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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

[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

• 📈 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

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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.

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.

• - [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?

• 📈 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

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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.

1. 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.
2. Speed And Lifespan: The same number that predicts your race times also lines up with how long and how well you live.
3. Base Then Intervals: Build an easy zone 2 base first, then add a small, sharp dose of hard intervals on top.

• 📈 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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When you’re pushing through those final meters of a race, many runners picture themselves looking like this: Tall posture. Clean stride. Driving from the hips.

But the reality, for most of us, is a bit more like this: Hunched shoulders. Shuffling feet. Stride falling apart.

And it’s not because your form is bad. It’s because your focus breaks down before your body does.

Here’s what’s really happening, and how to stop it from ruining your race.

Timestamps

• [00:17] What You'll Learn
• [00:45] What's the Mistake?
• [01:57] Five Steps to Fix Tired Form
• [04:35] Learn to Have Higher Cadence
• [05:31] Use This to Increase Your Cadence
• [06:00] Film Your Fatigued Form
• [06:42] Strengthen the Weak Links
• [07:28] Mental Reset Cues
• [08:14] Why It Matters
• [08:51] Use This to Fix Your Form

Your running form doesn't break down because your body is weak—it breaks because your focus shatters first.

Key Takeaways

1. Fatigue ruins your running form by making your stride shorter and less efficient, but this happens because your mental focus breaks down before your muscles truly give out.

2. You can train your body to hold its form under fatigue by doing fast finishes to your runs, practicing a higher cadence, and strengthening your glutes and core.

3. Your brain is your most powerful tool; using simple mental cues to reset your posture and focus can stop the panic that makes your form fall apart.

Links & Learnings

• 📈 Get your free 6-month increase your cadence training plan here https://dlakecreates.com/cadencefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/formfatigue
• Find out how to stop overstriding here - https://dlakecreates.com/overstriding
• 7 Magical tips to better run form here - https://dlakecreates.com/runform
• Study on running form fatigue here - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.646042/full
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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What’s the one thing most runners get wrong about “easy training”?

Is your “easy run” truly setting the stage for your success—or quietly sabotaging your training? In this episode, we uncover how to correctly define easy training, why heart rate zones need to be personalized, and how to avoid the pitfalls of the gray zone.

You’ll learn practical tests to determine your effort levels and discover why even the pros treat “easy” differently. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced runner, these insights will help you train smarter and perform better.

• [00:00] Are your easy runs setting you up for success or sabotaging your progress?
• [01:15] What makes a run truly "easy"? Mental arithmetic and breathing tests explained.
• [02:41] Using the breathing countdown test to check heart rate accuracy.
• [04:09] Can a run ever be "too easy"? Understanding objectives and recovery.
• [07:57] Why Maffetone's principles work differently for advanced and beginner runners.
• [09:43] The gap between easy and race paces for elites versus everyday runners.
• [10:01] Resting heart rates and the importance of heart rate reserve in training.
• [12:20] Debunking myths about maximum and Maffetone heart rates.
• [13:18] Customizing heart rate zones for higher resting and maximum heart rates.
• [15:00] How base training builds longevity and aerobic fitness.

1. Understand what "easy" really means: Learn why your easy runs should feel effortless and how the nasal breathing or chatting tests can help define them.
2. Heart rate zones are personal: Discover how factors like your fitness level and resting heart rate impact the effectiveness of heart rate training.
3. Balance is the key to progress: Understand how alternating between truly easy runs and challenging efforts prevents overtraining and maximizes results.

• 📈 Get your free 30-day 1% better base training & habits guide - https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/easyrunning
• Follow me on Instagram - https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Follow Mike Trees on Instagram - https://instagram.com/run.nrg
• Follow me on Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507
• IMAT Heart Rate https://dlakecreates.com/imat
• Maffetone 180 Formula https://dlakecreates.com/maf

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Most people think they need to lose weight before becoming a runner. The truth is, that belief is stopping more runners than their body ever will.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t look like a “typical runner” or believed you needed to lose weight before taking running seriously, this episode will challenge everything you’ve been told. I break down what bigger runners need to understand about training smarter, why running isn’t always the answer people think it is for weight loss, and how consistency, recovery, and sustainable effort will take you much further than pushing yourself into exhaustion. If you want to build fitness in a way that actually lasts, this conversation will completely change how you think about running and long-term progress.

