Coaching

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 is the truth about stretching and what is shall we say… less than accurate? To get to the bottom of … Read more

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 big toe. The body is one big kinetic chain which means that when running, no body part functions in isolation. … Read more

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 to be exact!) search results, all of which likely differ in the advice given. The topic of fueling is very … Read more

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 right side of the body. The sensations can range from slightly annoying to a more severe stabbing-type pain. WHAT THE … Read more

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 ultramarathon as just a ‘long marathon.’ As such, I deduced that in order to create an ultrarunning program, all you … Read more

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 and the highest intensity/lowest volume at the top. This pyramid is typically designed to peak for one event per year, … Read more

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 of fitness-related questions. As an example, and on the surface, a question such as, “What is a good core exercise?” … Read more

GUIDE: Strength Training for Endurance Athletes

The History Ahh yes, strength training – the nemesis of any endurance athlete… or at least that is what we are often led to believe. For starters, despite being debunked many many years ago, the myth that lifting a weight or doing a lunge will automatically add pounds of muscle still persists to this day. … Read more

Lactic Acid vs. Lactate: What’s The Difference?

If you’ve been involved with endurance sports for even a short amount of time, you have no doubt heard or read that the ever so fun muscle burn that you experience is caused by a thing called ‘lactic acid.’ This obviously must be correct as so many sources cite lactic acid as the nemesis of … Read more

The Science of the Warm-Up

Whether it was your 5th grade soccer coach, your college track coach, or your running group buddies; if you’ve been participating in sports of any kind, you’ve likely heard the phrase, “You gotta warm up!” While this is a common understanding, the science of the warm up is less understood. While the general rationale for … Read more