The 1% Better Runner with DLake

What if the smartest distance in running isn't the marathon, but the race most people treat like a stepping stone?

The half marathon is one of the most misunderstood distances in running. Some runners treat it as a stepping stone to something bigger, while others never realize just how challenging and rewarding it can be on its own. In this episode, I break down the five different types of half marathon runners, the mindset shifts that separate them, and why the half marathon may be the sweet spot for improving performance, staying healthy, and enjoying the sport for years to come. Whether you're chasing a personal best, thinking about moving up to the marathon, or simply trying to become a smarter runner, you'll walk away with a new perspective on what 13.1 miles can teach you about training, racing, recovery, and long-term progress.

1. The way you approach the half marathon says a lot about your mindset as a runner. Understanding where you are today can help you make better decisions about where you want to go next.
2. A properly raced half marathon is far more demanding than many runners realize. It requires smart training, strong pacing, and the ability to stay uncomfortable for a long time.
3. The best runners aren't always the ones chasing the biggest challenges. They're often the ones choosing goals that allow them to improve consistently, recover well, and keep running strong for decades.

• [00:39] What You'll Learn
• [02:13] Level 1: The Tourist
• [03:17] Use This to Run a Faster Half Marathon
• [03:56] Level 2: The Stepping Stone
• [05:40] Level 3: The Best Time Hunter
• [07:51] Level 4: The Serial Half Racer
• [09:38] Level 5: The Enlightened One
• [11:45] Run a Faster Half With This

• 📈 Get your free half marathon training plan here https://dlakecreates.com/halfmarathonfree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/levelshalfmarathon
• Learn why most half marathon plans fail: https://dlakecreates.com/halfmarathon
• Impact of different running distances on muscle and lymphocyte DNA damage in amateur marathon runners: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4792989/
• RRW: By The Numbers: Global Road Running Finishers Up 17% in 2024: https://rrm.com/2025/uncategorized/rrw-by-the-numbers-global-road-running-fiishers-up-17-in-2024/
• Learn about the 5 levels of marathon runners - https://dlakecreates.com/marathonlevels
• Learn about the 5 levels of Strava runners - https://dlakecreates.com/stravalevels
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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What if the reason you can't break 20 minutes has nothing to do with toughness and everything to do with how you're training the final kilometer of the race?

Breaking 20 minutes in the 5K isn't just about pushing harder. It's about training smarter. In this episode, I break down the key systems that separate runners who stay stuck from those who finally crack the sub-20 barrier. You'll learn how to build the fitness, durability, speed, and recovery habits that make faster racing possible, why some popular approaches can actually slow your progress, and how to structure your training so each workout works together instead of against you. Whether you're sitting at 20:05 or still working your way down from the low 20s, this episode will help you understand what really moves the needle and how to apply it to your own running.

1. Breaking 20 Minutes Requires Precision: Running a faster 5K isn't about wanting it more on race day. It's about using the right training tools at the right time and building fitness layer by layer.
2. Your Easy Runs Matter More Than You Think: A stronger aerobic base helps you hold pace longer, recover better, and get more out of every hard workout.
3. Recovery Is What Makes Improvement Possible: The goal isn't to train hard every day. The goal is to balance hard work with enough recovery so your body can actually adapt and get faster.

• [00:22] What You'll Learn
• [04:06] Lactate Tolerance Training Protocol
• [06:24] How To Find Your Current Fitness Pace (CFP)
• [06:41] Option 2 For Lactate Tolerance Workouts: Race More
• [07:09] Why Your Brain Freaks Out With Too Much Lactate
• [08:38] Use This To Run A Sub 20 Minute 5K Now
• [09:33] Tactical Tool 2: Run More Days
• [11:29] Tactical Tool 3: Longer VO2 Max Intervals
• [14:29] Do This To Help Another Runner Run Sub 20 Mins
• [15:45] Tactical Tool 4: Stretch Your Tempo Three Ways
• [17:59] Tactical Tool 5: Train Power, Not Just Endurance
• [20:58] Tactical Tool 6: Recovery Is The Real Workout
• [23:13] Tactical Tool 7: Train In Blocks, Not Weeks
• [24:59] Go Deeper On The Best Hack (Recovery)

• 📈 Run Sub 20 With This Free Training Plan https://dlakecreates.com/sub205kfree
• 🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here https://dlakecreates.com/sub205k
• Learn All About Threshold Here: https://dlakecreates.com/thresholdmaster
• My Top 12 5K Tips - https://dlakecreates.com/fast5k
• Mike Trees Instagram - https://instagram.com/run.nrg
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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What if the reason you're not getting faster isn't that you're training too little, but that you're completely skipping the one aerobic zone that delivers the highest return on effort?

