The Physiology of Endurance Running Podcast · Dan Nash and Owain Zerilli

The Do's and Don'ts of Session Design

·1 hr 22 min·5 clips

For a 10K or 5K, 20 to 25 by 400 off 30 seconds at threshold can sit below LT2.

1. The Physiology of Endurance Running Podcast focuses on The Do's and Don'ts of Session Design, with Awain and Dan using their own training week to frame the topic. 2. Awain hosts the show and Dan joins as the running partner who is back in full training for London Marathon after Seville. 3. The episode asks what a session is for: how to choose recovery, interval length, and intensity so a workout delivers the intended adaptation. 4. Awain says the discussion follows their earlier series on intensity domains and training zones, so the session-design question comes after that framework. 5. Dan describes his week around a Thursday workout because it fits work and recording schedules better than Wednesday. 6. The hosts say a Friday session followed by a Saturday session is a poor choice because the stress is too concentrated. 7. They argue that one compromised quality session is better than two half-effective ones, because consistency matters more than stacking fatigue. 8. Awain says most of his athletes spend 40 to 45 weeks of the year doing work between LT1 and LT2. 9. He also says that if physiology testing shows VO2 max is limiting performance, he will add more severe-intensity work carefully. 10. They contrast threshold-based training with examples like Keeley Hodgson running 1:54 for 800 meters and Jake Whiteman's athletes using more intensity. 11. Awain explains that easy running should feel far below LT1 and should let a runner take in their surroundings without frustration at stoplights. 12. Dan says easy-run duration often lands around 40 to 60 minutes, with an upper cap near 60 to 70 minutes for many runners. 13. Awain notes that elite athletes often stop one run around 70 to 80 minutes and then switch to double runs rather than keep extending one session. 14. Dan says his own capacity has improved over time, because he can now do 70 minutes in the morning and 50 minutes in the afternoon without the next workout suffering. 15. Dan explains that a lot of his training can now sit in the heavy domain because the metabolic and recovery cost is lower than severe-intensity work. 16. Awain gives a 10K and 5K example of 20 to 25 by 400 meters off 30 seconds at threshold, then a transition toward 10K pace with 2 minutes' rest. 17. The hosts say long reps over three minutes can be used to accumulate work, while short reps below three minutes change the metabolic emphasis. 18. Dan says long-rep recoveries also help mentally, because repeating short resets is easier than grinding through one long tempo. 19. The tone is practical and coach-like, with back-and-forth examples, training anecdotes, and repeated references to their own weekly planning. 20. Listeners who like marathon, 5K, and threshold-session planning would get the most out of this episode, while runners wanting generic inspiration may skip it.

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