Bytager the publication "Tiago, 18 years old, towards the top level: chronicle of a mastered preparation with 4Endurance"
At 3bikes, we don't just help our readers progress. We seek to help them grow. In their bodies, their minds, and in their understanding of what real preparation is. Not just racking up the miles. Not just suffering to progress. But understanding the levers of performance. And using them at the right time. When Tiago, a young middle-distance hopeful, told us about his ambition to finish in the Top 10 of the French Junior Half Marathon Championships, we knew we had a rare profile. Not just for his potential. But for his seriousness, his desire to learn, his ability to listen. So we decided to put together a tailor-made protocol. A gradual build-up, over six weeks, structured around three pillars: a precise training plan, daily monitoring, and targeted supplementation with 4Endurance products. Here is the story of this preparation. It's not just a report. It's a method. And perhaps a guide, for anyone who wants to train intelligently.
By Jeff Tatard – Photos: DR
A three-dimensional approach: physical, mental, nutritional
Performance never relies on a single parameterFor a runner like Tiago, it's all about balance: between training volume and recovery, between intensity and consistency, between the desire to surpass oneself and the ability to regenerate.
This is why we have structured its preparation cycle around three complementary axes.
1. The training plan : each week, key sessions (threshold, tempo, long hills, long runs) aimed at developing the specific endurance of the half-marathon, but also muscular and mental resistance. No session is left to chance.
2. The athlete's feelings : almost every day, Tiago tells ustaglisten to his feelings. We don't try to "objectify" everything. We listen to what he says: legs, breathing, mind, digestion, sleep. It is precisely these signals that dictate the adjustments.
3. The complementation strategy : four 4Endurance products were used, each for a specific function. No haphazard mixing. No overloading. Just a surgical approach. And above all, a reasoned integration into the daily life of a young athlete who must be preserved, and also protected from the risks associated with sport practiced with a performance focus.
4Endurance products: why, when, how
Just because a product is well designed doesn't mean you can use it any old way. Each supplement has a role to play. Its effectiveness depends on when it's taken, the type of session, and the runner's condition. Here's how we've structured the protocol's four key products.
ABSOLUTE : we use it before sessions that require mental strength, concentration, and a form of voluntary muscular tension. It is not a stimulant. It is a tool to be ready. Mentally and physically. Tiago took it 60 minutes before difficult sessions: threshold, tempo, hill. He often said: “I felt more aligned, more focused, more concentrated. As if everything was centered on what I had to do."
NITRATE+ : very useful for long and sustained efforts, especially long runs, specific half-marathon paces, or tempo blocks. It is taken two hours before. It acts on vasodilation and the capacity to transport more oxygen. Result: " I found it made the pace more fluid. Less tension, easier to maintain over time.
BICARB : extremely effective when properly dosed and used. It is used to buffer lactic acid. Very useful before long interval training, hills, or threshold sessions. We took it in the morning on an empty stomach on key days, or 90 minutes before certain lactic acid sessions. Tiago said: “With this, I was better able to stay in zone 5 cardio without blowing up. I could sustain it longer.”
RECOVERY : simple but essential. After every demanding session, we want to recharge our batteries. That's where RECOVERY comes in. It provides protein, carbohydrates, and electrolytes. The goal isn't just to reconBuilding also means allowing the athlete to come back fresh the next day. This product was systematically used after hard sessions and long outings. Tiago often said: “Honestly, after a tough session, this was my little reward. The taste is great, and I immediately felt that it did me good."
Progress: week after week
What is striking when you follow an athlete on a daily basis is how much difference small adjustments makeHere's how the preparation was structured, in six weeks of ramp-up, followed by a week of sharpening.tage before the race.
Week 1: Building the Foundations
First blocks of specific pace, first long hill sessions. The goal is to establish the benchmarks, feel the body working at the right rhythms, and regain the automatisms after a lighter period.
