From The Running Genie Journal
Tips, stories, and honest takes on running — from a runner who's still figuring it out.
An Amateur Runner's Guide to Running Your First Ultramarathon
Over the last three years, the universe has been kind enough to allow me to experience the various flavours that running has to offer, from 5Ks to ultra distances, from roads to mountain trails.
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Blood Tests Every Runner Should Get: A Practical Checklist (2026)
You track pace, HR, and VO2 max — but most runners never check what's happening internally. Iron, ferritin, vitamin D, B12, thyroid, hormones — what to test and why.
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The Best AI Running Coach Apps for Apple Health and Apple Watch Users in 2026
Apple Health stores the data. Apple Watch records the run. The missing layer is a coach that turns both into tomorrow's workout.
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The Best AI Running Coach Apps for Garmin Users in 2026
Garmin Coach is built into your watch, but it's not the only option — and increasingly, not the best one. Here's how the AI coaching landscape looks for Garmin runners.
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What VDOT Actually Tells You About Your Running (And How to Use It)
Jack Daniels invented a number that quietly powers half the training plans on the internet. Most runners use it without understanding it. Here's what it actually means.
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The 80/20 Running Method: Why Easier Most Days Makes You Faster
Why elite runners do 80% of their training easy — and how to structure your week around the same principle without overthinking the maths.
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The Myth of the Perfect Running Form: What Science Actually Says
Someone on the internet is analysing a stranger's running form right now. Here's why they're probably wrong.
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Why Every Runner Should Keep a Training Log (And What to Actually Track)
A simple training log changes how you train — not any single entry, but the patterns that emerge after months of consistent logging.
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The Half Marathon Sweet Spot: Why 21K Might Be the Perfect Race Distance
The half marathon demands endurance and speed in equal measure. Here's how to train for one — whether it's your first or your fastest.
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Strength Training for Runners: The Exercises That Actually Help
Strength training improves running economy by 3–5% and roughly halves the rate of overuse injuries — when it's done with the right loading. A research-backed guide.
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Running Cadence Explained: What's Optimal and How to Improve It
The "180 steps per minute" rule is the most-repeated and least-understood number in running. A research-backed look at where it came from and what cadence actually does.
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Plantar Fasciitis in Runners: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention
One of the most common and most poorly treated injuries in distance running. A research-backed guide to what actually works for healing — and what doesn't.
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Running After 40: How Aging Changes Training (and What to Do About It)
Running fitness peaks in the late 20s and starts measurably declining around 40 — but the decline can be steep or remarkably gentle, depending on training.
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Carb Loading for Runners: The Science of Pre-Race Fueling
The most evidence-supported nutrition intervention in distance running — and one of the most poorly executed. A research-backed guide to the modern 24–36 hour protocol.
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Hill Workouts for Runners: The Science of Hill Training
Hill training builds strength, power, and lactate tolerance unlike any flat workout. A research-backed guide to hill repeats, hill sprints, and long hills.
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Intervals vs Tempo vs Fartlek: A Runner's Guide to Speed Workouts
Three workouts every runner has heard of, three workouts most runners use interchangeably, three workouts that train very different things. A clear, research-backed breakdown.
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Running in Cold Weather: The Science of Cold-Weather Training
Cold air changes how the body produces heat, moves blood, and breathes. A research-backed guide to running through winter safely and effectively.
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Trail Running vs Road Running: Different Sports, Different Physiology
Trail and road running share a name and almost nothing else. Stride mechanics, fitness transfer, gear, and injury patterns diverge meaningfully. A research-backed comparison.
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Couch to 5K vs Structured Beginner Plans: Which Works Better?
Couch to 5K is the most-downloaded beginner running plan in history. A science-backed comparison of what each approach actually does, and which one fits which kind of beginner.
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Strava Athlete Intelligence vs Dedicated AI Running Coaches: 2026 Verdict
Strava is now both your activity tracker and an AI coach. Should you trust it with your training plan — or pair it with a dedicated coaching app? An honest comparison.
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Free AI Running Coach Apps in 2026: What Actually Works
"Free" means a lot of different things in app land. Here's what each AI running coach actually gives you for $0 — and where the paywall really hits.
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Marathon Training Apps Compared 2026: Free, Paid, and AI-Powered
Marathon training is 16+ weeks of hard work. Picking the wrong app at week one can cost you the whole training cycle. Here's how the top contenders stack up.
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Running in the Heat: How to Adapt Without Wrecking Yourself
Summer running doesn't have to be miserable. Here's how your body adapts to heat, how to accelerate that process safely, and when to pull back.
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Cross-Training for Runners: What Helps, What Hurts, and What's a Waste of Time
Every injured runner gets told to swim. Here's why that advice — and most cross-training advice — misses the point.
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How to Taper for Race Day Without Losing Your Mind
You've done the training. Now the hardest part: trusting yourself enough to rest.
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Running Recovery: What Actually Works (and What's Just Marketing)
I spent more on compression boots than running shoes. Here's what I learned about what actually drives recovery.
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What to Eat Before, During, and After a Run: A No-Nonsense Fuelling Guide
The sports nutrition industry wants you confused. Here's what you actually need to know — no supplements required.
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The Science of the Long Run: How Far Is Far Enough?
The question isn't how far you should run. It's how far you need to run — and when longer stops being better.
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Why Your Easy Runs Aren't Easy Enough (And Why That's Costing You Speed)
The hardest thing in running isn't the intervals. It's learning to slow down on the days that matter most.
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How to Start Running: A Complete Beginner's Guide for 2026
Everything you need to start running — from gear and walk-run intervals to building a routine. A practical guide from a runner who went from zero to ultramarathons.
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Strava Free vs Premium: Is a Strava Subscription Worth It in 2026?
An honest breakdown of what's free, what's premium, and whether Strava's subscription is worth the money for different types of runners.
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How to Train for Your First 5K: An 8-Week Plan for Complete Beginners
A week-by-week plan that takes you from walk-run intervals to crossing your first 5K finish line in just 8 weeks.
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Is Runna Still Worth It After the Strava Acquisition?
Strava acquired Runna in 2025. What actually changed, what stayed the same, and who should still use Runna vs. look for an alternative in 2026.
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Best AI Running Coach Apps in 2026: An Honest Comparison
A detailed comparison of the top AI running coach apps — TrainAsONE, Runna, COROS, Garmin Coach, and The Running Genie. Updated post-acquisition.
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How to Build a Marathon Training Plan That Actually Works
From base building to taper, workout types to race-day strategy — everything you need to prepare for 42.2 kilometres.
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Running Analytics Explained: What Your Data Is Really Telling You
Pace, heart rate, cadence, training load — here's what actually matters and what you can safely ignore.
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How to Prevent Common Running Injuries: A Runner's Guide
Prevent runner's knee, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and IT band syndrome. Learn the training errors that cause injuries and how to avoid them.
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How to Run Faster: 7 Science-Backed Ways to Improve Your Speed
Whether you want to shave minutes off your 5K or break a pace barrier, these are the methods that actually work — tested by research and by my own legs.
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Heart Rate Zone Training for Runners: A Complete Guide
Your heart rate is the most honest feedback your body gives you. Here's how to use it to train smarter, run faster, and avoid the mistakes that keep most runners stuck.
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How Running Changed My Mental Health (And Why Science Says It'll Change Yours)
I started running to get fit. I kept running because of what it did to my mind. Here's the personal experience and the science behind it.
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