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Here’s your free but abridged version of this week’s “Run Long, Run Healthy” newsletter. Subscribe below to receive the complete, full-text edition with the newest and most authoritative scientific articles on training, nutrition, shoes, injury prevention, and motivation.
What Makes Runners More Durable? A New Study Uncovers The Link Between Mileage And Resilience
The creeping inefficiency we feel late in a race or long training run is a decline in our running economy—a physiological version of fatigue known as durability (or resilience). A new study explored why some runners hold economy longer than others, even when they have similar levels of fitness.
Researchers at Loughborough University recruited 26 well-trained male runners and divided them into two performance-matched groups. Both had similar 10K times (~39 minutes) and VO₂max (≈57–59 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹), but their training habits differed.
• The Long-Distance Training group (LDT) regularly did runs of 90 minutes or more, averaging 51 km/32 mi per week with a longest weekly run of 19 km (12 miles).
• The Short-Distance Training group (SDT) never ran longer than 70 minutes, averaging 30 km/18 mi per week with a longest run of 12 km (~7 miles).
After lab testing for VO₂max and lactate threshold, the runners completed a 90-minute treadmill run at a demanding steady-state intensity of roughly 78–81% VO₂max (right around lactate threshold). Running economy was assessed every 15 minutes, and before and after the run, athletes performed squat and jump tests to gauge neuromuscular fatigue.
Both groups saw running economy deteriorate as fatigue accumulated—but the drop was earlier and nearly twice as large in SDT. By 90 minutes, oxygen cost rose by 6% in SDT versus just 3.1% in LDT, and the energy cost of running showed nearly identical patterns (+5.8% vs +2.9%). In LDT, economy stayed relatively stable through 60 minutes, whereas SDT runners began drifting upward much earlier, after just 45 minutes. Blood lactate and perceived exertion climbed similarly in both groups, but SDT showed a slightly greater increase in their breathing rate, hinting at higher breathing costs later in the run.
Neuromuscular results told the same story. Although SDT runners were stronger at baseline—likely due to doing more strength training (2.2 h/week vs 1 h/week)—their strength and power fell more sharply after the run. Squat force dropped 19.4% in SDT versus 12.2% in LDT, and jumping power fell 6.6% in SDT but slightly improved by 2.2% in LDT.
The most important finding? Two training characteristics predicted how much running economy drifted (or didn’t) during the run: longer weekly runs and a higher weekly training volume (more mileage). The greater these two variables, the less running economy declined (and hence the more “durable” the runners were).
What this means for runners
If you want to keep your stride efficient late in a long run or race, the takeaway is simple: you need to regularly go long. Runners who consistently logged 90-minute (or longer) runs and carried higher weekly mileage maintained their economy almost twice as well as those who didn’t—even though both groups were equally fast over the 10K distance. Why? Long runs likely build mitochondrial density and fatigue resistance in slow-twitch fibers, allowing the body to rely less on less-efficient fibers as fatigue mounts.
The practical advice? Progress your weekly long run toward 90 minutes or more, maintain a steady aerobic intensity (slightly below lactate threshold) often, and gradually increase total volume. Durability isn’t about suffering through the end of a run, though. The point is to train your physiology so that when fatigue hits, your stride still feels efficient, and that comes from strategically targeting durability during training. One part of that is simply to run more (and longer).
RELATED ARTICLE: How To Run Faster And Longer: 5 Coach-Approved Tips
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Does A Higher Cadence Reduce Your Injury Risk?
My thoughts on running form are generally “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” But small tweaks here and there can sometimes lead to measurable improvements in running performance or injuries, and one of the easiest tweaks to make is to your running cadence—how many steps you take per minute.
While there’s no “ideal” cadence, if yours is too low, upping it slightly is usually beneficial. Somewhere in the 170–180 steps per minute range is a good target. But what does the evidence say about whether increasing cadence benefits runners? A new systematic review asks a simple question with big implications: Does deliberately increasing cadence (usually 5–10%) change mechanics in ways that actually lower injury risk?
The authors synthesized trials, cohort studies, lab experiments, and meta‑analyses that manipulated or examined step frequency in runners. They focused on biomechanics (loading rates, joint moments) and any links to injury prevention and running economy.
A moderate cadence boost (5–10%) shortens stride length, reduces vertical ground reaction forces and loading rate, and improves lower‑limb alignment (less hip and knee movement)—changes that plausibly unload the tibia, knee, and hip.
Lab work showed clear reductions in hip and knee loading, and field studies suggest similar directions of effect. Several of the included papers reported no metabolic penalty and, in some cases, slightly better running economy at the same speed after cadence increases. The review also highlights data linking higher cadence to fewer tibial stress problems and knee symptoms. One study reported a 12‑month injury reduction of ~62% with a gait‑retraining approach that included cadence work.
What this means for runners
If you’re battling knee pain, shin soreness, or just want a cleaner landing, try nudging cadence up 5–10% at the same speed—not by speeding up. Use a metronome or beat‑matched playlist for short blocks of running (just a few minutes) inside easy runs, then gradually extend the duration until it becomes natural. You can expect your stride to shorten and the impact to feel “quieter.” But don’t chase a magic number (there isn’t one), chase comfort and control. If discomfort increases or your heart rate spikes at the same speed, dial back the cadence slightly and progress more slowly. It’s a process.
RELATED ARTICLE: Boost Your Stride: How to Increase Cadence While Running
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Race-Day Anxiety Increases Your Risk of Illness
Many runners get sick right after a big race. Why is this so common? A new study investigates whether our mindset on race day influences that risk and affects the immune system’s response to exercise.
The study had two parts. In study 1, 406 marathon runners provided psychological measures (trait anxiety, total mood disturbance) in the week before the race, state anxiety on race morning, and saliva before and after. They also tracked respiratory tract infection (RTI) symptoms for two weeks before and after the event. In study 2, 45 active adults did 60 minutes of running at 65% VO₂peak or rested. Their saliva was sampled before, after, and 30 minutes after to assess secretory IgA (a marker of immune function).
In total, 15% of runners reported an RTI post‑race. Higher trait anxiety and mood disturbance predicted greater RTI odds over the next two weeks. State anxiety alone wasn’t significant, but runners with both high trait and high state anxiety faced the highest predicted risk. Additionally, higher trait anxiety and mood disturbance were linked to a larger drop in secretory IgA secretion rate across the race (i.e., a lower immune defense response), but these changes didn’t predict who got sick. In Study 2, higher anxiety and mood disturbances were related to a lower immune response to exercise in men but not consistently in women. Interestingly, there was no average difference in immune responses between the exercise and sitting trials.
What this means for runners
Treat race‑week psychology like a performance variable: aim for good sleep (especially the night before), a calming pre‑race routine, and realistic expectations. If you tend to be anxious, buffer it with low‑stakes tune‑ups, mindfulness, or breathing work, and a simplified race‑day plan. Post‑race, double down on hygiene, nutrition, and sleep regardless of how the race went—higher anxiety or rough mood pre- or post-race may make you an easier target for an infection in the next two weeks.
RELATED ARTICLE: Running While Sick: How To Manage Running With A Cold
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Here’s what paying subscribers received this week in addition to the studies you just read. If you’d like access to the full RLRH newsletter, consider becoming a paid subscriber!
• Are there downsides to high-dose omega-3s?
• Do super shoes’ advantages last late into a long run?
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. As always—Run Long, Run Healthy.
~Brady~
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