By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Back in June, I watched online as Faith Kipyegon unsuccessfully tried becoming the world’s first sub-4 miler woman. The event was one of those multi-million-dollar circus shows put on by Nike to test human physical limitations. It was elaborate enough that, just like Eliud Kipchoge’s Sub-2 in 2019, it would not have counted as a world record should she succeed.

Kipchoge needed to improve his marathon time by 100 seconds, and he did, finishing 19 seconds ahead of his previous record. Kipyegon needed to shave about 8 seconds (7.65) to achieve her goal, but she ended up about 6.5 seconds short. Even with the circus, space technology, support, and male pacing, she couldn’t do it.

The failed attempt got me thinking about a basic concept in economics that easily applies to running: the principle of diminishing returns. In economics, this means that ff you improve one variable while keeping all the others constant, the incremental output gained from each extra unit will eventually fall. In other words, building a skyscraper in one day won’t be solved with more workers.

The same principle applies in athletics. Dr. George Sheehan, one of the greatest running writers, put it this way: “The first mile is the most helpful one as far as conditioning goes. Each succeeding one gives less and less benefit than the one before. Runners who work more and more are working for less and less. […] It doesn’t take much to get 90% fitness, only a few miles a day. But it takes progressively more and more training as you get closer to your ultimate potential. At the highest levels, you are putting in a huge investment for a very small return. It is the small gains what makes the difference between winning and losing.”

Think about it, it’s obvious. If not, it would be a matter of time and more miles before we all became elite athletes and broke world records. We all have a limit, and while reaching it is feasible, it requires a tremendous amount of work.

I recently heard Coach Steve Magness share a story where Shalane Flanagan told him something along the lines of, “The difference between being in 2:30 marathon shape and 2:20 is astronomical.”  For you and me, average, mid-to-back-of-the-pack marathoners, a 10-minute improvement may be a diligent training cycle away. For elites in a Marathon Major, this same result guarantees them peeing in a cup to verify cheating.

Nice background, Coach! But how does this apply to me, the average weekend warrior?

I am glad you asked! The point of this introduction is for the reader to understand that the curve of progress in running flattens as we improve. It is a reality we can’t solve with harder training. Progress is not a linear proposition.

And, while achieving the last 10% requires an astronomical effort, it is feasible. It is about figuring out what works for you. Just because Jacob Ingebrigtsen uses the Norwegian double threshold method doesn’t mean it is the solution you’ve been looking for. He is in such shape that this is the only type of training that will extract the extra hundredths of a second needed to break a world record. This training may land you, my dear average-runner reader, on the injury list.

Working around the principle of diminishing returns to reach your apex requires smarter training. Not just harder. As gains slow, finding that sweet spot between effort and recovery is the magic sauce. It may mean varying your workouts, adjusting intensity levels, or prioritizing recovery and nutrition more seriously. As we improve, we must tune into our body’s signals, such as fatigue, soreness, or lack of motivation. These can guide adjustments before you hit a training (or overtraining) wall. If in doubt, a training plan tailored exclusively for you may help you progress without burning out.

In conclusion, In athletics, more is not necessarily better. Most of what elite runners do to squeeze that last sliver of greatness out of their performance does not apply to you. We are all limitless, sure, but not in all areas of our human performance, athletics being one of them. Let’s work hard to reach our goals, but not at the expense of burning out.

What are your thoughts on this principle? I will read and answer your comments.