Actually, i think what happened to my past 6 months visible improvement to my 3k, 5k, a large part is due to even more quality sleep which i also track with my smart watch now as feedback, and how i shifted literally all my sessions from nearly 100% nights to nearly 100% mornings (but not super early mornings). And also implementing even stricter and disciplined sleep routines. And of coz got other things as well, like increasing creatine from 3-5g to just under 10g but such things i think very small effect and more of supporting role (more for the brain and to blunt any potential sleep deprivation, coz in reality getting enough + good sleep is not easy.
It's a feedback loop, you recover better, and then you can subsequently train better esp finishing your workouts better and implementing say 4 x 10 mins LT2 and finishing strong, instead of tapping out at 3 x 10 mins and last rep like do-for-the-sake-of-doing one and then you realised a bit of it is in zone 2/3 (but "feels" closer to threshold effort) and just induces more fatgue debt. Aim to accumulate hours sustainably without adding significant recovery debt.
And this is not only for running, but also for cycling........and actually the clearest way to tell is with my calisthenic exercises, coz you literally get weekly "feedback" via how you feel during the set + number of reps etc. Pretty qualitative one + fast weekly or every 2 weeks, you really can see the improvements even if it is stair-stepped type.
In fact, chronic lack of sleep, like just doing 2-4 hrs per night chronically, is associated with cancer. Though 100% anedotal, we suspect that is what has happened to my mum. The specialist said it's possible as one big factor though we'll never know.
My fellow group folks suan me when i mentioned 6am to 6.30am group rides a bit difficult to me coz too early.......and i can only smile when they told me they waking up 3-4am is a norm for many cyclists.
I mean, not that you cannot wake up at 4am to prep for running or cycling, but then you gotta make sure you start to go to bed at 8-8.30pm and so fall asleep 30 mins later (if that is even possible at all)
From a health and performance pov, not really healthy IMO, even if you are full retired. (imagine holding a day job and doing that during weekdays, is crazy)