Zone 2 gets most of the attention in endurance training, but there’s another aerobic training zone that could be the missing link between running comfortably and running faster. In this episode, I break down what sub-threshold training is, why so many runners accidentally skip it, and how it can help improve speed, endurance, and efficiency without pushing into all-out hard efforts. I also share the common mistakes that can turn this powerful workout into something completely different, along with practical tips for getting the intensity right so you can start applying it to your own training right away.

1. Many runners spend all their time in easy Zone 2 or hard threshold workouts, while ignoring the narrow zone in between that can deliver major aerobic gains.
2. The goal is not to run harder. Staying just below your threshold and controlling your heart rate is what makes sub-threshold training effective.
3. A carefully planned sub-threshold session can improve running efficiency, endurance, and speed, but only when it is introduced gradually and performed consistently.

• [00:17] What You'll Learn
• [01:06] Shoes I’m Wearing For This Workout
• [01:27] The Mistake That Runners Make With Sub Threshold
• [01:49] Why Zone 3/Sub Threshold Matters
• [03:18] Why Heart Rate Is the Best Metric for Sub Threshold Workouts
• [03:51] What Happens When Your HR Goes Higher Than Sub Threshold?
• [04:14] Use This to Improve Your Sub-Threshold Fitness
• [04:44] How to Actually Do a Sub Threshold Workout the Right Way
• [06:10] Traps to Avoid When Doing This Workout
• [07:08] How Long Should This Workout Be
• [09:46] Why I'm Doing More of These This Year
• [10:26] Use This to Learn More About Lactate Threshold Training

• 📈 Get Your Free Sub Threshold Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/subthresholdfree
• 🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/subthreshold
• Everything You Need to Know About Threshold & Lactate (Masterclass): https://dlakecreates.com/how-to-improve-running-threshold/
• Gray Zone Explained Simply - https://dlakecreates.com/grayzonesimple
• Cori Cycle & Lactate Shuttle Explained (Deep Science): https://eureka.patsnap.com/report-cori-cycle-adaptations-in-endurance-training-quantified-outcomes
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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Zone 2 gets all the glory, but zone 1 is what actually saves your body from falling apart decades from now.

Everyone talks about zone 2 training, but almost nobody talks about the slower movement that quietly supports everything else. In this episode, I break down why zone 1 training might be the missing piece for better endurance, faster recovery, and long-term health. I get into the difference between training hard and simply moving more throughout the day, why so many runners accidentally stay stuck in the “gray zone,” and how small changes like walking more, slowing down recovery runs, and stacking low-intensity movement can completely change the way your body feels over time. Whether you’re chasing faster race times or just want to stay strong and capable as you age, this episode will help you rethink what “fitness” actually looks like outside the workout itself.

1. The biggest threat to long-term fitness is not missing workouts. It is spending most of the day sitting still and slowly losing strength, mobility, and endurance without noticing it.
2. Walking more, taking stairs, and adding low-intensity movement throughout the day can improve long-term health, recovery, and overall fitness without needing extra hard training.
3. Slow training alone will not magically make someone faster, but when combined with regular volume and smart workouts, it helps build a stronger aerobic foundation with less stress on the body.

• [00:56] What You'll Learn
• [01:19] How I Found Zone 1 by Accident
• [02:26] Why Zone 2 Gets All the Attention
• [06:09] Get the Free Base Training Plan
• [06:31] Why Zone 1 Is Better (But Most People Can't Do It)
• [12:10] Your Real Problem Isn't Training. It's Your Life.
• [14:22] How to Micro-Dose Zone 1 Into Your Day
• [17:01] Why Run and Bike Commuting Might Save Your Fuel

• 📈 Get your free run zone 1 easier plan here https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/zone1
• Polarized training has greater impact on key endurance variables than threshold, high intensity, or high volume training: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2014.00033/full
• Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17414804/
• Muscle tissue changes with aging: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15192443/
• How to start run and cycle commuting now - https://dlakecreates.com/commute
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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Most runners don’t fail to break three hours because they’re unfit. They fail because they’re forcing a pace their body hasn’t earned yet.

