Skip to main content
Run4PRs

Run4PRs

By Run4PRs

We build stronger runners at Run4PRs Coaching. This podcast is filled with training tips & personal stories from the @run4prs coaches like 13x Boston Qualifier Victoria Phillippi. Our goal is to empower you with training tips & help you become the best athlete you can be. Want to get a more customized approach or consult with us directly on YOUR running questions? —-> www.Run4prs.com for a free 7 day trial
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
Overcast Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
PodBean Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

13. The Injured Runner: How to Comeback Stronger

Run4PRs Jun 26, 2019

00:00
51:46
237. Adding in hills

237. Adding in hills

Many runners dislike hills for a number of reasons. They are hard & they can slow you down! Many people avoid hills because they don’t like how hilly routes slow down their average pace. It is important to work on things we are not good at in order to improve as athletes. When we neglect our weaknesses, we do not improve as much as we could have! Hills not only will help you on hiller races, but they also improve your running in other ways. They increase your power, help with form & allow you to build stronger legs. When you work on hills, you can become a more well-rounded runner AND run faster on flat ground as well. Today we will be talking about different type of hill workouts and how to add them into training

We get used to doing the hills. At first it feels really hard. If you are used to it, it’s not a big deal. 

  1. Training for hilly races vs flat races

    1. If you are training for a hilly race, hill work is a must

    2. Even downhill races need downhill work

    3. Simulation of the race

    4. Boston marathon is very hilly and doing a lot of miles on rolling hills helps

  2. Regular training adding in hill work even when training for a flat race

    1. Hill repeats helping with vo2max & power

  3. Tempos

    1. Steady state on rolling hills- effort based. Some people are better at downhills vs uphills. You're not going to be able to get a pace band that tells you exactly what pace you should be at each second. 

    2. Mile repeats on rolling hills

    3. Long run steady on hills

    4. Easy runs on hills

  4. Speed work

    1. VO2max type workouts on hills

  5. Combo/mixed workout

    1. Hill sprints then tempo work after


Mar 22, 202441:35
236. Become a Better Racer: Hit Your Goals On Race Day!

236. Become a Better Racer: Hit Your Goals On Race Day!

www.run4prs.com

Have you ever seen an athlete have an amazing race and wonder how they were able to pull it off? Do you ever wish you could get the extra edge that other athletes seem to have on race day? Today we are going to be talking about the main factors that go into having a great race. There are a variety of areas you can improve on when it comes to mastering your race day performance. When you try to get 1% better in each area, it adds up to be a lot!

  1. Training For The Event/Distance with specific workouts

    1. Anaerobic

    2. Aerobic

    3. Workouts 20% of the time

    4. Paces specific to your VDOT fitness

  2. Being selective with your races

    1. You can’t expect to race every month and improve forever

    2. You need time to train for the races

    3. Picking courses that are FAST

    4. Picking races during optimal time of year

    5. Course spectators? People to run with?

    6. Limiting how often you race

  3. Building the mental muscle

    1. Doing uncomfortable things

    2. Sarah Sellers 2018 Boston Marathon: she ran after working nursing shirts. When you train in a tired state, it can help with the rough patches during a race

    3. You don’t need to train in perfect conditions or always feel like running

    4. Building confidence in workouts by practicing negative splits

    5. Don’t let yourself get handicapped by yourself: “I always blow up”, “I am not good at marathons”. You have to practice how you speak to yourself and not go down a negative spital

  4. The little things like tapering, fueling and carb loading

    1. Carbon plated shoes can make you faster

    2. Beats can make you faster

    3. Fueling properly will allow you to race to your potential in events over 90 min

    4. Hydration is key

    5. Make sure you have all the loose ends taken care of!

Mar 14, 202441:14
235. Train at 80% and race at 100%

235. Train at 80% and race at 100%

  • www.run4prs.com

  • Lots of runners love the feeling of crushing a big workout and having something they can confidently hang their hat on as a statement of their race day abilities in training. However, when athletes constantly overreach and dig too far into the well for workout days, are they testing their fitness or is it training? Are there potential drawbacks to leaving it all out there during every single workouts?

    1. What is the potential problem with going too fast on workout days

      1. Tempo runs turn into vo2max when defeats the purpose

      2. Almost better to go slower

    2. Might be disappointed when you don’t have another gear on race day

      1. Your PR might be in a workout

    3. Not as efficient with energy

      1. Going to 100% takes longer to recover from and it’s harder on body

    4. Hard to trust the process


    Mar 07, 202438:04
    234. How to make time for training

    234. How to make time for training

    Finding time to get in the miles can be challenging. We all live busy lives! However, most athletes who have been in the sport of running for a long time will attest to making training a part of your routine is a key to success. If we don’t make the time for running, we typically run out of time at the end of the day. 

    1. Running in the morning

      1. How early do you need to wake up

      2. Fueling before a run

      3. Running slower in the morning

      4. Eating after= you will be hungry during work

    2. Running over lunch

      1. Good if you work from home

      2. Stroller/SAHM life

      3. Coworkers might think you are weird

      4. Eating lunch at desk after

    3. Running in the afternoon

      1. Hard if you come home first

      2. Pack clothes and run immediately after from work or drive to destination

      3. Hard if people want you to do Happy Hours

      4. Hard if you are a parent of young kids

      5. Might work if you can run during your kids sports practices in the evening if they are older

    4. Utilizing treadmill/gym/stroller running

      1. Good option for the weekend

      2. Days you can be more flexible and/or something co

    Feb 26, 202438:34
    233. Does Slowing Down On Easy Days Actually Work?

    233. Does Slowing Down On Easy Days Actually Work?

    www.run4prs.com

    Running is an aerobic sport! We need to train in the aerobic zones to improve at long distance running. The biggest mistakes runners make is going too fast on your easy days. Going too fast on your easy days puts you at risk of burn out and injury. It also prevents you from reaching your potential in the sport. Many people refuse to slow down and never are able to increase their mileage or long run duration because the speed they are running at is too fast to make additional stress adaptations like improving endurance and ability to run on fatigued legs. 

    Many people slow down on easy days compared to race day but they do not slow down ENOUGH to fully recover. Athletes often have a skewed perception on what ‘easy’ running means. Yes, running 1 min per mile slower than 5k pace is easier than racing a 5k, but is it slow enough to improve?

    Social media. A lot of the big influencers are BQ athletes. They are showing their easy paces that are in the 8-9 min pace range. For them it could be easy but we want to make sure we don’t compare ourselves to others. 

    I have friends who refuse to run slower than XYZ pace might be a challenge if you have a partner who is constantly pushing the pace. We might need to make changes to who we run with if it’s holding us back from reaching our goals. 

    1. Easy running allows you to improve your aerobic base

      1. Working the correct zones

    Pacing: who is really in control

    When you are mid-race you want to listen to your body and not what the watch says

    The more practice you have listening to your body the more confident you can become

    1. Easy running allows you to increase mileage

      1. More miles = more aerobic development

    2. Running easy allows you to recover between workout days

      1. Workouts are important for lowering speed and threshold

    Feb 15, 202435:16
    232. What Workouts To Get Faster: Examples & How To Calculate Them

    232. What Workouts To Get Faster: Examples & How To Calculate Them

    www.run4prs.com

    Workouts are a very important part of reaching your potential as a runner. We talk a lot about the benefits of easy running but sometimes we neglect to talk about the importance of not only running hard workouts but the importance of WHAT workouts you do. If you are training for a marathon, you don’t want to be spending a ton of time doing sprinting anaerobic workouts. Training the right systems for your goals is important. It is equally as important to make sure you are training at the appropriate paces for your current fitness levels so that you are stressing the correct systems to improve!

    1. How much mileage per week should be running workouts

      1. 10-20% (for 40 miles a week that is 4-8 miles per week)

      2. Workout days should always have warm up and cool down miles

      3. 4-8 miles of hard work can be split up into 2 runs with 2-2 mile warm up at cool downs

      4. Your workout days may be 8 miles in total but only contain 3-4 miles of hard running in them

    2. How do you know what paces you should be running

      1. Test fitness with a 5k

      2. VDOT calculator

      3. Make adjustments based on training conditions/wind/heat/hills/etc!

      4. Effort based can work but we don’t want to go 100% based off that in the beginning when we are learning

    3. What type of workouts are best for the marathon/half marathon

      1. Longer tempos

      2. Steady states

      3. MP tempos as race approaches

      4. Threshold work

      5. Medium long run

      6. Cut down/progression runs

    4. What type of workouts are best for the 5k/10k

      1. Threshold workouts

      2. Speed workouts

    Feb 06, 202441:52
    231. How To Build Mileage

    231. How To Build Mileage

    www.run4prs.com

    How many miles do you run per week? How does one build up to be able to run 50 or even 100 mile weeks? Should everyone try to achieve high mileage? These are all great questions we will be addressing in this episode. Usually, runners will see great gains in fitness in the beginning of their running journey from simply going from running 0 miles to 10 miles per week. In the beginning it almost seems like the more we run, the better we get. However, there becomes a point when it becomes counter productive. 

