Training Well Done

Summary:

• Coach Donald and Coach Tim discuss how the Athlete Tiers work at GHP, and talk about the Goal Outcomes, Key Features and Advancement Criteria for each of them.

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 6:13 - Spurred by a conversation about rock climbing, Coach Donald kicks off the episode with a tangent about a movie he recently watched
• 15:45 - The coaches finally get around to the topic, and set the stage with a discussion about periodization, linear training and sports-specific work
• 21:19 - Coach Donald takes a Deep Dive into what periodization means for the athletes at GHP, in terms of macro and mesocycles
• 28:46 - The coaches take a sidebar and talk about running tech, and how they’re starting to lean into more of the “old school” model of tracking workouts
• 32:00 - Coach Donald breaks down the Athlete Tiers at GHP: Novice I, Novice II, Intermediate & Advanced
• 58:15 - The coaches close out the episode by touching on the implementation of training constraints to better elevate the athlete’s experience and results

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 25, Coach Donald sits down with some GHP athletes to discuss their experience in the gym and how it has affected their performance in their respective sports.

Summary:

• Coach Donald and Coach Tim discuss Long-Term Athletic Development, and how this science influences the coaching philosophy of Global Human Performance.

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 6:57 - Coach Donald introduces the topic of the day: Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD)
• 13:20 - The coaches share their Coaching Moments from the past several weeks
• 22:12 - Coach Donald breaks down some Common Myths associated with LTAD
• 28:30 - Coach Donald shares the fundamental Stages of Development
• 49:30 - The coaches talk about what GHP’s goals are for their athletes, and what those timelines look like
• 57:25 - Coach Donald wraps up the episode with the Key Takeaways

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 24, the coaches discuss the Athlete Tiers at Global Human Performance and how an athlete improves their performance by progressing through these stages.

Summary:

• Coach Tim & Coach Donald wrap up the Sports Psychology mini-series with a discussion on Motivation & Mindset, and share some tools athletes can use to set themselves up for long-term success.

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 0:18 - Coach Donald recaps the summer Sports Science Camp
• 8:10 - Coach Tim reviews the previous Sports Psychology episodes, and opens up the final component of Motivation & Mindset
• 12:14 - The coaches talk about the Common Myths associated with Motivation & Mindset
• 25:00 - The coaches start their Deep Dive
• 33:20 - Coach Donald discusses how his motivation and mindset towards training will affect his relationship with his son
• 38:45 - Coach Donald takes on the final topic of the Deep Dive by talking about building confidence through evidence
• 50:55 - Coach Tim unpacks what it means to “control your controllables” and reframing setbacks
• 1:00:38 - Coach Donald wraps up the episode, and highlights the Strength Training for Runners webinar and the Fall Race Training program

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 23, the coaches talk about the importance of Long Term Athletic Development.

Summary:

• Coach Tim & Coach Donald continue their discussion on Sports Psychology and Mental Skills Training (MST) by unpacking the Acceptance-Based Approach theory

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 3:40 - The coaches talk about the wildfire smoke over the weekend, how it affected them and share some training updates
• 10:20 - Coach Donald shares a personal story about his recent bridal shower
• 12:00 - Coach Tim kicks off the discussion with a quick review of Sports Psychology and Mental Skills Training
• 19:27 - Coach Tim explores some of the Common Myths associated with the Acceptance-Based Approach
• 27:50 - The coaches start their Deep Dive, and share ways that athletes can utilize an acceptance-based approach to help their performance
• 44:35 - Coach Tim talks about the relationship between an acceptance-based approach and physical discomfort during a difficult training session, race or competition
• 52:30 - The coaches share the Key Takeaways from the episode, and recap the benefits of implementing mindfulness protocols
• 57:23 - Coach Tim summarizes some main points and provides advice for athletes

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 22, the coaches wrap up the mini-series on Sports Psychology and Mental Skills Training with a discussion on Motivation & Mindset

Summary:

• Coach Tim & Coach Donald continue their discussion on Mental Skills Training (MST) by exploring the concept of Emotional Regulation

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 0:20 - The coaches open up the episode with a thought experiment
• 7:32 - Coach Tim reviews the definition of sports psychology, recaps the previous episode on Mental Skills Training and sets the stage for the discussion on Emotional Regulation
• 13:23 - The coaches explore some Common Myths associated with Emotional Regulation
• 18:27 - Coach Tim starts the Deep Dive with a review of Attention Control
• 39:39 - Coach Tim discusses Pre-Performance Routines and how they can impact an athlete’s Emotional Regulation
• 51:52 - Coach Tim mentions the Acceptance-Based Approach, but saves the discussion for the next episode, and summarizes the episode with a few Key Takeaways
• 53:30 - Coach Donald pitches the Strength Training for Runners webinar and the Summer/Fall Race Training program

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 21, the coaches move on to Part 3 of the Sports Psychology spin-off by talking about the theory of the Acceptance-Based Approach

Summary:

• Coach Tim & Coach Donald introduce a four-part, sports psychology mini-series, and begin with a discussion on Mental Skills Training.

