Hi Reader, 120,000 runners completing 150,000 marathons can't be wrong, can they? How can we look at a large group of runners and link that to the most frequent question I am asked as a coach, "How do I run faster?" The answer is pretty simple and not what some people want to hear or might think. By reviewing the training data of non-elite athletes and looking for any indications and what variables predict the best marathon times, based on a runner's performance, a recent study was able to do...
27 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, I make no bones about not being a fan of Dave Goggins, and I do not buy into the school of "Be a badass," "Ignore your pain" way of training and thinking. Yes, he has attained some pretty special achievements and is a testament to his commitment, but it is more about survival than finding his peak performance and that's the difference! Survival is putting up with a significant amount of discomfort. That is an important and potentially a part of "being tough." There's a difference...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, The road running and ultrarunning world has seen significant improvements in the past few years, with record-breaking performances at major races like the Leadville Trail 100, Western States, UTMB, and Comrades and the famous sub 2 for the marathon, albeit not an official record. These advancements raise questions about what's contributing to faster and longer runs. As humans, we have not suddenly evolved and or improved genetically. What's going and behind these improvements? More...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever felt out of depth and unsure how to train for a race? My first ultra was not the experience I hoped it would be. Even though I had put in the k’s, in hindsight I had no idea what I was doing to prepare. Picking up (wrong) ideas from social media and the internet meant a long and painful day on the trails for me. A year later, I turned that around with a proper training program, the result was a 5-hour PB. What makes a good training program and will get you to the...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, As we sweat through the summer here in Aus, the New Year is a great time to start planning your 2025 and any races you want to run. I'm great at putting together training plans for runners but I need help from experts in other areas of my work. I am a coach who also has a business coach. I spent this morning on a call running through my business planning for 2025. Plotting out my goals, roadblocks, what worked this year (and didn't) and crucially where can I be in a year. What does...
4 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, It aint half hot mum! As the summer heats up here in Australia, it’s time to adjust your training routine to stay safe and perform at your best. Running in the heat can be challenging and with the right approach, you can continue to enjoy your runs and make the most of these stinking hot days and even use it to our advantage. There are benefits to training in the heat, and used with some key tips, it's not all bad news and sweat drenched sessions! Benefits of Heat Acclimatisation...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, I'm not one to shy away from more contemporary thinking. I previously wrote about the overuse of electrolytes and whether we need to supplement with them, as much as the marketing departments would have us think. Another area I believe can be overhyped is training using heart rate (HR). I am open in my coaching that HR is not a metric I use. But why would I not use this, and what alternatives do you have? As with most things I deal with, it's based on science, not following the...
4 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Nothing new on race day! We've all done it, worn those new running shoes we are keen to try out, or bought that gucci piece of kit at the expo, then suffered for it a few ks into your race. How can you have the best day out and what do we mean by this? How you race - Who's been caught up in the cattle stampede at every race start? Regardless of distance have a pacing plan and stick to it. For road races, through testing and training, you should have a good idea of your goal race...
5 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, At a high level, we classify our runs into three buckets: easy runs, hard interval/threshold runs, and the long run. We might mix these up sometimes, for example, including faster threshold running or race-pace efforts in your long run. Today, though, we are going to focus on the long run, probably the most important session for you as a runner. Whether you’re preparing for a marathon, ultramarathon or simply aiming to improve your endurance, understanding the reasons behind the...
5 months ago • 5 min read