Issue #29: Newsletter Updates: Training and Recovery

Threshold Lab Iteration 2.0

Author

Stephen Pelkofer
December 12, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

✍️ Author’s Note - Threshold Lab 2.0

Welcome back to The Threshold Lab! I’m Stephen Pelkofer, an aspiring HYROX Elite 15 athlete, data nerd, and The Threshold Lab founder.

For those that have been here since issue #1 (thank you), things will start to look a little different going forward (in a good way!). Instead of always focusing on a specific research paper in exercise science, I’m going to mix in some content focused on my personal training and racing. I’m also going to expand sources to podcasts, books, blogs, etc. that I’m reading and consuming each week. Overall, I want this newsletter to be a mix of lab science, field science, and my experiences with myself and my clients.

☕️ 1st Phorm Protein Coffee

Protein coffee has become a staple of my daily routine this season. It’s such an easy way to start off the day with protein, and it’s delicious.

We’re following the seasonal trends in the Pelkofer household – Peppermint bark is the latest 1st Phorm seasonal flavor to drop. Get it while it lasts!

My recipe: nespresso, a splash of milk, and 2/3 or 1 scoop of protein powder.

🏃Training Update

I just got done with a big racing block in September-November. I had 4 HYROX races on the calendar (2 pro solo and 2 pro doubles). These wen’t nearly as well as they could have → 4 straight PRs! While I’m happy with the progress and how things shook out, I know there is still so much untapped potential, especially in running.

I have about 7 weeks of training until HYROX Phoenix, where I will (mostly likely) be making my Elite 15 doubles debut with Dylan Scott. The things I am focusing on in this block:

  • More running volume → trying to push to 50 miles per week for a few weeks straight

  • More training volume overall → via more cross training (especially on the bike and rower)

  • Training sleds more frequently → specifically under fatigue

Zooming in on the mileage breakdown: For the data viz lovers, here is how I track my mileage. Last week I ran just over 46 miles with a mix of easy running (aerobic), LT1 miles (lactate threshold 1), and LT2 miles (lactate threshold 2). This is not perfect, but I split my miles into buckets based on the pace/effort level. For me it’s a much better read on the true training load of those miles, instead of just looking at the total number.

🎧️ Science Things: Recovery Demystified

The Science of Running Podcast - Recovery Demystified
Focus on what really matters
Episode Link

The Science of Running podcast is something I listen to pretty frequently. Steve Magness and Jon Marcus are coaches and experts in the running and endurance world – I would highly recommend checking out their work.

One message from this episode stands out: athletes today are drowning in recovery tools, gadgets, supplements, and recovery tool hacks… and most of it doesn’t matter nearly as much as we think. We’re obsessed with trying to optimize everything and forget about the most important part: training (and training hard!).

I love ice baths and compression boots as much as anyone, but using them every single day or even a few times a week is likely not best for the long-term adaptations that you want to acquire. You don’t necessarily want to interfere with the stress signals your body is sending after hard strength or endurance sessions – this is what your body actually needs to grow stronger and adapt.

What actually moves the needle

  • Sleep → there is nothing more important to recovery than consistently getting good sleep

  • Nutrition → carbs to fuel workouts, and carbs+protein to recover from workouts (issue #8 of the Threshold Lab)

  • Training hard! And taking easier days in between hard days.

When to use the recovery tools

  • When recovery is more important than adaptation → race week for example

  • On an off day at the end of your training week to get ready for the next big week of training

Get the basics right first, then worry about the extra 0.5% recovery gains.

Thats it for this week – thanks for reading and let me know what you think of this new style!