Trail & Ultra Running Training

Some tips to use cross-training to improve your running, whether you're using it as a necessity to come back from an injury or if you're just trying to increase your volume of cardiovascular training.

Also some tips on priming your glutes before a run and my two cents on the current UTMB stuff.

Enjoy!

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How to expedite recovery after a big race.

First of (hopefully many) in a new "shorty" series.

Enjoy!

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A discussion about hard things.

Also how my car engine exploded on the way to Javalina Jundred.

Enjoy!

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• ⁠No video this week due to a glitch

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A few weeks ago, I appeared on the Running is Life podcast w/ Aaron Saft and this is a rerelease of that episode.

He and I got into a deep discussion about coaching, why we started running, past issues with bullying, and all sorts of topics.

I think you'll really love it and you should go check out the rest of Aaron's stuff.

Enjoy!

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Today I'm speaking with Rick Prince.

Rick is the founder of UESCA - the United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy.

He and I got together to discuss coaching, certification, and why the world possibly needed another certification option.

If you're a coach, this one's right up your alley. If you're not, I think you'll still get a lot out of it.

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Profanity warning: there's quite a bit of it in this one.

This week I'm speaking with Faith Raymond. Faith is a fantastic ultrarunning coach who's helped SO MANY people get across the finish line of various races - regardless of which phase of life they might be experiencing at the time.

We got together to discuss menopause and running and how the two can coexist.

I know you'll get a lot out of this one.

Hope you enjoy the episode!

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Here I discuss burnout and 3 ways you can avoid it while training for an ultramarathon.

Also a quick tip on going out prepared.

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In this episode, I go into 5 lessons from UTMB last weekend that we can all learn and use to become better runners.

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In this episode, I discuss how to improve your nutrition for better performance. This one gets a little fiery - I was on a bit of a tirade.

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In this episode, I discuss what it means to be consistent and some strategies for creating consistency that will ultimately take you to your goals!

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If you're interested in running really far, then you want to hear this podcast. Tony Cline is an incredible endurance athlete who is currently (at the time of writing this) 144 miles into the Bigfoot 200. TWO WEEKS after he completed the Tahoe 200.

Tony and I dove deep on what it's like to spend 3+ days racing in the wilderness and why you might want to think about it as well.

I'll be honest. Before this interview, I hadn't given a 200 serious thought. Now, I'm really thinking it could be possible.

You'll get a lot out of this one.

Enjoy!

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Time for a tactical episode!

Listen to find out exactly how much fuel you need for your next trail event.

Ultramarathon Fueling Guide out soon!

Feel free to message me with any questions.

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Notes:

• What to eat
• How much
• Other considerations

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There are 1000 reasons why you might hit a plateau in training - but a often it's not anything you're doing. It's what you're not doing. Listen to hear what I mean.

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One of the easiest mistakes to make when it comes to improvement - be it running or otherwise - is getting distracted. We're all prone to this "shiny object syndrome" and it often prevents us from seeing the results we say we want.

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This week I got together with Logan DeCamp - another Utah trainer - and we discussed a wide range of topics including exercise for mental health and how to create an environment that supports your goals.

For the record, neither Logan nor I are mental health professionals.

Enjoy!

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Notes:

• Using drugs and alcohol at a really early age
• Finding relief in work
• Working the golf industry in LA
• Realizing depression
• Gambling on a huge life shift
• The importance of your environment
• Friends
• Exercise for mental health

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This week I got together with Daniel Tafoya to discuss Spartan Races and balancing training with other concerns like health and family.

If you're an athlete with multiple interests and varying priorities - I think you'll get a lot out of this conversation.

Enjoy!

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Ever wondered about what to do AFTER the training session?

Let's dive into some post training strategies to get the most out of your next session!

Notes:

• How sore should you be?
• How to know if "hard/difficult" is right?
• Recovery food
• Hydration
• Stretching
• Sleep

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Many of us get into running to chase short-term goals, but then fall in love with the sport and decide to pursue it long-term.

