Hey Reader,
Happy Friday, Vitalizers ⚡️
This week’s VTLZR Dispatch is packed with what’s next in the community, a VO₂ max booster, the biggest fitness headlines from the past week, and more.
Let’s dive in 👇
Here’s what to expect this week:
🧠 Quote of the Week
📅 Upcoming Events
🔥 Fitness Tip of the Week
🎧 Weekly Dose of Motivation
📰 Fitness News
🧠 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The man who loves walking will walk further than the man who loves the destination.”
― Sal Di Stefano
The people who win aren’t obsessed with the finish line. They’re obsessed with the reps. Fall in love with the process and the journey, and the destination takes care of itself.
📅 VTLZR EVENTS
📍 Sat, Jan 24 • Vitalizer Run Club • Hoboken & Miami @ 9:00 AM
Easy miles, strong coffee energy, better people. Come as you are, leave sharper.
👉 RSVP Here for NJ
👉 RSVP Here for Miami
📍 Fri, Feb 6 • VTLZR x UCC Workout Powered by Shokz
Partner activation workout, giveaways, and community vibes.
👉 Grab your ticket
📍 Thu, Feb 19 • Run Club Fundraiser for St. Jude + Giveback After • 7:00 PM
Run with purpose, then we’ll gather at 8th Street Tavern, where a % of purchases will benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital.
👉 RSVP Here
📍 Sat, Mar 21 • HYROX Performance Fitness Test • More Details Coming
Race-day effort. Measure where you are. Set the next target.
👉 Registration Opening Mid-February
🔥 FITNESS TIP OF THE WEEK: The 4x4 VO₂ Boost
To increase your VO₂ max, you’ve got to spend time near the “red line,” where your heart and lungs are working hard enough to force adaptation. High-intensity intervals are one of the most time-efficient ways to build aerobic capacity (and they pair perfectly with a Zone 2 base).
✅ Higher Work Capacity: Push harder for longer during sleds & long run segments.
✅ Improved Stroke Volume: Your heart learns to pump more blood (and oxygen) per beat.
✅ Faster Recovery: Better lactate clearance + tolerance between hard efforts.
✅ Longevity: VO₂ max/fitness is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health and functional age.
Try this: Warm up for 10–12 minutes, then do 4 sets of 4 minutes at a hard, controlled effort (aim to reach ~90–95% HRmax in minutes 2–4), with 3 minutes of easy jog/walk between sets. Cool down 5–10 minutes.
🎧 THIS WEEK’S MUST-LISTEN / MUST-WATCH:
Build Muscle & Strength & Forge Your Life Path with Dorian Yates
We’re going deep into the "Blood & Guts" era. In this episode, legendary bodybuilder Dorian Yates breaks down why more isn't better. Better is better. He explains how to hit real muscular failure and why training just 2–3 times a week might actually be the secret to the gains you've been missing.
“The body does not want to change. It wants to keep status quo. So you’ve got to give it a bloody good reason to change. You’ve got to put more stress on the body than it’s used to.” — Dorian Yates
📰 IN OTHER NEWS (PAST WEEK)
🔹 Houston Half Marathon: The dust has settled in Houston, but the data is in. Habtom Samuel breaks the course record (59:01) in his half-marathon debut.
Road racing is FAST right now...winter training pays.
👉 Read more here
🔹 New Balance 1080v15 got a radical makeover (new cushioning tech + full redesign)
The daily trainer war is heating up. Good time to upgrade if you're on the market and increasing mileage.
👉 Read more here
🔹 Saucony dropped a Spring Marathon Majors collection (Tokyo/Boston/London-themed)
Racing season is coming, and the Endorphin Speed line stays undefeated for a do-it-all shoe.
👉 Read more here
🔹 New research tracked veteran male endurance athletes + ventricular arrhythmias (Jan 12, 2026)
Train hard, but train smart. If you’re 40+ (or have symptoms/history), don’t be a hero about checkups.
👉 Read more here
🔹 HYROX season update: upcoming race weekends + Elite15 livestream schedule.
The sport is only getting bigger — watch the pros, then pick your city and lock your date.
👉 Read more here
🔹 World Trail Majors Season 3 launches at Hong Kong 100
The 2026 international trail season begins this weekend at the Anta Guanjun Hong Kong 100, opening the third season of World Trail Majors, a global series focused on elite competition, cultural diversity, and respect for local landscapes. With a fast, revised course and a deep international field, Hong Kong sets the tone for a competitive year ahead.
👉 Read more here
VTLZR+ IS IN FULL SWING
If you want more structure + more accountability:
VTLZR+ gets you community calls, education (mindset, fueling, training), access to coaches, early access to events/HYROX, perks, and first dibs on retreats.
We just had on a performance psychologist, Chris Bodman, who works with England Rugby and Cricket as well as some of the top athletes in the UK. It was incredible.
👉 Join the VTLZR+ crew on Skool Here
As always, thanks for being part of this.
Keep showing up and conquering hard things.
Speak soon!
Derek
Founder & Coach, VTLZR
Lift for your mind. Run for your soul.
📩 Forward this to someone who needs a little extra motivation this week.
Questions, ideas, feedback?
Reply to this email!
