Mind Your Miles Podcast

We always get heaps of questions on how to fit races inside of a training block. Recorded a short episode talking about that and some things to consider.

This episode of the Mind Your Miles Podcast is a real humdinger! Nick, Will, and Danny start with some quick updates on their training and talk about their mental approaches when they step on a starting line - regardless of their fitness.

For the main topic of the episode, we did a show and tell! Each host brought a workout that they scheduled for their athletes this week to discuss. We go deep on the merits of each session and talk about what we like about each session and how they fit into the build-ups for each respective athlete.

Finally, the boys get into a discussion about their favorite spring marathons to nab that elusive Boston Marathon Qualifier. Nick chose the Napa Valley Marathon, Danny chose the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon, and Will chose the Jersey City Marathon.

Want more Mind Your Miles? Check out our Substack. Or send us an email at [email protected]

Coach Will: runbaldwin.com

Coach Nick: hiltonperformancerunning.com

Coach Danny: https://coaches.vdoto2.com/mercadocoaching

In this episode of Mind Your Miles, Nick Hilton, Will Baldwin, and Danny Mercado cover a bunch of the questions runners and coaches actually deal with during marathon training.

We start with how to approach a marathon when you are not fully ready. Think Boston Marathon or Tokyo Marathon when you are coming off an injury, had a short build, or did not get enough long runs. We talk pacing when outcomes feel wide open, how to level set expectations without killing confidence, and why short builds sometimes create surprising race days.

Then we get into nutrition. How do you talk to athletes about day to day fueling without playing doctor? What is fair game for a coach, what should go to a dietitian, and how food logs and routines can solve a lot without overcomplicating things. We also share our go to pre race foods, plus thoughts on weight loss during high volume training.

After that, we share marathon workouts we like about 8 weeks out from the Boston Marathon, including long run structures, threshold workouts, and some sessions that work well in real life.

We also go off on a fun side rant about track and field comparisons across eras. Jim Ryun, super spikes, Mondo tracks, and why the technology conversation is tired.

Topics in this episode:

• Racing a marathon when you are not fully ready

• Boston Marathon and Tokyo Marathon training realities

• How to pace with uncertainty

• Nutrition advice for runners, what coaches can and cannot say

• Fueling routines, food logs, and recovery basics

• Marathon workouts 8 weeks out, threshold sessions, long run ideas

• Jim Ryun, super spikes, Mondo tracks, comparing eras in running

Listen, subscribe, and follow along.
Substack: https://mindyourmiles.substack.com

Coach Will: https://www.runbaldwin.com

Coach Nick: https://www.hiltonperformancerunning.com/

Coach Danny: https://coaches.vdoto2.com/mercadocoaching

This week, we kicked off the Mind Your Miles Book Club with one of the most iconic running books ever, Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear.

We break down the 1998 Colorado men’s cross country season, the team dynamic, the pressure cooker of chasing a title, and how different the book hits when you re-read it as a grown adult (and as coaches). We talk Wetmore’s methods, the training structure, the culture, the stuff that still holds up, and the stuff that makes you go, “Wait… they were doing WHAT?”

We also dig into some of the best little moments from the book, the characters that make teams work, and why you should read this book as a time capsule, not a training plan.If you’ve read it, you’ll have opinions. If you haven’t, you’ll probably want to.what we covered!!!

When we first read the book and what it meant back then

Big picture takeaways on the team + the era

Wetmore coaching breakdown (training, culture, weight talk, all of it)

Favorite scenes and random detailsWhy this book is still a classic, and why you shouldn’t copy-paste the training

Find us here:

mindyourmilespodcast.substack.com

Coach Will: https://www.runbaldwin.com/

Coach Nick: https://www.hiltonperformancerunning.com/

Coach Danny: https://coaches.vdoto2.com/mercadocoaching

Easy Runs, Weird Workouts, and Racing During Marathon Training

If there’s one thing runners love to do, it’s overthink easy runs. In this episode of the Three Fell Swoops, a Mind Your Miles Podcast, Nick, Will, and Danny break down what easy days are actually for, why watch metrics cause so much unnecessary stress, and how to teach runners to trust effort instead of chasing numbers.

