23 articles
Researchers in Texas built the same running shoe with a 0, 10, 20 and 30 mm drop and had 20 runners test them. The lower the drop, the more economical the running. We look at the mechanism, why βzero drop for everyoneβ is premature and what a randomised trial in 553 recreational runners showed.
In the pool a wetsuit makes you about 6% faster on average, but strong swimmers may gain nothing at all, while triathletes with sinking legs gain up to 19 seconds per 400 m. We go through the research and explain why the gain seems to βdisappearβ in open water.
The liver turns about 70% of caffeine into paraxanthine, and now it is sold on its own β as a stimulant without the insomnia and jitters. In a 2026 RCT in rowers, paraxanthine by itself did not speed up a 2000 m test, and in a 2024 study of a 10 km run it did not change finishing time at all. It disrupted sleep after an evening session less β but that was measured with a questionnaire.
Since 1996 it has been assumed that a 1% incline makes the treadmill equivalent to the road. In 2026 that was checked three times over: on the track a kilometre costs 3.6% more oxygen even with the incline, and elite lactate thresholds on the treadmill and on the track differ by 7β8 s/km.
A 2026 systematic review: handheld lactate meters correlate with the laboratory reference at r = 0.95β0.99. And yet the spread of a single measurement at 3 mmol/L is Β±0.4 mmol/L. Here is why that is not a contradiction.
A fresh study measured the cost of transport uphill before and after a 31-kilometre race. Poles reduced the load on the legs β but total energy expenditure doesn't drop, and by the end of the race the arms are just as tired.
A fresh meta-analysis in endurance athletes found a shift in favour of compression for muscle soreness, but the confidence interval crosses zero, the risk of bias is high in 10 assessments out of 11, and the effect on performance could not be pooled at all.
Critical speed is not another heart-rate zone β it is the physiological line between βI can hold thisβ and βthis is about to endβ. Here is how to measure it with two efforts on the track, and what your Dβ² reserve means.
A review of 30 studies found there is no single marker of overtraining, and the diagnosis is made by exclusion. Here is what is actually worth tracking, and when it is time to see a doctor rather than a coach.
An ice vest, cold water, and ice slurry before the start create a heat reserve and push back overheating. We break down the 2024 meta-analysis and what an amateur can actually apply at a hot start.
Sleep problems, exhaustion and joint pain are the most common companions of menopause among female runners, swimmers and cyclists. A new PLOS One study shows how hard the symptoms hit training β and what to do about it.
Collagen hydrolysate with vitamin C before a strength session may help a runner's tendons β but only paired with loading. We break down a fresh 2026 review and the JUMPFOOD protocol, without the βdrank it and it's goneβ myth.
Zone 2 is work below your first threshold, not a number on your watch. We break down why heart-rate formulas get it wrong and how much easy running an amateur actually needs.
Scientists gathered 340 runners from 24 countries, each with a hundred marathons behind them. Their aerobic power declines with age noticeably slower than the norm. We break down what it means and where the catch is.
Averaged βtrain strictly by phaseβ schemes are overrated. We break down what recent field studies show and why a personal approach and symptom tracking matter more than a universal mapping of training loads to cycle phases.
Ten weeks of strength and plyometric work barely changed βfreshβ running economy, but they preserved it through the end of a 90-minute run and boosted performance under fatigue. Here is why endurance runners need heavy squats and how to fit them in.
Magnesium powers energy, muscle and nerve function. Let's work out how much an athlete actually needs, where to get it from food, and when capsules are truly worth it β versus when they're just wasted money and diarrhea.
A fresh 2025 review explains why at marathons and ultras people end up in intensive care more often because of too much water, not dehydration β and how to avoid it.
We break down what electrolytes are, how the kidneys keep them balanced, and why on a long course it matters not only to drink water but also to replace salts.
Three world records in ultrarunning on a single day, historic NYC Marathon finish, doping scandal with world record holder, and ski season start in Russia. Top 20 news of the month.
New research shows: 3 sets of a simple foot exercise significantly improve dynamic stability. We break down the science and proper technique.
Hydration is one of those topics where it's easy to mess up in both directions. Drink too little β you suffer. Drink too much β you suffer even more. Here's how to tell if something's off.
How much do you really need to drink during training? Why do elite marathoners lose 10% of body weight and set records, while amateurs fear losing 2%? Let's dive into the science, myths, and formulas.