Conversation Pace

Ariane Hendrix is a VDOT Certified Coach and the 5th fastest U.S. born African American woman of all time in the marathon. She’s shown steady progress first running the event in 3:57 ten years ago. Recently, she placed third at the Bayshore Marathon in 2:42.

Sara Lopez is an athlete on V.O2 working with Ame For It Run Coaching. Recently, Sara has set new PRs of 1:13:53 (64 VDOT) in the half marathon and 32:59 10k (65.1). Both were road racing wins too.

We learn in this episode how her pursuit to become a walk-on at BYU put her down a dark path and how she found her love of running and training again. 

Pietro Gennenzi lives in Brooklyn, NY. Pietro is a musician and project engineer for acoustic architectural design firm Walters-Storyk Design Group. He recently completed his first marathon in 2:34:56 after only getting into running two years prior. The entire marathon build-up was a learning experience to say the least.

In this episode we discuss:  his background, living in Brooklyn, how he got into running, his progression as a runner to running 2:34 in Philly, how he executed the race, goals moving forward (break 2:30 in Chicago this year then complete World Majors).

Chris Free is an athlete based out of Virginia Beach. He recently set a new PB winning the Louisiana Marathon on a negative split (2:38:56). Chris currently works with coach Dylan Belles on V.O2. In the past 10 years he's dropped almost 80 minutes off of his marathon time.

Leah Rosenfeld is an athlete and coach based out of Flagstaff, AZ. She's a former DI college coach and now coaches online on V.O2, in-person at Team Run Flagstaff and through iFIT on NordicTrack. A longtime middle distance specialist with PRs of 4:18 for 1500m (64.6 VDOT) and 15:58 for 5k (64.7 VDOT), Leah has recently bumped up to ultra running winning her first trail races at XTERRA San Tan Trail Run, Queen Creek, AZ, the Soulstice Mountain Trail Run in Flagstaff, AZ and Imogene Pass Run in Telluride, CO.

In this episode we discuss:  her time coaching in Costa Rica with iFit, transitioning to trail with legend Rob Krar, how she got into running, transitioning from athlete to coach and more.

Tom Black is an athlete and coach based out of New York City. After working in Finance for several years Tom moved to NYC to pursue a career in fitness & fashion. He ran his first marathon in 2017 and before too long he was running every single day and going for 1-2 hour runs on the weekends. Since then, Tom has increased his mileage from around 20-30 miles to 70-90 miles and cut his marathon time down from 3:20 to 2:31. He's also gotten VDOT Certified and is now helping other athletes on V.O2. 

In this episode we discuss:  his backstory, living and training in NYC (and vying for limited turf with cyclists), how he's improved over the years, his negative split in Houston running 2:31:54 and what he's learned along the way to now coaching athletes.

Christina Welsh is an athlete based out of St. Petersburg, FL. She recently set PRs of 2:33 (64.8 VDOT) in the marathon and 1:15:36 (62.3 VDOT) for a half marathon. Learn more about her incredible progression from her 3:29 marathon debut in 2019 to qualifying for the next Olympic Trials.

Ann Centner lives and trains in Tallahassee, FL where she's pursuing her PhD in Nutrition Sciences. Ann also has a masters in Food Science and Technology from the University of Georgia. 

In the past year Ann has set personal bests of 1:13:45 (64.1 VDOT) in the half marathon and 2:38:31 (62.2 VDOT) in the marathon. In this episode we discuss:  living and training in Tallahassee, her big improvement over past few years, rediscovering her joy for running after a bad experience in college and going after the Olympic Trials while trying to focus more on the process. 

Dylan Belles is a distance runner and coach based in Flagstaff, AZ. He's currently one of the highest volume runners on V.O2 and also one of the most highly rates coaches on the platform. At the 2022 Houston Marathon he qualified for his second Olympic Trials with his 2:17:26 (6th American, 73.4 VDOT). 

Kim Conley is a professional runner and coach based out of Flagstaff, AZ. She has represented the United States eight times, including at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. She holds PRs of 15:05.20 5k, (69.2 VDOT), 31:35.88 10k (68.5 VDOT) and 1:09:44 Half Marathon (68.4 VDOT). 

