Think of the difference between running in heavy hiking boots versus lightweight racers. When you strip away the excess, you feel faster. It’s the same psychological and physiological "Ferrari Effect" you get when you finish a period of resistance training (like rucking with a heavy pack) and finally drop the weight. You feel light, springy, and agile.
Can you build the kind of fitness that lasts beyond a quick run or gym session? We explore how to build your aerobic engine, develop useful strength, pace yourself properly and measure progress over time — using practical experience and research, without the fitness industry nonsense.
Periodisation doesn’t need to be complicated. In this guide, we break training down into three simple phases anyone can follow: build your engine, add speed and strength, and get ready to perform. No jargon, no confusion — just a practical, easy‑to‑use method that helps you train smarter, stay consistent, and feel great on race day.
Most runners run. Seems fairly obvious.
They run intervals. They run easy. They run long. They run up hills, down hills and occasionally run when their Garmin tells them they shouldn’t.
But there is another way to become a better runner. To become a better and more complete athlete. In our latest Engine room series we discuss the benefits of cross training to achieve this.
The lessons that can make running easier, more enjoyable and a whole lot less painful.
Nobody starts running knowing what they’re doing.
You lace up a pair of shoes, head out the door and start running. You probably run too fast, breathe too hard, wonder why everyone else makes it look so easy and then spend the next day walking around like you’ve been hit by a truck or riding a horse.
You don’t need to enlist in the military, shave your head, buy camouflage pants, or start referring to your local park as “the training grounds” to train like a soldier.
You also don’t need to be an elite runner to run around the oval, an Olympian to jump into a pool, or a professional boxer to throw punches at a bag while imagining you’re in a Rocky montage.
A practical guide to breaking the 20-minute barrier, improving your 5K time, and understanding why this simple distance is one of running’s toughest challenges (and why your brain will actively try to convince you to quit).
There are certain numbers in sport that carry more weight than others.
A sub-three-hour marathon. A 100kg bench press. Breaking par in golf. And in the running world? A sub-20-minute 5K.
It is one of those milestones that quietly changes the way runners see themselves.
“Everyone wants the result. Far fewer are willing to do the work that creates it.”
Every athlete has a version of themselves they haven’t met yet. A version that’s stronger, faster, more resilient, more capable under pressure, and significantly less dramatic when the weather turns bad.
The frustrating part? Most people never meet that version.
If you’re staring at your watch after a 5km run and wondering if that "sub-20" barrier is actually within reach, let’s be clear: you aren't just looking for a new personal best; you are looking to engineer a performance. A sub-20 minute 5km is a standard that separates the casual jogger from the committed athlete.
It’s tough, it’s honest, and it’s earned.
If you’re stuck at the same marathon time for race after race, you’ve hit a wall. You aren’t alone, but you are stagnant.
The fix is simple, but it isn’t easy. Most athletes avoid true intensity—the hard stuff. The trap is simple: athletes often run too hard when they should be going easy, and not hard enough when they should be pushing the pace.
This is a question we get asked all the time and despite socks, for some being a boring item, lets face it we spend a lot of time trying to get it right. In our ProLab series we discuss the best running socks for everyday runs, marathons, Hyrox and more.
We used to sell plenty of Steigen socks. Then customers started telling us what they liked, what they didn’t, and what they wished was different. So we listened, got to work, and spent six months developing GearSocks Second Skin — an ultra-light, Australian-made running sock built for runners who want to feel like they’re wearing almost nothing. Here’s the story behind it, including how it stacks up on the scales against Steigen and Balega.
There are socks you buy simply because you need socks—and then there are socks you put on and immediately understand the hype. The Balega Hidden Comfort sits firmly in the second category.
Marketed as a performance running sock, it has quietly become a cult favourite for walkers, retail workers, travellers, and anyone spending hours on their feet. But is it right for you? In our ProLab review, we break down what actually matters—and look at why this heavily padded everyday sock earns its spot in your drawer.
Your gym has changed. Your socks probably haven’t.
Once upon a time, going to the gym might have meant lifting some weights, sitting down, lifting some more weights and finishing with ten minutes on the treadmill.
Your socks weren’t exactly being put through military service. That’s not how everyone trains anymore. Let’s take a look at better socks.
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