FRC

🥪🏙️ Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon Day 9 – Goal Pace or Current Fitness Pace?

One of the biggest mistakes we see is runners doing workouts at their goal pace instead of their current fitness pace.

We believe you’re better off training the athlete you are today—not the athlete you hope to be in a few months.

Why?

✅ Your workouts target the right physiological adaptations.

✅ You’re less likely to accumulate unnecessary fatigue or get injured.

✅ You’re more likely to recover well and stay consistent.

As your fitness improves, your training paces should improve too.

If you start training at your goal pace before you’re ready, you may spend months working at intensities your body can’t properly adapt to.

On the other hand, if you eventually become fit enough that your current training pace equals your original goal pace, that’s a sign it’s time to reassess. Continuing to train at the same pace may no longer provide enough stimulus for continued improvement.

That’s why we recommend periodically testing your fitness with an aerobic performance test, heart rate assessment, or another objective measure to update your training zones throughout the season.

The goal isn’t to chase a pace.

The goal is to build the fitness that makes that pace sustainable.

👉 Take our Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 Email [email protected] to learn more about the FRC Performance Forum.

Value Statement:
Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.

📸 IG/Facebook: freedom running club
🎥 TikTok/YouTube:
🏃 Strava: Freedom Running Club

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🥪🏙️ Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon Day 8 – How to Structure Long Run Workouts
The long run is one of the most important parts of marathon training…
But it’s also one of the easiest places to make a mistake.
Not every runner needs long run workouts.
Depending on your experience, training history, and current fitness, your long runs may simply need to focus on building endurance and time on your feet.
Remember:
The long run is often the highest-risk session of a marathon build because of the stress it places on your body.
But for runners who are ready for them, long run workouts can be a powerful tool.
Some examples include:
🏃 Progression Long Runs
Starting controlled and gradually increasing effort throughout the run.
⚡ Marathon Pace Finish Long Runs
Adding sections at or near marathon pace to practice race-specific effort.
🔥 Fast Finish Long Runs
Teaching your body and mind how to run efficiently when fatigue is building.
One study we discuss looked at the benefits of practicing reverse-split marathon pacing:
📚 The Effect of Pacing Strategy on Performance in Marathon Running: A Retrospective Analysis of the Boston Marathon
Published: 2025
Authors: Bartosz D. et al.
📄 Full Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12307312/
PMCID: PMC12307312
The research highlights how successful marathon performances often involve controlled early pacing followed by maintaining or increasing speed later in the race.
One way to practice that?
Learning to finish portions of your long runs faster.
The goal is not to turn every long run into a race.
The goal is to create the specific adaptations and confidence needed for race day.

👉 Take our Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a
📧 Email [email protected] for information about the FRC Performance Forum.
Value Statement:
“Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.”
📸 IG/Facebook: freedom running club
🎥 TikTok/YouTube: 
🏃 Strava: Freedom Running Club

🥪🏙️ Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon Day 7 – Is the PB&J Run Worth Doing Both Races?

One of the reasons the PB&J Run has become our favorite local race every year?

The flexibility.

With both a 10K and 5K option, runners have the opportunity to make this race whatever fits their goals.

🏃 Want a hard 10K effort?
You can do that.

⚡ Want a fast 5K?
You can do that.

🔥 Want a unique challenge?
You can double.

One of the best parts of this race is the schedule.

The 10K and 5K are separated by about 75 minutes, giving many runners enough time to recover, reset, and race again.

And the best part?

Adding the second race is only $10 more.

For runners preparing for a fall marathon, doubling can be a great opportunity to practice:
✅ Running hard while fatigued
✅ Race-day fueling and recovery
✅ Mental toughness
✅ Effort control

Beyond the racing, the overall experience is what makes this event special.

🚗 Convenient parking options
🏃 Great course setup
🎉 Fun race atmosphere
🥪 Post-race PB&J celebration
🏆 Huge amount of age group prizes

It’s a race that works for competitive runners, first-time racers, and everyone in between.

That’s why the PB&J Run has become a yearly tradition for our FRC athletes.

It’s not just a race.

It’s an experience.

And it’s a perfect example of why you don’t always have to travel far to find a great event.

👉 Take our Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 Email [email protected] for information about the FRC Performance Forum.

Value Statement:
“Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.”

📸 IG/Facebook: freedom running club
🎥 TikTok/YouTube:
🏃 Strava: Freedom Running Club

FRC | Study Breakdown / Evidence Review

Should nutrition recommendations for female athletes be individualized?

In this video, we break down a comprehensive review on nutrition for female athletes and how hormones, training, and practical nutrition strategies work together to support both health and performance.