In this episode we discuss: living and training at altitude, what it's like to now coach recreational athletes, her amazing 4-year progression from 80th at NCAA in 2008 to Olympian in the 5,000 meters in 2012, and of course, her incredible lean at the tape at the U.S. Trials. 

John Reniewicki is professional runner at Under Armour and a former Assistant Cross Country Coach at Arizona State University. As a collegiate athlete John broke the Arizona State University school record in the 10K and has since improved his PR to 28:15 (78.2 VDOT). He’s entering his second year of professional running and currently working hard to prepare for the national championships.

In this episode we discuss:

• His new sponsorship and coaching influences
• What his training and daily routines look like
• His experiences dealing with and managing injuries
• Goals for 2022 and beyond
• What he’s grateful for at this time

Jared Hazen is an ultra runner and coach based in Flagstaff, AZ. He still holds the second fastest time ever at Western States (14:26) when he placed second behind Jim Walmsley in 2019. He’s been a competitive runner for the last 15 years, including first place finishes at Lake Sonoma 50 Miler, JFK 50 Mile and the Oil Creek 100.

In this episode we discuss:

-His quick transition from running in high school to ultra stardom
-What his training and daily routines look like
-His experience dropping out at Western States and what he learned from it
-Goals for 2022 and beyond
-What he’s grateful for at this time

Stan Linton is a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. In June 2019 he ran 2:18:45 at the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN. His 27-minute personal best at Grandma’s earned him a spot at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. He would go on to place 91st at the Olympic Trials despite not being ranked in the top 200. Since the Olympic Trials he has set personal bests in the 800m, 5000m, and half marathon.

While training on his own as a freshman in college Linton was determined to walk onto the cross country and track teams at Florida St. University. Linton started reading “Daniels' Running Formula” to learn more about training and devise his own training plans.

In March of 2014, Linton ran 15:04 in the FSU Relays, which earned him a spot on the FSU roster.

During his time running for the Seminoles, Linton transformed from local high school standout, to one of the best runners in the South Region. In his senior year, Linton picked up All-ACC and All-South Region honors in cross country, helping the Seminoles win the DI South Region Championship and advancing to the NCAA Division I XC Championships.

Current personal bests:

-5000m (Track) – 14:25 (Nov 2020, Solo Time Trial)
-Half Marathon – 1:04:31 (Jan 2021, Las Vegas Gold Half)
-Full Marathon – 2:18:45 (June 2019, Grandma’s Marathon)

In this episode we discuss:

-His experience in the Navy and fitness standards
-Settings PRs during the pandemic
-His athletic story and how he trained prior to reading Daniels’ Running Formula
-His success in college and beyond and his keys to going from 2:45 to 2:18 in the marathon

Heather Knight Pech is one of the best age-graded runners in the world. She’s won her age group (F55) at the Boston Marathon and recently shocked the running world with her 1:27:24 half marathon at age 58. In 2019, she had the second fastest marathon time in the U.S. for her age (3:00:44). She was second only to marathon legend Joan Benoit Samuelson.

Heather also coaches athletes on VDOT O2. She coaches HS athletes privately in Darien, CT and is an online private coach for McKirdy Trained. She is a retired CEO of Polo Jeans Company and 9 West Retail.

In this episode we discuss:

-Quarantine as an opportunity
-Training without racing and with more intention
-Getting into running, her professional career
-How she balances and manages such an intense training schedule
-Coaching and nutrition

Chris Miltenberg is one of the top collegiate coaches in the country. He is currently the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at the University of North Carolina. He held the same position at Stanford University from 2012-19.

Miltenberg is a 2003 graduate of Georgetown University and he earned a master’s in exercise science from Columbia in 2005. He captained the Hoyas’ track and field/cross country team for two seasons, was a two-time All-America and three-time Academic All-America. He went on to coach women’s cross country and track at his alma mater where he won the national title and was named National Coach of the Year in 2011. 