Breaking three hours in the marathon is not about forcing yourself to hold 4:15 per kilometer pace and hoping you can survive. In this episode, I share the mindset shift that changed how I approach marathon training: stop pulling yourself toward an arbitrary goal and start building the kind of fitness that naturally pushes you past it. You’ll learn why so many runners blow up late in the race, how to use pace, heart rate, and effort together to train smarter, and what a realistic path to sub-three actually looks like if you want to get there without burning out or getting injured.

1. Stop Pulling Toward Sub-Three: If every workout feels like a struggle, you may be forcing a pace your body is not ready for. Build the fitness first, and let the time come naturally.
2. Use All Three Training Lenses: Pace shows how fast you are running, heart rate shows how your body is responding, and effort tells you how it feels. Using all three helps you train smarter.
3. Give It Time: For most runners, breaking three hours takes more than one training cycle. Consistent progress over one to three years is often the real path to success.

• [00:32] What You'll Learn
• [01:22] Why Runners Can’t Break Sub 3 Hours
• [03:23] Quick Self-Check You Can Do Now
• [04:36] Use This to Run a Sub 3-Hour Marathon the Smart Way
• [05:23] The Physics of Why Your Training Backfires
• [06:16] Here's How I Learned This the Hard Way
• [08:36] Science Behind Why Polarized Training Wins for Marathon Training
• [09:18] Run Science Nerd Break: Cardiac Drift
• [10:23] The Actual Road to Sub-3 Mapped Out
• [12:01] Weeks 1 Through 8: Foundation + a Real Dose of VO2 Max
• [13:12] Weeks 9 Through 16: Maintain VO2 Max, Shift Priority to Threshold
• [16:50] This 3-Lens System Checks If You’re Doing Too Much
• [18:35] Learn More About the 3 Marathon-Specific Runs

• 📈 Get Your Free 22 Week Sub 3 Hour Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/marathonsub3free
• 🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/marathonsub3
• Pacing Strategy Affects the Sub-Elite Marathoner’s Cardiac Drift and Performance: https://doi.org/10.1519/00124278-200708000-00048
• Impact of Training Intensity Distribution on Performance In Endurance Athletes: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17685689/
• 4 Reasons You Can't Run In Zone 2 (And The Fix): https://dlakecreates.com/cantzone2
• Most Runners Guess Threshold - It's Why They're Stuck: https://dlakecreates.com/thresholdmasterclass
• What Runners Get Wrong About Long Runs (It's Obvious): https://dlakecreates.com/longrun
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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Your lungs already know how to run. The real problem is all the breathing advice telling you otherwise.

Breathing is one of the most overcomplicated topics in running. I tested seven popular techniques, from box breathing and Wim Hof to nose breathing and diaphragmatic breathing, to find out which ones actually help you run easier and which ones are better left for bedtime. In this episode, I break down what works during a run, what helps with recovery, and why the simplest approach often delivers the biggest results. If you’ve ever felt out of breath on easy runs or wondered whether you’re breathing “wrong,” this episode will help you train smarter and breathe with less effort.

1. Most Breathing Techniques Work Better for Recovery: Methods like 4-7-8, Wim Hof, and box breathing can help you relax and recover, but they are not the best tools to use while you’re actually running.
2. Diaphragmatic Breathing Makes Running Feel Easier: Learning to breathe from your belly helps you take deeper breaths and gives you a stronger foundation for every other breathing technique.
3. The Best Breathing Strategy Is to Keep It Simple: Use nose breathing on easy runs to control your pace, and switch to mouth breathing when the effort gets hard and your body needs more air.

