In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with an inspiring athlete by the name of Steve Jordan who balances sub-elite marathon training with piloting. Steve recently ran a 2:23:59 at the Philadelphia Marathon in late November, a personal best for him but by no means an indication of his true potential.

You can find and/or reach Steve on Strava via this link: https://www.strava.com/athletes/87631257?oq=steve.

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my Instagram. Or, email me at [email protected].

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In this episode, I sit down with Matt Fox, founder of Sweat Elite, to dive into his recent training journey, including his impressive back-to-back sub-2:20 marathons in Chicago and Indianapolis. Matt opens up about the key factors behind his improvements, like finally having a stable home base in Chicago, dialing in on his diet, and committing to a dedicated speed block. We discuss Matt's changing perspective on the role of speed work in marathon training, the ongoing challenges of race-day cramping, the nuances of training at different intensities, and how small adjustments in lifestyle have had a big impact on his results. Tune in for an insightful conversation that reveals the mindset and strategies of a sub-elite runner continually pushing his limits, packed with practical takeaways for athletes of all levels.

You can find and/or reach Matt in these spots:

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my Instagram. Or, email me at [email protected].

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Paul Mackinnon is an expert running biomechanics coach based in Melbourne, Australia, who has helped many runners improve their form to unlock better performances. Paul has worked with some of the top athletes in the game, including members of the Bowerman Track Club, Olympian Galen Rupp, and countless runners through his Balanced Runner online program. I’ve personally been working with Paul for the last half a year or so, and the improvements have been tremendous; I feel like a completely new runner. Paul’s unique approach, which he developed over years of studying movement patterns, emphasizes a top-down perspective on biomechanics, addressing posture and arm swing to influence everything below.

In this chat, Paul and I dive into the nitty-gritty of biomechanics. We discuss common biomechanical issues that many runners face and how even small tweaks—like adjusting your arm swing—can make a huge difference in running economy and performance. We also dig into some hot topics in the running world, including the impact of "super shoes" on biomechanics and how the field of biomechanics is gaining momentum as an essential part of reaching peak performance. Toward the end, Paul shares practical tips for runners who want to understand and improve their own biomechanics.

For anyone interested in taking their running to the next level, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss. Paul’s expertise offers a fresh look at biomechanics as a powerful tool for enhancing efficiency and preventing injury.

You can find Paul on the following platforms:

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my Instagram. Or, email me at [email protected].

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Back when I lived in York, PA, Patrick was my physical therapist on several occasions, helping me to bounce back from persistent knee issues. After talking about his goals in the marathon, performance stagnation, and the fact that he’d never done a tempo/threshold workout, I knew that he could drastically improve. So, I offered to coach him.

Luckily for me, Patrick took me up on my offer. His first marathon build went well, but the race didn’t go as planned due to unforeseen (crippling) GI issues, finishing the 2022 Pocono Mountains Marathon Race Festival in 3:18:52 for third place overall (still a PR, though!). You can hear our conversation on that buildup and race here.

However, a baller man such as Patrick doesn’t get discouraged for long; within a day or two of the race, he was hungry for more. We both knew he had much more in him. Next thing you know, it was April 30, 2023, and Patrick was crossing the finish line of the Gettysburg Marathon in 3:11:42 for sixth overall. This was over a 7-minute PR! Enjoy our conversation…

For those curious, here are his training plans for both marathons:

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my Instagram. Or, email me at [email protected].

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Juris Silenieks is a very knowledgeable coach in the running space who recently secured the position of Robert Morris University Assistant Coach. In this episode, Juris and I discuss various training methodologies (e.g., energy systems), coaching philosophy, workouts (both basic and complex), coaching at the individual AND team levels, and more. We also break down three different professional athletes' training styles from that of Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Eliud Kipchoge, and CJ Albertson. Listen in if you want to hear Juris' unique perspective on these topics!   

If you want to get to know Juris on a more personal level, start by listening to this: https://open.spotify.com/episode/65Ku9ZSsiLpW8l2BQn4sJc?si=ccc1e3b5f1ca40fb!  

Visit this link to see how a few professionals train: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IYyjTI0WH7ZtPgOogk3LyiI9omOJQsGIQJBDDbnpYw4/edit?usp=sharing

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my INSTAGRAM. Or, EMAIL me at [email protected].  

