Luke Humphrey Running

09/07/2026

09/05/2026

The unofficial end of summer is here, but that means things are really starting to heat up. Fall marathons are right around the corner, but it’s not too late to get real help from real experts. Through 9/8, we are offering 15% off all training plans, including our exclusive The Marathon Project Plans. If you want to take it up a notch, our hybrid plans are 25% off. As a thank you, we are offering hybrid plans as an option with all of our TMP plans as well!

09/04/2026

1. ☀️ Master the Light: Light is the single most powerful signal to reset your central biological clock. Eastward Travel: Seek bright morning daylight to advance your circadian phase. Westward Travel: Seek bright evening sunlight to delay it.The Payoff: Properly timed light exposure combined with strategic avoidance can shift your body clock 2x to 3x faster than natural adaptation alone!

2. 💊 Precisely Timed Melatonin
Melatonin is a powerful chronobiotic that acts directly on SCN receptors to realign your sleep-wake cycle. The Protocol: For eastward travel crossing 5 or more time zones, take a low dose of 0.5 mg to 3.0 mg (or up to 2–8 mg) approximately 30 to 90 minutes before your target destination bedtime. Avoid Drowsiness: Avoid high doses exceeding 5 mg, as they provide no additional phase-shifting benefits and can cause prolonged morning grogginess. Athletic Safe-Guard: OTC melatonin exhibits high variability; athletes must use third-party tested, certified products to ensure compliance with anti-doping regulations.

3. 🥦 Feed Your Peripheral Clocks: Meal timing doesn't just fuel your muscles—it actively synchronizes peripheral metabolic clocks in your liver and gut. Set Your Table: Shift your meal schedule to match local destination mealtimes immediately upon boarding. Protein in the Morning: Eat a high-protein breakfast rich in tyrosine to stimulate alertness and dopamine pathways.Carbs in the Evening: Choose high-carbohydrate dinners to promote tryptophan crossing into the brain, supporting natural serotonin and melatonin synthesis. Hydrate Strategically: Aircraft cabin humidity can drop below 20%. Sip 8 to 10 oz of water per hour of flight to protect your mucosal barriers, and strictly avoid alcohol, which disrupts sleep quality.

4. 🏃‍♀️ Post-Arrival Training Periodization: Do not rush into intense workouts immediately upon landing! Circadian desynchrony degrades neuromuscular coordination, decreases grip strength, and blunts proprioception. Decompression Session: Within 4 to 6 hours of arrival, execute a gentle, non-taxing neuro-functional mobility session: dynamic stretches, followed by a light 15 to 30-minute aerobic run to reduce stiffness. Avoid Morning Strain: After eastward travel, do NOT schedule tough morning workouts when your core body temperature is at its biological minimum. Train in the late afternoon instead to protect yourself from musculoskeletal strains.

5. 💤 Sleep Hygiene & Travel Comfort. Routine sleep hygiene is your ultimate recovery weapon. Pre-Adjust: Shift your sleep and wake cycles by 30 to 60 minutes per day for 3 days before travel to ease the physiological shock. Manage Naps: Limit arrival-day naps to 20 to 30 minutes and take them strictly before 14:00 local time to preserve nocturnal sleep pressure. Environment Control: Keep your destination bedroom dark, quiet, and cool (65–68°F / 18–20°C).In-Transit Comfort: Wear compression socks during the flight to reduce lower-limb swelling and enhance venous return.

09/03/2026

If you are following one of the Hanson Marathon Method books and you are entering the Strength portion of the workouts, then congrats, you are in that final push! That's the good news. The bad news is that you are still 7 weeks out, and that's plenty of time for things to go off the rails.

Some of you may find the strength workouts (MP-10 seconds per mile) a pace that's too easy. Or, let's say comfortable. This occurs for runners who tend to have wider variance on their tempo runs and long runs. For example, if your goal marathon pace is 10:00/mile and your tempos range from 9:40-10:20 per mile on your tempo runs, then you are who I am referring to. If you find yourself in this group, don't cheat these down to make them faster! Use the repeats as a way to really focus on dialing in pace. This will help your tempo runs even out over time.

On the other hand, faster runners will find that the strength paces are quickly approaching your lactate threshold. For me, these were pretty much my half marathon pace. So, these are sometimes in an in-between pace. I get it- there is an urge to increase to get to a slightly faster pace. Resist the urge! For these, I like the fact that you are forced to be in a position where you have to concentrate and tolerate being uncomfortable for 10-20 minutes at a pop. Again, being able to do these well will help the tempos.

The moral of the story? Regardless of ability, do your best to stay on task. You are entering the final stretch of the plan, and forcing paces here is often what finally pushes a runner over the edge. By that, I mean past cumulative fatigue and into either overtraining or injury. Let's get close to that line, but pull ourselves back from going over the edge.

09/02/2026

"How am I going to make it 26 miles at this pace?" We've all asked ourselves this question at some point during marathon training. The truth is, you never know. However, there are certain traits that I have picked up on from my own training and observing my athletes.

1) They've been consistent with training. I have never expected a person to hit 100% of their training plan- I actually often worry when things go perfectly in training because they are bound to go wrong at some point. But it shouldn't be a series of ups/downs and blank days in a training log.

2) Paces feel like a grind at the start. You often feel intimidated about them during the warm-up, but you find yourself settling in after a couple reps or miles during the actual workout. I always feel like if I can feel like I could still go a few miles at MP after a 10-mile tempo, then I am in a good spot.

3) Choosing confidence over fear. It is scary, especially if you are trying to go after a big one. But if your training hasn't led you to feel like you could make it a long way at your goal pace, then you probably can't.

4) You've let go of a clock reading and are in a state of knowing that you've done everything you can. You have a plan, and if that's enough, that's enough. I'm not saying don't have a time goal, but don't let perfection get in the way of really good.

Who has entered the biggest phase of their training? How are you feeling going into it?

08/31/2026

What happens to your physiology as you fatigue? I talk about it in my latest podcast. Check comments for link.