📄 Recommendations and Nutritional Considerations for Female Athletes: Health and Performance
Kristin M. Prado, Kelly Pritchett, & Stacy T. Sims
Published: October 2021
Full study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8566643/
PMCID: PMC8566643

What the evidence showed:

• Nutrition should be approached as a hierarchy—meeting energy needs first before progressing to macronutrients, meal composition, and finally nutrient timing.
• As nutrition becomes more individualized, recommendations become more prescriptive. The best nutrition plan is the one an athlete can consistently follow.
• During the follicular phase, glycogen restoration rates may be reduced, making adequate carbohydrate intake especially important to support recovery.
• During the luteal phase, protein needs may increase to help offset greater protein breakdown and support recovery and adaptation.
• The review also reinforces that nutrition should be individualized based on training load, menstrual status, and performance goals—not a one-size-fits-all approach.

This study builds on our previous nutrition reviews by showing that before worrying about nutrient timing, athletes should first establish a strong nutritional foundation.

Evidence → what the study found
Interpretation → how it applies to training

🔎 Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 Email [email protected] to learn more about the FRC Performance Forum.

Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.

IG/Facebook: freedom running club
TikTok/YouTube:
Strava: Freedom Running Club

🌡️ Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon – Extra Episode: Smart Heat Training Strategies

Training through summer heat requires more than just pushing harder.

Sometimes the smartest training decision is knowing when to adjust.

One strategy we use with athletes during extreme heat is the split long run.

The goal?

Get the aerobic benefit of the long run without creating unnecessary fatigue that impacts the next several days of training.

Here is how we approach it:

🏃 Start outside
Complete the first half (or slightly more) of the run outdoors to practice effort management, hydration, and heat exposure.

🌡️ Know when the heat becomes too much
When heart rate begins climbing quickly, effort becomes unrealistic, and the cost of continuing outside outweighs the benefit, it may be time to adjust.

🏠 Transition inside
Move the remaining miles to a treadmill and finish the workout in a controlled environment.

The key is planning ahead:

✅ Have treadmill access
✅ Have it set up and ready
✅ Make the transition quickly

This allows you to continue building aerobic fitness without creating excessive heat stress that can lead to:

❌ Days of poor recovery
❌ Lower-quality future workouts
❌ Increased risk of heat-related illness

Heat training can be valuable.

But the goal is not to prove how much discomfort you can tolerate.

The goal is to maximize the training your body can absorb.

These are the types of practical, evidence-based decisions we discuss throughout the Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon series and inside the FRC Performance Forum.

👉 Take our Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 Email [email protected] for more information about the FRC Performance Forum.

Value Statement:
“Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.”

📸 IG/Facebook: freedom running club
🎥 TikTok/YouTube:
🏃 Strava: Freedom Running Club

🥪🏙️ Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon Day 6 – What Should a Week of Marathon Training Look Like?

One of the most common marathon questions:

“How many days should I be running each week?”

The answer depends on your experience, goals, training history, and ability to recover.

So today we’re breaking down a general marathon training framework (not a one-size-fits-all plan).

For most marathon runners, these are the 3 foundational sessions:

🏃 1️⃣ Long Run
The cornerstone of marathon training. Builds endurance, fatigue resistance, and confidence for race day.

⚡ 2️⃣ Marathon-Specific Quality Workout
Examples:
• Marathon pace work
• Lactate threshold/tempo runs
• Longer aerobic intervals

These sessions build the ability to sustain race effort.

😌 3️⃣ Recovery Run
Easy running that adds aerobic volume while allowing your body to absorb harder workouts.

From there, additional days can be added based on your training:

➡️ Additional recovery runs
➡️ Strength-focused running (hills, Fly 30s, strides)
➡️ Medium-long runs

For advanced runners training 6+ days per week, this may also be where double runs can become useful.

Adding a second run can help increase aerobic volume while keeping individual sessions manageable, but only after building the foundation to handle it.

🏋️ Cross training can also be valuable by adding aerobic work while reducing impact.

The biggest takeaway?

There is no magic number of miles or days per week.

The best marathon training structure is the one that matches your goals, your current ability, and your ability to consistently complete the work.

That’s how we help athletes prepare for races like PB&J and the Chicago Marathon.

👉 Take our Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 Email [email protected] for information about the FRC Performance Forum.

Value Statement:
“Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.”

📸 IG/Facebook: freedom running club
🎥 TikTok/YouTube:
🏃 Strava: Freedom Running Club

🥪🏙️ Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon Day 5 – Building Marathon Mileage Safely

One of the biggest mistakes marathon runners make isn’t running too little...

It’s building their long runs too quickly.

Today’s video is based on one of our favorite recent studies:

📚 Long Run Progression and Running-Related Injury Risk: A Cohort Study of Recreational Runners
Published: 2025
Authors: Rasmus Ø. Nielsen and colleagues
📄 Full Text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12421110/
PMCID: PMC12421110

One of the key findings introduced what many are calling the “new 10% rule.”

