I walk through the simple training shifts that protect your body, extend your longevity, and help you build a version of yourself that’s still moving well far into the future.

Key Takeaways
Consistent running improves heart health, brain function, and cellular adaptation over time. But loading too fast or training recklessly cancels those benefits and leads to breakdown instead.
Your lungs and muscles adapt quickly, but tendons take months to catch up. When runners push mileage or intensity before the body is ready, injury risk skyrockets.
Progress gradually, keep most runs easy, and treat recovery as real training. Those who follow this approach stay consistent, avoid burnout, and keep running strong for decades.

Timestamps
[00:33] What You'll Learn
[01:12] The Body Changes
[03:04] Always Tell Yourself a Believable Future Story
[04:07] Pillar 1: Load Slowly
[05:29] Use This To Run Without Injury or Burnout Forever
[06:32] Pillar 2: Run Slow
[07:51] Pillar 3: Recovery Is Training
[08:50] How Runners Can Keep Showing Up
[09:36] How to Really Start Running (Even if You Took a Break)

Links & Learnings
📈 Get Your Free Run Without Injury or Burnout Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here https://dlakecreates.com/happenswhen
How to Start Running Without Breaking Yourself This Time https://dlakecreates.com/startrunning
Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.