His teams have earned 10 podium finishes in NCAA Championship competition – Stanford men’s cross country had four, women’s cross country had two, women’s outdoor track had one and men’s indoor track had one and Georgetown women’s cross country had two. Stanford had nine NCAA top-five finishes in cross country (five consecutive for the men from 2014-18) and a dozen NCAA top-10 performances in track and field during his tenure.

In this episode we discuss:

-Moving to Chapel Hill and managing during the pandemic
-The recruiting process and the types of athletes he looks for
-When he developed his desire to coach
-Coaching style and how it's changed
-Transition to Stanford and lessons learned
-Challenges of rebuilding a program and growing a winning culture
-Expectations for his team in the short term

James McKirdy is the founder of McKirdy Trained, an online coaching service working with runners of all ages, all abilities, all over the world. In 2016, McKirdy Trained started managing athletes on VDOT O2. They had eight athletes in the Boston Marathon and zero at the Olympic Trials. Just five years later they’ve had hundreds qualify for Boston and 25 coaches/athletes qualify for the 2020 Olympic Trials in the marathon (20 participated).⠀

In this episode we discuss:

-Moving and transitioning to life in Flagstaff from the East Coast
-Starting McKirdy Trained and how it’s grown so quickly
-What “Under our Care” means to him and where it comes from
-The Olympic Trials women’s B standard
-His coaching staff, which has now grown to over two dozen coaches, and how he matches athletes
-The launch of their Micro Marathons

Amanda Rego is a professional runner and coach. She was a seven-time All American & NCAA runner-up at Florida State. In 2014 she was ranked 7th fastest American all-time in the indoor mile. She's a VDOT Certified Coach, a certified personal trainer and USTFCCCA Strength Coach.

Andrew Bumbalough, aka ‘Bumbi’, as he is affectionately referred to by friends and teammates, grew up in Nashville, Tennessee aspiring to be a soccer player. When he discovered his real talent was his ability to outrun opponents, he switched over to track and never looked back. In high school he was a two-time Footlocker finalist (runner-up in 2004) and also set the state record in the 3200m (8:46.47).

After graduating from Georgetown University in 2010 he moved to Portland to join the Bowerman Track Club. His first year as a professional he made the World XC Team and ran 13:16 in the 5000m. That year he also finished 4th at USA Champs in the 5000m and represented Team USA at the IAAF World Track Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Throughout his career he has been a consistent performer finishing in the top 5 at USA’s in the 5000m every year from 2011 to 2014.

Andrew Bumbalough, aka ‘Bumbi’, as he is affectionately referred to by friends and teammates, grew up in Nashville, Tennessee aspiring to be a soccer player. When he discovered his real talent was his ability to outrun opponents, he switched over to track and never looked back. In high school he was a two-time Footlocker finalist (runner-up in 2004) and also set the state record in the 3200m (8:46.47). 

After graduating from Georgetown University in 2010 he moved to Portland to join the Bowerman Track Club. His first year as a professional he made the World XC Team and ran 13:16 in the 5000m. That year he also finished 4th at USA Champs in the 5000m and represented Team USA at the IAAF World Track Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Throughout his career he has been a consistent performer finishing in the top 5 at USA’s in the 5000m every year from 2011 to 2014.

Becki Spellman is the founder of Spellman Coaching. She's been a competitive athlete for over 25 years and coaching for 14. She is a 4x Olympic Trials Qualifier in the Marathon (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) and 2x Akron Marathon Champion (2011 and 2016). Her current marathon PR is 2:40. She's currently sponsored by Oiselle.

In this episode we discuss:

-Her athletic story
-Her struggles with collegiate running and her transition to the marathon
-How her training has evolved since her first Olympic Trials to training postpartum as a mother of twins
-The lack of guidance on safely transitioning back to running after her C-section and her injury woes as a result
-Whether to change the women's Olympic marathon standards

Joost De Raeymaeker, a native Belgian, currently resides in Luanda, Angola, and is arguably the best marathoner in the world in M50. He’s on a mission to win his age group in all of the Marathon Majors. So far he’s accomplished half his goal (Berlin, NYC and Tokyo) with a 2:26:10 PB in Berlin in 2019. He ran in primary school, but then thought it would be a lot cooler to play guitar in a rock band, only picking up running again in 2012.

