Stop Blowing Up Every Run (Do This Instead)

Stop Blowing Up Every Run (Do This Instead)

From The 1% Better Runner with DLake by Daren DLake

May 18, 2026 · 17 min

About this episode

This episode discusses how improper pacing leads to poor race performance and offers strategies to improve pacing.

Most runners think they need more mileage, but the real reason they blow up is that they never learned how to pace. Ever gone out feeling amazing in a race only to have your legs turn to concrete a few minutes in? That's not a fitness problem. It's a pacing problem. And it happens because your body's energy systems trick you into thinking you're rich when you're actually borrowing time at a brutal interest rate. In this episode, you'll learn exactly why the start of every race lies to you, a simple 30-second body check that catches the mistake before you blow up, and the one workout that teaches your body what race pace actually feels like. You'll walk away knowing how to stop guessing on race day, save your energy for the finish, and finally run the times you know you're capable of. Key Takeaways The first two minutes lie to you. Your body has a short burst energy system that makes the start of a race feel easy. When it runs out a few minutes later, you crash hard unless you held back. Do the 30-second body check during any run. Use the talk test, breathing rhythm, and "too easy" feeling to know if you're pacing right before it's too late. Race pace repeats fix bad pacing for…

People in this episode

Host: Daren DLake

Topics covered

  • pacing
  • running strategy
  • race preparation
  • energy systems
  • fitness

Keywords

  • pacing
  • running
  • race day
  • energy systems
  • fitness
  • body check
  • race pace

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