Yet the same tactics that help you in the short-term can often hurt you down the road.

Here are some ways to find long-term success in your running career (and beyond).

Hope you enjoy the episode!

Notes:

• How to create long-term success in running

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If you've ever gone out on a day that was notably hotter than planned, you know - heat can RUIN an otherwise great plan. The same plan that worked great at 60 degrees will probably be a complete failure at 90 - tanking your performance and taking away your fun.

This episode is all about heat management. What you can do both BEFORE and DURING your race to help beat the heat.

This is a REPLAY of episode 39, with a short addendum at the end where I provide some additional information.

Edits:

• I mentioned a story about a man who lost 12 pounds in an hour. I've mentioned this a couple times, but I hadn't really thought how absurd that number was until now. The 12 pounds part was definitely accurate, the hour part was not. In short, he lost 12 pounds in 90 minutes. More details in the intro.
• Near the end I said "Precision Nutrition" when I meant to say "Precision Hydration." Precision Nutrition is a certification I have and Precision Hydration is a company that helps you analyze everything about your hydration. They're both great. PN is probably not all that useful to you though unless your a coach who wants another certification.

Notes:

• The difference between "acclimation" and "acclimatization"
• What heat adaptation does to your body
• Heat adaptation strategies (pre-race)
• Heat management strategies (mid-race)
• Hyperhydration Strategies

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Earlier this week, I gave a fairly in-depth breakdown of my coaching process, from assessment to periodization to strength training and a lot more.

I didn't cover all the details when it came to coaching terminology, so here's a follow-up discussing terms and

Also, if you want a little help with your training, I'm offering a FREE COACHING STRATEGY SESSION in honor of Father's Day.

So if you'd like some guidance on training but don't want or can't afford coaching, contact me and we'll set it up.

Hope to hear from you!

Enjoy the episode!

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Notes:

• VO2 Max
• Critical Speed
• Lactate
• Easy Pace
• Heavy Strength
• Hypertrophy
• The Pump

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This week, I'm going to give a fairly decent breakdown of my coaching process, from assessment to periodization to strength training and a lot more.

I already realized I didn't cover all the details I wanted to discuss, so I'm going to publish a follow-up in a couple of days. If you want it faster, head to the Trail and Ultra Running Training group on Facebook and you can watch the video now.

Also, if you want a little help with your training, I'm offering a FREE COACHING CONSULTATION in honor of Father's Day.

So if you'd like some guidance on training but don't want or can't afford coaching, contact me and we'll set up your consultation.

Hope to hear from you!

Enjoy the episode!

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Notes:

• My assessment process
• Periodizing training
• Setting up interval work
• Camp
• Peaking
• Hydration and nutrition considerations
• Pairing strength programming with running
• When to cut strength training
• Mobility
• Why I start with a phone call

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Here are 7 common training errors I see from runners of all levels. It doesn't matter how long you've been doing an activity - I see these basic errors from new runners as well as veterans of the sport who've been training for decades.

Enjoy!

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Notes:

• Signing up for races too early
• Using poor or irrelevant testing metrics
• Getting stuck in a form of training
• Thinking more is better
• Misaligned goals and life priorities
• Lack of periodization
• Not doing the boring work

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An impromptu episode to discuss a few things that have been on my mind and why I've been MIA the past month.

Enjoy!

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Notes:

• Running faster to get faster
• Why I've been MIA
• How people weaponize "priorities"
• Don't dwell on the bad stuff

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This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Aric Manning - co-creator of the Trail Manners podcast and a legend in the sport.

I really enjoyed talking to Aric and I almost guarantee if you love the sport of trail running, you'll love this conversation. If you do, you should listen to the Trail Manners podcast if you don't already.

NOTE: We lost connection right after the 23-minute mark for a couple minutes. We got back to it and I stitched it together, but you're definitely going to notice.

