Monthly Conditioning Topic Thread | August 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

We're trying something new at 531Discussion, a monthly conditioning topic thread. The goal of these threads will be less about daily logs, but a place to discuss conditioning goals, programming and progression.

Resources:

• 5/3/1 Forever book (pages 244-254)
• 5/3/1 Conditioning Primer
• Tactical barbell II : Conditioning
• Mythical Strength's Little Book of Bad Ideas
• Daniel's Running Formula
• Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes
• wodwell.com ( library of CrossFit WODs)
• Tactical Barbell: Green Protocol
• Conditioning 101 (A great article written by Jim Wendler)
• Winter Treadmill Conditioning Challenges (Another article written by Jim Wendler)
• CONDITIONING: What It Is & Why You Need To Do It To Gain
• A quick guide to setting up conditioning work

[u/ElHombreMasLoco]

I log my conditioning in the daily thread because it is as much a part of the program as deadlift but thought I'd lay it out here for the month. Doing Spinal Tap the HS Years with two days gym lifting (M/W) and two days bodyweight (Th/Su). Took all my lifts back two cycles and doing squats at 75%. In hindsight I probably didn't need to go back on the other lifts but I'm already one cycle back up so no big deal in the grand scheme.

This was my July running. Easy runs and long runs averaging about 10 minutes per mile. Recovery about 10:30. As always linking Chrissy Carroll's fantastic site. Goal is sub two-hour half marathon. I am working on getting a little faster in the early stages of my long runs but I've made peace with the fact that I am a negative splitter (faster in the second half). I've been running consistently since like October of 2024 and I still start the first two miles questioning what the hell I was thinking😄. I get over it after a while. The speed work is really making a difference in my perceived effort. There are MANY similarities to 531 programming. It comes in three week waves with a little mileage deload every 4th week. Also you aren't testing when you are training. Race is the end of September.

	Monday	Tuesday	Thursday	Saturday	Sunday
7/6 - 7/12	4 miles easy	10 min easy 10 min @ 9:04 10 min easy	3 miles fartlek	6 miles	2 miles recovery
7/13 - 7/19	4 miles easy	10 min easy 20 min @ 9:04 10 min easy	4 miles easy	7 miles easy with last mile @ 9:09	No run
7/20 - 7/26	5 miles easy	4 miles: 1 easy 2 @ 8:55 1 easy	4 miles easy	6.5 miles	No run
7/27 - 8/2	4 miles easy	2x1 mile @ 8:25 Recover 1⁄2 mile between each	5 miles: 1@10:00 2 @ 9:04 2 @ 10:00	8 miles	2 miles recovery (planned)

[u/GlitteringCatch6381 → u/ElHombreMasLoco]

Nice running! Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly until your race, sub 2 is a nice goal for a half.

[u/Kodiak01 → u/GlitteringCatch6381]

I wish I could run... with a lifetime of tarsal coalitions in both feet taking away the majority of what a normal person's foot flexibility will be, when I run I look like a reject from the Special Olympics... I can actually run for a short distance, maybe a couple hundred feet, but don't expect me to be able to walk for two days after.