In this episode we discuss:

-Living and running in Luanda
-His athletic story
-What his training looks like today
-His perspective on running and sport
-His shoe reviews of the Endorphin Pro, Vaporfly, Alpha Fly and Adidas Pro

Dan Green is one of the most successful running coaches in the nation. He is the former head coach of The Woodlands High School where he was responsible for 16 Texas State Championships in cross country and track, many individual state champions and one national champion. He once won 23 district titles in 24 years and 21 regional titles during that time. He is currently the head coach and founder of Team Green Running, a developmental running club based in the Woodlands, TX.

In this episode we discuss:

-Getting into running and coaching
-The Woodlands, early years, developing the program
-His training system and building consistent success
-Learning from other coaches, influences
-Criticism of his coaching
-His ethos, philosophy, team management, practices/workouts, etc.

Bob Kennedy is considered one of the best American distance runners in history. In 1996, he was ranked 4th in the world at the 5000 meters and once held the American record in the 3000 meters (7:30.84), 2 miles (8:11.59) and the 5000 meters (12:58.21). He is a 2-time Olympian and the first ever non-African to run the 5000 metres in less than thirteen minutes (and he is still one of only seven non-Africans to do so).

While competing for the Indiana Hoosiers he won 16 Big Ten Conference track titles. In 1988, he won the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship, becoming one of a few true freshman ever to win the event. He won the NCAA 1500 meter championship in 1990 and the NCAA indoor mile championship in 1991. During his senior year, Kennedy a second NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship and the USATF National Cross Country Championships. He was the second person in history to win both titles in the same year.

In this episode we discuss:

-How he got into running
-His training at an early age and how it developed over time
-His mental approach to the sport and racing
-Taking the lead in the Olympic final
-What he learned from training with the Kenyans
-His approach to strength, nutrition and recovery
-Parenting a young elite athlete

Kelly Roberts is the creator of the "Run, Selfie, Repeat" podcast, the free fitness movement the Badass Lady Gang and body-positive initiative #SportsBraSquad.

In 2009, Kelly’s younger brother unexpectedly passed away, and struggling to manage her grief, she gained more than 75 pounds. With the weight gain came insecurities and a new fight to regain her sense of self. Then one holiday morning, in an attempt to cope with her brother's absence and manage her grief and anxiety, she decided to go for a run. “I didn’t even reach the end of my block when, out of breath, I had to stop to walk. An hour and a half and three miles later I was home, feeling a sense of ease and clarity that I hadn’t felt since his passing.” Running has given her a way to manage her grief and remove the crippling shame from her body image.

Named by Women's Running as one of 20 women changing the sport of running and gracing the cover of the 2017 body issue, and by Competitor Magazine as one of 12 Influential and inspiring runners under 30, Kelly's mission is to inspire others to get embrace a healthy lifestyle and pursue the strongest version of themselves possible all while making them laugh hysterically.

In this episode we discuss:

-The Badass Lady Gang and how it evolved into such a powerful movement across the world
-How she got into running and coaching
-The types of runners she’s connecting with
-Growing her business
-Combatting the pervasiveness of diet culture in our society (this is her mission)
-Staying connected and motivated during the pandemic

Stephen England is a certified running coach and ambassador for Team Novo Nordisk. Their mission is to inspire, educate and empower people affected by diabetes. At age 14, Stephen suddenly became very ill, losing his appetite, weight and all of his energy. He went to the hospital where he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

He was told that his running would have to be limited and diabetes was incurable. Many years later he’s now completed dozens of marathons (2:45 PB), ten 100 mile ultramarathons and the inaugural Tahoe 200. He is a well regarded pacer for the New York City Marathon and member of the NYC running community.

In this episode we discuss (apologies for some choppy audio during the first 8 minutes):

-What it’s like right now living and running in NYC
-His early running days growing up in England
-The backstory of his diagnosis and how he manages running with type 1 diabetes
-Running 2:45 for a marathon while also training for ultras
-Completing the Tahoe 200 and what drives him
-His fairly recent transition to vegetarianism

Olivia Affuso is an exercise scientist, ultrarunner, running coach on VDOT O2 and Chief Wellness Officer of the Black Magic Trail Sisters. 