From the first long outing with a semi-pace finish, we introduce ABSOLUTE and NITRATE+. Immediate result: " better cardiac stability, less drift at the end of the effort"
Week 2: Add density
We're increasing the volume while maintaining active recovery. One of the key sessions: 3 x 3 km at tempo. This is where BICARB comes in. Taken on an empty stomach in the morning, it helps you better absorb the lactic load. Tiago notes a clear difference compared to similar blocks last year: “I didn't explode in the last 3. Mentally, I was clearer."
Week 3: Mental and muscular resistance
A long run with pace blocks, hilly tempo runs, and hill series: this week is demanding. But it's also the one where Tiago starts to feel like he's "holding it." He keeps going without increasing his fatigue. We're careful not to overlap NITRATE+ and BICARB on the same day: just one buffer per day is enough. And always RECOVERY after intense sessions. This is what guarantees training continuity.
Week 4: Technical adjustment and recovery
Less volume, more precision. Two sessions at race pace, one session of more explosive hills. Tiago testand his feelings. He begins to say: “I'm more relaxed at 3'38/km. It's less forced.“It’s a strong signal: the target pace becomes comfortable. The supplementation is perfectly integrated. It’s no longer a one-off aid, it’s a permanent tool.
Week 5: The final blocks
Two times 5 kilometers at half-pace. This is the testTiago manages to maintain the pace without dropping off. It's not spectacular. But it's clean. Controlled. You can feel that the work has paid off. No overwork. Just a body ready to deliver. The week ends with a smooth outing, without forcing, but with good legs.
Week 6: Affutage
We reduce the volumes. We maintain the frequency. No innovations. Just sleep, good reflexes, and mental continuity. We continue ABSOLUTELY before the small pace reminders. We keep NITRATE+ to stimulate vascularization. And above all, we don't change anything in the routine. It's this regularity that makes the race safe.
D-Day: relaxation, lucidity, impact
On the morning of the race, Tiago doesn't eat anything. Everything has already been planned in advance. The most important thing is in the body, in the reflexes, in the mind. He's ready. Not overexcited. Just ready.
During the race, he chose a simple and solid strategy: 40g of carbohydrates every 30 minutesA gel right at the start, just after the warm-up and adrenaline rush—that moment when the wait is heavy and the body is already consuming. Then another after 30 minutes. And a final one after the hour of exertion.
And then there was the context: the most competitive French championship in history, on one of the most demanding courses in the country – the legendary Auray-Vannes. Nothing was easy, everything was up for grabs.
Tiago fought. He maintained his pace, resisted the sudden changes in his running, and kept going when others gave up. He, who only arrived with the 14th French performance in the rankings, finished 6th in France in the U20 category. A place which, under these conditions, has the value of a victory. Because the result, however beautiful, doesn't tell the whole story. What counts is the manner: lucidity, control, total commitment. Tiago knew how to run with what he had built. With his body. And with his mind. And perhaps that's what true victory is: being present in his race. Not letting anything happen. Choosing his actions.
Conclusion: a reproducible method, a philosophy of progression
This preparation is not an exception. It is a methodIt is aimed at all those who want to progress without burning out. To those who understand that the body is a system: that must be respected, listened to, and supported.
4Endurance isn't everythingBut used well, at the right time, each product has its role. The important thing is consistency. Never substitute them for training, but use them as levers. And above all: never forget that each athlete is unique.
At 3bikes, we don't create heroes. We tell stories. We observe, we question, we are interested in what can inspire. It is in this spirit that we followed Tiago: not to make him a fixed model, but to show what preparation carried out with seriousness and intelligence produces.
Not just for his potential. But for his curiosity, his desire to learn, his ability to listen and make decisions. Tiago doesn't follow blindly: he teste, he adjusts, he understands. He advances with precision. And perhaps that is, today, a real path to the top level: being an actor in one's progression. Combining rigor and desire. And giving each race, like in Auray-Vannes, a value that goes beyond the ranking
| The 4Endurance products used by Tiago are available here => •ABSOLUTE: €29,90 per box •NITRATE+: €34,90 per box •BICARB: €24,90 per box •RECOVERY: €27,90 per box For more information: www.4endurance.fr |
Want to go further ?