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 0:01 - The coaches kick off the episode with a Facebook Marketplace Gear Grind
• 2:50 - Coach Donald highlights Summer Trackside, and chats about the first few days of the program
• 6:50 - The coaches provide an overview of Sports Psychology, discuss the role it plays in training and competition and break down the individual components of Mental Skills Training
• 16:30 - might be a good clip about time management??
• 19:48 - Coach Tim explores some common myths surrounding Mental Skills Training
• 22:30 - perhaps another good clip about elite athletes maybe or maybe not being fundamentally better at MST
• 25:30 - good clip about how MST can elevate an athletes performance in higher-level competition
• 27:40 - Coach Tim breaks down four main topics of Mental Skills Training, and starts off with goal setting
• 30:00 - (maybe?)good clip explaining process goals versus outcome goals
• 37:12 - Coach Tim moves on to the second main topic, Attention Control
• 37:30 - (maybe?) not to overdo the funny bits at the expense of training-related stuff, but your call
• 38:28 - perhaps a good clip about attention control and filtering
• 42:50 - a racing misadventure anecdote from Coach Tim
• 46:46 - another racing story from Coach Donald
• 52:23 - The coaches explore Imagery & Visualization
• 52:35 - another clip from Coach Donald about actually practicing MST
• 55:50 - a clip about how to get maximum benefit from Imagery & Visualization
• 1:01:20 - Coach Tim introduces the idea of Self Talk
• 1:13:08 - Coach Tim provides some key takeaways for Mental Skills Training
• 1:16:24 - Coach Donald signs off on the episode, pitches the Webinar, Summer Trackside and the Summer/Fall Race Training program

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 20, the coaches explore the concept of Emotional Regulation as part two of a four-part series on Mental Skills Training.

Music Used: Guera Encantadora by Casa Rosa from @podcastbackgroundmusic on YouTube

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim debrief after the track season, and share some athlete success stories as well as key coaching takeaways from the season.

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 0:30 - The coaches chit chat about their inability to complete basic life functions outside of the coaching and training world
• 3:25 - Coach Tim recaps his battle with a broken lawnmower & Coach Donald shares his experience with automotive maintenance
• 8:58 - Coach Donald provides the listeners with the latest family updates
• 12:50 - Final athlete updates from the Spring Race Training program
• 16:00 - Coach Donald takes a deep dive into the Spring ‘26 track season, with broad stroke insights, coaching takeaways, athlete success stories and training philosophy
• 45:10 - Coach Donald continues the discussion with additional athlete highlights
• 1:01:43 - Coach Donald tackles the “long to short” versus “short to long” approach to sprinting
• 1:11:50 - Coach Donald recaps the episode and mentions the Summer Trackside program

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 19, the coaches introduce the topic of sports psychology, and explain some of the core concepts behind the science of “brain training.”

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim discuss the Race Training program at GHP, and share some reflections and learnings about their experiences during the training cycle.

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 2:20 - Coach Donald talks about Global Human Performance’s role as a strength & conditioning gym for endurance athletes, specifically runners.
• 3:30 - Coach Tim provides an overview of what the Race Training program actually is.
• 11:00 - Coach Tim talks about the art of cultivating and growing a community, and its impact on the athletes and their results.
• 12:30 - Coach Tim shares some details about the Adult Trackside sessions, what they entail and how the athletes benefit from participating.
• 15:05 - The coaches talk about the things that went well during the Winter/Spring training cycle.
• 21:12 - Breakout performances!
• 24:55 - Coach Tim talks about the importance of having technical instruction as opposed to just structured run coaching.
• 26:25 - Coach Tim shares his overall training philosophy, and how it goes from “loose” to “tight.”
• 29:56 - Coach Tim talks about how sprint mechanics translate over distance.
• 32:52 - Coach Donald talks about how drills and mechanics come into play with the Trackside programming.
• 34:13 - Where can listeners find out more?
• 39:35 - Coach Donald gives a shout-out to everyone who competed this spring.

