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Today's reading time is about: 5 minutes.

Before we dive in, a quick note for our U.S. readers: Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A reminder that meaningful progress—whether in society, leadership, or sport—is rarely rushed, but always intentional.

Lately, I haven’t been able to stop comparing a few stories from the running world.

A friend on Instagram recently shared that he’s about to conquer his 16th marathon.
At the same time, Julia Paternain reached third place at the world level in just her second marathon last year.

Then there’s Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the marathon world record in only his third attempt.
Or Tigst Assefa, who transitioned from track racing to setting a marathon world record in a remarkably short time.

Different athletes.
Different backgrounds.
Very different timelines.

And yet, they all raise the same question—especially as racing season begins:

Why isn’t more training always better?

If success were simply about piling on mileage or intensity, years of accumulation would always beat rapid breakthroughs. But performance doesn’t follow a straight line. It follows the rules of adaptation, tolerance, and timing.

That’s exactly what this edition is about.

¿Hablas español o conoces a alguien que sí? Endurance Mindset en Español (¡Ya disponible!): desde cero al maratón, con ciencia y estructura. Compártelo o regístrate y forma parte desde el comienzo. 🏃‍♂️📩 ¡Registrarme!

🎯 The Real Problem With “Doing More”

Training load is often reduced to a single metric: mileage, hours, or effort.

But physiologically, load is about how quickly stress accumulates relative to how fast your body can adapt [1,2].

Most injuries don’t occur because training is hard.
They occur because load increases faster than tissue tolerance [1,3].

Your motivation can escalate overnight.
Your tendons, bones, and connective tissue cannot.

That mismatch is where problems begin.

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Post of the week International stars and iconic Rarámuri runners add to global appeal of 2026 Hong Kong 100. Read article

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🔬 What Science Says About Training Load

1. Load itself isn’t dangerous — spikes are

Sudden increases in volume or intensity dramatically raise injury risk, even if overall weekly training seems reasonable [1,3].

This explains why many runners get injured:

• early in the season
• shortly after “getting serious”
• right when fitness seems to be improving

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2. ACWR explains risk, not guarantees outcomes

The Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR) compares short-term load (fatigue) to longer-term load (fitness).

When acute load rises too far above chronic load, injury risk increases [1,4].

However, modern research cautions against using ACWR as a rigid rule. It’s a contextual tool, not a prediction model [2].

Load must always be interpreted alongside:

• training history
• recovery quality
• life stress
• sleep and nutrition

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3. Consistency protects better than caution

Paradoxically, athletes with stable, consistent training histories tolerate higher loads better than those who train sporadically [3,5].

The body adapts best to:

• gradual progression
• predictable patterns
• repeated exposure over time

Not heroic weeks followed by forced rest.

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🏃 Practical Takeaway (This Week)

As racing season begins, ask yourself:

• Is my weekly load increasing gradually?
• Am I adding volume and intensity at the same time?
• Is fatigue accumulating faster than fitness?
• Am I respecting recovery days—or just checking boxes?

A simple, evidence-based rule:

Progress may feel slower this way.
But this is how athletes stay healthy long enough to actually improve.

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🔁 Weekly Challenge

This week, do not chase a “big” training week.

Instead:

• Stay within recent training norms
• Execute quality sessions with control
• Finish the week feeling like you could repeat it

That sensation isn’t undertraining.
It’s adaptation [1,5].

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What's Going On in the World of Running?

🇺🇸 Houston Sets the Pace for 2026

The Houston Marathon once again opened the year with fast times and elite-level racing, confirming its role as the early-season benchmark for marathon fitness.
🔗 https://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com​

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🇮🇳 Mumbai Marathon Showcases Global Growth

The Mumbai Marathon delivered massive participation and energy, highlighting India as one of the fastest-growing running markets worldwide.
🔗 https://www.tatamumbaimarathon.com

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🌍 Winter Season = Cross Country, Trail & Ultras

January remains peak season for cross-country championships, winter ultras, and trail racing, as endurance athletes build resilience ahead of spring competition.
🔗 https://worldathletics.org​
🔗 https://ultrarunning.com​

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🎟️ Major Marathon Demand Still Surging

Entry pressure for Abbott World Marathon Majors races continues to rise, with lotteries, charity spots, and travel packages now standard entry routes.
🔗 https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com​

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⚙️ Smarter Training Takes Center Stage

Early-2026 conversations focus on better use of wearables, recovery metrics, and structured plans — less mileage, more intention.
🔗 https://www.runnersworld.com​
🔗 https://www.strava.com​

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What usually pushes you into training overload? 🔘 Racing calendar pressure 🔘 Comparing training to others 🔘 Fear of “not doing enough” 🔘 Too many hard sessions 🔘 Poor recovery or sleep

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​¡Cuéntanos qué temas te interesan más en el enlace 'Preferencias' al final de este correo!

References

1.Gabbett, T. J. (2016). The training–injury prevention paradox: Should athletes be training smarter and harder?British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(5), 273–280.

2. Impellizzeri, F. M., Tenan, M. S., Kempton, T., Novak, A., & Coutts, A. J. (2020). Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio: Conceptual issues and fundamental limitations.Sports Medicine, 50, 581–592.

3. Hulin, B. T., Gabbett, T. J., Lawson, D. W., Caputi, P., & Sampson, J. A. (2016). The acute:chronic workload ratio predicts injury: High chronic workload may decrease injury risk.British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(4), 231–236.

4. Drew, M. K., & Finch, C. F. (2016). The relationship between training load and injury, illness and soreness.Sports Medicine, 46(6), 861–883.

5. Soligard, T., et al. (2016). How much is too much? (Part 1): International Olympic Committee consensus statement on load in sport and risk of injury.British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(17), 1030–1041.​​

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Train smart, not hard!

Coach Henri.
​Your Endurance Mindset Team

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