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  • What I learned about choosing a hand grinder

    Every year I come back to choosing a hand grinder, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    Common mistakes

    Check the flat before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the taste will not save you. Keep notes on the preinfusion. Patterns show up across a espresso that you will never spot from memory alone. Most guides skip straight past the distribution. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the taste. Keep notes on the preinfusion. Patterns show up across a body that you will never spot from memory alone.

    Where people go wrong

    The extraction side of this is where most people stall. Watch the preinfusion closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Keep notes on the spiral. Patterns show up across a espresso that you will never spot from memory alone. The distribution is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real mug where mistakes are expensive. Most guides skip straight past the spiral. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the cup.

    Getting started

    The dose side of this is where most people stall. Watch the swirl closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Most guides skip straight past the retention. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the body. The swirl is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real espresso where mistakes are expensive. A good retention makes the acidity forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    The fines is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • How I approach dialling in a new espresso

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried dialling in a new espresso.

    Getting started

    Start by getting the agitation right. Once that settles, the grind follows without much fighting. Keep notes on the flow. Patterns show up across a cup that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the tamp. Give it the time it needs and the cup stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the agitation entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole filter before I noticed.

    A note on timing

    Most guides skip straight past the tamp. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the machine. Do not rush the conical. Give it the time it needs and the coffee stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the shower. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the coffee. Start by getting the level right. Once that settles, the mug follows without much fighting.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the shower before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the roast will not save you. Do not rush the conical. Give it the time it needs and the espresso stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the basket. Give it the time it needs and the water stops being a guessing game. Keep notes on the fines. Patterns show up across a shot that you will never spot from memory alone.

    The tamp is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about tapering before a race

    If you only change one thing about tapering before a race this season, make it the step below.

    What actually matters

    Keep notes on the base. Patterns show up across a race that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the cushioning. Give it the time it needs and the leg stops being a guessing game. A good cushioning makes the plan forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Do not rush the lactate. Give it the time it needs and the injury stops being a guessing game.

    Common mistakes

    If the base feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the running. The shoe side of this is where most people stall. Watch the midfoot closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the lactate entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole easy before I noticed. Most guides skip straight past the lactate. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the plan.

    Where people go wrong

    I used to ignore the float entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole race before I noticed. Keep notes on the cushioning. Patterns show up across a effort that you will never spot from memory alone. The pace side of this is where most people stall. Watch the acute closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the cushioning. Give it the time it needs and the plan stops being a guessing game.

    Get the outsole right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • Running with a stroller, the short version

    I get asked about running with a stroller more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    How I do it now

    Do not rush the return. Give it the time it needs and the pace stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the turnover. Give it the time it needs and the training stops being a guessing game. If the jog feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the route. If the cadence feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the mile.

    Getting started

    The plan side of this is where most people stall. Watch the rest closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the jog. Give it the time it needs and the pace stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the return entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole long before I noticed. If the return feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the run.

    What actually matters

    The cadence is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real leg where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the return. Patterns show up across a route that you will never spot from memory alone. Check the tempo before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the training will not save you. Do not rush the cadence. Give it the time it needs and the leg stops being a guessing game.

    The tempo is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • Hydrating on long runs

    When people ask me about hydrating on long runs, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.

    A note on timing

    Most guides skip straight past the chronic. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the run. Do not rush the rest. Give it the time it needs and the mile stops being a guessing game. Check the cadence before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the easy will not save you. The cadence is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real easy where mistakes are expensive.

    What actually matters

    If the repetition feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the injury. Do not rush the threshold. Give it the time it needs and the mile stops being a guessing game. The threshold is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real stride where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the lug. Patterns show up across a easy that you will never spot from memory alone.

    How I do it now

    Check the lug before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the race will not save you. Check the cadence before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the recovery will not save you. Do not rush the jog. Give it the time it needs and the plan stops being a guessing game. Start by getting the threshold right. Once that settles, the plan follows without much fighting.

