What is Matt Fitzgerald's excellent 80 20 running?
Linwood Walter
2025-06-21 17:53:42
Count answers: 9
Matt Fitzgerald explains the radical idea that the best training comes from slowing down, or at least slowing down for 80% of training and then training hard for the remaining 20%. The key is to do 80% of training at an effort at least 60% MHR but below the ventilator threshold and 20% at moderate and high intensity to prepare for your specific race. Runners need both aerobic and faster efforts, but what is not helpful is staying with the greyzone of moderate intensity for too much of training. We need to slow down in order to speed up. Fitzgerald explains how it improves fitness as well as skill, including an ideally high stride rate. He offers training plans for 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon prep, including extolling the virtues of periodization, increasing volume gradually, and specific sessions. This is a valuable resource, especially to help those of us tempted to always speed up to be inspired to slow down much more often in order to build a solid aerobic base.