Running Trends and the Search for Marginal Gains
by GRP runner Jess Scheriff
If you spend any time around runners, you’ll notice how curious the sport is. We’re always learning, always swapping notes, always wondering what might help us run a little stronger or recover a little better.
Lately, there’s been no shortage of ideas: performance shots like Nomio, bicarbonate protocols, sauna heat training, cold plunges, ketone drinks, HRV tracking, altitude tents, double-threshold workouts. Some are rooted in solid science. Some are adaptations of elite systems. Some are probably a mix of both science and marketing.
I’m not a doctor or physiologist, just a runner who runs and pays attention to patterns.
The Appeal of Marginal Gains
What all these trends have in common is the promise of a small edge. A percent here. A little longer at threshold. Slightly faster recovery. Better heat tolerance.
And to be fair, in a sport where progress is incremental, small gains matter.
But what’s interesting is how easy it is to focus on the extras before the essentials are fully in place.
So what do these “marginal gains” look like in practice?
Performance shots and pre-run goop
Sometimes it’s something like sodium bicarbonate, an old-school performance aid that’s resurfaced in modern training circles. The theory is compelling: buffer acidity during hard efforts and maybe squeeze out a little more at the edge. There’s research behind it. It’s not fringe. And yet, anyone who’s looked into it knows the tradeoff is often gastrointestinal roulette. It works for some. It absolutely does not work for others.
Then there’s the broader world of performance “shots” - the small bottles of concentrated nutrients that promise everything from better blood flow to improved cellular energy. Beetroot or nitrate shots aim to increase nitric oxide and potentially improve running economy. Ketone esters try to shift fuel utilization. Caffeine shots target the nervous system to reduce perceived effort. Newer entrants like Nomio (built around broccoli sprout extracts) position themselves as supporting mitochondrial efficiency and fatigue resistance.
Some of these have stronger evidence than others. Caffeine and nitrates are reasonably well studied. Ketones remain mixed and expensive. Others fall more squarely into the “interesting, maybe helpful” category. Across the board, though, the effects tend to be subtle and highly individual.
Recovery trends follow a similar pattern
Sauna and heat exposure have gained traction not because they’re flashy, but because they align with basic training principles: apply stress, adapt, repeat. Heat acclimation makes intuitive sense, especially for summer racing. But it’s still stress layered onto stress. Without thoughtful hydration and recovery, it can quietly tip the balance the wrong way. And this is coming from a sauna enthusiast.
And then there’s the broader influence of elite training systems. Double-threshold days. Altitude exposure. Precision fueling protocols. We see what works at the highest levels and naturally wonder what applies to the rest of us. But elite performance sits inside elite recovery bandwidth - time, support, nutrition, lower external stress. Context changes everything!
None of these approaches are inherently misguided. I have experimented with many of these trends myself and experienced different levels of success. Many likely work, at least a little. And that’s what makes them compelling.
What’s important, though, is what seems to matter over longer stretches of time.
The Patterns That Hold
From the outside looking in, one thing seems consistent: the runners who improve steadily tend to have the basics locked in.
Consistent training
Gradual progression
Enough food
Enough sleep
Patience
The newer trends aren’t inherently good or bad. Some likely provide real, measurable benefits. Others may offer more psychological lift than physiological change. And sometimes, that psychological boost is valuable too.
But none of them seem to replace the foundation.
Maybe that’s the balance? Stay curious, experiment thoughtfully, enjoy the innovation. Just don’t forget that the biggest gains in running still come from doing the simple things well, over and over again. Stay consistent and happy experimenting!