She works as a physical activity researcher and Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UAB School of Public Health. She received her PhD in nutritional epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a postdoc at the University of Miami in Exercise Science. Olivia is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

In this episode we discuss how Olivia got into running, her work as an ambassador for youth running and increasing participation in the sport amongst African Americans. We also get into the causes and misinformation about obesity, the problem of BMI and her nutritional advice for athletes. We close with why she feels she is stronger than ever at age 51 and how she’s stayed injury free training for ultras during the pandemic.

Dan King is an entrepreneur, plant-based athlete, CU Buffs alumn and current masters world record-holder in the mile.

Dan set the WR for the M60 age group when he ran 4:49.08 at the South Carolina Trackfest this past August. If you take his 5k PR (14:34) at age 20, the VDOT equivalent for the mile is 4:13. That means he essentially slowed down less than one second per year on average for over 40 years. His 4:49, according to Jack Daniels’ formula, equates to a 3:46 mile (Alan Webb's AR) for a prime aged runner.

In this episode, we discuss his current training, including workout details, cross training, recovery methods and his plant-based diet and the perceived impact its had on his latest achievements. We also discuss preparing for his next goal - breaking the 3k WR (9:29.57), which scores a slightly higher VDOT (62.5) than his 4:49.

After working in the fashion industry for 6 years (and realizing there was so much more to life than working behind a desk), Mary made a career transition in 2015 and joined the team at Ranfone Training Systems, in Hamden, CT, as a strength coach. She founded Lift | Run | Perform in 2017 and now has 10 coaches on staff working with athletes on VDOT O2. LRP was created with the concept that performance running and lifting go hand in hand - and, with the addition of a positive, supportive coaching team: the potential for success is limitless.

Mary holds both USATF and VDOT O2 coaching certifications and is a Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist (FRCms). She has also undergone Kinstretch Level I instruction certification program and is currently slated to take the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam (CSCS) in September, 2020.

Alvina was raised in the small town of Ganado on the Navajo Reservation. She grew up watching her father run and her mom pursue a nursing career. While her mom worked at the hospital in town, her father trained for marathons. Her parents and her community instilled a strong work ethic.

After running for Adams St. and Arizona St. and graduating with a BS in Nutrition, Alvina continued to run competitively as a Nike N7 Ambassador. This gave her a platform to give back to her community by promoting physical activity and proper eating.

Alvina is now a registered dietitian, private running coach and nurse with a masters in health administration.

In this episode we talk about her community, and how and why it has been so negatively impacted by COVID-19. We discuss getting into running, which at first thought, some might think would have been unlikely growing up on the reservation, but it turns out she was raised to run and endure. We get into her transition to college and how she endured some rough patches in the sport and then went on to give back to her community as an N7 Nike Ambassador.

Alvina's Running Resume:

• Eight Top 10 U.S. road championships
• 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials in the marathon
• 10th female overall in the 2008 New York City Marathon
• Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters
• 10,000m: 32:34
• Half Marathon: 1:12.25
• Marathon: 2:37:14

Pete Rea is the head coach of the ZAP Endurance (formerly ZAP Fitness) post-collegiate team. His training philosophy is based on a long term view toward success with each program being highly individualized. His athletes’ training varies greatly based on their background and how they adapt to overall volume and intensity.

His coaching resume includes:  51 Olympic Trials Qualifiers since 2002, 42 Senior U.S. teams, four USATF Club XC Team Championships, one U.S. marathon champion and one Olympian (Pardon Nghlovu - Zimbabwe 2016).

Pete ran for the University of Connecticut where he graduated in 1992 as an All Big East Conference selection in cross country. After college, while receiving his masters degree, Pete ran for Team Nike South and began his coaching career working with local athletes in Atlanta.

