There's no shortage of advice out there on how to get good at running. From the overly simple ("just run more"), to the overly complicated ("train on a treadmill just below lactate threshold while getting your blood drawn and your VO2 Max measured"), it can feel a bit overwhelming if you are stuck in your running progress. The truth is there are some basic truths about how to train to improve at endurance running. Nail the basics consistently and you'll improve more than the vast majority of...
9 days ago • 4 min read
Want to Be Faster as a Master? Getting older is inevitable (if we're lucky). But that doesn't mean that you can't gain speed, muscle, and fitness as you age. Now, I'm not saying that the best runners in the world now will still be crossing the finish line first in their 80s. We all will lose our peak physical potential at some point. For those of us who were not elite athletes, we still have a long way to improve. But you can't train like you are twenty to get there... Learn More (5 min read)...
16 days ago • 4 min read
"I don't really feel like I need to fuel during a run that's shorter than 10 miles." This is what one of my marathoners told me this week. (I'm sure I said something similar myself when I was in the thick of training.) When you get to a point in your fitness that a 10 mile run is relatively "short," it's possible that you technically don't need to fuel during the run, especially if you're well-fueled before you start. But just because you feel fine, doesn't mean it's optimal. That's because...
23 days ago • 4 min read
One of the marathoners I coach is a professor. Before working with me, he ran a very fast first marathon. But his second one was significantly slower. And then he got injured. Now he is healthy and training well, but his confidence in his ability is still shaken. "I never trust my training and lack confidence to know when good is good. I face this race ahead and I am fearful, hopeful, and mostly confused." He wants to test his training with a hard tune up race, so he can evaluate his...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
When you hear the term "all-inclusive vacation," what do you think? I've been on a few in my life and even worked a season on staff at Club Med in my twenties (fun fact!). To me, "all-inclusive" is usually an over-promised, slight disappointment of trip with massive buffets, masses of kids, and awkward entertainment options. In exchange for everything being taken care of for you, you trade adventure and surprise. And if you're a runner, especially a plant-based one, your options on both those...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
I hope I'm not getting ahead of myself. We've had our first few nights in the 50sF (10C) and I'm already mourning the loss of summer. Yes, I know summer running is hot and sticky and most runners can't wait until fall. But I'm not one of them. That's because for the life of me, I can't figure out how to dress myself for colder runs. I'm usually overdressed, then too hot, then I need to circle back to the house to drop a layer. (can you relate?) That's why years ago, I created a cheat sheet of...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
For my first marathon, I followed a free training plan I found online. Since I really didn't know what I was doing, I picked something that seemed doable (and did I mention free?) and did my best to follow along. Whenever I had a question about a workout or the paces or my progression, I'd just Google it and figured I was good to go. I showed up for that first race full of confidence. Until the wheels fell off somewhere around 18 miles and I started walking. (Well, I think it was mile 18, but...
2 months ago • 5 min read
Two years ago, an athlete I had been coaching for many years did something incredible. Tom won the 2022 Age Group World Championships at the London Marathon with an outstanding 2:25 finish at age 50. Of course, his time would be amazing at any age, but what was even more special was that he might not have finished at all. That's because Tom suffered from debilitating leg cramps when racing. And we tried everything to fix it. We had his sweat rate and sodium loss rate tested in a lab. (both...
2 months ago • 3 min read
In just a few short weeks, fall racing season will be here. If you've been struggling in the heat this summer (or training well in the winter down under), it can be tempting to sign up for as many races as you can when cooler weather hits. That can be an amazing idea if racing fills your social cup and brings you joy. But it can be a not-so-smart idea if you have your heart set on a PR at a goal race this fall. So how do you balance all the races that you want to do in such a way that you can...
3 months ago • 3 min read