Running Knowledge Hub

Straight answers to the questions runners actually ask — training paces, race preparation, strength work, running after 40, and running in Wellington. Plus the free pace calculators and the session library.

Training Paces

3 articles

How fast to run, and why the number on the watch is only half the answer.

What is threshold pace?The most useful pace in distance running, and how to run it without turning it into a race. What pace should I run my easy runs?The biggest lever most runners have, and the one almost everyone gets wrong in the same direction. How do I calculate my training paces?One honest recent result and a bit of arithmetic. No lab test required.

Race Training

3 articles

Building for 5K through to the marathon, and getting the last three weeks right.

How to train for a 5KShort enough to underestimate, long enough that speed alone will not get you there. How to train for a half marathonThe best-value race in running: a real test you can repeat every few months. How to train for a marathonMonths of unremarkable running done properly, then a few very specific sessions.

Wellington

3 articles

Where to run, where to do sessions, and how to train in a city with weather.

Running sessions at Karori ParkThe city’s home ground for distance running — and the thing about the loop everybody gets wrong. Best running routes in WellingtonThe routes I actually send people to, and what each one is good for. Best places to do running workouts in WellingtonA good session needs ground you can trust. Very little in this city is neutral.

Strength and Conditioning

2 articles

The gym work that keeps you running — and makes you faster while it does it.

Strength training for runnersThe most neglected part of a runner’s week, and the one with the clearest evidence behind it. How often should runners strength train?Twice a week for almost everyone. The interesting part is what to do when that is not possible.

Masters Running

2 articles

Training after 40. Less changes than you think, and the bits that do matter a lot.

How should training change after 40?Less than people fear, and differently than people expect. Can you still get faster after 40?Yes. Most people asking have never actually trained properly, which changes the answer.

Getting Started

2 articles

The first twelve weeks, done in a way that means there is a thirteenth.

How do I start running from scratch?The hardest part is expectations, not fitness. A twelve-week start that holds. How often should a beginner run?Three times a week on non-consecutive days — for longer than most new runners want to hear.

Tools and sessions

The articles explain the thinking. These two do the work.

FreeRunning pace calculators

Turn one honest race result into every training pace you need.

  • Training pace calculator
  • Race time predictor
  • Pace and split charts
  • Treadmill conversions
LibraryThe AW Workout Library

93 coach-built sessions, ready to run or push to your watch.

  • 18 famous workouts
  • Drills and warm-ups
  • Strength and injury prevention
  • One-click Final Surge entries

From the blog

The hub answers questions. The blog is where I write about racing, coaching and the things that do not fit a question. All 19 posts, grouped by what they are.

Races and athletes (7)

The Longest Day Running on the Edge: Mel Brandon at the World Champs Gold, Grit, and Grace at the NZ Road Relays Boston Marathon 2013 — The Race That Changed Everything My Greatest Race Wasn’t Mine Alone My Journey: From Post-Baby Wake-Up Call to National Masters Champion 12 Weeks Off-Road: A Road Runner’s Foray into the Trails

Coaching and craft (7)

The Definitive Guide to Race-Week Workouts for Every Distance Pacing the Auckland Marathon: How to Master the First Half Karori Park: The Glorious, Glitchy Field of Dreams Science Says Your 40s and 50s Might Be Your Fastest Years Yet The Art of Listening to Your Body Chasing Seconds, One Carbon Plate at a Time Being Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Opinion and the sport (5)

Why relays matter… Ultra Trail’s Untapped Truth: Why East Africans Could Redefine the Sport Finding Your Why: What Do You Want From Running? Motivation vs Discipline — The Runner’s Reality Check Followers Don’t Make You Fit: Ditch the Runfluencer, Find a Coach
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Want this applied to your own training?

I coach individual runners in Wellington and remotely, and run AW Extra Mile group sessions for beginners at Waitangi Park.

1:1 CoachingAW Extra Mile