Too Much Data, Too Many Hacks, Not Enough Running

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

As I sit down to write this week’s blog post, I try hard to deviate from the trend of my last few posts, but it is not easy. I hate to pontificate on what runners are doing wrong instead of encouraging them on what they are doing right. But with so much money poured into the industry and credential-less influencers pushing whatever workouts or gadgets drive more clicks, I feel running has strayed from the joyous, simple activity it should be.

Andreas Almgren’s recent NYC victory proves that crunching the data works. Known for training alone and making constant adjustments to his training based on reading hundreds of data points, Almgren became the first European, and the first white, to win NYC since 1999. He worked hard, smart, and reaped the benefits.

But beware! Before you rush to apply the Andreas Almgren training method to your next marathon cycle, remember:

• You are not Andreas Almgren.
• You won’t beat him or any Kenyan just by crunching data.
• You have professional and family responsibilities outside of running.
• Data is great if you know how to read it, what it measures, and how to adjust to what it says.
• Crunching is not training. You can crunch data until there’s blood on your keyboard but still have to run the miles.

These statements are not meant to clip anybody’s wings. What I am saying is that you are most likely not leading the peloton in the next World Marathon Major, and you won’t make it to the Olympics. Most likely you are running for health, enjoyment, and social stimulation. So, training just to crunch data and forgetting why you are running will soon burn you out and have you looking for another activity.

Recovery boots, cryogenic baths, super shoes, hyperbaric chambers, magic-gels, or a watch telling you when to run, when to rest, when to feel good, and when to feel like crap may have their place, but not as hacks that circumvent the real work and the real recovery. They are not what matters. Coach Steve Magness always reiterates: Fads fade. Consistency compounds.

Focus on the basics. Your long runs, your speed workouts, your hills (or equivalent), and your easy runs. Each of these workouts has nuance, of course, but most weekend-warrior training sessions should be variations and adjustments of them. Leave the Norwegian double-thresholds and the 150-mile weeks to the pros who need that level of sophistication to improve performance by a fraction of a percent. Most likely, this is not you.

Training should be simple and smart. While the Andreas Almgrens of the world are winning majors and the Jacob Ingebrigtsens are winning Olympic medals and breaking world records, those are just two. A list of elite Kenyans focusing on consistency, mileage, recovery, nutrition, and hydration could fill this entire blog post.

These Kenyans win races worldwide without posting each split or delivering cheesy motivational slogans after every run. Seriously, how many times can you read variations of “every stride breaks through an invisible limit you had imposed on yourself” before you want to puke?

And while it’s tempting to try a viral, flashy workout promoted by an influencer who substitutes knowledge for followers, you must understand the goal of doing it. What is good for the Kipchoges of the world most likely is a recipe for injury for you.

Focus on establishing your training and running habits rather than falling for hacks to do less and obtain better results. No, more is not always better, but neither is less. Don’t delegate your decision-making and training outcomes to generic advice that isn’t suited to you. There is a scientific word that describes this noise that tends to replace smart training: “Fluff”.

We’ve touched on this before. The most important block of your work is found in the repetitive part we call boring training. And most of our improvement comes from the invisible training, which is never posted on TikTok.

I am trying hard not to be the grumpy old man assuring my generation was better. I Don’t like being the coach who says “everything is bad”. Yet I feel the obligation to remind my readers that if you want to make running a lifetime pursuit, it must be a component of a well-balanced life, not life itself. A life where family, work, and the raw enjoyment of running’s victories and defeats play an equal part in your pursuit of happiness.

Have you ever fallen into the trap of over-optimizing your routine? Drop a comment below and let’s talk about it.

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