Endurance athletes are thinking long term.
What’s happening: Garmin data highlights shifting training priorities among runners and cyclists, challenging decades-old cardio vs. strength tropes.
Beyond cardio. Among runners, the number of users recording both a run and a strength workout increased 23% YoY, prioritizing muscle for durability and healthy aging.
Clock it. Removing guesswork, wearables now decode HRV, VO2 max, FTP, and sleep scores, helping optimize performance over time. Trickling down from elite athletes, data-driven training is unlocking PRs and participation.
Long game. Embracing hybrid training and exercise variety, endurance sports are becoming lifelong pursuits. Staying locked in, cyclists aged 60–69 logged the longest rides and most climbing per session, while runners aged 50–59 recorded the longest average runs.
Looking ahead: Endurance athletes are training harder and smarter, blending strength, recovery, and always-on health data into a more complete picture of fitness.