• [00:27] What You'll Learn
• [01:30] How I’m Ranking Them
• [02:12] #7 4-7-8 Breathing
• [03:09] Use This to Breathe Better on Your Runs
• [03:44] #6 Wim Hof Power Breaths
• [04:44] #5 Box Breathing
• [06:10] #4 3-2 Rhythmic Stride Breathing
• [07:51] #3 Cyclic Sighing / Physiological Sigh
• [09:44] Help Another Runner by Doing This Super Easy Thing
• [10:31] #2 Diaphragmatic Belly Breathing
• [12:03] #1 The Best Breathing Method of All
• [14:44] Why the Best One Is Boring
• [15:43] Go Deeper on Nose vs. Mouth Breathing

• 📈 Get your free breath easier and run faster/farther training plan here https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/breathworstbest
• Learn more about nose vs mouth breathing here https://dlakecreates.com/nosebreathing
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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Most runners think they need more mileage, but the real reason they blow up is that they never learned how to pace.

Ever gone out feeling amazing in a race only to have your legs turn to concrete a few minutes in? That's not a fitness problem. It's a pacing problem. And it happens because your body's energy systems trick you into thinking you're rich when you're actually borrowing time at a brutal interest rate. In this episode, you'll learn exactly why the start of every race lies to you, a simple 30-second body check that catches the mistake before you blow up, and the one workout that teaches your body what race pace actually feels like. You'll walk away knowing how to stop guessing on race day, save your energy for the finish, and finally run the times you know you're capable of.

1. The first two minutes lie to you. Your body has a short burst energy system that makes the start of a race feel easy. When it runs out a few minutes later, you crash hard unless you held back.
2. Do the 30-second body check during any run. Use the talk test, breathing rhythm, and "too easy" feeling to know if you're pacing right before it's too late.
3. Race pace repeats fix bad pacing for good. Run one kilometer at your goal pace, rest three minutes, repeat five times. Your legs and brain learn what right feels like so race day isn't a guess.

• [00:18] What You'll Learn
• [01:16] The Mystery: Why Your Body Lies in the First Minute
• [04:19] Use This So You Don't Race Too Fast (And Help Another Runner)
• [07:11] The 30-Second Body Check
• [09:54] The Short-Term Fix: What to Do When You've Already Blown Up
• [11:34] The Real Long-Term Fix: How to Stop Blowing Up for Good
• [15:34] Use This to Learn All About Energy Systems and How to Train Them Best

• 📈 Get Your Free Don’t Race Too Fast Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/racetoolkitfree
• 🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/racefast
• Energy System Interaction and Relative Contribution During Maximal Exercise: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200131100-00003
• Pacing, Packing and Sex-Based Differences in Olympic and IAAF World Championship Marathons: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2015.1132841
• Most Runners Guess Threshold - It's Why They're Stuck: https://dlakecreates.com/how-to-improve-running-threshold/
• The Real Reason You’re Not Getting Faster at The 5K: https://dlakecreates.com/sub255k
• Why the Same Pace Feels Easy 1 Day and Death the Next: https://dlakecreates.com/energysystems
• Mike Trees NRG Coaching Instagram - https://instagram.com/run.nrg
• 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 reason you keep getting injured isn’t because you’re running too much, but because you’re only training half of the machine that makes you a stronger runner?

If you’ve been piling on miles but still getting injured, plateauing, or wondering why race day feels harder than it should, this episode will change the way you think about training. I break down the two systems that drive every runner’s performance: the cardiovascular engine that powers your endurance and the musculoskeletal engine that keeps your body strong enough to handle the workload. You’ll learn why running alone is not enough, how strength training and speed work fit into the bigger picture, and a simple “mixing board” framework you can use to balance every part of your training without overcomplicating your week.

1. Train Both Engines: Your fitness depends on both your cardiovascular system and your muscles, bones, and tendons. Neglect either one, and your progress will suffer.
2. Running Alone Isn’t Enough: Running builds endurance, but strength training builds durability. You need both to stay injury-free.
3. Adjust Your Training Over Time: The right mix of easy runs, hard workouts, and strength work changes throughout the year based on your goals.