    1. How do you know if it’s time to start increasing mileage

      1. Are you improving

        1. We want to assess if you are training at the appropriate paces for easy days

        2. You are not always injury prone and needing to run low mileage: sometimes there is a different variable at play

      2. What is your history: masters runner, new runner, injury prone

      3. How do you feel?

      4. Do you have time?

    2. Does more mileage equal better results

      1. You can only run as much as you can recover from

      2. Running more only is helpful to a point

      3. Counter productive: injury/burnout

    3. How do you increase?

      1. 10% per week max

      2. Cut back weeks every 1-3 weeks of 75% volume

    4. How often should you assess mileage

      1. Every week/every season/every year

      2. Your body and goals change

      3. You should not always be running peak mileage

    Jan 25, 202436:39
    230. Could walking improve your running?

    230. Could walking improve your running?

    www.run4prs.com Today we are going to talk about walking & how it fits in with run training. Some people are run/walkers and other people have to start with walking on their easy days. We are going to talk about how walking can fit in with EVERYONE'S training even if you are elite.

    1. Beginners: every running pace is a hard effort

      1. Walking is their aerobic/easy pace & that will eventually turn into running as fitness improves

      2. ⭐️ WALKING IMPROVES ENDURANCE: Walking will add to your aerobic base! Any time you’re increasing your heart rate for an extended period of time, you’re adding to your aerobic endurance which will improve your running overall

      3. ⭐️ WALKING CAN HELP KEEP YOUR RUN IN THE AEROBIC ZONE: You may need to walk to keep your easy days easy! Many athletes prefer the run/walk method (run for 5 minutes, walk for 1 minute or some variation of that). It may help some athletes keep their heart rate down in the appropriate aerobic zone

    2. Athletes can use run/walk method

      1. Building in walking recovery like 4:1 so athletes are able to run for longer without fatigue

      2. Maybe walking up hills or through water stops

    3. Ultra/Trail runners

      1. Walking up the hills to keep effort aerobic

      2. ⭐️ WALKING WORKS MUSCLES IN A DIFFERENT WAY: Walking utilizes muscles a bit differently than running which can make you into a better all-around athlete & runner

    4. Walking between recovery intervals in a workout

    5. Walking for recovery! WALKING AIDS IN RECOVERY: Walking helps increase blood flow to sore muscles from running. Going on walks before and after runs or on cross training/rest days is beneficial to promote blood flow and jumpstart your recovery from running

    Jan 17, 202434:38
    229. How to Run Stronger in 2024

    229. How to Run Stronger in 2024

    www.run4prs.com

    Many runners take time off after fall marathons and then the holidays. It can be hard to dive back into training when you are out of the swing of things. It can also be risky to ‘dive’ back into training because we have the tendency to do too much too soon. I always think one of the most injury prone runners are the ‘comeback’ runners because they use their old mileage/fitness levels are a reference point for where they want to be currently and sometimes instead of building progressively, they skip steps and try to do too much too soon which might feel fine aerobically but the musculoskeletal system has not had time to adapt yet.

    1. How to build back into training if you have taken 2-3 months off

      1. Time based

      2. Run/walks

      3. Build miles before you add in workouts

    2. How to build back into workouts

      1. Best workouts to start with

      2. 20% of weekly mileage

    3. How to build back if you have just been at a reduced mileage

      1. 10% increase per week

      2. Cut back weeks every 1-2 weeks

    4. Looking at the big picture.

      1. What are your goals for the next 3-6 months

      2. Start at the end goal 6 months from now and build up to where you are now

    Jan 08, 202432:07
    228. Does the Treadmill Count?

    228. Does the Treadmill Count?

    www.run4prs.com

    We are entering the winter season right now and many athletes are forced to run inside for safety purposes. Sometimes people run inside as a preference during the winter. We are going to do a deep dive into the topic of treadmill running today. The treadmill is a great tool that often gets a bad rap in the running community for a variety of reasons. Winter running is here! The negative temperatures and icy roads can leave runners without a safe place to run. We talk about dressing for various temperatures for easy runs and races. Learn the importance of footwear & when to take your run inside. Running outside in the winter doesn’t make you more hardcore BUT we take a deep dive on the differences between running on the treadmill vs outside. Have you ever had your garmin and treadmill not match pacing? We cover that too! 

    • When was the first time you started to use the treadmill?

    • We have a bit of a neutral stance on the treadmill

      • If treadmill is your only option due to weather or young kids: it is great

      • If you don’t have access to a treadmill, the alternative might be that you don’t run

      • It is a great tool BUT it is not everything

      • You shouldn’t use the treadmill as a clutch

      • You shouldn’t use the treadmill as a way to handicap you from running outside

    - Why do you think the treadmill gets a bad rap?

    - A lot of people can run faster on the treadmill than they can outside?

    - You can hold onto the railings

    -It’s flat, there is no weather/wind

    - Your Gamin isn’t accurate on it

    - No races are taking place on a treadmill

    - It might not be calibrated correctly

    -Why do some people hate the treadmill?

    - I can’t run fast or focus on it

    - I would 100% rather run outside

    - Run to be in nature

    - Some people are better at it than they are and it’s frustrating

    -Why do some people LOVE the treadmill?Is 

    • Allows them to run with young kids at home

    • Allows them to run in dark, in hurricane

    • Allows them to run when they are tired/need to watch something on TV

    • It’s just a great tool

    -At what point should you to treadmill vs outside?

    - Is treadmill running real running?

    - Will your garmin be accurate on the treadmill?

    -Does your fitness translate?


    Jan 01, 202436:32
    227. Have you peaked with running potential?

    227. Have you peaked with running potential?

    www.run4prs.com Many people get to a place with their running where they feel like they can no longer improve with their running. Often this is due to the law of diminishing returns. It just becomes harder to get the extra edge. You have to increase the load somehow to give your body something new to adapt to. Sometimes when we don’t have enough rest, this is also a problem because we have the stress load but not the recovery part.

    1. What are some signs someone is at their genetic limit

      1. Test your 1 mile time and put it into the vdot calculator

    2. What are some signs you have more potential

      1. Insane stride paces

      2. Inconsistent

      3. Doing the same workouts/training year after year

      4. Not polarizing training

    3. All the little things become that much more important as you want to reach the next level

    Dec 15, 202339:38
    226. How Long Until I Get Faster?

    226. How Long Until I Get Faster?

    www.run4prs.com Everyone has goals to see improvement. It is what gets us hooked on running. We love seeing growth and the efforts of our hard work paying off. But it actually takes a bit of time to see improvements on a physiological level with endurance sports. 

    1. Law of diminishing returns

      1. You will see bigger gains at the beginning of a new training cycle/process.

      2. The longer you have been working out/running the more you will hard to do to see improvements

    2. Improvement in form/mental training/pacing

      1. There are multiple ways someone can improve. Simply improving your pacing to give you faster times immediately without any additional fitness being gained

    3. How long do you see improved VO2MAX actual physical gains?

      1. 6 weeks

      2. You can start losing them at 2 weeks

      3. It’s easier to gain back fitness than it is to get fit in the first place

    Dec 08, 202337:30
    225. Is your offseason over?

    225. Is your offseason over?

    www.run4prs.com

    Many people get antsy this time of year and want to get back into the swing of training. We are at 2-6 weeks after a lot of the big fall races and this might be a question you ask yourself in the upcoming weeks. We want to chat about how to get back into doing some workouts and make sure you set yourself up for a successful 2024 year.

    1. When was the last time you took more than 2-4 months without racing or doing workouts?

      1. We need to take macro rest from training cycles if we want to have longevity in the sport

    2. What is the best type of workout to ease back into

      1. Fartleks

      2. Progression runs

      3. Try to limit the types of workouts you did during the training cycle. Do something different

    3. You still want to keep easy days easy

    4. Focus on building in good habits

      1. Nutrition, sleep, strength

    Nov 27, 202332:51
    224. Stregnth Training: Why Runners Need It!

    224. Stregnth Training: Why Runners Need It!

    www.run4prs.com

    Why do you need to strength Train?

    Strength training is key for athletes playing all sports. It can also help make runners faster, more efficient and prevent injuries. Let’s face it, running takes up a lot of time! As runners we know that more running usually means you become faster. When we already are running short on time, it’s hard to think that we would need to make time for strength training too! Isn’t running already enough? The short answer is: probably not! Running is great for cardiovascular health and improving endurance, but that is not the only thing you need to become a great athlete and a healthy person. 

    How does strength training help with injury prevention?

    CONSISTENCY is key for success

    The more consistent you are, the faster you will become

    Strength training allows your body to handle mileage because it strengthens the connective tissues and muscles

    What are imbalances or weaknesses that occur within the body?

    Trickle down effect & the whole body is connected

    Running is monotonous and sometimes it amplifies imbalances. 

    Strength training can help you correct these imbalances

    Runners need: Postural alignment, stabilization, strength and power

    Train for strength 8-12 reps 

    FRONTAL SAGITTAL TRANSVERSE 

    • Focus on exercises involving the major joints of the body (hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, etc.).

    • Emphasize movements that include multiple joints, and check for kinetic chain alignment.

