The Built for Distance Dispatch
A weekly evidence-based article on movement, strength, and recovery — written for adults playing the long game. Real research. Personal experience. Full citations. Every Sunday.
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WHAT THE DISPATCH IS
The Dispatch is Built for Distance's weekly article. Each issue starts with a real moment from Richard's own training — something that raised a question, revealed a gap, or changed how he works. Then it goes to the research for the answer.
Every issue includes full citations from peer-reviewed sports medicine and exercise science literature. Every recommendation is grounded in evidence. Every conclusion is one a coach with ACE certification and intellectual honesty can stand behind.
This is not a newsletter with tips. It is a weekly article worth reading.
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CURRENT ISSUE
The Rule I Followed for Twenty Years Was Never Actually Tested
August 23, 2026
The largest running-injury study ever conducted found that the classic '10% rule' barely predicts anything at all. Inside: the one number that actually does, and why restarting after a break means resetting it lower before you build it back up.
PAST ISSUES
What My Knees Taught Me About Ignoring Well-Meaning Advice
August 16, 2026
For years, people warned me that running would wreck my knees. The largest study on the subject found the opposite: recreational runners had a lower arthritis rate than people who didn't run at all. Inside: what's actually happening to aging joints, and the warm-up and recovery habits the evidence actually supports.
The Week I Deliberately Got Weaker (On Paper)
August 9, 2026
A 2026 randomized trial found that cutting training volume by two-thirds for a week produces statistically identical strength and muscle gains as training straight through. Inside: what a deload actually protects against, and the exact volume, intensity, and frequency numbers coaches use to program one.
The Ten Seconds That Might Predict How You Age
August 2, 2026
A thirty-second test that takes less time than tying your shoes turns out to be tied to a measurably different mortality curve. Inside: what the research says about static vs. reactive balance training, and the four moves that actually move the number.
Your “Easy” Run Might Not Be as Easy as You Think
July 26, 2026
Your easy pace should actually be easy — comfortable enough to hold a conversation, not just technically survivable. Your hard days should actually be hard. The murky middle ground in between is the one place the evidence consistently says is the least productive use of training time.
The Weight That Feels Hard Isn't Always the Weight You Need
July 19, 2026
The single biggest lever here isn't a supplement, a fancy piece of equipment, or a new exercise. It's knowing your actual number and having someone translate that number into the right zone for your actual training goals.
Do You Even Need Supplements? What the Evidence Tells Us
July 12, 2026
Nutrition is important - for fueling your movement, building your strength, and locking in your recovery. But what does the science tell us about supplements? If you are over 40, this Dispatch is for you! READ
Why You're Not Sleeping Enough to Build Muscle — and What to Do About It
July 6, 2026
Sleep is not passive recovery. It is the primary window during which the adaptations you trained for actually occur — and the research on what happens when it's insufficient is striking. READ
Why You're Losing Muscle After 40 - and What to Do About It
June 28, 2026
After 40 your muscles don't respond to protein and training the same way they did at 30. The research has a name for it: anabolic resistance. Three specific levers counter it — and most adults are underusing all three. READ
How Long Should You Rest Between Sets? What the Evidence Says for Adults Over 40
June 21, 2026
The short-rest prescription has been substantially overturned. Here's what the research actually shows — and the framework I use now. READ
COMING SOON
Future issues of The Dispatch will cover:
Zone 2 Training and Body Recomposition — the Evidence
Complete Proteins for Plant-Based Athletes — What the Science Says
The Case for Rest Days — Active Recovery and Long-Term Adaptation
New issue every Tuesday. Drop your email above to be notified.
Built for Distance publishes content every Thursday. Richard Skolasky is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer. Newsletter content is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized exercise prescription.
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