Running

Reverse Periodization

Periodization is a pretty common term and training practice within the realm of endurance sports. When most endurance athletes think of periodization, they think of a pyramid; with the lowest intensity/highest volume at the bottom and the highest intensity/lowest volume at the top. This pyramid is typically designed to peak for one event per year, … Read more

Overtraining Syndrome

This blog post is largely taken from our certification content and is contributed by UESCA advisor, physiologist and overtraining syndrome expert Alexandra Coates. While everyone has heard of the terms “Overtraining” and “Overtraining Syndrome”, there is a lot of confusion as to what overtraining really is. In this section we will define the components of … Read more

Environmental Physiology and Training Considerations

There are a lot of unique things about endurance sports. However, perhaps one the most unique aspects is the influence of the environment on athletes. As an example, the Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb (Mt. Evans) ascends 6,630 feet and tops out at a dizzying 14,130 feet! Whether it’s altitude, heat, humidity or cold weather; … Read more

GUIDE: Strength Training for Endurance Athletes

The History Ahh yes, strength training – the nemesis of any endurance athlete… or at least that is what we are often led to believe. For starters, despite being debunked many many years ago, the myth that lifting a weight or doing a lunge will automatically add pounds of muscle still persists to this day. … Read more

Lactic Acid vs. Lactate: What’s The Difference?

If you’ve been involved with endurance sports for even a short amount of time, you have no doubt heard or read that the ever so fun muscle burn that you experience is caused by a thing called ‘lactic acid.’ This obviously must be correct as so many sources cite lactic acid as the nemesis of … Read more

The Science of the Warm-Up

Whether it was your 5th grade soccer coach, your college track coach, or your running group buddies; if you’ve been participating in sports of any kind, you’ve likely heard the phrase, “You gotta warm up!” While this is a common understanding, the science of the warm up is less understood. While the general rationale for … Read more

7 Steps to Create an Annual Running Training Program

As the 2021 calendar year is winding down, it’s time for most of us to plan our own and our athletes’ training programs for the upcoming year. This post primarily focuses on the coach/athlete relationship but the content is just as applicable to self-coached athletes. While there are many different ways to construct a training … Read more

Minimizing the Chance for GI Distress in Ultramarathons

You’ve probably seen the commercials with someone having a bad case of indigestion and dropping a few white tablets in a glass of water to create a magical, fizzy concoction that is supposed to alleviate the bloat and stomach issues … or the goopy, pink soup-like drink that helps with similar multiple stomach ailments. While … Read more

Want More Power On The Bike? Start With Your Ankles

There was a time not too long ago, if you wanted an accurate assessment of your power output while cycling, you had to head to a physiology lab – not so anymore. Nowadays, on-the-bike power meters are as ubiquitous as heart rate monitors used to be. Due to this, there are endless articles and resources … Read more

Everything You Need To Know About Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

We’ve all been there. You get back from an awesome run, feel healthy and energized, have a nice dinner, go to sleep and then @$*%#!… you can barely make it down the stairs the next morning (and the morning after that) because it feels like someone shortened your hamstrings by about an inch and then … Read more