It is rare that an athlete bytagbehind the scenes with such clarity. But Tiago is not just a promising runner. He is a rigorous student at a prestigious Parisian business school, a methodical inquisitive person, a passionate observer, teste, adjust.
Today, he agrees to reveal the key weeks of his preparationNot to impress. But to convey. To show that behind the performance, there is a method. A real one. Designed in detail, designed to last.
For those interested, here's the plan in its entirety: each session, each intention, each lever used at the right time. It's concrete. Practical. A clear strategy that everyone can adapt to their level. Read it, understand it, and make it your own. It's not just a plan. It's an approach.
WEEK 4 (August 4 to 10) — Semi-specific + long ribs
Monday
45' jogging + low reinforcement + 5 straight lines
→ Nothing to take
Tuesday
5 x 2' long hill (3-4%) + 10' flat at semi-pace
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose within 20 min after
Wednesday
1 hour leisurely jog
→ Nothing to take
Thursday
3 x 12' tempo 3'55 hilly
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose within 20 min after
Friday
Repos
→ Nothing to take
Open on Saturday
1h45 at 4'30/km hilly + 10' at semi-pace
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose within 20 min after
Sunday
1 hour leisurely jog
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before (if heavy legs or need for active recovery)
WEEK 5 (August 11-17) — Volume + Resistance
Monday
45' jogging + low reinforcement + 5 straight lines
→ Nothing to take
Tuesday
12 x 1' rib
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after session
Wednesday
1 hour leisurely jog
→ Nothing to take
Thursday
3 x 3 km at 3'38/km (false flats)
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Friday
Repos
→ Nothing to take
Open on Saturday
1h50 with 4 x 10' at marathon pace (3'55)
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose within 20 min after
Sunday
1 hour leisurely jog
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before (if more dynamic session)
WEEK 6 (August 18-24) — Assimilation
Monday
45' jogging + low reinforcement + 5 straight lines
→ Nothing to take
Tuesday
6 x 1' hill (downhill recovery)
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Wednesday
Repos
→ Nothing to take
Thursday
2 x 10' light tempo (3'55)
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Friday
Jogging 45 minutes
→ Nothing to take
Open on Saturday
1h15 hilly
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Sunday
45 minutes quiet
→ Nothing to take
WEEK 7 (August 25-31) — Specific + Mental
Monday
45' jogging + low reinforcement + 5 straight lines
→ Nothing to take
Tuesday
4 x 2 km at 3'38/km
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Wednesday
1 hour leisurely jog
→ Nothing to take
Thursday
20' + 6 x 3' coast + 10'
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Friday
Repos
→ Nothing to take
Open on Saturday
1h40 hilly + 15' at semi-pace
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
WEEK 8 (September 1-7) — Final reminders
Monday
45' jogging + low reinforcement + 5 straight lines
→ Nothing to take
Tuesday
2 x 5 km at half pace
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Wednesday
Jogging 1 hour
→ Nothing to take
Thursday
2 x 8' tempo (3'55)
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Friday
Repos
→ Nothing to take
Open on Saturday
1h15 hilly
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ BICARB: 6 capsules 90 min before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Sunday
50' cool jog
→ Nothing to take
WEEK 9 (September 8 to 14) — Affutage + course
Monday
Repos
→ BICARB: 6 capsules in the morning on an empty stomach
Tuesday
2 x 6' at semi-speed
→ ABSOLUTE: 3 capsules 60 min before
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules 2 hours before
→ RECOVERY: 1 dose after
Wednesday
Jogging 45 minutes
→ BICARB: 6 capsules in the morning on an empty stomach
Thursday
Repos
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules on an empty stomach in the morning
Friday
30' jogging + 3 x 1' running pace
→ BICARB: 6 capsules in the morning on an empty stomach
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules on an empty stomach
Open on Saturday
20 minutes very light jogging
→ NITRATE+: 3 capsules on an empty stomach
Sunday
Race: French Championships – PODIUM Objective
→ Nothing to take. Just: well hydrated, calm, focused, ready.