Enjoy!

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Notes:

• How Aric got into trail running
• The HUMRs
• How trail running has changed over the past couple decades
• Working in trail management
• What it takes to maintain the trails we love
• Trail etiquette
• What happens when your passion becomes your job?
• Being good trail ambassadors
• Gear for bigger runners
• Doing hard things
• Prioritizing running
• Listener Question: What's the past and future of Trail Manners?
• Listener Question: Favorite trail gear?
• Listener Question: Do you have a bucket list race and why?
• Listener Question: Where have you had the best cheese curds?

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National Eating Disorders Association

Strength training is important - and it's more than just about performance. Strength training can help your longevity, both in running and just as a human.

In this episode, I discuss a recent study that I've seen some people use to say strength training isn't particularly important. I break down what the study actually shows, when strength work might not be a good use of your time, and why it's an important training stimulus for most people.

Enjoy!

Notes:

• Plan Ahead
• The importance of VO2 Max
• How to train VO2 Max
• Strength training for professional trail runners?
• Why strength matters for most trail runners
• Strength for longevity
• Strength for injury prevention
• Interpreting a recent study at UTMB
• Most strength programs for runners are greatly lacking 
• Most professional sports used to advocate against strength training

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Edits/Clarifications:

• Bruce Lee weighed 130-140 pounds
• UTMB is 171km (106mi) long and hosts over 2,000 racers

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Am I too heavy? Is my weight making me unhealthy? Would losing "a couple pounds" help me run faster?

I discuss weight with people on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis and am tired of the misinformation from both ends. Weight plays a factor in your running. It's probably not as much of a factor as you think. It's definitely NOT as simple as "lighter = faster."

In this episode, I tried to deliver the truth about weight and running.

If you've ever gotten on the scale and thought "I'd probably be faster if I weighed less," then this is for you. 

Please let me know if you have any questions!

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This week I'm interviewing Jeremy Smith and Jeff Fullmer!

Jeremy Smith is a long time coach who has coached 100s of youth runners in the Idaho Falls area. Personally, his accomplishments include a 2014 finish at the Boston Marathon and a sub 30-hour finish at the 2016 Bear 100.

Jeff Fullmer is the founder of the Idaho Falls Trail Runners group and loves nothing more than getting into the trails to run and explore. He's helped establish and host multiple events in the Idaho Falls area.

Together, they have helped to create the Palisades Ultra Trail Series. A stunningly beautiful and epically difficult bunch of races on the Idaho/Wyoming border, near Idaho Falls.

In addition to PUTS, we discussed everything from training to nutrition to building a thriving trail community.

I know you're going to get a lot out of this one!

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Notes:

• Who are Jeremy Smith and Jeff Fullmer
• How they met
• Advice for winter running
• Building a community
• The very different ways they started running
• Training strategies
• Pacing
• Injuries
• Recovery
• Hydration & nutrition strategies
• The Palisades Ultra Trail Series - Why you should run it.
• How trail running brings us together

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Why sugar isn't the devil. I see and hear an insane amount of misinformation around sugar, and while I don't think it's something you should prioritize in your diet, we also should stop treating it like it's the root of all evil.

And why as an athlete, you might BENEFIT from sugar at some points throughout your year.

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This week I'm releasing an interview with Matt Hutson - an athlete I coached for a while last year to attempt the IMTUF 100. I actually thought that I'd released this interview back in October, but found it last week and realized I'd never put it out.

Matt is a truly incredible athlete and I bet you'll learn a lot from his experience running these races.

I'd be surprised if you don't see some incredible performances from him in the next couple years and I'm really excited to meet up with him at a couple races this year.

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Notes:

• How Matt got into running ultras
• Matt's experience at Behind the Rocks
• Why run these races
• How Matt fuels and hydrates for races
• The consequences of too much sodium
• Learning from DNFs
• Getting faster
• What Matt learned from the training cycle
• What Matt has coming up in 2023

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This week I'm interviewing Elizabeth Knight!

