The Running Channel Podcast 162: The Most Important Factor Runners Ignore
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Mar 21, 2026 They dig into running economy: what it is, how it feels and how to measure it. Expect practical tips on posture, core work, strength versus conditioning, and drills like hill sprints and plyometrics. There is also chat about how fatigue affects efficiency and a light-hearted recap of a wild night out and race-day oddities.
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Rick's Ross Noble Night Led To Drunk Strava DMs
- Rick recounts an all‑night outing after Ross Noble's show where he decanted wine, met Dougie from McFly, and later ended up in McDonald's after missing trains.
- He DM'd Strava contacts drunk and later discovered he’d been messaging people like "Carl Lewis, FRRC" inviting them for drinks.
Running Economy Is Your Fuel Efficiency
- Running economy is the oxygen cost of running at a given speed and determines how much energy you burn for that pace.
- Andy compares it to fuel economy: two runners with the same VO2max can perform very differently if one uses less oxygen at the same speed.
Three Metrics That Define Your Performance
- VO2max is your engine, lactate threshold is how long you can stay aerobic, and running economy is how much oxygen you need at a pace; all three determine performance.
- A higher velocity at VO2max (vVO2max) gives an advantage even with similar VO2max values.