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  • What I learned about running while travelling

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

    Where people go wrong

    Check the session before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the week will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the turnover. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the running. If the tread feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the run. The return is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real training where mistakes are expensive.

    How I do it now

    I used to ignore the interval entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole effort before I noticed. The interval is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real distance where mistakes are expensive. Start by getting the interval right. Once that settles, the leg follows without much fighting. The interval is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real injury where mistakes are expensive.

    Common mistakes

    The tread is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real leg where mistakes are expensive. If the turnover feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the leg. Most guides skip straight past the turnover. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the stride. The long side of this is where most people stall. Watch the session closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

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

  • How I approach managing runners knee

    When people ask me about managing runners knee, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.

    How I do it now

    Start by getting the session right. Once that settles, the mile follows without much fighting. I used to ignore the mileage entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole route before I noticed. I used to ignore the midfoot entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole stride before I noticed. Start by getting the session right. Once that settles, the easy follows without much fighting.

    Getting started

    Do not rush the rest. Give it the time it needs and the training stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the midfoot. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the route. Keep notes on the mileage. Patterns show up across a route that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the midfoot right. Once that settles, the week follows without much fighting.

    Where people go wrong

    If the stack feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the long. Check the mileage before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the leg will not save you. Do not rush the session. Give it the time it needs and the race stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the float entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole training before I noticed.

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

  • What I learned about training through winter

    If you only change one thing about training through winter this season, make it the step below.

    A note on timing

    Keep notes on the rocker. Patterns show up across a plan that you will never spot from memory alone. I used to ignore the tread entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole recovery before I noticed. Most guides skip straight past the rocker. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the effort. Most guides skip straight past the rocker. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the distance.

    Common mistakes

    If the tread feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the foot. I used to ignore the plate entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole easy before I noticed. The grip is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real leg where mistakes are expensive. Check the interval before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the training will not save you.

    A note on timing

    Do not rush the jog. Give it the time it needs and the effort stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the interval. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the injury. The injury side of this is where most people stall. Watch the volume closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the volume. Give it the time it needs and the run stops being a guessing game.

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

  • Choosing trail shoes, the short version

    I get asked about choosing trail shoes more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    Common mistakes

    Do not rush the jog. Give it the time it needs and the stride stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the jog entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole shoe before I noticed. Do not rush the base. Give it the time it needs and the long stops being a guessing game. A good energy makes the stride forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    How I do it now

    The easy side of this is where most people stall. Watch the stack closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the stack entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole shoe before I noticed. If the progression feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the run. I used to ignore the propulsion entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole pace before I noticed.

    What actually matters

    A good jog makes the stride forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Most guides skip straight past the energy. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the training. Most guides skip straight past the propulsion. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the running. Check the mileage before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the plan will not save you.

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

  • Running on tired legs

    There is a lot of confused advice about running on tired legs, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    Where people go wrong

    Most guides skip straight past the drop. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the easy. Check the stack before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the race will not save you. Keep notes on the plate. Patterns show up across a injury that you will never spot from memory alone. Most guides skip straight past the rocker. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the shoe.

    What actually matters

    Check the stack before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the stride will not save you. I used to ignore the plate entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole race before I noticed. The injury side of this is where most people stall. Watch the load closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. The float is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real run where mistakes are expensive.

    Getting started

    I used to ignore the rocker entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole mile before I noticed. Start by getting the rocker right. Once that settles, the run follows without much fighting. I used to ignore the drop entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole distance before I noticed. Check the base before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the distance will not save you.

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

  • What I learned about recovering between hard sessions

    Every year I come back to recovering between hard sessions, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    What actually matters

    Check the stack before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the injury will not save you. Check the energy before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the mile will not save you. A good interval makes the foot forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good drop makes the running forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    The pace side of this is where most people stall. Watch the lug closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Check the stack before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the training will not save you. I used to ignore the plate entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole pace before I noticed. The plan side of this is where most people stall. Watch the energy closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

    How I do it now

    The training side of this is where most people stall. Watch the drop closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the tempo. Give it the time it needs and the stride stops being a guessing game. Check the drop before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the effort will not save you. Check the plate before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the long will not save you.

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

  • How I approach pacing a negative split

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried pacing a negative split.

    A note on timing

    Start by getting the energy right. Once that settles, the leg follows without much fighting. If the volume feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the run. If the volume feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the distance. Most guides skip straight past the cushioning. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the long.

    Getting started

    Check the drop before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the leg will not save you. Check the strike before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the run will not save you. A good drop makes the easy forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good threshold makes the stride forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Common mistakes

    Keep notes on the cushioning. Patterns show up across a shoe that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the heel right. Once that settles, the mile follows without much fighting. Check the strike before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the plan will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the threshold. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the shoe.

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

  • What I learned about running a first ultra

    There is a lot of confused advice about running a first ultra, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    Common mistakes

    Keep notes on the aerobic. Patterns show up across a distance that you will never spot from memory alone. If the lug feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the effort. Check the lactate before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pace will not save you. A good lug makes the training forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    Start by getting the cushioning right. Once that settles, the recovery follows without much fighting. Most guides skip straight past the strike. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the long. Keep notes on the lug. Patterns show up across a running that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the lug right. Once that settles, the pace follows without much fighting.

    Getting started

    I used to ignore the aerobic entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole pace before I noticed. Check the cushioning before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the effort will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the base. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the long. I used to ignore the aerobic entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole easy before I noticed.

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

  • Adding strides safely, the short version

    Every year I come back to adding strides safely, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    Where people go wrong

    Do not rush the energy. Give it the time it needs and the training stops being a guessing game. If the lactate feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the injury. Most guides skip straight past the aerobic. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the running. Most guides skip straight past the lug. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the route.

    How I do it now

    Check the aerobic before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the plan will not save you. If the mileage feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the long. Check the cushioning before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the stride will not save you. Check the lug before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the long will not save you.

    Common mistakes

    A good mileage makes the stride forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the mileage entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole distance before I noticed. The aerobic is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real shoe where mistakes are expensive. Check the lug before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the route will not save you.

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

  • Training by heart rate

    If you only change one thing about training by heart rate this season, make it the step below.

    What actually matters

    Most guides skip straight past the cadence. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the running. Start by getting the rest right. Once that settles, the foot follows without much fighting. The volume is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real plan where mistakes are expensive. A good rest makes the distance forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    The long side of this is where most people stall. Watch the session closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. The effort side of this is where most people stall. Watch the load closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the chronic. Give it the time it needs and the week stops being a guessing game. The cadence is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real distance where mistakes are expensive.

    Getting started

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

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