We went off course early for an important 80s pop culture discussion, but came full circle with advice on how to manage and train for in-race adversity -- like Phil's off-course adventure in his recent half marathon. In between those topics we examined the 3 variables that dictate your training: duration, frequency, and intensity. How do we manipulate these to best train? Which do we increase first and why? How does each impact the others? Find out in Mile 152.
May 24, 2023•59 min
Welcome to Part 2 of The Road to L.A. ’84 our multi-episode retrospective on the 40th anniversary of a seminal moment in a golden era of marathoning. We’re telling the behind-the-scenes account of the athletes, the training, and the build-up races. This week we take you to Boston 1983 -- a pinnacle of American marathon dominance. 40 years later, here’s the story of Boston 1983...
May 15, 2023•31 min
Welcome to Part 1 of The Road to L.A. ’84 our multi-episode retrospective on the 40th anniversary of a seminal moment in a golden era of marathoning. We’re telling the behind-the-scenes account of the athletes, the training, and the build-up races. This week we take you to Rotterdam 1983. It was billed as an epic showdown between arguably the world’s two best marathoners: Alberto Salazar and Rob de Castella. 40 years later, here’s the story of Rotterdam 1983...
May 02, 2023•25 min
Chebet beats Kipchoge! Kiptum runs 2:01! Emma Bates leads through Heartbreak Hill! Sifan Hassan has an epic comeback! It's time to recap the marathon battles at Boston and London. Plus, we're unveiling our upcoming historical retrospective series on the 1984 L.A. Olympic Marathons. We're going deep on the athletes, the training, and the build-up races leading to the 40th anniversary of a seminal event in marathon history.
Apr 27, 2023•47 min
Kipchoge is coming to Boston, 4 of the 5 fastest men ever are headed to London, star American women and men will be on the line at both races, and Phil promises fireworks! It's time for our preview of the crown jewels of the spring road racing season.
Apr 12, 2023•41 min
As we near America’s most historic road race, the Boston Marathon, Dakotah Lindwurm of Minnesota Distance Elite and PUMA Running joins us for a preview of Boston’s 127th running. Dakotah enters Boston with a 2:25 marathon personal best and back-to-back Grandma’s Marathon victories. She shares her training, race goals, and reflections on tune-up races at Gate River Run 15K and the New York City Half. But none of that is more important than her unsurpassed love for running. Dakotah’s perspective i...
Apr 03, 2023•44 min
As we return to race-focused preparation let's take a peak into our recent training. Then, we'll complete our March Madness marathon bracket with 16 of the best female marathoners ever competing for the prize of Greatest of All Time.
Mar 30, 2023•39 min
We've had the new Hoka Clifton 9 and Rocket X 2 on our feet and we tell you how they ride. Then, in our main segment, let's put 16 of the greatest male marathoners ever in a NCAA-basketball-style March Madness bracket and see who emerges as the greatest of all time (in the non-Kipchoge division). And finally, we conclude with an ode to high jumping legend Dick Fosbury.
Mar 23, 2023•1 hr 5 min
We catch you up on all the recent record breaking track, field, and road racing performances before discussing our Mile 143 interview with Professor Andy Jones. Then it's time to dive into new scientific literature on threshold training and the Norwegian Training Model. Paper referenced: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/3782
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr
No one in the field of exercise science has contributed more to our understanding of marathon training and racing than Andy Jones. Professor Jones has worked closely with arguably the two greatest marathoners in world history: Paula Radcliffe and later, as a lead physiologist for the Breaking 2 Project, Eliud Kipchoge. He serves as Professor of Applied Physiology at the University of Exeter and has published 350+ original research and review articles. In this episode, Andy shares his laboratory ...
Feb 23, 2023•1 hr 7 min
We give a full review of the new ASICS Nimbus 25 then catch you up on an unprecedented week of indoor track action. Which race performance was the best? Then, it's time for the seminal annual US indoor track meet -- The Millrose Games -- and we preview some of the showcase events. Finally, we close with workout session ideas for when you are in a down cycle, less structured training block, or transitional phase.
Feb 09, 2023•42 min
Last weekend Andrew Colley of the Zap Endurance team raced to a second-place finish at the US Cross Country Championships in a time of 28 minutes 47 seconds. That result punctuated a thrilling return to racing this fall and winter for Andrew. He also claimed top 10 spots at the US 10 Mile Championships and USATF road 5K champs, and 4th place at the ultra-competitive Thanksgiving Day Manchester Road Race in a course-record time for the age 30 and over division. Now Andrew sets his sights on the W...
Jan 27, 2023•37 min
Like you training in adverse conditions, we stayed committed to the craft this week and recorded amid some nasty weather. We apologize for the occasional weather-related background noise. Aussie XC trials for the World Champs were last weekend. We recap the action from the beautiful venue at Stromlo Forest Park, and discuss the favorites to make the USA squad. Then it's time for training talk. Our conversations flow from several great recent listener emails. There's something valuable in these q...
Jan 22, 2023•1 hr
After a brief training update, we preview this weekend's lightning quick Houston Half Marathon field. Then we tackle a listener question about best practices for when and why to use medium-long runs v. long runs across endurance events from 5K to half marathon to ultra distances.