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 18, Coach Donald recaps the spring track season.

Music Used: Guera Encantadora by Casa Rosa from @podcastbackgroundmusic on YouTube

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim discuss the aerobic system, and talk about why it is so important for all types of athletes and non-athletes.

Key Discussion Points:

• Addressing Common Misconceptions:

• Aerobic conditioning is not needed for non-aerobic sports
• Aerobic training is simply just running or cycling slow
• Developing the aerobic system is only for athletes

• Deep Dive:

• Quick ATP review
• Aerobic system intro
• Aerobic chemistry
• Capacity, fatigue & recovery
• Training applications
• Coaching points

• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

• Link to webinar

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 6:00 - The coaches get distracted by stains on their pants, and make an unsponsored pitch for lululemon
• 14:00 - The coaches explore some common myths associated with aerobic training
• 23:15 - The coaches start their Deep Dive into aerobic training with a quick review of ATP
• 25:30 - Coach Donald overviews the conversation about the aerobic system and aerobic training
• 27:59 - Coach Donald goes into detail about the chemistry involved with ATP production utilize the aerobic system
• 42:50 - The coaches talk about mitochondrial density, and why it is important for athletes & non-athletes alike
• 46:40 - The coaches discuss capacity, fatigue and recovery as it relates to the aerobic system
• 51:12 - Coach Tim shares some training applications for endurance athletes
• 57:54 - Coach Donald recaps the episode, and highlights some coaching takeaways

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 17, Coach Tim recaps the Winter/Spring Race Training season and talks about the future of the program.

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim discuss the glycolytic system, what it means from a chemistry standpoint and some practical training applications for athletes.

Key Discussion Points:

• Addressing Common Misconceptions:

1) Our bodies hold lactic acid

2) Lactic acid makes you sore

3) The glycolytic system does not need to be developed in endurance athletes

• Deep Dive:

1) Quick ATP review

2) Glycolytic intro

3) Glycolytic chemistry

4) Capacity, fatigue & recovery

5) Training applications

6) Coaching points

• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

1) Link to webinar

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 2:05 - The coaches share they thoughts on Hyrox
• 7:00 - Coach Tim shares some highlights from the Spring Race Training program
• 10:15 - Coach Donald shares some myths associated with lactic acid
• 15:53 - The coaches review ATP production and the chemistry of the glycolytic system
• 27:40 - Coach Donald talks about capacity, fatigue and recovery as it relates to training the glycolytic system
• 33:10 - The coaches explore the concept of buffering, and the associated nuances
• 43:30 - Coach Tim provides an anecdote from a group session pertinent to the idea of clearing & buffering
• 57:25 - Coach Donald talks about some training adaptations for strength athletes, sprinters and endurance runners
• 1:08:45 - Coach Donald recaps the episode and chats about the Summer Trackside program

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 16, the coaches explore the basics of the Aerobic System.

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim chat about the phosphagen system, what it is and how it works in sports performance.

Key Discussion Points:

Addressing Common Misconceptions:

• The aerobic system helps restore phosphocreatine
• Creatine kinase is one of the fastest enzymes in the body

Deep Dive:

• ATP review
• Phosphagen Intro
• Capacity, Fatigue, Recovery
• Training Applications
• Coaching Points

Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

• Link to webinar

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 0:54 - First the fun! Coach Donald talks about the start of track competition and Coach Tim shares his experience training and running with Jordan from Kool Run Club.
• 10:56 - Coach Donald talks about how the aerobic system creates energy that can then be used during anaerobic efforts.
• 14:10 - The coaches introduce the phosphagen system and what it does.
• 20:16 - Coach Donald takes a deep dive into capacity, fatigue and recovery as it relates to the phosphagen system.
• 31:10 - Using creatine as a supplement.
• 35:36 - Coach Donald explores how the phosphagen system ties into strength training.
• 40:50 - The coaches talk about some practical training applications for athletes.
• 50:08 - Coach Donald and Coach Tim wrap up the episode with some real-world examples of why it’s important to train the phosphagen system.

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 15, the coaches talk about training-related fatigue, how to manage it and best recovery practices.

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim talk about their reading habits, share some Coaching Moments and explore ATP and the energy systems that produce it.

