Meredith Dietz Meredith Dietz Senior Staff Writer Experience Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian. As Lifehacker’s Senior Staff Writer, she covers personal fitness tech, home gym equipment, and more. Read Full Bio May 5, 2026 Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google We may earn a commission from links on this page. Credit: René Ramos/Lifehacker Composite/Adobe Stock Table of Contents Sometimes I fear my running career has plateaued. Well, not my career, but my pace . I lace up four or five times a week, push hard enough to feel pleasantly wrecked, watch my mileage climb steadily upward, and then—after months of honest effort—still find myself running the exact same pace I was running a year ago. It's clear that in order to get faster, effort alone isn't enough. I'm not alone here.…