Are You Sprinting Your Way to a Faster Marathon?

I mentioned this in yesterday’s live call, but a new 2025 study on well-trained distance runners confirmed what we've been preaching:

You need to go fast to race fast.

The research showed that just 6 weeks of integrating Sprint Interval Training (SIT) led to superior improvements in endurance (Time to Exhaustion/TTE) and 3000m performance compared to a group doing traditional long-distance training.

The Key:

Short, maximum-effort sprints (like 30-40 seconds) followed by long rest periods. This is how you reclaim the speed and power that naturally declines after 40!

This isn't about ditching your long runs, it’s about leveraging your limited time for maximum impact and getting the neuromuscular punch you need.

And I’ll say it again, once you get used to running some sprints, move on to running fartlek runs, I really love those and it’s so easy to see gains fast.

The Study (For the Skeptics!)

The research cited is: "Effects of 6-week sprint interval training compared to traditional training on the running performance of distance runners: a randomized controlled trail," published in Frontiers in Physiology in February 2025.

🔥 POLL: Do you include speed work in your running plan?

Yes! Consistent once a week (track, hills, or strides)

Sometimes, but I fear injury/it makes my knees ache.

No, I stick only to easy miles.

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