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.

Key Takeaways
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.
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.
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.

Timestamps
[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

Links & Learnings
📈 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

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

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.

Key Takeaways
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.
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.
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.

Timestamps
[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)

Links & Learnings
📈 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

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

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.

Key Takeaways
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.
The goal is not to run harder. Staying just below your threshold and controlling your heart rate is what makes sub-threshold training effective.
A carefully planned sub-threshold session can improve running efficiency, endurance, and speed, but only when it is introduced gradually and performed consistently.

Timestamps
[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

Links & Learnings
📈 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
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Key Takeaways
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.
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.
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.

Timestamps
[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

Links & Learnings
📈 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

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

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.

Key Takeaways
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.
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.
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.

Timestamps
[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

Links & Learnings
📈 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
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.