Key Discussion Points:

• Addressing Common Misconceptions:

1) Correction about LAH

2) Fat cells don’t decrease, they get smaller

3) ATP is mostly just used to keep your body temperature up

• Deep Dive:

1) What is metabolism?

2) ATP review

3) Anaerobic vs Aerobic: The Big 3 energy systems

• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

1) Link to webinar

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 0:22 - The coaches discuss what books they are currently into, and what their reading habits are.
• 8:00 - Coach Donald and Coach Tim share their Coaching Highlights & Learning Moments.
• 13:09 - Coach Donald brings up an interesting thought experiment about what it means to be a “good person.”
• 15:03 - The coaches finally get into the show and introduce the training topic for the episode.
• 19:40 - The coaches start their Deep Dive into ATP and the energy systems that create it.
• 28:04 - Coach Donald shares some insight into the aerobic vs. anaerobic systems.
• 42:58 - Coach Tim shares a personal coaching experience, and Coach Donald dives into the glycolytic system and its use in training.
• 54:30 - Coach Donald talks about his experience watching one of our youth athletes compete.
• 1:07:24 - Coach Donald recaps the episode.

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 14, the coaches take a deep dive into the creatine-phosphate system.

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim share some personal stories about their own training, racing and competing in this training-centric episode of “Ask Me Anything.”

Key Discussion Points:

“Ask Me Anything” Questions:

• 1) Is there a moment in your life you’re especially proud of?
• 2) What are some stories about the two of you competing?
• 3) What are your favorite places to run?
• 4) What are some nutrition tips you can provide?
• 5) How do I know if I’m selecting the appropriate weight/load during my gym sessions?

Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

• 1) Link to webinar

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 2:40 - The coaches talk about some moments in their life that they are especially proud of, like Coach Tim’s BQ and Coach Donald’s half-Ironman.
• 13:45 - Coach Donald shares his experience coaching overseas.
• 23:57 - The coaches share some of their competition stories, including some racing misadventures from Coach Tim and a redemption story from Coach Donald.
• 55:50 - The coaches do a little rapid-fire Q&A to wrap up the episode.

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 13, the coaches kick off Series Two on metabolism.

Summary:

• Coach Donald & Coach Tim share some personal stories about their lives, coaching careers and athlete successes in this people-centric episode of “Ask Me Anything.”

Key Discussion Points:

• “Ask Me Anything” Questions:
• What is something not many people know about you?
• Who do you look up to?
• What athletes do you feel most improved during your time training them?
• What made you guys want to become coaches?
• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback
• Link to webinar

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 2:53 - The coaches introduce the “AMA” episode, talk about the people-centric theme for the first part of a two-part series and Coach Tim admits an embarrassing fact about the Winter Olympics.
• 10:45 - The coaches address the first question, and Coach Tim shares a story about scuba diving while Coach Donald talks about his childhood dreams.
• 25:55 - The coaches talk about the people they look up to.
• 41:12 - The coaches share some historical success stories from athletes. Coach Tim talks about specific training groups from a previous position, while Coach Donald highlights youth athletes that have trained at GHP.
• 52:05 - The coaches share their origin stories as coaches.
• 1:09:03 - Coach Donald wraps up the episode, and plugs the Strength Training for Runners webinar.

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 12, the coaches tackle more “Ask Me Anything” questions!!

Summary:

• In Episode 10, the coaches recap what lactate threshold training is and then explore ways to test, train and race at that threshold

Key Discussion Points:

• Addressing Common Misconceptions:
• Tempo training is the same as LT training
• LT training should be brutal
• Deep Dive:
• How lactate threshold differs from other types of training
• What is happening when we run under, at or over LT
• How you can test your lactate threshold
• What does LT training mean for performance
• What it feels like to train at LT
• LT training parameters & environment
• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback
• Submit questions for the “Ask Me Anything” episode

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 1:08 - The coaches celebrate the arrival of the new equipment
• 4:25 - Coach Tim shares his Coaching Moment of the week and Coach Donald talks about the Strength Training for Runners webinar
• 7:00 - The coaches explore some common myths associated with lactate threshold training, and go on a crusade against “tempo” running
• 20:15 - Coach Donald shares the discussion topics for the day, while Coach Tim provides a brief recap of what lactate “buffering” means and talks about what is happening at a cellular level when we run at “threshold”
• 25:10 - The coaches talk about how you can test your lactate threshold, and learn what paces might correspond to your threshold
• 35:45 - Coach Tim chats about how lactate threshold training translates to a real-world setting and race-specific environment
• 44:15 - The coaches talk about the best practices and parameters for athletes to train at lactate threshold
• 50:42 - Coach Donald wraps up the episode, teases the next series and solicits questions for the “Ask Me Anything” episode

