Training

Is This Pain Telling Me Something?

Learning how to differentiate between “good” and “bad” pain By Coach Maria Simone As athletes, pain is a companion from time to time. In fact, a substantive portion of our training is designed specifically to help us learn to tolerate discomfort and to work through suffering. If we are going to achieve our big dreams,[…]

Altitude Acclimation for Endurance Athletes

By Coach Maria Simone Above (L to R): Melina Grudzinski, Clarissa Ramos, Maria Simone & Sally Kado atop Mt. Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado at 14,439 feet.  __________________________________ I went to high altitude for the first time when I ran the Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in the Grand Canyon in 2015. The rims themselves sit at 7500-7700[…]

How Much Fitness Do I Lose When I Miss Training?

By Coach Maria Simone   What should we do when we have to miss training?  First, recognize that all of us will miss at least some aspect of our training across a season due to illness, injury, work, competing priorities, and so on. So, you aren’t alone! Realize, as well, that some limited misses in[…]

How to Level Up: Intermediate & Advanced Edition

By Coach Maria Simone As Ben Franklin once opined, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes…and the desire of an endurance athlete to go faster and/or further.”  Okay, maybe I added that last bit. But it’s true, right? Athletes seek to improve as a constant state of being.[…]

The Order of Your Week Matters – Here’s Why

By Coach Lindsay Zemba Leigh   Have you ever made your coach a little (okay, or maybe a lot?) cranky by moving a workout without consulting them first? There’s a reason for our crankiness, and I’ll explain why in this article.  Let’s start with this general principle: The order of workouts is just as important[…]

Triathletes vs the Kick

By Coach Lindsay Zemba Leigh  The freestyle kick can be a source of contention among many triathletes, at least for those who don’t come from a swimming background. I’ve had many athletes ask me if they need to kick, or if kick sets are worthwhile (I wouldn’t prescribe them if I didn’t think they were[…]

Should I Train When I’m Sick?

By Coach Maria Simone ‘Tis the season when flu, virus, colds, and more circulate in our closed spaces. Despite our best efforts to remain healthy, getting sick is usually not an if, it’s a when. So, when it happens you may find yourself wondering if it is safe or smart to train. Sometimes training while[…]

Wrist Based HR Monitors: Do They Work?

By Coach Maria Simone You may have heard me say before that wrist-based HR monitors, also known as optical sensors, don’t work. A look at any file from a wrist-based strap will show you pretty quickly their general lack of reliability, and tendency to provide erratic readings.  Below is a graph of a run that[…]

Hiking in Ultra Running

By Coach Jason Bahamundi In 2014, I entered my first ultra: the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler. I vividly remember two people telling me that they don’t run ultras because they don’t feel like it’s running since it includes hiking. I couldn’t understand this thought process. Hiking is essential to run faster, and it is a[…]

So, You want to PR, Podium or Qualify for a Big Race: 5 Tips to Make it Happen

By Coach Maria Simone I like to make big dreams happen for my athletes and for myself. In many cases, these dreams revolve around aggressive time goals, standing on podiums, or qualifying for specific races, such as the Boston Marathon, World Championships 70.3/140.6, or Team USA.  When I work with an athlete long enough, we[…]

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