A Big Month for Marathons
With the Paris, Brighton, Manchester, Boston and London Marathon all taking place within three weeks, it can feel like “everyone is running a marathon right now”.
In reality, it remains a rare achievement:
Only 0.1-0.2% of the global population complete a marathon in any given year
Less than 1% of people will run one in their lifetime
Though rare, running one has never been so popular - over 1.1 million people applied for a ballot spot in last year's London marathon, a reported 36% increase from 2025
Client Insights 💡
In January, we welcomed Cadence athlete Mohammed Abdin for lactate threshold testing in preparation of the Boston UK marathon on the 12th April.
After 10 weeks of structured training using his personalised training zones, he returned for a repeat test.
The outcome:
LT1 increased from 15 → 16 km/h at the same heart rate (HR)
LT2 response improved: lower HR and blood lactate at threshold intensity
Lower lactate at all matched running speeds
What this means:
Improved aerobic capacity
Better lactate clearance and reuse as fuel
Increased fatigue resistance at marathon pace
Higher sustainable percentage of LT2 → faster marathon potential
Predicted marathon time:
January: 2:36:20 – 2:45:20 (3:42–3:55/km)
April: 2:31:10 – 2:36:20 (3:35–3:42/km)
Mo’s finish time: 2:37:18 (3:44/km avg)
Mo’s time sits neatly between the predicted ranges, marking a strong personal best performance. That outcome comes despite extreme 47–53 km/h winds, which likely suppressed race-day execution.
Taken together, the data suggests performance is tracking closer to the predicted improvement than the raw time alone reflects. Partly because of this, Mo is now setting his sights on London for another attempt.
👉 Watch Mo’s Youtube video for his take and further testing insights.
👉 Read how lactate testing can improve marathon performance.
Mohammed Abdin
Carb-Loading
A key component of race performance is how well the body is fuelled in the days leading into the event.
Carb-loading is not simply “eating more pasta” or “eating bigger meals” - it is a deliberate strategy designed to maximise muscle glycogen stores.
Executing a successful carb-load is to intentionally increase the proportion of carbohydrates in meals and snacks, often at the cost of some fat and protein.
Why it matters:
At marathon pace, carbohydrate oxidation dominates energy production
Critically low levels of muscle glycogen are strongly associated with ‘bonking’
Carb-loading delays fatigue by ~20% in events lasting >90 mins
Improves endurance performance by ~2-3% (that’s the equivalent of 3-6 minutes for a 3-hour marathoner!)
Helps maintain pace in the latter stages especially
👉 Read our guide on how to carb-load.
👉 Want personalised guidance? Book a call with one of the team’s nutritionists.
Hear from Dr Daniel Owens (PhD, SENr)
As race day approaches, the instinct to train harder can be difficult to resist. Yet performance is not maximised through last-minute fitness gains, but through the strategic reduction of fatigue. This is the purpose of the taper.
Why tapering matters
A well-designed taper allows athletes to shed accumulated fatigue while preserving physiological adaptations, ensuring they arrive at the start line primed to perform. Rather than detraining, it represents a critical phase of performance preparation.
The physiology behind the taper
Performance gains during a taper are underpinned by several adaptations:
Increased muscle glycogen stores
Enhanced neuromuscular efficiency and power output
Reduced physiological and psychological stress
Improved hormonal balance and recovery status
Common mistakes to avoid
Despite its importance, tapering is often mismanaged. Frequent pitfalls include:
Cutting intensity along with volume
Reducing training too late or too drastically
Overcompensating with additional sessions due to anxiety
Neglecting fuelling and recovery strategies
Trusting the process is essential. Fitness is already built; the taper reveals it.
The takeaway
Most successful tapers follow a simple formula: Reduce volume, maintain intensity, and allow time for adaptation.
This Week’s Edge
Nutrition vs. sport nutrition: one fuels health, the other fuels performance. In the 2-3 days before racing, gradually reduce fibre and fat in meals and snacks to minimise GI issues. Swap bulky veg (broccoli, cauliflower), wholegrains and creamy/cheesy sauces for simpler, easy-to-digest options.
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