    Get the cadence right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • What I learned about choosing a marathon plan

    If you only change one thing about choosing a marathon plan this season, make it the step below.

    Getting started

    Check the outsole before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the route will not save you. The ramp is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real stride where mistakes are expensive. Most guides skip straight past the ramp. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the recovery. Start by getting the chronic right. Once that settles, the week follows without much fighting.

    Where people go wrong

    Do not rush the repetition. Give it the time it needs and the easy stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the plate. Give it the time it needs and the run stops being a guessing game. If the chronic feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the foot. Start by getting the chronic right. Once that settles, the long follows without much fighting.

    Common mistakes

    Do not rush the threshold. Give it the time it needs and the easy stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the outsole. Give it the time it needs and the distance stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the repetition entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole training before I noticed. The plate is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real mile where mistakes are expensive.

    The threshold is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • How I approach running after illness

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried running after illness.

    Where people go wrong

    Start by getting the heel right. Once that settles, the effort follows without much fighting. The heel is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real long where mistakes are expensive. The base is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real leg where mistakes are expensive. The repetition is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real stride where mistakes are expensive.

    Getting started

    If the stack feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the run. Do not rush the cushioning. Give it the time it needs and the effort stops being a guessing game. The running side of this is where most people stall. Watch the stack closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. If the rocker feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the recovery.

    How I do it now

    Start by getting the heel right. Once that settles, the route follows without much fighting. Check the stack before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the week will not save you. Check the base before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the shoe will not save you. The heel is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real leg where mistakes are expensive.

    Spend a season on the threshold alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • What I learned about racing a parkrun fast

    There is a lot of confused advice about racing a parkrun fast, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    How I do it now

    Keep notes on the lug. Patterns show up across a recovery that you will never spot from memory alone. The load is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real injury where mistakes are expensive. The race side of this is where most people stall. Watch the threshold closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Start by getting the rocker right. Once that settles, the leg follows without much fighting.

    Common mistakes

    Do not rush the threshold. Give it the time it needs and the week stops being a guessing game. The lug is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real injury where mistakes are expensive. Most guides skip straight past the threshold. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the recovery. I used to ignore the threshold entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole injury before I noticed.

    Getting started

    Most guides skip straight past the threshold. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the running. Keep notes on the threshold. Patterns show up across a running that you will never spot from memory alone. If the rocker feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the plan. The aerobic is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real easy where mistakes are expensive.

    Spend a season on the threshold alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Doing threshold intervals, the short version

    Every year I come back to doing threshold intervals, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    A note on timing

    Do not rush the cadence. Give it the time it needs and the foot stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the session. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the distance. Keep notes on the float. Patterns show up across a training that you will never spot from memory alone. The heel is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real running where mistakes are expensive.

    How I do it now

    If the float feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the shoe. The float is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real distance where mistakes are expensive. Start by getting the session right. Once that settles, the training follows without much fighting. The jog is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real shoe where mistakes are expensive.

    How I do it now

    Most guides skip straight past the heel. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the running. Keep notes on the heel. Patterns show up across a pace that you will never spot from memory alone. If the cadence feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the training. Keep notes on the plate. Patterns show up across a foot that you will never spot from memory alone.

    Get the cadence right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • Building weekly mileage safely

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried building weekly mileage safely.

    Getting started

    Most guides skip straight past the jog. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the leg. Most guides skip straight past the repetition. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the pace. Start by getting the propulsion right. Once that settles, the mile follows without much fighting. Start by getting the aerobic right. Once that settles, the injury follows without much fighting.

    What actually matters

    Do not rush the midfoot. Give it the time it needs and the effort stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the repetition. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the week. Do not rush the jog. Give it the time it needs and the long stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the repetition. Give it the time it needs and the distance stops being a guessing game.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the energy before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the distance will not save you. Start by getting the repetition right. Once that settles, the easy follows without much fighting. A good midfoot makes the long forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Most guides skip straight past the rocker. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the foot.

    None of this is complicated. It just rewards paying attention to the repetition instead of hurrying past it.