From Lab to Start Line: Building a 2:09 Marathon Blueprint

<p>In February 2026, I ran 2:11:49 at the Seville Marathon. Now, 22 weeks out from Seville 2027, I&#39;m going after a lifetime ambition: breaking 2:10 for the first time.</p><p>The starting point isn&#39;t ideal. A new addition to the family meant a light summer of training, so before writing a single session, we went to the Sport Physiology Hub at Cardiff Met to find out exactly where my physiology stands right now.</p><p>In this episode, we go through that lab data in detail and show how it becomes the blueprint for the build ahead. We cover:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>What the test results reveal about my current fitness and what they mean for the marathon</li></ul><ul><li>How I use the data to set and tightly control time spent in each intensity domain</li><li>Why I&#39;m using a block periodisation approach to target specific physiological characteristics one at a time</li><li>How the plan comes together over the next 22 weeks</li></ul><p><br></p><p>This is a real-world case study in applying a science-based, evidence-led approach to marathon training, from the lab to the start line. Whether you&#39;re chasing a PB of your own or just want to understand how physiology translates into a training plan, this one is for you.</p><p><br></p><p>The Physiology of Endurance Running Podcast is proudly sponsored by SOAR, producers of the world&#39;s best running apparel. <a href="https://www.soarrunning.com/blogs/news/physiology-of-endurance-running-podcast-monthly" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our giveaway here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Follow <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/food-drink/a65413952/blackcurrant-extract-performance-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠this link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> to find out more about CurraNZ, the New Zealand blackcurrant supplement. </p><p>Listeners can use the code &quot;Physiology15&quot; for a 15% discount on <a href="https://curranz.com/discount/PHYSIOLOGY15?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fcurranz" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠their site⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>.</p><p>You can submit questions for this series or our Q and A episode here:<a href="https://forms.gle/XGmxsR6dsanikRSX7" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://forms.gle/XGmxsR6dsanikRSX7" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/XGmxsR6dsanikRSX7⁠⁠⁠</a></p>