    How does strength training help with finishing kick and raw speed?

    The strength of your body propels you forward

    It is anaerobic

    We always say a 5k is only 10% anaerobic but in a 20 min race that is 1 min.

    That is the difference between you and your goals.

    As we age, we lose muscle. We need to strength train just to maintain!

    How does it improve your running economy?

    What is running economy? Isn’t that the same as running form?

    Your glutes and core are firing and it allows you to be able to run stronger and have better form. Athletes who strength train are more likely to be able to engage their core and glutes.

    Improves Neuromuscular connections?

    What does this mean?

    When we run slow and easy, our body takes the easier route possible to get it done. Sometimes the faster twitch muscles start to become dormant. It is one of those ‘use it or it falls asleep’ things. By strength training, you are waking up the entire muscle with explosive strength and that entire muscle will engage again in the future when you are running.

    Balance

    • Start small and you build strength and confidence; multi-joint movements tend to be a bit more complex.

    • Mix it up. Include new movements and new equipment/modalities in each workout.

    Tips for Multi-Planar Training

    Nov 10, 202336:39
    223. What Does It Really Take To Qualify For Boston?

    223. What Does It Really Take To Qualify For Boston?

    www.run4prs.com Many athletes have the goal to run a BQ or Boston qualifying time. The qualifying times are listed on the Boston website and are progressive based on age. If you are under 35 on race day you need to run a 3:30 or faster if you are a female or a 3:00 or faster if you are a male. These are some quick times especially because you can only qualify in the marathon. Many runners say qualifying for Boston is their long term goal. We are going to do a deep dive on what it takes to get down to those times in the marathon. 

    1. What are some of the most common ways people BQ?

      1. Many people have a strong aerobic base & BQ easy

      2. Post-college athlete

      3. Swimming background/super fit people

    2. What if your first marathon time is like 5-6+ hours

      1. What would you recommend working on first?

    3. What are the equivalent 5k times?

      1. How do you break down benchmarks to get there?

    4. How to stay focused on a long term goal when you are 2+ hours away

      1. Break down attainable goals every 6 months

      2. 5:00 last year, let’s try to get into a 30:00 5k this year.. 30:00 5k last year? Let’s go for 27 this year?... then for a 4:00 marathon

    5. Is it a good goal to have?

    “I don’t like going slow on my easy days”

    “I don’t like to do workouts”

    “I don’t like long runs”

    If you don’t enjoy the process, it’s going to be impossible to get to the outcome you want. 


    Oct 31, 202339:56
    222. Offseason: Do You Need It? How To Improve Long Term

    222. Offseason: Do You Need It? How To Improve Long Term

    www.run4prs.com

    We are in the swing of offseason training and the last few podcasts we have talked about the importance of time off and recovery during this time of year after a big build up. However, once we get over those first few weeks off.. What should you be doing in the offseason? How should you reverse your taper? When should you start workouts again? All of these questions and more will be addressed in this episode!

    1. How to do a reverse taper

    2. How much mileage should you be running 2-3 months after a marathon?

    3. When should you start doing workouts again?

    4. When should you aim to race again?

    5. Should you focus on speed or endurance?

    6. Should you start lifting or focus on nutrition more during this time?

    Oct 20, 202335:16
    221. Do you NEED to take time off after your goal race?

    221. Do you NEED to take time off after your goal race?

    www.run4prs.com

    It can be so tempting to want to power through and continue to run base mileage a few days or even the day after a marathon. There is such a big build up to the marathon that the drastic change from training 7+ hours per week to basically doing nothing can feel weird. We want to be productive. We want to feel like we are working toward something. However, the time after the marathon is a time to be working on our recovery. We cannot peak forever. On social media or even people in our social circles it might seem like we know people who never take time off. Just because someone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for you to be doing

    1. How much time completely off do you need?

    2. What is a reverse taper?

    3. How much mileage should you be running 1-3 months out from your marathon?

    4. What if you feel fine?

    5. What if you feel like you are losing fitness?Why you


    Oct 10, 202329:49
    220. Race Nerves? Listen To This!

    220. Race Nerves? Listen To This!

    www.run4prs.com

    Worrying is suffering twice :) We have all been there. We all get nervous on race day to an extent. Some suffer from more race day anxiety than others. We care about your performances. We put a lot of time and energy into our training, and we hope that it all pays off on race day. It is good to care about your running, but we don’t want to be so nervous for a race that it makes us miserable! Today we are going to be chatting about ways to find zen and peace in the days and weeks leading up to race day!The first step is admitting you have a problem! I like to find what my triggers are and things that really make the race day anxiety worse.

    • What are some things that make race day anxiety worse for you?

    • What are the ultimate fears associated with anxiety. Sometimes it’s the same 1-3 ‘what ifs’ that we continue to circle back to in our mind. If we are able to isolate what exactly we are worried may happen, we can then ask ourselves ‘realistically, if this did happen, would you be okay?”

    • Taking the scary monster out of the dark and exposing it

    • Don’t put pressure on yourself by talking up big goals or oversharing. Some people love pressure: others do not!

    • Journaling

    • Talking with someone

    • Meditation

    • Trusting your process: you did the work. This is what you do every day

    • Putting your running in perspective: it is a hobby

    • Remembering other people are nervous too!

    Sep 28, 202331:51
    219. Is My Race Goal Too Aggressive?

    219. Is My Race Goal Too Aggressive?

    www.run4prs.com We always hear about time goals. I want to break 4 hours in the marathon. I think I can run X pace for this race… but what about non-time based goals? Are there other ways to set goals for your races? Is there a benefit to setting non-time based goals? 

    Time goals are great for figuring out about what pace you want to run for the race, but what if you have a rocky day. You don’t want to feel like a failure if you don’t hit an arbitrary time goal.

    YOU PUT IN SO MUCH WORK & already are a big winner! The training is the hardest part of things. You committed to something and worked hard to get there. Race day is a hard day but it is a cherry on top of the training cycle.

    What did NOT go well!

    1. How you want to feel the second half of the race

    2. Executing your mental game

    3. Finishing is an accomplishment

    4. Setting A, B, C, D goals

    5. Looking at race history: Happiest race? Slowest race? Funnest race? Most carefree? Most dogs counted?


    Sep 19, 202332:51
    218. How to feel every mile of a marathon

    218. How to feel every mile of a marathon

    Do you have a marathon coming up? Here is a recast of the 'how you should feel every mile of the marathon'

    Sep 07, 202339:40
    217. Race Pace: How To Determine Your Race Day Pacing Plan

    217. Race Pace: How To Determine Your Race Day Pacing Plan

    www.run4prs.com

    Fall races are approaching quickly and people often want to begin talking about goal times for their races. There are websites like findmymarathon.com that have mile by mile breakdown of exactly what pace you should be running for each and every mile of a race based on course elevation. This is great to think about the variations of paces you might hit in a race, but it is important to remember that we are not robots. Unfortunately there isn’t a special formula that will work to know exactly what pace you will or should hit per mile because each mile might feel different to you personally. The weather, wind, mentally, water stops, etc can all impact how you are pacing.

    Instead of focusing on mile by mile what pace you should be hitting we have a different approach we want our athletes to use. We are talking about speed limits at certain points during the race. We also want to spend these final weeks really visualizing and mentally preparing for how we want to feel at each mile of the race.

    1. What is the best way to decide on a race day goal?

      1. What paces have you been hitting in training

      2. What paces do you think you can hit but also challenge you a bit

      3. What is your history in the sport

    2. How should you pace it?

      1. Ideally we want to aim for negative or even splits. 

      2. Hills will slow you down, but we want to still account for this in the pacing plan. If the first half is very hilly and the second half is downhill, the EFFORT we want to give is a negative split

    3. Should you run with a pacer or wear a pace band?

    Aug 31, 202339:05
    216. Tapering: Avoid These Mistakes!

    216. Tapering: Avoid These Mistakes!

    www.run4prs.com As we get closer to fall races, more athletes are getting ready to run their fall races. As we get closer to these races, it is good to talk about one of the most important parts of your training plan: the taper! What exactly is the taper? It’s not exactly a time to kick back and relax/do nothing. The taper is going to give you a chance to peak for your race at the right time. If you do too short of a taper, you run the risk of feeling heavy legs on race day. If you do too long or extreme of a taper, you might feel out of the swing of things when the gun goes off on race day. We will be tapering by reducing the volume but keeping in some intensity so that your legs still have the bounce in them. During the taper, you may feel worse because your body is in recovery mode. This might cause athletes to freak out mentally, but don’t worry! This is all apart of the process.

    1. How long should the taper be for a marathon or half marathon?
      1. Marathon
        1. 2 weeks vs 3-4 weeks
      2. Half Marathon
        1. 2 weeks
    2. Should you taper for all races or just A races?
    3. What % of weekly mileage should you be running during the taper
      1. First week 70-80% of peak miles
      2. Second week 70-80% of previous week
      3. Third Week 70-80% of that prior week but it’s race week so it might be more
    4. What should you eat?
    5. What should your sleep look like?
    6. Is it okay to go faster on your easy days?
    7. What if you feel like crap?
      1. Phantom pains
    8. What if you feel really good and want to test your fitness?
    9. How can you make the time go by faster?
    Aug 24, 202335:09
    215. Back To Back Long Runs & Are You Running Too Long On Your Long Run Days?