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Dr. Lisa (DPT) is a physical therapist who has helped over 1200 PEOPLE in her time as a physical therapist, largely through her website. Her website offers five different programs to cover all the bases as well as personalized coaching, a free movement screening, and a one-hour consultation. Recently--and by recently I mean literally within the last week or so--these programs have been consolidated under a new membership program where you can gain access to ALL of her programs and services. Many of you may know Lisa by her Instagram, given she has a following of over 106,000 people!!! Her Instagram page covers anything and everything PT-related, including mobility, strength, form, and even nutrition to some degree. I myself have become a huge fan of her and the content she produces on her Instagram so all of you should check her out. 

In this chat, we talk about all things PT as they relate to running, discussing common misconceptions, the common injuries runners face, top-tier (and bottom-tier) strength exercises (sorry clamshells), the highs and lows of being a PT, and much more. 

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my INSTAGRAM. Or, EMAIL me at [email protected].

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Patrick Lister is a physical therapist, based out of central PA, who helped me get back from a couple of injuries during my time on the University of Pittsburgh's club running team. Lucky for me, Patrick was looking for more structured training after having missed his goal of running under 3:15 for a couple of years, and next thing you know I was coaching him for the Pocono Mountains Marathon on 10/15/22. In his build-up, I introduced him to a lot of new stimuli, including threshold runs which he had never done before! He came away with TWO nice PRs from the block, including a 1:29:20 at the Harrisburg Half Marathon followed by a 3:18:53 at the Pocono Mountains Marathon, both of which were PRs by over a MINUTE! Mind you, we both know he has a LOT more in him at both distances, having been under the weather for his half marathon and experiencing nasty cramps in his marathon. Interestingly enough, Patrick was a BODYBUILDER, weighing in at 230 POUNDS during his peak year in the sport; absolutely INSANE!!! He shared some really interesting stories about his bodybuilding years, so you GOTTA stick around until the end. There's a gem of a story in there that you HAVE to hear...

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my INSTAGRAM. Or, EMAIL me at [email protected].

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Ethan Hermann was an athlete for Philly Runner Track Club (PRTC) over the last several years while studying at Drexel University. Ethan was always a solid runner dating back to his time as a high school athlete, but in more recent years, he has taken his running to the next level after being picked up by coach Chris Naimoli, dropping four HUGE personal bests in 2021...

Yeah... the man went OFF!!! Maybe it's the magic of being a Naimoli Ninja, but who knows??? Or, perhaps it's just building consistency block after block with no gimmicks?? Nahhhhh, it couldn't be that. Impossible!!! Currently, he is training out of Cardiff, Wales, under a local club with the goal of building a big base so he can be ready to crush it in 2023.

Go follow him on his media:

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my INSTAGRAM. Or, EMAIL me at [email protected].

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About three weeks back, Matt Fox raced at the Berlin Marathon. Although it was not the race he wanted due to the onset of hamstring issues as early as 10 kilometers in, he was still able to come away with a time of 2:24:37. However, we all know that he has a sub 2:20 in him without a doubt!!! He now has his eyes set on the Seville Marathon on February 19, 2023, and will be gunning for the elusive sub 2:20.

Today, we talk about his race, his outlook for the future, his coaching for Best Athletics, and more about his company, Sweat Elite. If you haven't listened to the last chat I had with Matt, I'd recommend listening to that one first: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5EIwnln4LATXC4Hicjrf0B?si=5d913074a0d743e5.

Follow Matt on his social media:

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my INSTAGRAM. Or, EMAIL me at [email protected].

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Chris Naimoli recently finished his second Ironman in an astonishing time of 9:05:01, placing 6th overall and 2nd in his age group (M40-44). Mind you, his triathlon career is just beginning... In addition to this success in the triathlon scene, Chris has had a very successful career as a masters runner, winning the 2019 Masters 15k Championship in Tulsa, OK with a time of 48:37 (5:13/mi). He's also dropped a 24:33 8k and 15:35.55 5k since then, as well as many other victories on the master's circuit. The only reason he ever tried a triathlon in the first place was because of running-induced injuries, so we all know where his heart lies... Over the last couple of years, he has also developed a strong squad of runners under his coaching, referred to now as the Naimoli Ninjas... yeah, pretty sick name, isn't it? Many of his athletes are seeing breakthroughs as of late, and things are looking up for the Ninjas as we head into the end of 2022 and the start of 2023. 

Go follow him on his media:

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If you're looking to improve upon your personal bests from the mile up to the marathon, reach out to me through my INSTAGRAM. Or, EMAIL me at [email protected]. 

Support me on...