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Actionable Takeaways:

• Lactate threshold training is hard, but sustainable and NOT a brutal crash & burn effort
• VO2 max training raises your ceiling, but lactate threshold training determines how close you can get to that ceiling at a lower metabolic cost
• You can determine your lactate threshold using different fitness tests outside of a lab environment

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 11, the coaches tackle the “Ask Me Anything” questions!!

Summary:

• In Episode 9, the coaches provide insight and context for lactate threshold (LT) training and discuss the basic biology behind these higher-intensity sessions.

Key Discussion Points:

• Addressing Common Misconceptions:
• Understanding LAH+ in the body
• Soreness is not leftover LAH+
• La- is not bad, it is fuel
• Deep Dive:
• What is your Lactate Threshold
• How does Lactate/H+ accumulate
• How does buffering + clearance work
• Why does it burn when I’m beyond LT
• What happens when you keep training beyond LT
• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback
• Submit questions for the “Ask Me Anything” episode!

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 3:52 - The coaches share their Coaching Moments from the past few weeks
• 9:02 - Coach Donald shares some Training Myths revolving around lactate threshold
• 14:44 - The coaches start their Deep Dive into lactate threshold: what it is, how does it affect you and what happens when you train at your lactate threshold
• 36:39 - Coach Donald provides a brief recap of the concepts covered in the episode
• 45:54 - The coaches offer some practical Training Takeaways for athletes
• 48:19 - Coach Donald shares that the topic for Ep. 11 is “Ask Me Anything,” and encourages listeners to submit their questions

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Actionable Takeaways:

• Lactate threshold training is improving your body’s ability to buffer acidity
• LT training is hard but sustainable, not a “crash & burn” effort
• If you cannot maintain the effort for 30 minutes, it’s likely too fast. If you can sustain the effort for more than an hour, it’s likely too slow.

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 10, Coach Tim shares some strategies, techniques and tools that athletes can use to get the most out of their lactate threshold training sessions.

Summary:

• In Ep. 8, the coaches define the difference between V02 max and vV02 max, discuss the benefits of training to improve both metrics, what it means in a racing environment and offer some tips for performance-based athletes.

Key Discussion Points:

• Addressing Common Misconceptions:
• A higher VO₂ max guarantees better race results
• VO₂ max is the best single metric to track
• vVO₂ max is just a lab number
• Deep Dive:
• Central Capacity vs Usable Speed
• What vVO₂ Max Actually Represents
• Muscle-Level and Metabolic Factors
• Fractional Utilization and Fatigue Resistance
• Neuromuscular and Mechanical Efficiency
• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback
• Training Takeaways

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 4:05 - The coaches introduce the topics of V02 max and vV02 max, discuss their contributing factors and dispel some common myths
• 20:35 - Coach Donald & Coach Tim start their Deep Dive by talking about the training parameters that affect V02 and vV02 max, and what they look like in a real-world setting
• 29:17 - Coach Donald breaks down the idea of running efficiency and economy at V02 max, and the coaches brainstorm a brilliant idea for some new GHP swag
• 38:05 - The coaches talk about the practical application of running at high percentages of V02 max, and what it looks like in a racing context
• 47:55 - Episode summary and training takeaways for athletes

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Actionable Takeaways:

• Train VO₂ max to build capacity, but don’t live there year-round.
• Use vVO₂ max–focused work to raise race-relevant speed, improve efficiency under stress and make fitness usable.
• If your aerobic fitness is high but your speed isn’t improving, efficiency (not capacity) is likely the bottleneck.

Next Episode Teaser:

• In Season 2: Episode 9, the coaches talk about lactate threshold training and introduce the concept of fatigue management and offer some best practices for athletes.

Summary:

In Ep. 7 the coaches explain what running economy means, what the benefits are to improving your efficiency and some key takeaways on how to train to get more out of your running.