• [00:32] What You'll Learn
• [01:24] The Two Engines Overview
• [03:26] Cardiovascular Engine: Aerobic Base (Zone 2)
• [04:50] Do This to Train All the Zones and Get Faster
• [05:34] Cardiovascular Engine: VO2 Max
• [07:08] Cardiovascular Engine: Anaerobic
• [08:18] Musculoskeletal Engine: The One Runners Ignore
• [13:41] The 2 System Crossover
• [15:39] Do This to Help Another Runner
• [16:23] The Mixing Board
• [22:16] Use This to Improve Your Cadence

• 📈 Get your free training plan to improve the 2 engines here https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/2engines
• Why Most Runners Get VO2 Max Wrong (And How to Fix It): https://dlakecreates.com/vo2-max-training-runners
• Learn all about Threshold training here https://dlakecreates.com/thresholdmasterclass
• Strength Train Like an elite runner: https://dlakecreates.com/axis
• Top 10 Easiest/Best Strength Gym workouts for runners: https://dlakecreates.com/strength
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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Zone 2 doesn't fail. You just quit before your body had any reason to adapt.

Most runners think Zone 2 is the problem. It’s not. In this episode, I break down why so many runners feel stuck, frustrated, and convinced their body “doesn’t work,” and what’s actually going on beneath the surface. We get into how to properly train your aerobic system, why your gear might be misleading you, and the uncomfortable truth about consistency. This is about building a base that makes everything else easier. If you want to run faster, longer, and with less effort, this is where it starts. Even if it feels painfully slow at first.

1. Zone 2 only works if you do it consistently over time. Short bursts and long breaks won’t build anything.
2. Most runners rely on inaccurate data or push too hard. Slowing down and even walking is part of doing it right.
3. Cross-training and patience help you build fitness without breaking your body. Progress comes from stacking small efforts.

• [01:48] What Are Heart Rate Zones
• [02:47] Fix #1 Fix Your Technology
• [05:19] Use This To Improve Your Zone 2
• [05:46] Fix #2 You Aren't Training Zone 2 Enough
• [08:17] Fix #3 Why Consistency Is Key For Zone 2
• [10:45] Fix #4 Cross Train

• 📈 Get Your Free Improve Zone 2 Training Plan Here: https://dlakecreates.com/zone2free
• 🎧 Listen, Read and Learn More Here: https://dlakecreates.com/cantzone2
• Run Farther… Without That ‘Why Am I Dying?’ Feeling: https://dlakecreates.com/base2
• Stop Doing Zone 2 Until You Watch This First: https://dlakecreates.com/maf
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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

Your watch says your VO2 max is low, but that number might be lying to you about how fit you really are.

Everyone’s chasing VO2 max like it’s the scoreboard for fitnes, but what if it isn’t? In this episode, I break down why that number isn’t the thing that actually makes you faster, healthier, or more durable as a runner. You’ll start to see the gap between lab metrics and real-world performance, and why most longevity research doesn’t even use VO2 max the way you think. More importantly, I’ll walk you through how to train, test, and measure your fitness without needing a lab or fancy data. This is about shifting your focus from numbers to what actually shows up when you run.

1. VO2 Max is not the goal: Your VO2 max is just potential, not performance. You can have a high number and still underperform if you don’t train well.
2. Performance beats lab metrics: The research people quote doesn’t focus on VO2 max scores, it focuses on what you can actually do. Your speed and endurance in real efforts tell the real story.
3. Train for real life, not numbers: You should focus on easy runs, consistency, and smart effort instead of chasing metrics. When you do that, your fitness improves naturally without forcing it.

• [00:27] What You'll Learn
• [01:35] What Is VO2 Max Exactly?
• [02:47] The Science of How We Get This Wrong
• [04:52] Use This to Improve Your VO2 Max
• [05:27] Why This Is About Living a Great Life
• [07:54] How to Improve Your VO2 Max in the Real World
• [12:57] Go Here to Learn & Improve Your VO2 Max

• 📈 Get your free improve Vo2 Max Training Plan here https:// dlakecreates.com/vo2maxfree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here dlakecreates.com/vo2maxmatter
• Brady Holmer Substack - Did Vo2 Max Get Cancelled - https://www.physiologicallyspeaking.com/p/live-with-brady-is-vo2-max-cancelled
• Why Most Runners Do Vo2 Max Wrong - https://dlakecreates.com/vo2maxwrong
• The Truth ABout 4x4 Workouts - https://dlakecreates.com/4x4
• My VO₂ Max Dropped… But I Got Faster?! https://dlakecreates.com/vo2-max-running-performance/
• The Cooper 12 Min/2.4km/1.5mile Test Formula - https://www.verywellfit.com/fitness-test-for-endurance-12-minute-run-3120264
• Instagram – https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• Strava – https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

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