Findings from experiments on training and race nutrition, for make benefit distance runners
This is mainly for runners running a 5K and beyond and based on last one year's hit & trial experiments.
1)
Train at race pace. You need to train at race pace whether you are running a 5K or a 50K. Training programs will always talk about tracks, tempos (aka speed workouts which are faster than race pace) and long runs (slower than race pace) but rarely talk about race pace runs. You need to get in 1-3 runs at race pace for up to ~75% of the race distance (start lower, for example ~40% of race distance). This will help you gauge: (a) Is your target race pace realistic?; (b) what is feels like in terms of effort to run race pace for that distance - this is very important as otherwise people grossly over or underestimate the actual pace they are running based on perceived effort/exertion, especially if they are used to depending on a GPS watch to guide their real-time pace.
2)
Brahmastra #1: The 0.25 mile hill repeat.
#2 & #3 combined is the secret weapon to get strong and fast at all distances without needing to run fast on a track and getting shin splints and stress injuries.
Running fast doesn't necessarily make you strong; getting strong will necessarily make you fast. But usual weightlifting exercises like squats and deadlifts don't help distance runners that much but greatly increase the risk of injury. Hill repeats are a safer and more effective way to get stronger, that too with greater RoI and lower risk. Running hill repeats is applicable to runners running any kind of race or distance whether flat or hilly, 5K or 50K. Find a hill with at least 6% grade but no more than 10% grade and at least 0.25 miles in length. Warm up by a few laps of walking up the hill and jogging down.
Run hill repeats once a week (no more) and rest the next day. Start with 2 repeats and work up to 6 over the weeks. For each repeat, run up the hill in a slow controlled fashion focusing on landing on the forefoot and pushing up with your foot, achilles and calves. Your foot should not be flat on the ground. Pace yourself so that you don't have to walk at any point while going up hill. This will take some time to figure out for people who are new to running up hill. Once you go up 0.25 miles up the hill, immediately turn around and jog down (don't run fast). Take a 2-3 minute break between each repeat and continue.
Note: If it feels comfortable going up hill at your chosen pace, don't speed up in your first 2 repeats but hold the pace. If it still feels good in the 3rd repeat or beyond then speed up a little bit as there is a thin line between comfortable pace and red line pace when going up a steep-ish hill.
3)
Brahmastra #2: The 5 minute leg training circuit. This is a highly effective workout which should be done twice a week, for 5 minutes each. It is way more effective than 60 minutes of leg presses, squats and deadlifts in a gym. Unlike what the name suggests, this is not just for trail/mountain runners and immensely benefits road runners from short to ultra distances. But it needs to be done for at least a month in order to see big gains; 2 x week (so 10 mins total per week of time commitment is required) and all the exercises need to be done in sequence (no mix and match or applying modifications to the routine).
The 5-Minute Leg Circuit for Mountain-Running Strength
4)
Race nutrition for 20+ mile races (marathons and beyond). It is based on the following simple fundamentals:
a) Regardless of how many calories you lose per hour during a race, you will only be able to take in 200-300 calories per hour, period. This is why when you run a race, you need to run it at the pace you practiced (See #1 above) and not at paces faster than what you trained for, otherwise it is a recipe for cramping and boinking ('hitting the wall'). If you run faster than what you trained for, your body will expend calories at a much faster rate and the calorie deficit will become much wider.
b) As the race progresses, your stomach will slowly start shutting down and become less efficient in digesting calories. And more the race progresses, greater is the need that blood gets directed to your legs rather than your stomach. Which means you need to front load your calories while taking care of 4(a) above otherwise you will cramp, boink or bloat and crash. So there needs to be a nutrition intake plan in your head or written down before you reach the start line and you need to focus and stick to it. Typically for marathon distance, that means all your nutrition needs to go into your body by mile #20 and after that nothing goes in except electrolytes, salt tabs (if required) and water. Ensuring that will ensure that you don't hit the wall at mile #21 or #22 and feel comfortable & mentally relaxed running the final 5K of a marathon. A good rule of thumb is to pre-load your body with 100-150 calories 1.5-2 hours before the race start. Then take in ~100 calories in total at the 1st hour (gel, chomp, electrolyte drink whatever all combined) and then ~100 calories every 45 minutes after that (don't delay by 5-10 minutes especially as the race progresses and you get tired) with the last dose of nutrition going in before you hit mile #20. A good way to internalize this plan is to try it out in your long runs beyond 15 miles (personally I don't follow this but perhaps I should - normally my longest run for a FM is 18 miles with no nutrition).
Now one can go without nutrition and run much slower than their regular pace and complete the race in fat burning zone but: (i) it will be a slow painful slog; (ii) your finish time may not be good (if you care about it); (iii) post-race recovery will be much more uncomfortable. In a nutshell, it is not fun. So unless it is an ultra marathon, running in fat burning zone is only recommended for prosumer elites and above.
5)
Race nutrition for races < 20 miles (half marathons and below). Truth of the matter is you don't really need nutrition for these distances except electrolyte replenishment and water. Take in 100-150 calories 1.5-2 hours before the race start. If you do that, then using gels or other foodstuffs at distances <= 13.1 miles only causes blood to be diverted from your legs to your stomach and doesn't do much in terms of energy levels as your glycogen stores are good for up to 2-2.5 hours as long as you run at the pace you trained for and didn't blast out at an unreasonably fast pace. So for HM finishers in the 2:30 and below range, no nutrition is required. For those HM runners finishing in 2:30+ time range, at most 100-150 calories of nutrition in total is required (remember this includes high calories electrolyte drinks like Gatorade). But even at those time ranges, its more important to ensure that electrolytes are topped up vs nutrition.
That's all I found.