    215. Back To Back Long Runs & Are You Running Too Long On Your Long Run Days?

    www.run4prs.com

    Whenever we get into marathon training season we start to see a lot of questions roll in about long runs. Often people focus a lot on that long run because when we do the actual marathon event, it is a LONG RUN! However, we often see people overemphasis this long run and it can cause athletes to compromise the rest of their training. The question we want to be asking ourselves as we gear up for the marathon is always: am I training… or am I testing? It can be tempting to hammer out 20 miles at marathon pace, but what is the purpose of that run? Is it what is best for our overall fitness? Or are we simply hoping to see where our fitness is at or boost confidence for race day?

    1. What pace should most of your long runs be?
    2. What distance should most of your long runs be?
    3. Why is there a 3 hour long run rule?

    The rationale is that after 2.5-3 hours, metabolic adaptations reach a point of diminishing returns.

    Every training decision is a balance of risk vs reward-

    -Individual factors also affect recovery from long runs:

    • Is the athlete eating enough during the long run?
    • Is the athlete eating enough in general or are they struggling with low energy availability (intentional or unintentional)?
    • What was the intensity of the run?
    • Did the athlete run on a hard or soft surface?
    • Was footwear cushioned enough?
    • How well are they sleeping?
    • How often are they doing these long runs? Are they exceeding three hours weekly or was it an uncommon occasion in peak training?
    • How were these long runs periodized?
    1. Accumulation of miles
    2. Back to back longer runs

    Adequate preparation -but not excessive – is key in the marathon. Periodize your training to prioritize race readiness

    Aug 16, 202330:50
    214. Are You Running the right workouts to get faster?

    214. Are You Running the right workouts to get faster?

    www.run4prs.com

    Many times we find training plans online or we do workouts that feel good/that we are good at, but is that the most productive way to be training? We are all about taking a deeper dive into the purpose behind workouts and uncovering the best way to actually reach your goals. Too often athletes get stuck feeling burnt out or frustrated thinking that they ‘peaked’ with their running/fitness but they are just not training in a way that allows them to progress. We need two very important things to progress: Stress and rest. When we have an imbalance or inadequacy of either of these, we will not see the progress we are hoping for. 

    1. What are running workouts?

    2. What is an easy run? Why do we do easy runs most of the time?

    3. What are the best time of running workouts to do?

      1. Training for a 5k 10% anaerobic

      2. Training for a 10k

      3. Training for a half 99% aerobic 

      4. Training for a full

      5. Training for an ultra

    4. What are the most common mistakes we see athletes make

      1. Running in the gray zone

      2. Not doing the correct workouts

      3. Only doing workouts they are comfortable with

      4. Not progressing stress

      5. Doing too much too soon

    Aug 07, 202338:59
    213. Peaking Too Soon

    213. Peaking Too Soon

    www.run4prs.com

    No one wants to get burnt out 10-4 weeks before their goal race, but you would be amazed at how often this happens. People often start training for their goal races 20-16 weeks out. The first 6-8 weeks of training should feel pretty sustainable and easy. However, most people do not start off at a sustainable easy pace, they often pick something that gives them a sense of challenge right away. The challenge feels fun at first, but likely 5-10 weeks into this ‘fun’, the novelty wears off and the athletes realize they are not able to sustain the training plan. This can often lead to mental and physical burn out. Many people report that they peaked too soon because they felt great the first few weeks training but then it fizzed out. Don’t let this happen to you!

    1. How much mileage should you be running

      1. Start with the mileage you have been doing

      2. Progressive overload

    2. Should you increase mileage every single week?

      1. Have cut back weeks every 2-3 weeks

      2. Cut back BEFORE you feel like you need it

    3. Is fueling really that important

      1. Ensure proper fueling

      2. You need to fuel properly to sustain your training

      3. Your whole day revolves around running- Coach Meghan

    4. How are you managing your life stress?

      1. Consider overall stress: Do you need to cut down on lifting, drinking, other commitments?

      2. When you are increasing the stress load with long runs, mileage & workouts, we often need to ask ourselves if we need to lower stress in other areas of our lives

    5. How do you feel during the start of training? Is it boring?

      1. You shouldn’t feel sick of training until the peak weeks

    Jul 27, 202343:03
    212. The 20 mile Long Run

    212. The 20 mile Long Run

    www.run4prs.com

    HOW LONG SHOULD YOUR LONG RUNS BE:THE 20 MILE LONG RUN RULE 

     Everyone who has trained for a marathon has probably googled ‘marathon training plan’ at some point. Most of the plans you find on google are going to encompass a ‘20 mile long run’. But do you need to do a 20 mile long run to finish a marathon? Or a better question might be: could doing a 20 mile long run actually have less benefit than doing a 16 miler? We are going to do a deep dive into what the research of Jack Daniel’s an exercise physiologist says about long runs. There are many guidelines he has for long runs and we will touch on the main 3:

    1. Most long runs should be done at an easy pace

      1. Long runs are stressful on the body

      2. No need to add in pace work until the body is used to the distance

    2. Your long runs should be no more than 30% of your weekly volume

      1. There can be exceptions to this rule

      2. Guideline to think about

      3. Considering the benefits of medium long runs and back to back long runs

    3. Your long runs should be limited to 2.5-3 hours

      1. Running over 3 hours has an increased risk of injury

      2. Running over 3 hours you start to lose benefits

    Later in the podcast we will do a deep dive on what you might do if you are only covering 14 miles in 3 hours. We share the concept of back to back long runs that might be the missing link in getting your fitness up to run 26.2 miles without physically breaking you. Back to back long runs are used by endurance athletes who train for ultra marathons. No 100 miler runs 80 miles during a ‘training run’, so why do people training for 26.2 mile run 20 miles in a training run?

    Let’s take a deep dive into what this might mean for your long runs

    Long runs are a BIG stress on the body! Because of that, we need to follow some rules to keep the risks for injury and prolonged recovery to a MINIMUM!

    ✅ 33% RULE: The long run should not be more than 33% (⅓) of your total weekly mileage! Sticking to this rule or close to this rule will decrease your risk for injury. Athletes who are doing more like 50% of their weekly mileage in one run will likely need to take extra time off the following week only to repeat the cycle again the following week. If you do a lot of aerobic cross training or have a strong background in the sport, you may be able to get away with a higher percentage.

    ✅ 10% RULE: Don’t increase your long run mileage by more than 10% each week. This can also decrease the risk for injury!

    ✅  3 HOUR RULE: We like to cap long runs at 3 hours max! Research has shown that your body gets the most physiological aerobic benefits from runs between 60-90 min in duration AND that runs over 3 hours start to have diminishing returns. The risk for injury becomes much higher! This means that many athletes should incorporate back to back long runs instead of one 20 mile long run. The risks just don’t outweigh the benefits when it comes to running longer than 3 hours (for marathon training)

    BACK TO BACK LONG RUNS

     We have discussed the long run guidelines on previous podcasts. Some of the guidelines include: capping long run at 3 hours & capping long run at 33% of weekly mileage. Some athletes do the math on this then come to calculate that they may not ever running 20 miles. This is part of the issue. The idea that athletes think they need to run 20 miles to successfully run a marathon and not hit the wall. Hanson’s Method was one of the first pioneers that showed if we cap that long run at 16 miles, we can get people who have never BQed to run that BQ breakthrough race. I have seen a lot of people get a breakthrough race with this method. The hanson’s method really looks at the entire week instead of just that one long run. There is also a medium long run during the week. The idea is that you are the compilation of the entire week, not just the weekend long run.

    Jul 20, 202345:23
    211. Practicing Water Stops

    211. Practicing Water Stops

    HOW TO PRACTICE WATER STOPS

    Most athletes who follow us or listen to the podcast at some point or another hope to do a distance run or distance race. When we are training for events longer than 45-60 min, it’s important that we begin thinking about not only our fueling strategy but also how we plan to stay hydrated. During the summer months this is especially important to chat about. Many people during this time of year are gearing up for their fall marathons. When we run long runs of 2-3 hours, it’s imperative that we stay hydrated. When we add in the factor of heat/humidity into training, hydration becomes even more critical. Some athletes carry hydration back packs, other people run with a hand held bottle and some people simply stop to drink water. These are all great approaches to ensure that we stay hydrated, but one thing we often forget about is that we might want to practice our hydration strategy how we plan to do this on race day.

    When does it become important to really monitor how much time the water stops are taking?

    1. It’s not a huge deal if you are newer to the sport and just trying to finish the race

    2. We would want to nail down your hydration strategy before we try to make it as efficient as possible

    How do you stay hydrated during a race?

    1. Research the course offerings

    2. How many water stops & at what miles are they offered. Smaller races there may not be a ton of water stops

    3. Are people handing out the cups or will you have to stop and grab?

    You can get away with not fueling on easy long runs every 30-45 min or without fluids but on race day it’s a lot faster and it’s an all out race so you will feel the impacts

    How do you practice running through a water stop?