Matt Debole is a runner, coach, doctor of physical therapy and founder at Run Better Academy. He was a standout high school runner, most notably finishing 5th at Foot Locker Championships and winning the mile at Penn Relays and the Millrose Games. He went on to become a 5-time All American at Georgetown University and qualify for the 2008 Olympic Trials. He has lifetime bests of 4:00 (mile), 13:36 (5k), 49:59 (10 mile), 2:49 (marathon).

Matt currently lives in Albany, New York where he coaches online and works full-time as an orthopedic physical therapy specialist. He works with runners of all ages (high school - masters) and ability levels (beginner - elite) from all over the country (east and west coast) and even the world (France, Dominican Republic, Canada, Philippines).

Matt’s coaching style incorporates his athletic and academic experiences. He’s also a pioneer in using technology (drones and wearables) for running biomechanical assessment aimed at improving performance and reducing injury risk.

Janet Cherobon-Bawcom is an Olympian, registered nurse and VDOT Coach. She grew up in Kenya before attending college in the United States. In college, she won three Division II national championships and was named an All-American eight times. She became eligible to compete for the United States in 2011. In 2012, under the guidance of Dr. Jack Daniels, she made the U.S. Olympic team in the 10,000 meters and placed 12th running a new personal best of 31:12. She also set a new personal best of 2:29 in the marathon.

Janet was born and raised in Kapsabet, Kenya, the same town as silver medalist Bernard Lagat, marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge and other gold medalists Pamela Jelimo and Peter Rono. Despite growing up in a town with a rich history in distance running the sport was not on her radar. Due to her mom’s influence as a school teacher Janet was focused on getting the best education possible. If not for a chance encounter with Peter Rono, Janet does not see her career in running ever developing.

You can connect with Janet at:  https://coaches.vdoto2.com/janet-cherobon-bawcom

Cory Leslie is the Head Cross Country Coach at Arizona State University and a former professional runner for Nike. He’s made four U.S. teams including a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games. He has personal bests of 3:53 for the mile, 8:19 in the steeplechase, and 13:38 in the 5k.

Cory’s coaching career began at Furman University where he spent five years working with 2-time Olympian Robert Gary. At Furman, he helped guide the men's and women's cross country teams to six Southern Conference titles and two NCAA Championships appearances. In 2015, the men cracked the USTFCCCA top-15 and finished 13th at the NCAA Championships.

In 2019, Cory coached Will Paulson to a PB of 3:36 in the 1500m, a Canadian 1500m national title, and the bronze medal at the Pan Am Games. That same spring John Reniewicki set the school record in the 10k in 28:42 and qualified for his first US Championships. He also helped Jackson Neff reach the Olympic Trials with a marathon PB of 2:17:21.

A native Kansan, Rebeka attended the University of Kansas, where she competed and trained from 2008-2012. Under the direction of Coach Michael Whittlesey, Rebeka's career as a Jayhawk flourished, earning a Big 12 Steeplechase Title in addition to Academic and Athletic All-American Honors. Her time as a Jayhawk came to an end 2012 US Olympic Team Trials, as a finalist in the Steeplechase.

Off the track Rebeka earned a number of honors, being recognized as a University of Kansas Woman of Distinction, Female Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year, and University of Kansas Outstanding Female in Athletics. Rebeka was also named to the Big 12 Community Circle of Champions Circle.

Following her time at Kansas, Rebeka moved to the East Coast to pursue her professional running career under the supervision of Frank Gagliano, Tommy Nohilly, and the New Jersey New York Track Club.

Three years later, after narrowly missing the 2016 Olympic Trials she chose to stay on the East Coast to build as a coach. Athletically, she continued training with the direction of Jason Vigilante at Princeton University.

In 2017 Rebeka qualified for her 7th US Outdoor Championships where she competed in the Steeplechase. She is currently training for the 2021 Olympic Trials.

She continued to learn and diversify as a coach upon her move to the East Coast. Stowe began working with local youth programs, and spearheaded the development of a high school running program in the Princeton, NJ area.

Luck Of The Draw, an autobiography by Jack Daniels, is now available online. Jack's family, his accomplishments, his profound impact and his humility, laid bare in the preface of his book, are the story of an American icon.