I'm re-releasing this interview because Matt just won the 48 hour category at Across the Years!!!

Plantar Fasciitis is a painful condition that affects a lot of runners. It's by far the most common cause of foot pain for runners and I'm currently struggling with it a bit myself.

But it's not "death sentence" for your running.

In this episode, we take a deep dive on all things plantar fasciitis.

Hope you get something out of this.

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Notes:

• Do you have plantar fasciitis?
• What is plantar fasciitis?
• Symptoms of plantar fasciitis
• Causes of plantar fasciitis
• Treatment - Reducing the pain
• Treatment - Strengthening the foot
• Getting rid of plantar fasciitis in the long term
• How taking time off COULD make it worse
• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Plyometrics
• LISTENER QUESTION: How to come back to running after an injury

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2022 was an... educational year for me. It was challenging in almost every way, but I also used those challenges to try and improve.

Here are a few lessons I learned in 2022 that I'm going to try and use to succeed in 2023.

Full disclosure, I was sick for this recording - so I was a little foggy and my mental processing was a bit slow.

Also, a not for clarity's sake:
About halfway through I said something like "a rising tide raises all ships." Not completely true - and the more well-trained you are, the less true it is. Training to become world-class at ANY specific type of fitness will draw you further from everything else. As always, it's complicated and you can't summarize a system as complex as the human body in a short, sentence-long quip.

Hope you get something out of the episode.

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Notes:

• Lessons from 2022 to success in 2023

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As we're thinking about the 2023 season, you might be thinking about a coach. Here's how to find a good coach that will help you reach your goals this year.

Enjoying winter but don't want to lose progress from last season? Or just going stir crazy from the cold? I'm going to discuss how to get more out of your winter season.

Even if you're enjoying your winter, you should keep a few things in mind if you want to run well next season.

Hope you enjoy the episode!

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Notes:

• Taking some time off
• Maintaining what you've built
• Frequency
• Building strength
• Working your deficiencies
• Less important running form issues
• Losing body fat if you want
• Dealing with body dysmorphia
• The 4 essentials to any running program

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Ross Ward recently finished his first 50k race at the Miner 49er in Iowa!

I've been coaching Ross for a few months and watching his journey of improvement has been a pleasure. It's been my honor to coach him and I'm really glad he agreed to chat with me on the podcast to discuss what he learned about training and nutrition in preparation for his first 50k race.

Hope you enjoy it!

Notes:

• Ross's first 50k race
• Running on wide trails vs. single track
• What Ross learned from doing the race
• The importance of support and community
• Understanding nutrition
• Building a metabolism
• Finding connection to muscles
• Coming to running from basketball
• Starting trail running
• Getting a coach
• Remembering the accomplishment over the pain
• What's next?
• The importance of a plan

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Tyler Amendolare recently finished his first 50k at the Sadlers Creek Stumble!

We sat down to discuss the race, training, nutrition, and how running can teach you about life.

Tyler's a great guy who's made huge leaps in the past year and I think you're going to get a lot out of this interview.

Hope you enjoy it!

Notes:

• How Tyler started running
• The Sadlers Creek Stumble
• Camping for a race
• Pacing
• Volunteering at races
• Injuries
• Lessons from training
• What it was like having a coach
• What's next?
• Gear
• Anybody can do this
• The importance of a running community
• How much running can truly bring you

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November 19, 2022 - I ran my first ultra race, the Dead Horse 50-Miler.

It was everything I expected. Difficult. Fun. Painful.

But most importantly, I learned a lot. Here are some lessons I learned from the race as well as a recap of the event.

Hope you get something out of it.

NOTE: The sound quality isn't good. I recorded this at my mom's house before Thanksgiving and didn't have my usual audio setup. Sorry.

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Notes:

• Race recap
• 15 lessons from the race
• What's next?

