“He’s really fit! They’re going to run really well!” How many times have you heard a coach excitedly proclaim that, only to see their athlete perform poorly? It happens to all of us. We’re left scratching our heads after the race. They were crushing workouts, we might think. How could they not put it together?…

One of my pet peeves when discussing endurance work is the concept of losing speed. In the middle distance world, this concept of losing speed is widespread. Go to any coaching conference, hang around enough coaches, or just talk to your athletes and you’ll hear this concept over and over. It’s used as an argument…

Highly motivated athletes are the best to coach. You don’t have to worry if they got their run or workout in, they are always eager to train, perform, and do what’s necessary to get better. But, there are pitfalls that even the most well-intentioned athletes need to be aware of. The higher the motivation, the…

Should we start with speed first or endurance? Do you start with a large base of easy running before layering on the speed work, or do we start with running fast before extending it? Those are the questions we tackle during this weeks On Coaching Podcast. Highlights include: What lens are you seeing training through?…

Are you serious, committed, willing to put in all the work? If so, you’re a coaches dream. But your commitment can hold you back if it comes from the wrong place. In episode 109, we discuss the difference between being serious and obsessive about your craft and how that impacts your long term development. Topics…

In episode 108, we dive into what it takes to become a championship level athlete, whether that championship is at the high school state meet, the NCAA championships, or a national or international title. covered include: The importance of developing the athlete, the person staring back at you. Raising the Floor versus Ceiling It matters…

In episode 107, we dive into what the sport will look like when we emerge from our current pandemic, and how it will have to change. We dive into a slew of topics, aimed at re-imagining our sport. Major sports (NFL,NBA, MLB) change their rules and playoff structures while keeping their history intact, how do…

In episode 106, we bring on author Ben Cohen to have a discussion on streaks, the role of science and expertise in decision making, and our propensity to see patterns where they may not exist. His new book, The Hot Hand, is a fantastic read. We hope you enjoy the discussion, as it’s filled with…

Normally running is an achievement-focused sport. We’re trying to win races and run PR’s. We’re not going to have any achievement opportunities for the foreseeable future. How do we frame running and keep athletes motivated when achievement isn’t on the horizon. In this podcast we discuss: Adopting the “Old” model of racing and competition. How…

Adversity, challenge, tough times; all experiences that we proclaim sport teaches us how to manage. Well, now is the time to put that experience into action. While we’re talking specifically about dealing with the cancellations, shut-downs, and disruption of life caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19), in this episode we want to explore how we can…