1. Running doesn't require a certain body type: You don't need to lose weight before you start running. The idea that only lean, light people can be "real runners" is false.
2. Running alone won't help you lose body fat: If weight loss is your main goal, running isn't the most effective path. You're better off combining it with resistance training and fixing your nutrition.
3. Run so you can do it again tomorrow: Don't overdo it on day one. Walk when you need to, go by time instead of distance, and focus on consistency over intensity.

• [00:21] What You’ll Learn
• [01:34] Tip #1 – Don’t Try to Lose Weight By Running
• [05:52] Use This to Start Running (Again) Now
• [06:21] Tip #2 – Everything in Moderation
• [10:18] Tip #3 – Walking Is Ok
• [12:40] Why You Shouldn’t Kill Yourself Every Run
• [15:04] Daren’s Hot Take, Healthy and Wise
• [15:29] Why Amateur Runners Can’t Carb Load Their Way to a Fast Marathon Alone
• [18:38] How Daren Is Getting Wiser in Life & Training
• [19:42] Remy’s Hot Take, Healthy & Wise
• [24:02] Why You Should Have Dessert With Your Dinner
• [26:57] Use This to Start (Or Get Back to Running)

• 📈 Get your free start running (again) and base training plan here - https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here - https://dlakecreates.com/heavyrunners
• How to start running (again) full deep dive - https://dlakecreates.com/startrunning
• More this or that episodes with Remy B Reel - https://dlakecreates.com/thisorthat
• Remy B Reel on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@RemyBReel/videos
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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What if the thing that helps you run faster now also protects you from becoming fragile later?

In this episode, I break down VO2 max in the most practical way possible: what it is, why runners should care, how much your watch can actually be trusted, and why the number matters for way more than race performance. We get into the difference between VO2 max, threshold, running economy, zone 2, hard intervals, and field testing. And we do it all without turning it into a science textbook.

The bigger idea is simple: VO2 max is not just about running faster. It is about building a higher ceiling now so you have more room to perform, recover, age well, and avoid becoming fragile later. We also cover the workouts that actually move the needle, why easy running alone is probably not enough if you are time-poor, and how to start adding VO2 max work without blowing yourself up.

• [00:01:46] Vo2 Max Defined
• [00:03:42] What's The difference between watch and mask treadmill lab test
• [00:05:20] Use This To Improve Your Vo2 Max Now
• [00:07:11] Why Vo2 Max isn't the only metric to make you a better runner
• [00:07:51] Brady's back story and his Vo2 Max of 80
• [00:08:54] Is the Car Analogy the best for Vo2 Max?
• [00:10:12] Ignore Your Smart Watch and Focus on the Bigger Zoomed out Story
• [00:11:26] Take These After Vo2 Max Runs To Recover Better
• [00:14:39] Why Low Carb Won't Get You To your Best Time
• [00:15:55] Difference between Threshold & Vo2 Max HR zones
• [00:18:18] Can you improve Vo2 Max by not doing zone 4 work?
• [00:18:58] Physiology is a spectrum not an exact
• [00:20:42] Don't Rely on 220 Minus Age for Max HR Number
• [00:22:42] Do You Have To Run at a Certain Speed/Force to Improve Vo2 Max?
• [00:26:16] How can someone go and test their Vo2 Max?
• [00:27:45] Does Doing The Mile Help Improve Vo2 Max?
• [00:28:37] Is it Good to do a Vo2 Max & Threshold Lab Test Same Time?
• [00:29:25] Why Vo2 Max & Longevity are so connected
• [00:31:17] Why Fit Trained 60yo Are Healthier than Sedentary 30yo
• [00:35:30] Why Low Vo2 Max on Older People is so Dangerous
• [00:41:08] Zone 2 vs Vo2 Max Training and Fitness
• [00:43:43] Is Zone 3, 4 and 5 better for Time Strapped Runners?
• [00:46:12] Higher intensity training is 9 times more effective than low intensity
• [00:47:58] What Vo2 Max Number is Best to Target?
• [00:51:34] Why Norwegian 4x4 is the best for beginners with Vo2 Max
• [00:53:33] Is 30 sec on 20 sec off good for new vo2 max runners?
• [00:56:14] Should Vo2 Max Intervals go over 5 minutes
• [00:57:48] Does Vo2 Max Stop Improving after 6 Weeks
• [00:59:50] Why There Is Not Such Thing a Non Exercise Responder
• [01:02:13] How a New Runner Can Get Used to Vo2 Max Efforts
• [01:06:06] Starter 3 Days a Week Build Your Vo2 Max Plan
• [01:09:06] Is This a Vo2 Max Workout? (Rapid Fire)
• [01:15:44] Does Sauna Improve Vo2 Max?
• [01:16:35] Where To Find Brady Online & His Vo2 Max Book
• [01:17:25] Why Everyone Should Get a Vo2 Max Test