    1. Get small dixie cups and practice bending the cup to create a slight v shape and drink

    2. Hold cup for a few steps until you have finished the liquids

    3. Opt to take water at most stops to stay hydrated

    How do you know how much water to take?

    1. We want to practice during training and measure how much water we go through

    Should you wear a hydration pack or a hand held during the race?

  • How did you practice?

  • Does the race allow for these back packs?


  • Will you toss the hand held?

    www.run4prs.com

    Jul 13, 202336:42
    210. "Easy Running Makes My Form Weird: Should I Go Faster?" & Other Ask The Coaches Questions

    210. "Easy Running Makes My Form Weird: Should I Go Faster?" & Other Ask The Coaches Questions

    www.run4prs.com

    Ask The Coaches: Should I make up a missed workout?

    1.Do I need to make up for missed workouts?

    If you just had a bad workout: axe it

    2. What should I do if my calf is tight and hurts when I run and put hot or cold

    3. Stretching: is there an ideal window of time after we should stretch?

    4. What should my stride look like on an easy day- I feel like I am shuffling along with terrible form but I think about lifting my knees


    Jul 05, 202339:38
    209. Fueling Endurance Sports: Mistakes We See & How to Reach Your Potential

    209. Fueling Endurance Sports: Mistakes We See & How to Reach Your Potential

    www.run4prs.com Running is an endurance sport. All endurance sports will require fueling in order to reach your performance potential. Don’t leave your fastest times sitting on the table because you neglect fueling! Can you run long distances without fuel, yes, but physically will you perform better when you are fueled properly? YES! When you put in hundreds of hours into training, shouldn’t we also make an investment into our nutrition/fueling to ensure that we are able to allow our fitness to shine though on race day? One of the biggest limiting factors in races over 90 mins is fueling! It tends to be one of the number one reasons why people DNF 100 mile races. However, we live in an area of ‘diet culture’ and ‘biohacking’ where we might see counterproductive advice on the internet like ‘fasted workouts’. We want to remember that these so-called ‘experts’ are not advising endurance athletes to do these things fast. Endurance athletes are generally focused on performance, so we want to make sure we use that as our primary goal when discussing this. Why is it important to use fuel vs use nothing? The science of how carbs help boost performance in endurance events Carbs help delay fatigue by raising blood sugar levels and protecting your muscle glycogen stores allowing exercise to continue for longer at higher intensities. 30-80g per hour of carbs in events > 1 hour Especially important when going more than 2 hours By ingesting carbs during endurance events it helps reduce the stress placed on your immune system. When blood sugar drops, your brain increases Cortisol and epinephrine - two key hormones Can you run without fuel? Antecdolte advice: “I ran without fuel and I was fine” Why do some people claim ‘fasted’ workouts are good Why is it not beneficial for performance outcomes The ingestion of carbohydrates can have a significant effect on exercise performance During prolonged or intense exercise, the body breaks down and depletes muscle glycogen stores. Eventually this reaches a point of reduced carbohydrate availability. And may negatively affect fat metabolism, increase rates of fatigue, and increase muscle protein breakdown. By ingestion carbohydrates, we can maintain blood sugar levels, preserve muscle and liver glycogen stores, reduce muscle breakdown, lower cortisol levels, maintain immune function and enhance exercise performance History of running without fuel/history of gels What if your stomach hurts when you use gels? How often should you be using gels? Every 30-45 min a gel water/electrolytes every 15-30 min (4-8 oz) How much sodium do you need? 300-700mg Practice how you want to do this on race day! Also practice carb loading How do you carry your gels? How to experiment if something doesn't sit right?
    Jun 22, 202338:13
    208. Heat, Humidity & Your Running: Secrets to improving in unfavorable conditions

    208. Heat, Humidity & Your Running: Secrets to improving in unfavorable conditions

    www.run4prs.com for a free 7 day trial. HUMIDITY, DEW POINT, HEAT INDEX: HOW THEY AFFECT YOUR TRAINING • Temperature alone is ❌NOT❌ the most important number to look at when determining how comfortable your run will be. Check out how humidity, dew point, and heat index affect our bodies & training:👇 • ✅HUMIDITY: Concentration/presence of water vapor in the air. It’s usually measured as relative humidity, which is a percentage of the highest possible absolute humidity. Humans are VERY sensitive to humidity because our skin needs air to get rid of moisture. Sweating allows us to cool down but when it’s very humid, our sweat can’t evaporate into the air so we feel a lot hotter when it is very humid 🥴 • ✅DEW POINT: A better judge of how comfortable it will be outside than relative humidity. The temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor. The higher the dew point, the greater the amount of moisture in the air. Relative humidity can be deceiving. EXAMPLE: A temp of 30/dew point of 30 will give you a relative humidity of 100%, but a temperature of 80/dew point of 60 would be a relative humidity of 50%. It would feel much more “humid” on the 80 degree day with 50% relative humidity than on the 30 degree day with a 100% relative humidity • 🔥Less than or equal to 55: dry and comfortable 🔥Between 55 and 65: feels “sticky” 🔥Greater than or equal to 65: lots of moisture in the air, VERY uncomfortable • ✅HEAT INDEX: What the temperature “feels like” when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. EXAMPLE: If the air temperature is 100°F and the relative humidity is 55%, the heat index will be 124°F. This is assuming that you are in a shady area. If you are in direct sunlight, the heat index can be increased by up to 15°F! • 🔥80-90 Fahrenheit: CAUTION. Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity 🔥90-103 F: EXTREME CAUTION. Heat stroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity 🔥103-124 F: DANGER. Heat cramps or heat exhaustion likely, and heat stroke possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity 🔥125 F and higher: EXTREME DANGER. Heat stroke highly likely
    Jun 15, 202345:33
    207. What fitness level do you need before training for your first marathon?

    207. What fitness level do you need before training for your first marathon?

    www.run4prs.com Training for your first marathon! Many people have a bucket list item of running a full marathon. A marathon is 26.2 miles. It is a long ways to go. Before your first marathon, it may seem unfathomable to run 26.2 miles, but with training, you can get there. We are going to dedicate this entire episode to training for your first marathon. We will go over how much you should be running before you start officially training, how long you should train for, and the rules you should follow for long runs and increasing mileage.

    What level do you need to be at before you start training for a marathon

    How long does it take to go from ‘never ran in my life’ to running 3-5 miles without stopping

    Easy runs, 10% rule
    run/walks


    You want to be able to get to a place where you can run for 90 min and not need to take significant time off

    30 min long run, 20 min long run, 35 min long run, 20 min long run, 40 min long run, 25 min long run, 45 min long run, 20 min long run, 55 min long run, 30 min long run, 60 min long run, 30 min long run, 65 min long run, 40 min long run, 70 min long run, 35 min long runs, 75 min long run, 45 min long run, 85 min long run, 45 min long run, 90 min long run, 45 min long run, 95 min long run
    If you increased every other week starting at a 30 min long run, it would take you 23 weeks or 5.5 months to build up to over 90 min


    Many people CAN get away with doing more but you want to be safe about it

    No more than a 10% increase per week


    We recommend no more than 33% of your weekly mileage be your long run, so to have a 10 mile long run, we would want to be at around 25-30 miles per week

    It can take months to build to that point




    Benchmarks

    Runs 90 min for a long run
    Runs 20-25 miles per week
    Has been running for 6+ months
    Has desire to run 26.2 miles
    Doesn’t have any recent injuries


    How long should someone train for their first marathon

    If you don’t have the above benchmarks you may do more like a 6 month cycle
    If you have a more solid base like coming out of college xc, you could get away with closer to a 12 week cycle
    16 weeks is pretty standard


    Going slow enough on easy days: the biggest mistake we see
    Jun 08, 202357:09
    206. How does Orange Theory Fit or Other Fitness Classes In With Your Marathon or Half Marathon Training?

    206. How does Orange Theory Fit or Other Fitness Classes In With Your Marathon or Half Marathon Training?

    • 1. What to wear/prepare for rain (I've had two athletes just ask me about this) and 

    • - Depends on the temp

    • -40, 50, 60+ in rain are wildly different beasts

    • 2. How to prepare for hot temps on race day.... 

    • - train in the heat

    • -don’t sign up for races when it’s going to be hot

    • -treadmill/sauna

    • -shorts

    • 3. "how to fit Orange Theory classes into your running plan" or maybe "pros & cons about doing Orange Theory classes while training for a race". I'd like to hear your guys's take on Orange Theory and how to fit it in your training plans, since there is usually running/sprinting involved with it.

    • - OT is a high intensity workout

    • -Highly competitive environment

    • -expensive

    • -why are you going there

    • - We want to limit

    • 4. How do you run so many miles?

    • - Building up over time

    • -Going slow enough on easy days

    • -Enjoyable

    May 31, 202347:38
    205. When will easy runs get faster?