"You might find the title of this somewhat off. However, I think you will find as you read this autobiography that many aspects of my life and experiences must be characterized with some luck - luck of timing, circumstances, and situation. Many people who have read my books on running or who have attended clinics and camps where I have spoken often ask how I got into coaching as a profession. As you will see, the answer to this question is a rather lengthy and complicated tale. It is my hope that this book will answer most of these inquiries."

In this episode we pick up with Jack's story to learn how he got into research and coaching and how his coaching approach evolved over the years. We discuss his time at Nike and get into his days at Cortland where he made his mark on the coaching world. This is where it all comes together.

Luck Of The Draw, an autobiography by Jack Daniels, is now available online. Jack's family, his accomplishments, his profound impact and his humility, laid bare in the preface of his book, are the story of an American icon.

"You might find the title of this somewhat off. However, I think you will find as you read this autobiography that many aspects of my life and experiences must be characterized with some luck - luck of timing, circumstances, and situation. Many people who have read my books on running or who have attended clinics and camps where I have spoken often ask how I got into coaching as a profession. As you will see, the answer to this question is a rather lengthy and complicated tale. It is my hope that this book will answer most of these inquiries."

In this episode we start from the very beginning; his earliest memories. We then build through his childhood, college life to entering the Army and then competing at the Olympics. 

Tobias Christensson is Head of Nutrition at Maurten. He holds masters degrees in clinical nutrition, sports science and sports nutrition. He's also part of the R&D team at Maurten, a company driven by science and technology. 

Esther Atkins is one of the most decorated runners in Case Western Reserve history, earning six All-American titles and the 2008 DIII National Championship in the 10k. Since then she's gone on to win the U.S. Championship in the marathon, qualify for the Olympic Trials three times and represent the U.S. at the world marathon championships in Beijing. Her marathon PR is 2:33. 

In this episode we talk about what led to her top successes and how taking some risks really backfired. Esther talks about expectations and how being in the right environment were critical to her success and fulfillment in the sport. She's currently transferring all her knowledge and experience on VDOT O2 as an online coach with McKirdy Trained. 

Blake Dircksen is a licensed physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in NYC. He's also a VDOT Coach and athlete at NYAC. He competed at Indiana University and received his Doctor of Physical Therapy at NYU. 

Blake consults and treats a lot of athletes on VDOT O2 today. In this episode, we talk a lot about how he’s adapting his approach as a PT in the age of COVID-19 and how a PT can be effective in a remote capacity. Blake was a big proponent of “digital health” even prior to this global pandemic.

We also talk about what athletes can be doing at home in regards to prehab, how to incorporate strength into your routine and why the concept of “load management” is the centerpiece of his approach. Blake's response to most injuries as a PT comes in the form of modifying their training loads and manipulating their training stressors - just like a coach would. 

Harvey Nelson graduated from Northern Arizona University in May of 2019 with a B.S. in Exercise Science. He was part of the 3-time NCAA National Championship cross country team and still resides and trains in Flagstaff, AZ. 

We interviewed Harvey the night before the Olympic Trials in Atlanta one block from the start/finish. He was sitting there ready to run the biggest race of his life the next day. Even better, he had never even run a marathon before. Harvey exploded onto the road racing scene with a 1:01:46 at the Houston Half Marathon. This is a guy who never made top 7 of his XC team in college.

How did he improve so quickly? We dig in.

Malindi Elmore has been running competitively for over two decades and until recently was best known for her middle distance personal bests, national titles and qualifying for the Olympics in the 1500m. The 40-year-old native of Kelowna, British Columbia and mother of two boys had retired from competitive running but then got pulled back in by the adventure/challenge of an Ironman. From there she transitioned to road running and shocked the world with a new Canadian record in the marathon (2:24:50). 

In this episode we speak about managing during this time of crisis, social distancing, parenting, and how to adjust training and communicate with your athletes during this crazy time. We then dig into her story starting with how she got hooked into running and competing. We talk about her struggles transitioning to collegiate running at Stanford, to making the Olympics in the 1500m and how the perfect storm of life events led to the fastest female marathon time ever by a Canadian.  This is someone who would have laughed at the thought of even running a marathon earlier in her career.