# 296. Why Tune-Up Races Are the Key to Your Next Marathon PR

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marathon-running-podcast-by-marathon-journal-548568/296-why-tune-up-races-are-the-key-to-your-next-marathon-pr
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marathon-running-podcast-by-marathon-journal-548568/296-why-tune-up-races-are-the-key-to-your-next-marathon-pr.md
Podcast: [Marathon Running Podcast by Marathon Journal](https://stenobird.com/podcast/marathon-running-podcast-by-marathon-journal-548568)
Published: 2026-01-19T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/marathonjournal/episodes/296--Why-Tune-Up-Races-Are-the-Key-to-Your-Next-Marathon-PR-e3dojhm
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APO8394358059.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/marathon-running-podcast-by-marathon-journal-548568/episodes/296-why-tune-up-races-are-the-key-to-your-next-marathon-pr
Duration seconds: 2145

## Resource

In this episode of the Marathon Running Podcast , we dive into whyyour solitary training miles might be hitting a plateau and how to smashthrough your personal bests by becoming a "skilled racer." Weinterviewed Chris Knighton ,founder of Knighton Runs and author of Run Faster Marathons , to discuss the psychologicaland physiological necessity of the tune-up race. We asked Chris about the "isolationist" trapmany marathoners fall into and how to strategically bridge the gap betweentraining fitness and race-day performance. We tease the "GoldStandard" of tune-up distances, the dangers of tapering too early, and whyyour GPS watch might be lying to you about your potential. Plus, stay tuned forexpert insights to keep you informed on the latest in running and competitivesports. · The 100% Effort: Learn why you can't replicate truerace intensity in solo time trials and how "exposure therapy" for thebrain prevents race-day panic. · The 18-Week Roadmap: A breakdown of the three stagesof development—from baseline time trials to the "Specific Stage"crescendo. · Data Over Guesswork: Why Chris advocates for VDOTformulas over heart rate or watch-based predictors to set your goals. · The "Train-Through" Method: How to race ontired legs to prepare for the final 10K of your marathon without burning out. Our guestthis episode: Chris Knighton ( KnightonRuns.com ) Connect withUs: · Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.com · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcast · YouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournal · Follow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607 Why You Should Listen

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/marathon-running-podcast-by-marathon-journal-548568/episodes/296-why-tune-up-races-are-the-key-to-your-next-marathon-pr/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/marathon-running-podcast-by-marathon-journal-548568/296-why-tune-up-races-are-the-key-to-your-next-marathon-pr.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.