What does it take to balance teaching at a university while running a 2:13 marathon?

In this episode, I sit down with Kristoffer Mugrage a professor at Adams State University, sports psychology lecturer, and one of America's top marathoners. We dive into the mindset, consistency, and training principles that have helped him become an elite marathoner while balancing a demanding career outside the sport.

We talk about Boston Marathon, running 120+ mile weeks, altitude training, fueling, sports psychology, managing stress, confidence, and why enjoying the process might be the biggest key to long term improvement.

Whether you're chasing your first marathon or your next PR, Kristoffer shares practical insights that runners of every level can apply.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Kristoffer's quote on planning and belief
02:09 Kristoffer's race experience and mental preparation
04:03 Being in the race tent with elite athletes
06:51 Training progression and early marathon times
10:54 Balancing a busy career with elite training
16:55 Training for mental toughness and pain management
21:58 Common misconceptions about marathon training
24:04 Nutrition strategies and daily calorie intake
36:11 Simplified principles for marathon training
38:05 Altitude necessity and its nuances
43:04 Disparity between easy and speed runs
46:11 Lessons from students and teaching
51:03 What excellence means in running and life
54:04 Closing remarks and future goals

Follow Kristoffer:

instagram.com/kris_muggi/

Follow The People Run Podcast:

instagram.com/thepeoplerunpodcast/
Music: instagram.com/mech__beats/