Ep 47: The New Rules of Marathon Training

The New Rules of Marathon Training

Sebastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha both going sub-2 at the 2026 London Marathon. John Korir breaking the Boston course record. Performances that would have seemed impossible a decade ago are suddenly the new normal — and they’re reshaping how everyone below the elite tier trains, too.

In this episode, host Aditi Pandya sits down with Satish and Vijay to ask the question those races force: have the rules of marathon training actually changed? Together they unpack how the sport has moved from a “survival strategy” to an “attacking strategy” — and how amateur athletes are now living, training, and thinking like elites.

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What’s covered in this episode:

• The super shoe era: how carbon-plated shoes have shaved minutes off world records, and how they’ve changed the way runners recover — minimising the injury patterns seen with early models.
• Democratisation of information: the internet, AI tools, and local role models behind the surge of amateur sub-3 marathoners.
• High mileage & the Norwegian method: the shift toward higher weekly volumes (often 100km+ for serious amateurs) and the rise of double-threshold training for race-day strength.
• Recovery as a priority: why sleep and simple nutrition are still king, and where saunas, Normatec boots, and magnesium fit in.
• The 100g+ carb revolution: training the gut to handle 100–115g of carbs per hour via gels and drink mixes, and pre-loading 48–72 hours before a race.
• Cutting-edge supplements: what serious runners are actually testing — sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, creatine, and a Swedish broccoli-based supplement called Nomio.
• Rapid-fire training advice: why consistency beats “magic workouts”, why the 32km marathon-pace block is overrated, and why post-run strides and hill sprints remain underrated.

Host: Aditi Pandya

Aditi is a seasoned endurance runner and the host of The World of Running podcast. She is qualified for the Boston Marathon multiple times and has numerous podium finishes in Indian races, the recent one is first runners-up at the TMM 2025 half marathon and holds a personal best of 3:22:35 in the Boston marathon 2026. Learn more about her at aditipandya.com.

Guest: Satish

A self-confessed “running nerd” who discovered the sport in his 40s and has spent the last 15 years racing distances from the 10K to ultras. Satish is a passionate advocate for running as a lifelong activity and gives back to the community by mentoring and coaching other runners — including the host of this show.

Guest: Vijayaraghavan Venugopal

Vijay is one of India’s most accomplished masters marathoners, with 10 sub-3 finishes and all six World Marathon Majors completed. His best: 2:47 at the 2025 London Marathon. He’s also the co-founder of Fast&Up, a leading Bangalore-based nutrition brand, and a frequent favourite guest on the podcast.

References & resources discussed:

• RunStrong Online training platform
• Run Less, Run Faster Book mentioned by Vijay
• New book by Marius Bakken Discussed by Satish on the Norwegian/double-threshold method
• Fast&Up Nutrition:
• Maurten Hydrogels & Drink Mixes:
• Fly Carb sodium bicarbonate supplement
• Nomio Swedish broccoli-based supplement for high-intensity training
• Self-coached Vinnie Mauri’s sensational win at Glass City marathon as referenced by Satish