Do your legs feel heavy even when your training plan looks right?

By week five of half marathon training, many runners hit a wall—not from mileage, but from invisible fueling mistakes that quietly sabotage recovery and increase injury risk.

In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down the science behind nutrition and injury prevention, explaining why many overuse injuries don’t start in your shoes—they start in the kitchen.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why many running injuries are actually under-recovery injuries
• The concept of Low Energy Availability (LEA) and how it suppresses tissue repair
• Why magnesium is essential for ATP energy, muscle relaxation, and sleep
• Why blood tests often miss magnesium deficiency in runners
• How drinking only water during long runs can worsen fatigue and heavy legs
• The role of sodium and electrolytes in neuromuscular function and endurance
• How fueling mistakes elevate cortisol and increase stress fracture risk

📌 Recommended Guides Mentioned in This Episode:

• Best Magnesium for Runners (Forms & Brands)
• Best Electrolytes for Runners
• The Runner’s Recovery Supplement Guide

Runner Tip of the Week:
If your sleep quality declines as training volume increases, nutrition—not mileage—is the first variable to fix.

Related Episodes:

• How to Avoid Shin Splints Before They Start
• Why Consistency Beats Motivation

This episode is part of our science-based Half Marathon Training series.

📘 Want the full framework? The Half Marathon Training Plan book is now available on Amazon (Kindle & Paperback)

Missed a run this week and feeling behind?

You’re not lazy. You’re human. And trying to “catch up” on missed mileage is one of the fastest ways runners get injured.

In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down the science of consistency—why missing a run doesn’t erase your fitness, but panic almost always does.

We cover:

• 🚫 Why “make-up runs” dramatically increase injury risk
• 📊 The training load ratio that predicts when injuries happen
• 😰 Why guilt-driven running pushes you into the Zone 3 “grey zone”
• 🥩 The truth about missed protein timing and the anabolic window
• 🚴 Why cross-training keeps your fitness without beating up your legs
• 🧠 Why motivation fails—and how systems keep you consistent

Key Insight:
Fitness is lost over weeks, not days. Consistency beats intensity every time.

We also reference:

• 🎧 Episode 12 – Why Running Feels Hard (The Zone 2 Cheat Code)
• 🎧 Episode 13 – How to Avoid Shin Splints Before They Start

Runner Tip of the Week:
Never miss more than two days of planned training in a row. One day is recovery. Two days is a reset. Three days is when quitting starts.

Want a plan built for real life?
Our Half Marathon Training Plan is designed to keep you consistent—even when life gets messy.

📘 Get the Half Marathon Training Plan Book on Amazon
🌐 Visit HalfMarathonTrainingPlan.com

This has been a production of the Half Marathon Training Plan Podcast. And remember our motto:
Train Smart. Run Strong. Finish Proud.

Shin pain in Weeks 2–4? You’re not broken — you’re right on schedule.

In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya bust the biggest shin splints myths (including the “you need stability shoes if you pronate” advice) and explain what the research actually points to: shin splints are usually a training-load problem, not a shoe problem.

What you’ll learn:

• 👟 The “Shoe Type” Myth: Why foot shape (pronation/flat feet) isn’t the injury predictor most people think it is.
• 🦶 Orthotics (Custom vs. Store-Bought): What inserts can help with — and what they can’t.
• 📈 The Root Cause: Why sudden spikes in mileage and training load are the real shin-splints trigger.
• ⏱️ Cadence Fix: How increasing step rate by 5–10% can reduce stress on the lower leg.
• 🩹 KT Tape & Treatments: What’s legit, what’s hype, and what actually works.

✅ Coach’s 3-Step Action Plan (if your shins hurt right now):

• 1) Reduce training load temporarily (smart adjustments, not panic rest)
• 2) Increase cadence slightly (5–10%) to reduce tibial stress
• 3) Choose comfortable daily trainers (comfort & consistency beat “corrective” shoes)

📘 Book mention: Our new book, The Half Marathon Training Plan (paperback + Kindle), walks you through the full system — training, pacing, injury prevention, and gear — so you can build fitness without breaking down.

📕 Get the book: The Half Marathon Training Plan — Paperback & Kindle on Amazon

Read the companion article:
How to Avoid Shin Splints Before They Start

Runner Tip:
If your shin pain gets worse as the run goes on, stop chasing pace. End the run early and live to train tomorrow.

This has been a production of the Half Marathon Training Plan Podcast. Visit us at HalfMarathonTrainingPlan.com for more in-depth articles, training tools, and gear recommendations. And remember our motto: Train Smart. Run Strong. Finish Proud.