Our Training Philosophy
Know Your Red Line.
Then Move It.
The red line is the border between control and chaos — between sustainable effort and overreaching. Most runners sit on it without realizing. We help you find it, understand it, and deliberately move it.
vVO₂max
How high your red line sits
Threshold
How close you can run to it
LT1
How comfortably you stay under it
Sessions
Controlled exposures to it
The Three Pillars of Running Performance
Every runner's performance comes down to three interconnected systems. Understanding how they work together is the key to training smarter.
Your Ceiling
VO₂max
The maximum rate your body can take in, transport, and use oxygen. It's the upper limit of what's aerobically possible.
Key insight: A higher VO₂max doesn't automatically make you fast, but it sets the ceiling for everything else.
Your Sustainable Fraction
Threshold / Critical Speed
How much of your ceiling you can actually use before drifting into unsustainable work. The higher your threshold, the more of your engine becomes race-usable.
Key insight: This is why threshold training works so well — it teaches your body to use more oxygen aerobically.
Your Efficiency
Running Economy
How much oxygen it costs you to run at a given speed. Two runners with the same VO₂max can have totally different race times based on economy.
Key insight: Economy keeps improving over years of consistent running — it's a long-term investment.
Training That Fits Three Dimensions
Generic plans treat every runner the same. We design training around who you are, what you're training for, and how long you have to get there.
Who You Are
Your physiology tells us where to focus. We assess your current fitness, identify which system is limiting you, and factor in your training history.
- Your CS/vVO₂max ratio reveals your primary limiter
- Training age determines session complexity and volume
- Current strengths and weaknesses shape priorities
What Your Goal Demands
A 5K and a marathon are completely different physiological challenges. Your training must reflect the specific demands of your target event.
- 5K: VO₂max intensity and speed reserve matter most
- Half marathon: Threshold capacity becomes critical
- Marathon: Durability, economy, and fat oxidation dominate
How Long You Have
A 4-week crash course is different from a 6-month development plan. We take a long-term view that builds sustainable fitness, not quick fixes.
- Longer timelines allow proper base building
- Each phase prepares you for the next
- Re-testing shows what's working and what needs adjustment
How We Design Sessions
Every workout has a purpose. We select sessions based on what adaptation you need, then personalise the intensity and volume to your current capacity.
The Wrong Way
Generic plans give everyone the same sessions — regardless of their limiter, goal event, or training history.
- Same VO₂max sessions for threshold-limited runners
- Marathon training for someone racing 5K
- Beginner-level doses for experienced runners
- No connection between sessions and your actual goal
The Run Pace Pal Way
Sessions are selected to fix your limiter, simulate your goal event's demands, and scale to your capacity.
- Threshold blocks for threshold-limited runners
- Race-specific sessions that mimic your event's intensity
- Volume and intensity scaled to your training age
- Progressive blocks that build on each other
Session Design Principles
Match the Adaptation to the Limiter
If your threshold is holding you back, we prescribe threshold work. If you need a bigger engine, we focus on VO₂max. Training addresses what's actually limiting performance.
Scale to Your Capacity
A beginner running 30km/week gets different doses than someone running 80km/week. Session volume and recovery are tailored to what you can absorb.
Simulate Race Demands
Race-specific sessions teach your body exactly what it will face on race day — the intensity, the duration, and the fatigue pattern of your target event.
Progress Systematically
Each block builds on the last. We introduce a stimulus, extend it as you adapt, then make it race-specific. Every phase has purpose in the bigger picture.
The Training Loop
Training isn't linear. It's a continuous cycle of measurement, targeted work, and re-assessment.
Test
Time trials, Strava analysis, or lab testing to establish your baseline.
Analyse
Identify your limiter, understand event demands, and set training priorities.
Train
4-6 week targeted blocks that address your specific weakness with progressive sessions.
Re-Test
Every 6-8 weeks, measure again. See what's changed. Adjust the next block accordingly.
Ready to Train With Purpose?
Stop guessing. Start measuring. Get training designed for who you are, what you're training for, and where you want to go.