Jul 4, 2019Why distance runners should run fast late in runsOne of the key ways that we can improve endurance is by increasing the total pool of muscle fibers that we can recruit. When your muscles fire, not all of the fibers in the muscle fire simultaneously. The nervous system rather cycles through firing different fibers in order to let…Fitness7 min readFitness7 min read
Jul 4, 2019Should you focus on developing your uphill or downhill ability?Note: This post is the first of two parts. Ups and downs are some of the main distinguishing features that separate most trail racing from road racing (figuratively and literally!). But the questions remain… in your next training cycle, should you place emphasis on ups or downs? Should you pick…Running7 min readRunning7 min read
Jul 4, 2019The shoe does not make the stride: why forefoot strikers should sometimes run in high-drop shoesBefore you throw a copy of Born to Run at my head, please hear me out! There has been endless discussion about which footstrike is best and the types of shoes that promote whatever that footstrike is. However, most evidence points towards having your foot land under your center of…Running5 min readRunning5 min read
Jul 4, 2019Managing Training Uncertainty — the Value of HeuristicsRunning training is full of uncertainty. Let’s examine what uncertainty faces a coach when he/she is designing training for an athlete. There is uncertainty in training methodology — nobody has a perfect formula. Even given some best practice, there is uncertainty about whether it even applies to any given athlete…Sports5 min readSports5 min read
Jul 4, 2019Running as a Series of DecisionsWe tend to think of running as a master planned, top-down process. We set the training plan, get out the door to execute this plan, run races that are on the plan, etc. But as we invariably make adjustments, we constantly put those adjustments back into the context of the…Fitness5 min readFitness5 min read