Key Discussion Points:

Addressing Common Misconceptions:

• Running economy only matters for long-distance runners
• Better economy just means shorter steps or higher cadence

Deep Dive:

• How Your Muscles and Nervous System Affect Economy
• What You Feel When Economy Improves
• What’s Happening When You Sprint, Jump, or Change Direction
• Why Running Fast Can Actually Improve Economy
• Which Body Areas Matter Most for Efficiency
• Training Takeaways for Athletes

Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

• Final Thoughts
• Webinar Plug
• Next Episode Preview

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 0:40 - Coach Donald recaps his cruise vacation with Coach Leslie and talks about some of their adventures
• 12:53 - The coaches share their respective Coaching Moments
• 18:00 - Coach Donald & Coach Tim discuss some common myths related to running economy and running efficiency
• 27:40 - The coaches talk about the factors that actually make running more efficient
• 46:35 - How an athlete can train and develop their running economy
• 51:49 - Coach Donald expands on the neuromuscular component of up-tempo running
• 59:58 - Wrap up & key takeaways

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Actionable Takeaways:

• Efficient athletes turn on muscles quickly, turn off what they don’t need and don’t fight themselves with extra tension.
• When your running economy improves, strides feel lighter, you don’t feel like you’re forcing speed and you recover faster between efforts.
• Faster movement teaches your nervous system to recruit muscles more effectively, reduce unnecessary tension and use elastic energy better.
• Pay attention to how long your speed holds up, whether your form falls apart under effort and how quickly you recover between reps.
• If you’re always exhausted but not faster, economy is probably the limiting factor.
• Support the podcast by downloading Coach Donald’s Strength Training for Runners webinar!

Next Episode Teaser:

• Season 2: Episode 8 - The coaches talk about aerobic power, VO2 max and vVo2max, and what that means for athletes and their training and performance.

Summary:

Coach Donald and Coach Tim discuss the key points of building an aerobic fitness base, and why it is such an important component of overall athletic performance regardless of an athlete’s sport or experience level.

Key Discussion Points:

• Addressing Common Misconceptions:

1) Aerobic capabilities don’t matter for power sports

2) High-intensity activities are required for base-building

• Deep Dive:

1) Cardiac and metabolic adaptations

2) Tendon, bone & muscle adaptations

3) Nervous system adaptations & efficiency/economy

• Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 5:22 - Coaching Highlights include learning programming techniques and fielding questions from athletes
• 13:00 - The coaches dispel some common myths and discuss how the aerobic base serves a purpose as recovery in most sports
• 19:30 - The purpose and dosage of high intensity interval work required when building an aerobic base
• 22:50 - Defining what “base building” actually means
• 26:05 - Sprinters, team/field-sport athletes, and endurance athletes all need aerobic development — just in different proportions
• 26:30 - The coaches take a deep dive into cardiac and metabolic adaptations and tendon, bone and muscle changes to aerobic base building
• 42:10 - The nervous system refines landing mechanics, making each step more uniform, more efficient and less costly
• 46:00 - How strength training plays an important role in aerobic base building
• 52:30 - Episode re-cap & Coaching Considerations

Resources Mentioned:

• Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/
• Website: https://ghperformance.com/

Actionable Takeaways:

• All athletes can benefit from having a good aerobic base!
• Do a lot of low intensity work early in the training cycle, to support higher intensity activities later
• Load and intensity will differ for each individual athlete
• Support the podcast by downloading Coach Donald’s Strength Training for Runners webinar!

Summary:

Coach Donald & Coach Tim make the case for single-leg strength training, along with how and why all athletes should incorporate it into their programming.

Key Discussion Points:

Addressing Common Misconceptions:

• Prehab/rehab, balance and lower loads

Deep Dive:

• Neuromuscular demands
• Biomechanical implications
• Relative force
• Programming

Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

• 7:00 - Coach Donald & Coach Tim share their most recent Coaching Moments.
• 14:25 - The coaches address some common myths when it comes to single-leg strength training, like it only being useful for rehab and balance and that you shouldn’t do it with high loads.
• 17:50 - A discussion on the neuromuscular demands of single-leg training versus bilateral.
• 20:52 - The coaches talk about the biomechanical implications of sprinting, cutting and jumping that make the argument for single-leg training.
• 25:40 - Coach Donald unpacks relative force, the bilateral deficit phenomenon and how single-leg strength training can help mitigate injuries.
• 32:30 - The coaches talk about best practices when programming single-leg strength training for athletes.
• 42:24 - Episode recap and closing notes.

Resources:

Webinar: https://ghperformance.com/webinar/

Website: https://ghperformance.com/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9331349/

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/GRNFMYYMRSE3SC8XJS7R?target=10.1113/EP091881