    205. When will easy runs get faster?

    www.run4prs.com Is it possible to make a full recovery from burnout
    My HR stays in zone 4 even if I slow down more than 3 min per mile

    How long does base building take to see results like easy running getting from 11-13 min per mile to 8-9 min per mile

    I’m confused how you should be able to talk on easy runs. How should this actually sound
    May 18, 202341:22
    204. Exhausted for hours after a long run? Try doing this

    204. Exhausted for hours after a long run? Try doing this

    www.run4prs.com Should you train based off HR or pace or effort

    Drawback of HR- wrist HR monitor doesn’t work, Most people don’t know their appropriate zones, other things impact your HR like stress, time of the month, medication, weather, sleep, caffeine

    Pace has drawbacks as well. Hills will make you slower. Heat will make you


    Going off of effort→ it is a learning curve. You have to be okay with bombing a workout and not knowing you stats. Don’t look at your watch. You have done these workouts before. You know the idea.

    Heat training adjustments

    How should you assess progress outside of time results?


    How do feel on workouts

    Recovery rates

    I am not laid up all day after a long run

    Effort based

    Mental toughness

    Not needed validation

    Not needing to race constantly

    Being happier with my training

    Not getting sick as often

    Not getting injured

    Having more energy


    May 11, 202346:49
    203. Run Streaks: the good, the bad & the ugly

    203. Run Streaks: the good, the bad & the ugly

    Run streaks! Maybe you have seen people on social media talking about their 1000 day run streaks or maybe you have no idea what a run streak is. Today we are going to talk about the topic of ‘run streaking’. Before we dive into this topic, we wanted to define a run streak. A run streak is simply running every single day (no days off from running) usually defined with a minimum of 1 mile per day and the streak continues on ‘forever’. Maybe people participate in the shorter runner’s worlds run streaks every year over the holiday season. These types of run streaks are a little different because they have a defining end point… But what about the streaks that don’t end? We are going to break down this topic into a few parts Sharing some stats about run streaks Runeveryday.com What is the longest streak for a man? John Sutherland - Ron Hill retired his at 52 years For a female? Lois Bastien of Florida Are these people slower than they could potentially be? Why would someone start a run streak? What are some of the potential benefits of a run streak? Helps with consistency which can make you faster Building endurance/used to running on fatigued legs Gets you outside/moving What are some of the potential downsides to a run streak? No rest days is problematic Define rest days & why no taking them can be a problem Benefits the metabolic systems such as fitness, threshold and vo2 max. Benefits structural systems such as muscles and tendons and neuromuscular coordination Not resting can lead to OCD tendencies or feeling the need to run through injury or illness which can result in poor performance or being forced to take extended time off. Mental & physical burn out Sometimes you might lose the joy without that mental break! Your performance might suffer if you’re always worried about mileage and not as focused around a polarized training approach. Longer you go, the harder it is to break Viewing ‘rest’ as ‘failure’ has potential long term issues Biggest issue is the view of rest as ‘bad’/’breaking’ your healthy habit Too much of a good thing People who should avoid run streaks Anxiety or OCD tendencies If you feel like you don’t have ‘other coping strategies’ What are some healthy coping strategies for stress besides running? Someone who has impending medical needs or wanting to have children If you avoid having kids or having a surgery because of a run streak
    May 04, 202343:30
    202. What would you do differently for your 1st marathon? And other ask the coaches questions

    202. What would you do differently for your 1st marathon? And other ask the coaches questions

    www.run4prs.com What is one thing you would do differently for your first marathon if you could go back? Do it sooner & not overthink it so much Have no ego Run based off effort Have fun with it Train better How many miles can a pair of shoes get before you need to retire them? When to wear certain types of shoes Easy run Clifton Carbon X Endorphin Nike Workouts Alpha Fueling during runs and training Before During after
    Apr 28, 202345:42
    201. “Too slow” on easy days: is this possible? And more ask the coaches questions

    201. “Too slow” on easy days: is this possible? And more ask the coaches questions

    www.run4prs.com OVERTRAINING: How can you recover from & can you salvage a race? We want to learn something from why/how this happened How long has this deterioration going? 12 marathons in 2 years? It’s going to take longer to recover Usually is something that builds up over the course of years Feeling burnt out can be corrected if it’s on a microlevel Elevated RHR How can you run during the first trimester? Symptoms: fatigue & nausea Nausea makes it hard to keep food down or eat Eating small meals Movement helps. Give yourself  Fatigue: things might feel harder Is it possible to run too slow on easy days? How much time should you space between racing 5ks or half marathons?
    Apr 20, 202335:09
    200. Why is easy running so challenging? Tips to slow down & embrace your true easy pace

    200. Why is easy running so challenging? Tips to slow down & embrace your true easy pace

    www.run4prs.com Slowing down can be challenging for runners. Most people have seen the extreme fitness ‘no pain no gain’ side of things. When we begin running, we often think that if we aren’t in the pain cave or really pushing it, that our efforts are not going to simulate change. However, running is a unique sport in that way. Our aerobic system is actually developed at lower intensities EASY RUNNING BASED ON HR: Why this is not ideal What is ‘zone 2 work’ How to calculate max HR & your ‘zone 2 HR’ MAF Method: what this is & how to calculate HR off this method Limitations to the HR method Wrist HR monitors are not accurate Medications/stress/sleep impact HR HR zones people get using 220-age are often incorrect READ ARTICLE HERE: https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/why-i-dont-recommend-training-by-heart-rate/ EASY RUNNING BASED ON PACES: Can be a good guide Jack Daniels Approach: Watch his video on easy running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veAQ73OJdwY Easy 60% of effort/vo2max 65% of HR. As you run harder your HR goes up but your stroke volume, the force of contraction plateaus around that 60% of your HR. Inside muscle fibers, contain mitochondria, blood supply provides oxygen which gives us fuel and energy VDOT calculator gives a small window for a pace range, but you can/should go even slower on some days. Think of his range as the ‘speed limit’ for easy running If you are able to still hit workout days consistency you are in the right easy zone VIDEO SUMMARY: Heart muscle gets stronger Stroke volume maxes out at 60% max HR… Heart is beating as hard as it’s every going to beat at 60% max HR—> 120BPM ( Mitochondria increase in size You can run easy for longer and easier on the muscular skeltoal system. On our IG page we often reference 2-4 min per mile slower than 5k pace or 1-3 min per mile slower than marathon pace. The idea is that you go significantly slower than race pace. Most people need to go slower on easy days not faster Can easy days be too easy? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixTO4dtSLGU Make sure you have good mechanics EASY RUNNING BASED ON EFFORT: ideal end point for runners Running Based on effort This method really only works if you have an understanding of how easy running should feel by using either the HR method or running off pace for a number of months/years Running based on effort allows you to listen to your body to adjust the pace on the fly THINGS THAT HELP YOU SLOW DOWN Doing hard workout days for 20% of weekly milage Running enough mileage Running with slower people Not listening to music Not looking at your watch Trying to breathe out of your nose on
    Apr 13, 202357:35
    199. VDOT Marathon Prediction vs Your Actual Marathon Finish Time: How to actually achieve your VDOT marathon prediction

    199. VDOT Marathon Prediction vs Your Actual Marathon Finish Time: How to actually achieve your VDOT marathon prediction

    www.run4prs.com
    Question 1→ VDOT says I can run faster in the marathon by 20 min. My lungs don’t give out but my legs do! I run 50 miles a week (2 speed work days, 1 LR, 3 easy), Fasted marathon was 4hr. Current projection based on a 1/2 marathon Vdot calculation has me set for a 3:40 marathon I often find it hard to breathe for the hour+ following an interval workout. my muscles rarely are sore or give up before my breath gives out.
    Question 2- Tips for running during pregnancy
    Two end of the spectrum. You never know how you wil feel. Things will be different. Listen to your body. Adjust your goals. Turn strava off. Run with a slower group like moms on the run. Running will feel harder at some point. Do not compare your pregnancy to others. Comparing your kids to others, etc.
    Question 3- Can you train consecutive cycles for a 5k or do you still need to periodize
    Question 4- Breastfeeding race day logistics
    Question 5-Should I use MAC HR or lactate threshold HR to train in zone 2?
    Apr 06, 202333:23
    198. Transitioning From Treadmill Back Outside After Winter

    198. Transitioning From Treadmill Back Outside After Winter

    www.run4prs.com It has been a tough and long winter for those of us living in the upper regions of the US. A lot of runners in the midwest will use the treadmill for the majority of the winter due to poor footing or sub zero temps. The treadmill is a great tool for runners to stay consistent in the winter, however, we know that as the spring approaches runners are eager to say goodbye to the treadmill and transition outside. We wanted to do an episode about transitioning back outside because while it can seem like a relatively straightforward task, we should approach cautiously because outdoor running can be harder on the body than the treadmill

    Cite studies about treadmill surface being softer/more bounce/give than outdoor running

    The surface is softer on your joints: Treadmills are typically a much softer surface to run on, and therefore softer on the joints. Looking after your joints can help you reduce injuries, and keep running for longer.

    Research on the differences between treadmill and outside

    More muscle activation: Compared to running on the treadmill, when you run on the road, or the trail, you’re having to use more muscles to grab the ground and push off. One of the downsides of running on the treadmill is that the belt assists leg turnover, meaning you don't have to work quite as hard. When running outside, you’re also forced to not just move in a linear motion, as you’ll often find you have to dodge people, cars, and objects on the sidewalk as you move.

