image of cyclist and and a runner

Stay In Your Lane

There are many aspects to being a great coach… Reliable. Professional. Knowledgable. Adaptable. The list goes on. However, one aspect of being a great coach that is often left off the list is that of …
Trail runner

Three Reasons Trail Running Makes You a Faster Road Racer

Trail running is a valuable training tool for any runner to keep in their tool chest to help them improve. Even if your goals are exclusively limited to road races, you’ll give yourself a big …

The Science of Stretching – Simply Explained

Pre-stretching reduces performance. Stretching is dangerous. You must hold a stretch for at least 10 seconds. These are just a few of the topics surrounding stretching that are thrown around with some frequency. So what …

Role of the Big Toe in Running

Within the world of running, there is a lot of information about biomechanics – primarily in respect to the knees, hips and ankles. What is often left out is the toes and more specifically, the …

Carbohydrate vs. Fat Burning – A Comprehensive Review

So you want to learn how to fuel for your upcoming marathon? No problem. Just do a quick Google search for burning carbohydrates and fat and… oh God!! Your search returned about 41 million (41,300,000 …

What is a Side Stitch and Why Won’t It Go Away?

If you run, you’ve likely experienced a side stitch. If you haven’t, consider yourself lucky! A side stitch is a cramp-like sensation occurring toward the bottom of the rib cage area and usually on the …
runners vs. ultrarunners

10 Differences Between Road Racing and Ultramarathons

I’m not going to lie – prior to creating the UESCA Ultrarunning Coach Certification with ultrarunning coach, Jason Koop, I must admit, I fell into the group of people that more or less viewed an …

Reverse Periodization

Periodization is a pretty common term and training practice within the realm of endurance sports. When most endurance athletes think of periodization, they think of a pyramid; with the lowest intensity/highest volume at the bottom …

Know Your Worth

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. Throughout my career as a personal trainer, I would often get asked for free fitness programs, advice, or my ‘opinion’ on a variety …

What is Base Training? Hint: It’s Not What You Think

What is Base Training? Among endurance athletes, base training is synonymous with early-season training at a low intensity that increases in volume with the purpose of building one’s aerobic fitness. While this is often the …

Cycling Aerodynamics – Surprising Facts

If you’re an avid triathlete or road cyclist, you likely geek out over slippery looking bikes and have an odd knowledge of terms such as ‘coefficient of drag’ and ‘yaw angles.’ However, despite familiarity with …

Environmental Physiology and Training Considerations

There are a lot of unique things about endurance sports. However, perhaps one the most unique aspects is the influence of the environment on athletes. As an example, the Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb (Mt. …