Running

I run quite a bit. This page compiles some of my general, 5k-specific and marathon-specific running tips and workouts (aimed at intermediate runners). I hope you find them useful!

My current PBs are:

• 5k: 17:33 (2024 target: sub-17:30)
• Marathon: 3:06:08 (2024 target: sub-3hrs)

General Running Tips

• Use Runalyze:
  • Runalyze is what you’d get if your spreadsheet-loving accountant buddy made a Strava alternative. It’s so jam-packed with data and analyses that it can be overwhelming, but once you’ve got the hang of it I’ve found it to be really useful.
  • I use it to track my overall fitness metrics + which workouts are improving my V02Max. Oh, and it’s (mostly) free 🤯
    Screenshot of my Runalyze dashboard.
• Calibrate your Z2 heart-rate:
  • For ages I was just following the Z2 heart-rate suggestion provided by my Garmin, which was maxing out at ~145bpm. Then I chanced upon a Reddit post about someone recalibrating their Z2 heart-rates and I decided to do the same.
  • With my max HR of 211, I’ve re-calibrated my Z2 to 155-160bpm (+10-15bpm!). This was pretty close to my Strava-suggested zones (so I edited my Garmin heart-rate zones to match).
  • I still satisfy the “talk test”, feel fine (ie: not exhausting myself) and my fitness, VDot and race times have all noticeably improved.
  • This is more relevant for experienced runners who might be plateauing — typically beginner runnings run too fast to hit their Z2, but I think this inverts once you become more trained and experienced.
• Avoid injury
  • Everyone says it, most ignore it, but swapping a workout for a rest day and only doing 95% of your target weekly distance is better than getting injured and doing 0%.

5k workout sessions & tips

• A fun speed/endurance sessions I’ve been doing lately is: 3x(3km @ Z2, 1.6km @ 101-103% target 5k pace):
  • ie: 3x(3km@4:55/km + 1.6km@3:25-3:30/km) for a target 5k pace of 3:30-3:32/km.
  • That’s ~14km of work, including a cumulative 4.8km just under your target 5k pace.
  • I’ve enjoyed doing this workout as a speed-endurance alternative to a typical 6-8x 1km reps. It’s more of an endurance / lactic session though compared to a V02 session (although you could shorten the Z2 component for a more V02 style session).
• Hill repeats are great to sprinkle in:
  • Nothing new here, but even just 4x2min hill sprints every other week has had a noticeable effect on my running (feel a bit stronger). Ideally you’d be doing 6-8 reps instead of 4… but sometimes you just have to take what you can get.
• A few weeks of high-incline running (1500m+ elevation gain) really strengthen the legs:
  • Like hill repeats on steroids. I spent a few weeks in 2024 staying around a hilly part of Adelaide, getting 1500m+ of elevation gain each week. The results were pretty huge! I just felt a lot stronger in my legs for the next ~8 weeks afterwards, although to be fair, I imagine that doing 1-2 strength workouts each week would have similar results.

Marathon workout sessions & tips

• Fueling:
  • Eat more than you think you need in the race. My first marathon I think I had ~3-4 gels, my most recent one I think I ate ~6.5 gels.
  • It was pretty crazy reflecting on that and realizing that some of my earlier marathon “bonks” could be partially-attributed to poor fuelling instead of under-training.