    Moving on the lateral plans vs side to side
    Incorporating band work side to side?
    breakingmuscle.com/train-the-lateral-plane-for-maximum-athleticism/
    www.kinetic-revolution.com/multi-planar-strength-for-triathlon-and-running/

    Assess how many miles per week were on the treadmill

    Example: averaged 30 miles a week the past 6 weeks and 25 of them were on the treadmill

    Week 1 transition outside aim for 10-15 miles outside
    Week 2 translation outside aim for 15-20 miles outside
    Week 3 transition outside aim for 20-25 miles outside
    Week 4 transition outside aim for 25-30 miles outside

    It might be good to ease into things and give yourself 4-6 weeks to go from majority treadmill to 100% outside. Can you get away with more? Possibly but we would rather be safe

    Running on softer surfaces may also help: consider the trails

    Try not to add in too many variables at once. If you haven’t been running workouts or long runs, try not to add that in during this transition time.
    Mar 30, 202339:56
    197. Big Time Goals: How To Train Safely To Achieve The Times You Want

    197. Big Time Goals: How To Train Safely To Achieve The Times You Want

    www.run4prs.com for a free 7 day coaching trial. It can be tempting to want to go all in on a new plan or type of training because after months of doing not-a-lot or less than we did in the summer, we feel like we need to do something really BIG to motivate us. The truth is that this is not the best approach. We want to talk about the progressive overload principle today & why sometimes doing less will lead to more optimal results. The reality is more is not always better sometimes it is just more!

    1. How often do you see people overtrain?
    2. How do we know if it is the right amount of stress?
    3. Why do people not like to do less?
      1. Comparison trap
      2. Fear of not being ready for their race
      3. Thinking that more is always better.
    4. Can you still improve by doing more than you should?
    Mar 24, 202301:02:31
    196. Workouts vs Racing: What is the difference?

    196. Workouts vs Racing: What is the difference?

    We often see people do workouts on strava or social media and sometimes we think, if I could just hit those paces in a workout, I could be as fast as them? This might lead an athlete to run workouts faster than they should. The whole point of this podcast is that each workout has a purpose. Even a workout like 6 x 800 meters could be a threshold workout or a VO2MAX workout. The purpose of the workout will dictate the pace you run for the intervals. If you are doing a threshold workout, you would run this reps slower and have shorter recovery inbetween. If you are doing a VO2MAX workout, you would be running these much faster and have maximum rest inbetween.
    Racing DEFINED! What really is racing?
    Max effort 1 max rep at the gym
    Takes time to be able to push yourself: don’t know how to push it

    Beginner
    Intimate
    Advanced


    The purpose of each workout

    VO2MAX
    Threshold
    Upper end Aerobic/Marathon Pace
    Easy run


    Why faster/more isn’t always better
    4x 1 mi @ threshold pace @ 6:30

    Let’s say you go out and run 6:10 pace (5k
    If you do 4 miles of work at 5k pace, that is hella stress

    If you do 4 miles of work at threshold pace, it’s less than a race effort
    Overtraining


    Giving 100% effort is harder to recover from
    Saving racing for racing


    Is it better to do less?

    Not always→ sometimes you have to do more.. Law of diminishing returns
    You need to stress the body just enough to make a change→ progressive overload


    Signs you might be racing your workouts

    Unable to consistently hit workouts
    Feeling like you always need additional recovery between reps
    Feeling like you are not recovering inbetween workouts/overtraining
    Not wanting to do workouts
    Injury


    Mar 16, 202343:49
    195. Can Trail Running Make You Faster? & other ask the coaches questions

    195. Can Trail Running Make You Faster? & other ask the coaches questions

    www.run4prs.com
    1.Trail running vs road running: How can running in trails be a benefit?
    - not ultras, just getting miles in on the trail during training blocks. I run alot of my long days on the trails, it kind of forces you to run slower, and i feel way more ab engagement than just on the road. Any recommendations on how often to trail run? I’m a New England runner so lots of great trails out here.
    2. I am getting ready for the Murph workout this year, and the workout is bookended with a 1 mile runs wearing a 20 weighted vest.
    What about wearing a weighted vest once or twice a week for runs?
    Too much on the joints? Good way to increase strength?
    Very hard on the joints. Risk for injury unless you increase slowly.
    Rucking involves wearing a weighted pack.
    DO NOT:

    Run with a weight vest if you’ve never run before or never lifted weights before.
    Run with a weight vest if you have a serious injury.
    Wear a weight vest all day.
    Run with a weight vest over long distances.
    Wear a weight vest that is too heavy for you.

    You might go on some runs after lifting to account for the fatigue
    3. Eye injury– 2 weeks off running go straight into it?
    2 weeks isn’t enough time to really lose a ton of fitness, but with any time off I usually recommend easing back into things slightly and see how the body responds. Also considering eyewear?
    4. If I have been training at a BQ pace, how should I pace the marathon?
    Training at exactly BQ pace is tricky because it doesn’t give a ton of room for error. Often marathon courses measure 26.4 miles. A sub 3 hour marathon is 6:52/mi pace but even 6:50 per mile on most courses will not be enough to break 3 on your watch. It is nice if you calculate the pace you need to run based on the assumption that your watch will measure the course as 26.5 miles AND that you will want to run something with a 30-60 second buffer. For example
    A 3:29:30 on a 26.5 mile course is actually 7:54 per mile instead of the 8:00 per mile
    A 8:00 pace for 26.5 miles in 3:32- 2 min shy of the goal.
    I would take this into consideration for pacing
    5. How do I lower my heart rate while running? I tried running really slow like 13 min pace and it is still not working
    Make sure you are measuring with something that is accurate. Wrist HR monitor is NOT accurate. The chest strap is better. Then, be realistic with the paces. 13:00 pace is not that slow. If you run a 5k at 8:00 or 9:00 per mile, 13:00 pace might be your easy pace at a low heart rate as your body adapts. It could also be a sign of overtraining. Other things also impact HR such as stress, caffeine, medications. I would look at all the things that could be impacting HR and see if we can’t find a reason.
    Mar 09, 202341:44
    194. Has running become a “chore”? Tips to reignite that running spark

    194. Has running become a “chore”? Tips to reignite that running spark

    Ever have a day where you just don't feel like running? This can be common especially this time of year if the weather is tough. You are not alone in feeling like running can sometimes feel like a chore. This mindset makes consistency very challenging. We have talked about the power of consistency so many times in this podcast. If we are able to be consistent with training over time, we will be able to transform as runners and reach our potential.

    Things to do if you feel like you are stuck in a rut

    Find a running friend/partner
    Talk to someone on the phone
    Netflix
    New running routes


    Mentally what might be going on

    Lack of goals/direction
    Not excited about your goals/direction
    Something else might be off in your life

    Not enough time to workout
    Not enough energy


    “Everyone should meditate for 10 min a day unless you are too busy then you need an hour”


    Mar 02, 202344:14
    193. Are you running too much or not enough? Weekly mileage podcast

    193. Are you running too much or not enough? Weekly mileage podcast

    Www.Run4prs.com for a free week or personalized workouts! Many people show off their monthly mileage totals on social media. It is a great way to track your progress in some respects, but in other respects, it is easy to get ‘caught up in the numbers game’ of running. Two runners of the same abilities might run vastly different peak mileages in marathon training yet run the same finishing time. It is less about what your weekly mileage is and more about finding the sweet spot of mileage for you during this season of your training.
    1. Progressive overload: more usually is better until it’s not
    1. Aerobic base: science
    Legendary coach Arthur Lydiard’s philosophy was that it all starts with mileage. That's because endurance training stimulates many physiological, biochemical and molecular adaptations. All his training programs would consist of an 8-10 week base building phase.
    1. stimulates more fuel (glycogen) to be stored in your muscles
    2. increases the use of intramuscular fat at the same speed to spare glycogen
    3. improves your blood vessels' oxygen-carrying capability by increasing the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin
    4. creates a greater capillary network for a more rapid diffusion of oxygen into the muscles
    5. increases mitochondrial density and the number of aerobic enzymes through the complex activation of gene expression. This increases your aerobic metabolic capacity.

    2. Time of feet: science
    Time on Feet follows the principles of Lydiard training to reach peak performance. This is achieved by using a systematic approach to training. The emphasis is on conditioning in the early stages of a programme, in order to give the individual a feeling of a 'tireless state.' This is looked at as a crucial phase if achievements are to be made later.
    2. There becomes a point where running more is not productive
    1. Overtraining signs
    Constant niggles
    Feeling run down
    Mentally feeling down in the dumps


    Train smarter not harder:
    How much running can you physically and psychologically handle?