Rather than focusing on increasing your weekly mileage by no more than 10%, the study found that runners who increased their longest run by more than 10% compared to their longest run over the previous 30 days experienced a higher risk of running-related injury.

That doesn’t mean every increase over 10% causes an injury.

It does mean that large jumps in long-run distance should be approached with caution, especially when preparing for a marathon.

The goal isn’t simply to run farther.

The goal is to build fitness in a way your body can successfully adapt to.

We have a full FRC Study Breakdown of this paper saved in our highlights if you’d like to dive deeper into the research.

This is also the type of evidence-based discussion we’ll be having in our new FRC Performance Forum, where we’ll break down current research and help runners understand how to apply it to their own training.

👉 Take our Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 Email [email protected] for more information about the FRC Performance Forum.

Value Statement:
Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.

Follow Freedom Running Club
📸 IG/Facebook: freedom running club
🎥 TikTok/YouTube:
🏃 Strava: Freedom Running Club

Cross country season is getting closer! 🏃‍♂️🌳

Our latest Freedom Running Club VO₂ max session challenged athletes with:
✅ 2 Critical Velocity Miles
✅ 2 VO₂ Max 800s
✅ Completed on Shell Trail to better simulate the footing and demands of cross country racing.

This group included both high school and collegiate athletes preparing for a strong XC season by developing aerobic power, improving speed endurance, and adapting to race-specific terrain.

Every workout has a purpose. We don’t just train hard—we train smart.

Think your training could be more effective? Take our FREE Training Gaps Assessment to identify areas that may be holding you back:
🔗 https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

Interested in learning more about the FRC Performance Forum? Email [email protected] for more information.

Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.

📱 Follow us:
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TikTok/YouTube:
Strava: Freedom Running Club

FRC | Study Breakdown / Evidence Review - Female Athlete Considerations for Fueling

How should female runners fuel throughout the menstrual cycle?

In this video, we break down the latest International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Position Stand on the unique nutritional needs of female athletes and what the evidence says about fueling, recovery, and performance.

📄 International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Nutritional Concerns of the Female Athlete
Abbie E. Smith-Ryan et al.
Published: May 2023
Full study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10210857/
PMCID: PMC10210857

What the evidence showed:

• Energy and protein needs can change across the menstrual cycle due to hormonal fluctuations.
• During the luteal phase, increased protein intake may help support recovery and adaptation.
• Carbohydrates remain the priority immediately after endurance exercise to maximize glycogen restoration, while protein supports muscle repair and adaptation over the hours that follow.
• Female athletes may benefit from individualized fueling strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
• The authors emphasize that more high-quality research on female athletes is still needed to better understand sport-specific nutrition recommendations.

This study builds on our previous nutrition reviews by showing that when and why you consume carbohydrates and protein can depend on both your training and your physiology.

Evidence → what the study found
Interpretation → how it applies to training

🔎 Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 Email [email protected] to learn more about the FRC Performance Forum.

Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.

IG/Facebook: freedom running club
TikTok/YouTube:
Strava: Freedom Running Club

🥪🏙️ Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon Day 4 – What Should a Week of 5K/10K Training Look Like?

One of the most common questions we get is:

“What should my weekly training actually look like?”

The answer depends on your experience, goals, injury history, and current fitness, so these are general guidelines rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.

If you’re preparing for a race like the PB&J 5K or 10K, these are the three key runs we’d prioritize for most runners:

🏃 1️⃣ Long Run
Build your aerobic base, improve endurance, and increase your ability to handle training over time.

⚡ 2️⃣ One Fast Aerobic Workout
This could be a tempo/lactic threshold runs or VO₂ max/aerobic power session depending on where you are in your training.

😌 3️⃣ Recovery Run
Keep the effort easy. These runs promote recovery while adding valuable aerobic volume.

From there, if you’re running more days each week, we’d typically add:

➡️ Additional easy aerobic runs
➡️ Additional fast aerobic (runs when appropriate)
➡️ Strides or hill sprints/Fly 30s to maintain speed and running economy (when appropriate)

🏋️ Cross training can be an excellent way to continue building fitness while reducing impact, and rest days remain an important part of the process. Recovery isn’t taking time off from training—it’s part of the training.

The biggest takeaway?

Don’t worry about copying someone else’s week.

Build a schedule that matches your experience, fitness, recovery, and goals. The best training plan isn’t the one with the most miles—it’s the one you can consistently complete while staying healthy.

Want to see where your training could improve?

👉 Take our Training Gaps Assessment:
https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

📧 [email protected] to learn more about the FRC Performance Forum.

Value Statement:
Empowering runners to safely achieve their goals with proven, customized methods.

Follow Freedom Running Club
📸 IG/Facebook: freedom running club
🎵 TikTok/YouTube:
🏃 Strava: Freedom Running Club