FRC

🌡️ 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:
Instagram/Facebook: freedom running club
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

FRC | Study Breakdown / Evidence Review
Should endurance runners rethink how they use protein?
In this video, we break down a recent narrative review on protein nutrition for endurance athletes and what the latest evidence says about recovery, adaptation, and performance.
📄 Protein Nutrition for Endurance Athletes: A Metabolic Focus on Promoting Recovery and Training Adaptation
Daniel R. Moore et al.
Published: 2025
Full study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12152099/
PMCID: PMC12152099
What the evidence showed:
• Endurance athletes should aim for 1.6–1.8g/kg/day of protein on training days, with intake up to 2.0 g/kg/day potentially beneficial on rest days.
• The paper outlines four primary reasons to consume protein after training:
1️⃣ Support glycogen restoration when carbohydrate intake is inadequate.
2️⃣ Stimulate muscle protein synthesis (remaining elevated for several hours after exercise).
3️⃣ Maximize muscle adaptation during low-carbohydrate (“train low”) sessions.
4️⃣ Replace amino acids oxidized during exercise.
• Female endurance athletes in the mid-luteal phase may require approximately 1.89 g/kg/day, highlighting that protein needs can vary throughout the menstrual cycle.
One of our biggest takeaways is that carbohydrates remain the priority immediately after endurance training. As the authors conclude:
“CHO remains ‘king’ in terms of promoting muscle glycogen restoration and overall endurance performance.”
Protein is still incredibly important—but many runners will benefit more from ensuring adequate daily intake than worrying about drinking a protein shake the moment they stop running.
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 3 – What Actually Drives Marathon Success
When it comes to marathon performance, most runners focus on one question:
“How many miles should I be running?”
But the research suggests the answer is more complex than a single number.
A key study helps frame this discussion:
📚 Training Volume and Training Frequency Changes Associated with Boston Marathon Race Performance
Published in 2025 (authors listed in PubMed Central record)
Full text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12441744/
PMC ID: PMC12441744
This study examined training patterns in Boston Marathon participants and their relationship to race performance, specifically looking at changes in:
• Weekly training volume (mileage)
• Training frequency (number of runs per week)
• Distribution of training sessions (easy runs, quality sessions, and recovery work)
Key Takeaway
Successful marathon performance was not just linked to higher mileage alone, but to how athletes structured their training across the week and how consistently they were able to absorb and progress training over time.

The Bigger Picture
There is no single “perfect mileage number” that guarantees success.

-Apply for coaching: https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a
-Email: [email protected] for more information 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

🚀 Progress you can measure

Our latest FRC VO₂ Max Test Day brought together high school and collegiate athletes preparing for cross country season. Each athlete completed a 1.5-mile test to evaluate fitness gains since their last assessment and reset training paces for the next phase of training.

📈 Results:
✅ Average improvement of 38 seconds per mile
✅ One athlete completed their first VO₂ Max test of the summer
✅ Training paces updated based on current fitness—not guesswork

Testing isn’t about proving how fit you are—it’s about making sure every workout has a purpose.

Think your training has gaps? Find out where you can improve:
🔗 https://go.freedomrunningclub.com/apply-a

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

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

Road to PB&J/Chicago Marathon Day 2-🌡️ Summer Training Foundations

If you’re training this summer for PB&J or a fall marathon like Chicago, the goal isn’t just fitness.

It’s consistency—without breaking down.

Hot weather doesn’t mean you stop progressing. It means you train smarter.

Here are the core principles we use with our athletes at Freedom Running Club during summer training:

🏃‍♂️ Run at the coolest parts of the day
Morning is the priority whenever possible. Temperatures, humidity, and sun exposure are all lower, which improves both performance and recovery.

🏠 Use the treadmill when needed
There is zero benefit to forcing a workout in unsafe conditions. The treadmill is a tool—not a fallback.

💧 Follow ACSM hydration guidelines
We recommend 300–600mg of sodium per hour of running, especially in heat and humidity, to support fluid balance and performance.

⏱️ Take frequent hydration breaks
Don’t wait until you’re behind—stay ahead of dehydration with planned fluid intake during longer runs.

The goal in summer is not to “tough it out.”

It’s to build aerobic fitness while staying healthy enough to train consistently week after week.

That consistency is what shows up in September and October.

If you want help structuring your training this summer:

👉 Apply for coaching: 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 along for the full Road to PB&J & Chicago series:
IG/Facebook: freedom running club
TikTok/YouTube:
Strava: Freedom Running Club