    For example, the mitochondrial enzyme content of rats has been shown to reach its maximum adaptation with running 60 minutes per day, five days per week.
    A study published in European Journal of Physiology in 1998 on horses training for 34 weeks found that increases in muscle fiber, # of capillaries number of capillaries per fiber plateaued after 16 weeks of training. After the first 16 weeks, the horses were divided into two groups: a control group and an overload training group, which trained with higher mileage. Both groups increased mitochondrial volume and VO2 max with the increased mileage over the next 18 weeks, but there was no difference in those variables or in muscle fiber area and capillarization after 34 weeks despite the two-fold difference in training volume between groups over the final 18 weeks. Clearly, there is a limit to muscles' adaptive response to training.

    If you look at the training data of elite athletes, you find that the optimum training volume for the world's best athletes lies somewhere between 75 and 110 miles per week
    What is REDS syndrome?
    Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) syndrome, or what’s more commonly known as the Female Athlete Triad.
    Not eating appropriately for the amount of energy an athlete expends
    Feb 23, 202301:02:15
    192. How fast should you run on race day? & more ask the coaches questions

    192. How fast should you run on race day? & more ask the coaches questions

    1 .What pace should I am to race at for a 5k or half marathon? Threshold? Intervals? Slightly slower? Slightly faster?

    Answer: if you download our guide at
    www.run4prs.com it will go over this in great detail written out. We will summarize here. First, it’s important to do a fitness test. This fitness test usually looks like a time trial of running 1-3 miles ‘all out effort’ to see where your current fitness is at. If you have absolutely no idea where your fitness is at, start at a pace 30-45 seconds faster than you run on a good ‘moderate/harder’ effort run. We can’t establish paces without first understanding where you are at currently. If you totally bomb the time trial, that is okay, we can always test again. The result will still be a good guide within reason.

    Your 5k pace is usually the same (slightly slower) than your time trial pace.

    Intervals are going to be done anywhere from slightly faster than 5k pace to threshold pace.. It depends on the purpose of the workout

    Your threshold pace is about 20-30 seconds per mile slower than time trial pace

    Your half marathon pace is 5-20 seconds per mile slower than threshold pace

    Whenever we do an event for the first time or even if it’s the 5th time, but you feel newer to racing, we might not go out at that exact pace I said above. We might want to ease into things and start slower. We build confidence by having positive racing experiences.


    2. What are the worst things to eat before a long run?

    Depends on the person. The worst thing you can probably do is not eat. Next, anything with insanely high fiber content. Like multiple fiber one bars. Spicy foods, etc. Some people have very strong stomachs and could literally tolerate anything. I have a friend who can’t eat veggie straws the day before a run. Knowing your body is key! Usually they say to avoid fiber and greasy foods. Also if you have food intolerances, avoid that!


    3. What are the effects of birth control on female runner performance

    I would look into the book roar by Tracy Sims. Anytime you take synthetic hormones, you are changing systems in the body. There can be some benefits to taking birth control, but are there some drawbacks? I think it’s important for people to do their research and have this discussion with their doctors.


    pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32666247/

    Oct 2020: The Effects of Oral Contraceptives on Exercise Performance in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
    Conclusions: OCP use might result in slightly inferior exercise performance on average when compared to naturally menstruating women, although any group-level effect is most likely to be trivial. Practically, as effects tended to be trivial and variable across studies, the current evidence does not warrant general guidance on OCP use compared with non-use. Therefore, when exercise performance is a priority, an individualised approach might be more appropriate. The analysis also indicated that exercise performance was consistent across the OCP cycle. What exercises/workouts/circuits can I incorporate in the gym to help my running?

    Running is going to be the best thing you can do that directly makes you a better runner. Other workouts the strengthen the endurance of the muscles that are used for running can help but nothing helps as much as running. Biking, stairs, etc.

    Why do runners lift then?

    Strength training can help you stay injury free. The longer you are able to stay injury free, the better you will be able to run consistently.

    Runners need: Postural alignment, stabilization, strength and power

    Train for strength 8-12 reps
    Feb 16, 202358:44
    191. Should You Run That Marathon? Is it best to always chase 26.2?

    191. Should You Run That Marathon? Is it best to always chase 26.2?

    We have almost all been asked the question when someone finds out you are a runner, the next thing they typically ask is if you have done a marathon. Everyone knows that marathons are hard work. They know this is the very long race that seems to be viewed as the pinnacle of running success, but is it? Why have the 100 or 50 miler ultra marathons not taken on the same allure in the running community? We are going to do a deep dive in this episode about marathons and some of our theories around why we think the marathon is so popular! We are also going to give some advice to those who really want to run to their potential in the marathon. The answers may surprise you because we actually recommend some athletes take time off of the marathon to get faster at the marathon

    How long people run before doing a full marathon
    Why is an elite training going to look different from a beginner in terms of workouts/long runs
    Why it becomes important to work with a coach who really understands your background and the distance
    What is the advantages to working on speed before going to the marathon
    Why does running a fast 5k not translate directly to the marathon distance
    Feb 09, 202350:50
    190. Is running with music “bad”? & More Ask The Coaches Questions

    190. Is running with music “bad”? & More Ask The Coaches Questions


    What is the best type of music to listen to while running?

    Depends on the purpose of the run

    Workouts: hard music


    Easy runs- slow music


    How do you fuel when you are not hungry but must eat

    High caloric foods that taste good


    When during hill repeats or speed work is it okay to walk?

    The goal of the recovery between for shorter intervals is to get breath back under control so that you can push hard on the next set. Most shorter intervals are anaerobic so it might take a more reduced pace like walking to recover. Check HR.
    A really slow jog is already hard for people because they slow down on easy days. Sometimes walking is wiser.
    20x400 could actually be a threshold workout.

    How to get back to running after pregnancy

    Usually you will get cleared to run at 6 weeks by your OB. Many people need longer and recommend getting seen by a pelvic floor physical therapist. It depends on the person but most people start back with walk/runs even if they ran throughout pregnancy. Your core is very week and went through trauma. Allow yourself grace and time when coming back into things
    You may also be nursing which can be a new factor

    Is body weight strength training as effective as using weights

    Body weigh training can be highly effective. It depends on your starting point, how you are lifting, and your goals. Many body weight plyometrics can be challenging even for the strongest athletes. We always want to strength train with a purpose. Plyos work on speed and power.

    Everyone says running is bad for knees.. How do I prove them wrong?

    Pull up research studies of the benefits of weight barring exercises. There are myths like this about running but I think it is important to address that many people have injured their knees from running. Even elite runners sometimes need to have knee replacement type surgery. Let’s talk about WHY. Overtraining can lead to overuse. When you are pushing your body to the limits like an elite/professional runner where your job is to literally do everything you can to get faster sometimes you toe the line and things happen. Overuse injuries are common because many people unintentionally overtrain.
    Let’s say your grandma knows someone who ‘blew their knees out from running’. Perhaps they did because they went from 0 to 50 miles in 2 months and ran a marathon then could never run again. This is why the progressive overload and offseason are key. Weight bearing exercise actually makes your body and knees stronger BUT if you overdo it, you do put yourself at risk.

    www.run4prs.com
    Feb 01, 202357:43
    189. Marathon Training as Parents: hacks to get in more miles with a busy schedule

    189. Marathon Training as Parents: hacks to get in more miles with a busy schedule

    As coaches we work with a lot of athletes who have young kids and other life responsibilities like busy careers. A question that often comes up with athletes who begin to ramp up their training is when do you have time to train? How can you put in 7+ hours of training per week? We don’t have a one answer solution for you because everyone’s life looks different. We do however have a few ideas for when/how you might be able to utilize different resources to get your training in even with small kids and/or a busy career.
    Time of day:

    Working out while kids are sleeping

    Pros: easier
    Cons: lose out on sleep


    Working out while kids are awake and at home:

    Pros: you get to sleep
    Cons: you miss out on family time, logistically harder


    Working out while kids are at school/daycare

    Pros: you get to sleep
    Cons: logistically easier, guilt



    `1. Treadmill at home
    Investment: $2000+ dollars
    2. Treadmill at gym with daycare
    Investment: $150/month
    3. Stroller outside
    Investment: $500

    Babysitter

    Investment: $20/hr
    Is it worth it to invest in yourself and your hobby? How do you deal with guilt associated with going on a run or running a race? Waking the kids up at 5:30am to go to a race? My kids like to go to races and run races themselves now. What they see as normal they will take mental notes. It’s one thing to say something is a value, but when you live it, kids witness it. It becomes a part of their identity.
    I don’t have the answers, but I can share my experiences and sometimes that can help.
    Is it worth it to train for big races?
    How does the competitiveness/running change after having kids?
    Jan 26, 202301:00:41
    188. 2:42 1st marathon 9 months postpartum: Coach Breanna

    188. 2:42 1st marathon 9 months postpartum: Coach Breanna

    Coach Breanna shares all about her journey from small town farming to becoming a professional runner. We took a deep dive into her recent marathon debut of 2:42 at CIM. Not only was this her first ever full marathon, but she also tackled it at 9 months postpartum with her first child. We talked about her journey running throughout pregnancy & postpartum and her plans for future racing. Coach Breanna has been coaching at Run4prs for 2.5 years and is currently taking on new athletes. If you are interested in working with her fill out the form at www.run4prs.com or reach out to us via email info@run4prs.co
    Jan 19, 202301:24:05