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Food is complicated. It shouldn't be, but it can be difficult to navigate our modern food environment in a way that supports your goals.

This is the most comprehensive episode I've recorded on nutrition fundamentals. The information in this episode should help most people get most of the way to their goals - all without nonsense gimmicks like eating raw liver or giving up entire food groups.

If you've been struggling with nutrition, there are probably some answers in here.

Hope you get something out of it!

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Notes:

• 5 basic food rules
• How goals dictate your diet
• Calories
• Food tracking - NOT necessarily calorie tracking
• Food quality
• Macronutrients
• Micronutrients
• There are outliers
• Why diets "work" - and what that even means
• Why there's no "magic" diet
• The 3 starting points I recommend over 95% of the time

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Amanda Brooks is the owner/founder/head coach of Run to the Finish - one of the OG running blogs in the running world. She and I sat down to discuss running as an aging athlete.

Let's be honest, this episode applies to everyone. We're all aging all the time. Even if you don't yet qualify as a "masters" runner or "elderly," we would all do well to prepare a little bit for when our bodies don't quite behave how they used to. 

We talk about how to adapt your training as you age so you can still perform your best without hurting yourself in the process.

Hope you enjoy the episode!

Notes:

• How Amanda got into running
• Running as punishment
• What does "aging runner" mean?
• Are runners peaking later?
• Hormonal shifts
• Low HR training to run easy
• How quickly do you see progress on slow pace runs?
• The value of high intensity training with age
• Hill work
• Improving recovery for aging runners
• The importance of planning
• Advantages/Perks to running as an aging athlete
• Running drills
• Warmups and prehab to avoid injury
• Dealing with your negative voice
• The value of taking a break
• Strength training is MORE important as you age

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We all like a good motivational speech. Or video. Or book.

Yet for most of us, relying on motivation is actually a great way to guarantee we'll never reach our goals. Motivation feels good and can be a useful tool, but it's a pretty terrible way to create true success.

In this episode, I share why motivation isn't the answer and what we should be targeting instead.

Hope you get something out of it!

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Notes:

• What is motivation?
• Why do we rely on motivation?
• How motivation fails us
• What we should use instead

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Scott Hundertmark recently finished his first 100-miler at Mines of Spain!

We sat down to discuss the race and how he trained - but also how to get it done when almost everything goes wrong.

This was a raw conversation and I really appreciate Scott being so open in sharing his story.

Ultra running isn't always pretty and sometimes the ugliness isn't the "David Goggins broke his feet but still finished" kind. Sometimes it's the "night sucks and your headlamp breaks and your training falls apart due to illness... but you still finished anyway" kind.

Very honestly, that's when the toughness really comes into play. Most of us can overcome one really hard thing or a difficult spot, but the a death of 1,000 cuts is truly miserable. It can break down even the strongest among us. Scott is truly one of the toughest athletes I've met and we can all learn a lot from him, not to mention he's just a great guy.

I think you're going to get a lot out of this interview.

Also... there was a weird break about a minute into the interview due to a Zoom glitch.

Notes:

• Working very "off" hours
• How Scott got into running
• DNF'ing at Potawatamie (SP?) last year
• Running the Mines of Spain 100
• Focusing on the current loop
• Headlamps
• The value of support and pacers
• Gut Issues
• Getting Lyme's disease early in the training cycle...
• then C-Diff...
• and still hitting the goal.
• Pacing other people

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A bit of an off-the-cuff episode...

There can be a huge advantage to setting big goals - it spurs motivation and gives you something to chase.  Yet it can also lead people to go too hard, too fast and completely ignore the journey along the way.

As with everything, finding a balance between these two things requires some nuance and personalization.

And while we're on the topic of personalization, I touch on why that "perfect warm-up" you saw on social media might not be so perfect...

Hope you enjoy it!

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Notes:

• The ups and downs of big goals
• The importance of nuance
• Personalizing your warmup
• An announcement

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