Western States 100: A Decade To A Day
My journey to the Western States 100 took 10 years of training, setbacks, and growth. Here’s what it takes to reach the start line — and the finish — of ultrarunning’s most iconic 100-mile race.
The Keys to Having Your Best Run off the Bike
By Coach Mike Stout Running off the bike can be where the race is won and lost. When I first started doing duathlons and triathlons, I thought the run was going to be my strongest discipline, especially since I came from a running background and considered myself a strong runner. Was I ever wrong! During[…]
Pacing Strategies Part 3: The Run
By Coach Maria Simone While we’ve covered much of what there is to know about pacing an endurance race, there are some specifics relative to the run that we’ll cover in this third part. As a reminder, Part 1 covered general pacing basics for any endurance event, and part 2 covered pacing strategies for triathlon.[…]
How do we run?
An overview of the gait cycle and 3 common form issues By Coach Maria Simone As an endurance athlete, you’ve likely been asked: “Why do you run?” Our friends and family are so curious about why we put so much time and energy into our training. A less-often asked question is: “How do you run?” In[…]
Hit the Dirt! 8 Tips To Start Trail Running
By Coach Maria Simone Trail running and ultra-running has been steadily growing in popularity. For those who are new to the dirt, you may have some questions. So, we have 8 tips to help you transition smoothly to being a a trail runner. Gauge effort using rate of perceived exertion or heart rate. Given the variability[…]
3 Base Phase Workouts for Triathletes
You have a few months until your “A” race of the season, and you are officially in the “base” or “general preparation” phase of training. Okay, so what the heck does that mean? In a periodized training plan, the base or general prep phase is focused primarily on building an aerobic foundation upon which you[…]
Marathon Race Day Tips
As the ground thaws and the birds start chirping, the distances get longer. That’s right, people: it’s marathon season! While you can find a marathon during any time of this year, the spring and fall seasons have many, many options. Marathons involve a long-term commitment to training – ideally four months of training focused specifically[…]
The Road Noise Vest: Music + Safety = Endurance Athlete’s Best Friend
[Note: Road Noise provided John and I with road noise vests for our review. We agreed to review the vests and provide our honest assessment.] After months of riding indoors, the weather broke two weekends ago for a slight instant – just long enough for a 4-hour outside jaunt. Outside, people! It’s been an especially[…]
Some Basics of Threshold Testing for Swimming, Cycling & Running
Many of us have come to recognize fitness or threshold testing as 20-60 minutes of pure burning hell. It typically involves a lot of drooling, cussing, burning sensations, and squirrely-feeling body parts. For some, vomit may be involved. These assessments are not simply meant as terrible torture devices. They provide important information regarding our functional[…]
Add Some Hill Training and Hill Repeats to Boost Strength and Speed
When I was training for my first ultra-marathon, I learned how important hill training and hill repeats are to develop strength, endurance and power. But, you don’t need to be training for an ultra or a hilly race to reap the benefits of hill training. Hill training and hill repeats offer benefits for all runners[…]