We talk about:

• Why easy runs aren’t about pace, they’re about feel

• How to stop obsessing over heart rate and splits

• Teaching athletes to run by effort

• Real-world examples from our own training and coaching

Then we get into speed development and fast workouts, including:

• A 300-200-200-100 session and how much speed work is enough

• Why less is usually more with fast reps

• How speed is a skill, not just fitness

• Injury risk and quality control

We also share some “weird” workouts we actually love:

• The Marathon Michigan

• 4-1-1 and bridge sessions

• Flush workouts and short tempo/stride combos

• 5-2-2 pacing sets

Finally, we break down racing during a marathon build:

• When a half marathon helps vs. hurts

• Using 5Ks and 10Ks as tune-ups

• Practicing fueling and race-day routines

• How to interpret race results without spiraling

If you’re training for a marathon, coaching runners, or just tired of letting your watch run your life, this episode will give you practical tools and honest perspective.

Follow the podcast and find show notes:📍 ⁠https://mindyourmilespodcast.substack.com/⁠📍 ⁠www.runbaldwin.com⁠

Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time.

It’s 2026 and the Mind Your Miles boys are back. Nick and Will kick off the year with some real goals: Will wants to BQ at the Colfax Marathon in Denver (hills, altitude, vibes), Nick wants to run a marathon build using a classic, traditional structure, plus they both want at least one 100-mile week and, finally, a legit running book club.

Then we get into the main topic: what do you do with athletes who just do not have top-end speed, the kind where their 5K pace is uncomfortably close to their marathon pace? We break down why this caps performance (mechanically and metabolically), how injury history and fear can lock athletes into “governed” running, and how to rebuild turnover without turning every week into a misery fest of doing only what you suck at.

We talk practical solutions like drills, strength work, low-level plyos, accelerations, hill sprints, and how to coach effort and form so “running hard” actually makes you faster, not just more tense. We also debate the big question: do you need a true speed block where mileage drops and the focus shifts hard, or can you blend speed work into a marathon build and still move the needle?

Links:
https://mindyourmilespodcast.substack.com/
https://www.runbaldwin.com/

Nick’s thighs got absolutely wrecked at Run Rabbit Run 100, but the man still ran his first 100 mile like a total pro. In this episode we talk through Nick’s debut at Run Rabbit Run, gear that actually works for big-thigh runners, and how he kept it together through a cold, rainy night in Steamboat.Then we bring on our good friend and high school coach Danny Mercado to talk all things prep running, mileage for teenagers, racing every weekend, and how to keep kids from burning out before college.If you are into ultras, coaching, or just want to feel better about your own chafing horror stories, this one is for you.Work with Will 1-on-1: https://www.runbaldwin.com/

On this episode of Mind Your Miles, Nick and Will make a training plan live on the podcast!

Taking inspiration from some of the free training plans on the internet, Nick and Will go over one of these options, and then build an improved plan from scratch for the novice marathon runner.

Want the plan? You can get it on our Substack:

https://mindyourmilespodcast.substack.com

or

By sending us an email at: [email protected]

or

By following @mindyourmilespodcast, @coachnickhilton, or @runbaldwin on Instagram.

Thanks for listening!

What are the keys to getting over that 4 hour marathon hump? The boys come in with 1 key each, and end up each giving about 7 different keys.

First though, a discussion is had about free online training plans from popular coaches; what they like, a lot about what they don't like, and why they may not be the best option for most runners.

Want more Mind Your Miles content? Check out our Substack!

Questions for the guys, or suggestions for content? email us at [email protected]

Thinking about making the jump from road racing to trail and ultra running? In this episode of Mind Your Miles, Nick Hilton and Will Baldwin dive deep into the biggest mistakes runners make when transitioning to the trails. They share their personal blunders, offer practical advice, and discuss key topics like fueling, gear selection, pacing, course strategy, and the mental side of trail racing.

Plus, the guys argue about super shoes, world records, and why runners refuse to post their race times on Instagram. They also answer a listener question: At what point can you call yourself a runner?

Whether you're an experienced road racer curious about the trails or an ultra veteran looking to laugh at our rookie mistakes, this one's for you.

📩 Got a question for the pod? Email us at [email protected]
🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DLROedmU6qM?si=WddiUUITuilIv3Lk
🔗 Follow us online:

• Will Baldwin: runbaldwin.com
• Nick Hilton: hiltonperformancerunning.com