Jan 14, 2023•45 min
Start your 2023 training right with 5 key strategies from elite distance runners that apply to all of us. What are the big concepts the pros master that can be scaled to the masses? Tune in to find out. These principles build on episodes 114 and 115 and our analysis of the landmark study, "The Training Characteristics of World-Class Distance Runners: An Integration of Scientific Literature and Results-Proven Practice." Happy New Year! Let's make 2023 our best year of running yet.
Jan 01, 2023•46 min
Happy Holidays! We're excited to share our top shoes, gear, races, books, podcasts, and training lessons of 2022. Let's learn and grow from these experiences to become better runners in 2023. Also, are you stuck in the winter deep freeze? We conclude with a few tips to make the most out of cold weather training.
Dec 24, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Our race at CIM was a disappointment, but it wasn't a failure. We have the opportunity to reflect, learn, and improve. We share how we process the common challenges of marathoning so that you too can grow after a disappointing race. Plus, we review the most anticipated Asics shoe release of the year: the all new Superblast!
Dec 11, 2022•57 min
We open with discussions of the recent NCAA Cross Country Championships and Manchester Road Race then dive into all things CIM. Phil and Travis prepare for their duel on the streets of Sacramento as part of the California International Marathon and US Marathon Championships. If you are racing this weekend this is a must listen for the best last minute tips!
Dec 01, 2022•54 min
Do you have an upcoming target race and you're determining how to execute a shorter or benchmark race during the training build? We review our experiences at the Shut-In Ridge Trail Race and Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon as examples of how to "tune up" for a bigger race on the horizon.
Nov 17, 2022•35 min
Happy Halloween! This week we're previewing the exceptionally deep fields at the 2022 New York City Marathon and making our predictions sure to go wrong. Plus we have a review of the much anticipated Asics Novablast 3, and a debate over the best fun size Halloween candies.
Oct 31, 2022•35 min
We open by lamenting the near miss of Cosmo's return to the program before unpacking the last seven days of our training. Then in our feature segments we discuss best practices for running two marathons in short sequence -- and if this is something you should consider doing -- and tactical approaches to the upcoming Greenville Marathon at the Spinx Run Fest.
Oct 26, 2022•39 min
The Chicago Marathon exceeded expectations with Emily Sisson running an American Record, Ruth Chepngetich blazing off the front at an astonishing pace, and Conner Mantz solidifying himself as a legit marathoner in his debut. We discuss all that action plus a detailed conversation about categorizing your long runs and how to craft long run workouts for marathon success.
Oct 12, 2022•48 min
We take you inside the Berlin Marathon and Eliud Kipchoge's record-breaking performance and ask how much faster can he run? When will his record be broken? Is this the greatest race ever? Then, after training updates and our initial impressions of a few new shoes, We preview the upcoming marathons at London and Chicago. How fast will Sir Mo run in his marathon return? How fast will Connor Mantz run in his debut? Who will win the head-to-head battle of Furman alums Frank Lara and Wilkerson Given?...
Sep 27, 2022•47 min
After an opening discussion of Grant Fisher's remarkable track season, we unpack a framework for evaluating training. Rather than looking at specific workout ideas, intensity zones, or paces to run, we reflect on how our training can improve, express, or degrade our race readiness. By categorizing your sessions this way, and reflecting on the impact of each of these 3 categories, you can have a more effective training cycle for the fall race season and beyond.
Sep 10, 2022•57 min
You've been sending us great questions and we dive into a few more this week on 5K and marathon training, super shoes, when to walk versus when to run in training, and where to run your next PR race. Plus, we review the new Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 and Brooks Glycerin 20.
Aug 19, 2022•1 hr
Asics athlete Lindsay Flanagan continued her uber successful 2022 campaign with a personal best and course record victory at the recent Gold Coast Marathon. Lindsay’s mark makes her 1 of 4 American women this year to run under 2 hours and 25 minutes. She joins us this week for a conversation about that breakthrough win Down Under, the training that helped her cover the 26.2 miles in such dominant fashion, and perhaps our most passionate discussion yet of breakfast food preferences!
Aug 12, 2022•38 min
In the past 3 years Colin Mickow has ascended from marathon newcomer to a 2:11 personal best and member of the United States contingent at the World Championships in July. A tireless worker, Colin shares with us the details of his high-mileage training regimen. Plus, he takes us inside his response to race adversity after getting tripped up at World Champs, and he puts to bed any debate about the best deep dish pizza in his hometown of Chicago. More than anything else in our conversation, I left...
Aug 06, 2022•35 min
We open with our favorite moments from the recent World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, then dive into a listener question about how running slower can help us race faster. And in our feature segment we pick the 5K sessions we would make the foundation of our training.
Jul 31, 2022•54 min
Fresh off a personal best of 3 minutes and 34 seconds in the 1500 meters, mid-distance star Sam Prakel joins us this week. Sam owns one of the top 10 indoor mile times in American history and recently set a state soil record for the fastest time ever run in Washington with a lightning quick 3:50 road mile. Earlier this year he represented the US at the world indoor champs. Then, last month he took the lead late at the US outdoor champs before barely missing the World team. Sam shares his perspec...
Jul 21, 2022•40 min
For the first time ever the World Athletics Championships will be held in the United States. We bring you a preview of the most anticipated events, World Champs history, and TV/streaming details for the Super Bowl of Track and Field!
Jul 09, 2022•24 min