• 📈 Get your free improve Vo2 Max Training Plan here - https://dlakecreates.com/vo2masterfree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/vo2master
• How To Do The Cooper Test - https://www.verywellfit.com/fitness-test-for-endurance-12-minute-run-3120264
• Vo2 Max 4x4 Protocol - https://dlakecreates.com/4x4
• Brady Holmer - Vo2 Max Essentials Book - https://www.bradyholmer.com/ebook
• Brady Holmer - Why Vo2 Max Still Matters - https://runlongrunhealthy.substack.com/p/why-vo-max-still-matters-for-longevity
• The Dallas Bed Rest Study - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2655009/
• Brady Holmer on Substack - https://substack.com/@bradyholmer
• Brady Holmer on X - https://x.com/Brady_H?lang=en
• Brady Holmer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brady.j.holmer/?hl=en
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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What if there was a way to boost your VO₂ max, improve heat tolerance, and potentially increase endurance without adding a single extra workout to your training week?

Most runners are always looking for the next thing that will help them run faster, recover better, and stay healthier for the long haul. In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked performance tools available: sauna training. You'll learn how heat exposure can improve endurance, boost key physiological adaptations, and help your body handle hard efforts more efficiently. I also share a simple protocol to get started, common mistakes runners make, and why the benefits may extend far beyond race day and into long-term health and longevity.

1. Sauna training may help improve endurance and running performance by creating adaptations similar to altitude training, without changing where you live or train.
2. Consistency matters more than suffering. Starting with short sessions and gradually building up is the safest and most effective way to get the benefits.
3. Sauna is one of the few tools that may improve both athletic performance and long-term health, making it a valuable addition to your training routine.

• [00:27] What You'll Learn
• [01:18] How Sauna Actually Makes You a Faster Runner
• [02:00] What's Happening Inside Your Body
• [03:08] Use This Cheat Sheet to Start Sauna and Get 17% Faster on Race Day
• [03:45] My Science-Backed Sauna Post-Run Protocol
• [05:42] Three Things to Remember Before You Sauna
• [07:47] What to Do in the Sauna?
• [08:20] Infrared vs Steam vs Finnish Dry Sauna
• [09:38] Steam Saunas
• [10:24] No Sauna? Try a Bath
• [10:53] What About Hot Cold Contrast Therapy?
• [14:52] Use This to Get 17% Faster on Your Next Race

• 📈 Get Your Free Sauna Protocol & Race Day Toolkit Here: https://dlakecreates.com/racetoolkitfree
• 🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/sauna2
• 17% Faster Race Day Toolkit Here: https://dlakecreates.com/racetoolkit
• Study on How Sauna Actually Makes You a Faster Runner: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1440244006001393
• The Finnish Sauna Study Showing 43% People Live Longer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25705824/
• Hot Bath Works As Good as Sauna: https://substack.com/home/post/p-181415432
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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