Home Podcasts The 1% Better Runner with DLake
The 1% Better Runner with DLake

The 1% Better Runner with DLake

Daren DLake 266 episodes Oct 22, 2026

The 1% Better Runner is a podcast about helping runners improve their lives through small, consistent daily habit changes. Host Daren DLake, a certified running and nutrition coach, shares his own training experiments and practical advice for self-coached runners. Episodes cover building habits that carry over into work, relationships, and personal growth, not just running performance. The show aims to be a straightforward resource for runners who want to get slightly better every day.

Episodes

The 3 Runs That Make You Faster When You Only Have 3 Days
The 3 Runs That Make You Faster When You Only Have 3 Days Oct 22, 2026 8:18 If you only run three days a week, making all three runs easy is the fastest way to stay slow.Two runners can train the same three days a week, and one keeps getting faster while the other stays stuck for months. In this episode, you'll hear why more easy running is the wrong fix when you only have three days. You'll also learn the three runs that move the needle, how hard each one should
Why I Tell Runners to Sprint at the End of Easy Runs
Why I Tell Runners to Sprint at the End of Easy Runs Oct 15, 2026 11:53 15 seconds at the end of your run can wake your legs up. Most runners skip it because it feels too small.Ever finish a run feeling flat and heavy and just glad it’s over? Nicole Burnham, an author and marathon runner from the Boston area, and I get into the small step at the end of a run that most runners skip. You’ll hear why it feels too small to matter, how sprinters think about warming up, and
The Real Fix For Overstriding (It's Not Cadence)
The Real Fix For Overstriding (It's Not Cadence) Oct 9, 2026 15:13 Chasing 180 steps per minute won't fix your overstriding. Shorter steps and driving your knees up will.Most runners are told a higher cadence is the answer to overstriding. In this episode, I explain why that advice leaves so many runners stuck and what actually changes where your foot lands. You'll hear a 30-second test to run on your next easy run, and why your heart rate can jump when y
The VO2 Max Trick That Finally Made My Watch Useless
The VO2 Max Trick That Finally Made My Watch Useless Oct 5, 2026 12:03 One number predicts how fast you can race and how long you'll live. It's your VO2 max, and you can train it. VO2 max is the number runners chase for race times and sports scientists track for how long people live. In this episode, I explain what it actually measures, why it matters even if you never race, and how to start raising it without hurting yourself. You'll also see why your wa
She Keeps Making The Same Mistake (And So Do You)
She Keeps Making The Same Mistake (And So Do You) Jul 16, 2026 11:32 Training inconsistently? Here’s how that might be holding back your race goals.In this episode, we dive into what separates fast runners from the fastest: consistency. Learn from Audrey’s journey to shave time off her 5K and uncover what training habits might be keeping you from your personal best. We’ll cover her favorite dynamic warm-ups, interval tips, and lifestyle tweaks to keep you injury-fr
The Real Reason Your Run Form Goes Blah (It's Not What You Think)
The Real Reason Your Run Form Goes Blah (It's Not What You Think) Jun 29, 2026 9:08 When you’re pushing through those final meters of a race, many runners picture themselves looking like this: Tall posture. Clean stride. Driving from the hips.But the reality, for most of us, is a bit more like this: Hunched shoulders. Shuffling feet. Stride falling apart.And it’s not because your form is bad. It’s because your focus breaks down before your body does.Here’s what’s really happening
Your Easy Runs Are Too Hard (Here's Why)
Your Easy Runs Are Too Hard (Here's Why) Jun 25, 2026 14:47 What’s the one thing most runners get wrong about “easy training”?Is your “easy run” truly setting the stage for your success—or quietly sabotaging your training? In this episode, we uncover how to correctly define easy training, why heart rate zones need to be personalized, and how to avoid the pitfalls of the gray zone.You’ll learn practical tests to determine your effort levels and discover why
The Real Reason Heavy Runners Quit By Year Two
The Real Reason Heavy Runners Quit By Year Two Jun 18, 2026 27:39 Most people think they need to lose weight before becoming a runner. The truth is, that belief is stopping more runners than their body ever will.If you’ve ever felt like you don’t look like a “typical runner” or believed you needed to lose weight before taking running seriously, this episode will challenge everything you’ve been told. I break down what bigger runners need to understand about trai
Everything Runners Need to Know About VO2 Max in 90 Minutes (Masterclass)
Everything Runners Need to Know About VO2 Max in 90 Minutes (Masterclass) Jun 16, 2026 1:18:02 What if the thing that helps you run faster now also protects you from becoming fragile later?In this episode, I break down VO2 max in the most practical way possible: what it is, why runners should care, how much your watch can actually be trusted, and why the number matters for way more than race performance. We get into the difference between VO2 max, threshold, running economy, zone 2, hard in
Sauna Is Legal Doping and Most Runners Have No Idea
Sauna Is Legal Doping and Most Runners Have No Idea Jun 11, 2026 15:36 What if there was a way to boost your VO₂ max, improve heat tolerance, and potentially increase endurance without adding a single extra workout to your training week?Most runners are always looking for the next thing that will help them run faster, recover better, and stay healthier for the long haul. In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked performance tools available: sauna train
The Dangerous Level of Half Marathoners No One Talks About
The Dangerous Level of Half Marathoners No One Talks About Jun 8, 2026 12:08 What if the smartest distance in running isn't the marathon, but the race most people treat like a stepping stone?The half marathon is one of the most misunderstood distances in running. Some runners treat it as a stepping stone to something bigger, while others never realize just how challenging and rewarding it can be on its own. In this episode, I break down the five different types of half mar
Can’t Break 20 Min 5k? Here's Why (And The Fix)
Can’t Break 20 Min 5k? Here's Why (And The Fix) Jun 4, 2026 25:52 What if the reason you can't break 20 minutes has nothing to do with toughness and everything to do with how you're training the final kilometer of the race?Breaking 20 minutes in the 5K isn't just about pushing harder. It's about training smarter. In this episode, I break down the key systems that separate runners who stay stuck from those who finally crack the sub-20 barrier. You'll learn how to

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