Science of Running

The NCAA and college sports are in disarray. Facing a mass pandemic, postponement and cancelation of fall sports, and a growing understanding by the athletes the leverage that they have. With many of us wondering what in the world is the future of college sports, this week we brough on an expert, Dr. Roger Pielke…

The Middle Distance Events. That combination of speed and endurance makes them one of the most enjoyable but also challenging events to train for or coach. In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges of training for the 800m and 1,500m.We walk you through: The wisdom of Percy Cerutty on coaching the mid-distance events.…

This podcast discusses the development of an athlete, focusing on training for endurance and middle distance events. They emphasize understanding physiology and individual characteristics when creating a training framework. The speakers also discuss the importance of incorporating recovery modalities and manipulating workout quality to improve endurance and velocity. They debunk the myth of jackpot coaching and encourage embracing nuance in endurance training. The hosts promote their program and analyze training logs from various athletes.

Fartleks, the wonderful invention of Gusta Holmer in the 1930’s, is something we are all familiar with. Run hard for a minute, jog for a minute, repeat twenty times. But in today’s world where everything is measured and coaches rely on that feedback to adjust workloads, the fartlek is becoming a lost art. In this…

Do the fastest athletes always win? The ones who come in with the best seed time. The athlete who threw down that fast mile at Mt. Sac or a blazing 5k at Stanford? If not, how come? In episode 114, we explore the world of racing. What does it mean to be competitive and can…

The podcast discusses the misconception that being fit means running fast, exploring the correlation between fitness and performance in running. They also emphasize the importance of balancing coaching and athlete independence, transformative teaching, adaptive sensitivity in athletes, and the evolution of fitness and performance in building robustness and resiliency.

One of my pet peeves when discussing endurance work is the concept of losing speed. In the middle distance world, this concept of losing speed is widespread. Go to any coaching conference, hang around enough coaches, or just talk to your athletes and you’ll hear this concept over and over. It’s used as an argument…

Highly motivated athletes are the best to coach. You don’t have to worry if they got their run or workout in, they are always eager to train, perform, and do what’s necessary to get better. But, there are pitfalls that even the most well-intentioned athletes need to be aware of. The higher the motivation, the…

Should we start with speed first or endurance? Do you start with a large base of easy running before layering on the speed work, or do we start with running fast before extending it? Those are the questions we tackle during this weeks On Coaching Podcast. Highlights include: What lens are you seeing training through?…

Explore the fine line between seriousness and obsession in pursuing a goal. Learn the importance of finding enjoyment in the work and the concept of moderation. Discover the role of racing and continuous improvement in sustained competitive success. Understand the significance of incorporating diversity and novelty in training routines. Find a sustainable balance between being serious and being obsessive in sports.