KNOWLEDGE BASE

GLOSSARY

Plain-language definitions for the terms that come up constantly in training — the ones I had to look up myself, more than once.

Base Building

The early phase of training focused on easy, consistent mileage to build aerobic capacity before adding speed work or racing-specific sessions.

The point in a long run or race — often around the 30km mark in a marathon — where glycogen stores run low and pace suddenly, sharply drops.

The number of steps taken per minute while running. Often cited as a way to check running efficiency, though the "ideal" number varies by runner.

Non-running activity — cycling, swimming, strength work — used to build fitness or aid recovery while reducing the impact load of running.

Muscle soreness that peaks 24–72 hours after a hard or unfamiliar effort, distinct from an injury and usually resolved with rest and light movement.

Swedish for "speed play" — unstructured interval training where a runner varies pace by feel rather than by fixed distances or times.

Structured, repeated efforts at a set pace with recovery periods in between — used to build speed and running economy.

The weekly run that’s meaningfully longer than the rest, typically done at an easy pace, that builds endurance and race-day confidence.

A road race covering 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles).

Running the second half of a race or run faster than the first — often a sign of well-paced, well-executed effort.

A short, deliberately slow run done the day after a hard effort to promote blood flow and aid recovery without adding real training stress.

The time recorded for each fixed segment of a run — each kilometer or mile, for example.

The planned reduction in training volume in the 1–3 weeks before a race, allowing the body to recover and arrive at the start line fresh.

A sustained effort at a "comfortably hard" pace — faster than easy running, slower than an all-out effort — used to raise lactate threshold.

The maximum rate at which the body can use oxygen during exercise. A commonly cited marker of aerobic fitness, often estimated by GPS watches.