training

coaching, running

Lessons From Running 18 Miles on a Treadmill

Not gonna lie, running 18 miles on a treadmill is kind of rough. But, it can also be an opportunity to learn how to do something really hard. Here are the lessons I followed:

1. Prepare. Go over everything you need the night before the event and have it packed, ready to go. In this case, I knew the run was going to take me about 2 hours, 30 minutes. That told me I needed 8 gels, 5 salt tabs, and 2.5 liters of water. I also needed headphones so I could listen to podcasts or music, shorts, blister-resistant socks, a shirt, a watch, and comfortable shoes. By having all my supplies ready before hand, I reduce the chances of discovering I missed something during the event.

2. Pay attention to the little things. Every 5 minutes I take a drink, every 20 minutes I take a gel, every 30 minutes I start a new water bottle, every hour I refill my water bottles. Having these little milestones along the way not only keeps me fueled and hydrated, but also breaks up the big task into smaller chunks. By focusing on these tiny steps, I’m distracted from the daunting larger goal of 18 miles and the time just flys by (sort of 😂).

3. Periodically check-in with yourself. Every so often during this run, I paused to ask myself, “How are you doing?” I listened to my breathing, my heart rate, my legs. Do I feel hot, tired, or achy? Should I slow down? Maybe I should speed up? How’s my form? If anything feels out of place, I make adjustments. In this case, I was feeling pretty warm after the first 30 minutes. Instead of toughing it out, I moved to a different treadmill that had a ceiling fan right above it.

The goal of this run was not to suffer, but to finish feeling better than when I started. By following these lessons, I gave myself the best chance for success.

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coaching, running

Why Do I Have a Running Coach?

I’m a coach myself so I can do all the things a coach does.  I can create a training plan, a race plan, a fueling strategy, prescribe strength exercises or stretching or more rest.  So why do I have a coach?

My coach is an objective observer.  It’s hard for me to step back and see the big picture for myself. I get lost in the daily grind.  I do a run, it feels good, I do another, maybe it doesn’t feel good, but I’ve already mostly forgotten about that previous run that felt good and I beat myself up about the one run that didn’t feel good.  My coach reminds me that there are many years worth of runs that I’ve already stacked and one bad run isn’t going to topple that tower.

My coach is a source of fresh ideas.  Improving as a runner is about embarrassing the body enough to adapt over time.  Sometimes your body gets used to the same old routine and stops improving.  That’s when it’s time to introduce a new stimulus that your body hasn’t seen before.  Maybe that’s longer intervals, cross-training, more vert, or heat training.  My coach knows me (sometimes better than I know myself) and can find that new special way to challenge my body to adapt.

My coach helps me be patient.  It takes time to be a good runner.  Improvement happens over months and years, not days.  My coach reminds me that pushing for results won’t make them come faster.  My coach also holds me back when I’m injured.  I tend to want to push through pain, but my coach is there every day filling that void of insecurity with hope and confidence that I’ll come back stronger than before.

My coach believes in me.  Sometimes self-belief isn’t enough and I need someone in my life that holds belief in me no matter what.  There are tough times when races don’t go well or I’m injured or life just sucks.  It’s in times like these that my coach is there to lift me up out of those dark places and remind me of who I am and why I do what I do and that I’m amazing.

I’ve been with my current coach for over 3 years now and I couldn’t ask for a better one.  Thank you Chris.

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running

Black Canyon 2026

I’m one of those weird runners that prefers running downhill before I run up. I think I’ve always liked saving the hardest part for last. Maybe I like the pressure, or maybe it’s just my nature as a procrastinator. So it’s possible I was made for the Black Canyon 50k course where the first 20 miles are all downhill.

I ran this race for the first time this year. It was my third 50k and my fastest ever with a time of 4:36:57 and 46th place overall. It was a magical day that I’ll never forget, but I know I’m capable of more.

The second half of this year has been a struggle. In June, a stubborn toe injury finally forced me to take a break from running. Then some personal demons crept into my life. I took up gravel biking and made the most of a rough summer with my first gravel race – the Crippler in Canyon City, CO.

Then fall came and I began to heal. My demons and I found some acceptable accord and I slowly reintroduced myself to running. All was looking up until it wasn’t. I was out on a training ride when my wheels slid out on an icy bridge. I crashed, cracking my helmet and road rashing up my shin, hip, and forearm.

I felt beaten up, inside and out. It was starting to feel like the universe was telling me to stop, like I had chosen the wrong life from a library of lives.

I was lost and yet there I was, continuing to ride and run again. I told myself I just needed to make it to another start line. So, I jumped into the Louisville Half-Marathon, finishing in 6th place and completing my farthest run since June.

Now that I’ve crossed that finish line, I feel that spark again. That desire to explore both new places and new limits.

I haven’t always been a shooter. I grew up in the background helping others take their shots. But it’s time to take my shot again.

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coaching, running

3 Reasons to Hire a Coach

Anybody can grab a random running plan off the internet and run a 5k, so why should you hire a coach?

  1. Individualization – Some athletes can handle high mileage, some are better at speed, and some are good at recovering from hard workouts. Maybe your body can handle 50 miles per week, but your non-running schedule won’t allow it. Maybe you enjoy short intervals or love long meandering adventures through the forest. A coach can take you as an individual into consideration and customize your running plan so running becomes something you not only thrive at, but enjoy.
  2. Adaptation – Following a static plan is great until life happens. What if you get sick, injured, or have to put extra hours in at work? Do you still follow the plan? Do you start running twice a day to make up for lost time? Do you take a break and just pick up on the plan where you left off? The race director at your local 5k isn’t going to postpone your race because you got food poisoning from the gas station sushi you scarfed down on your last road trip. A coach can help you adapt and lead you safely through the unexpected so you can still reach your running goals.
  3. Motivation – Some people need a friend to gently yell at them to get out the door. Others need to be physically restrained so they don’t go out and run an extra 10 miles and hurt themselves. Daily conversations with a coach can help remind you of why you’re doing this crazy sport called running and keep you on track with your goals.

If you’re thinking about hiring a running coach, reach out or say hi on the socials!

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running

Thoughts on Hill Strides

I approach hill strides like I do most hard things: Don’t think about it too much.

Today was 5x20sec, so I began by pre-programmed the intervals into my watch to avoid doing any mid-run math.

As I walk to the base of the hill, I don’t think about how hard reps 4 and 5 might be. Instead, I focus on making sure the first rep feels easy(ish).

Leaning into that first step, I think about my cues…eyes up, slight lean, short stride, and of course that bounce.

During the rep I check-in with myself. I want it to feel smooth and powerful, yet comfortable and not forced.

Before long the watch dings, my mind clears, and I’m headed back down the hill for another rep.

So bottom line, don’t think about it too much, and before you know it, those hill reps will be in the bank and you’ll be back home enjoying your favorite recovery drink.

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cycling, running

Developing Your Race-day Nutrition Plan

For most races, a plan can be simplified into some combination of water, sodium, carbohydrates, and caffeine. Exactly what combination is personal and requires a experimentation.

To give you an idea of what a plan might look like, here’s my plan for the 2025 Black Canyon 50k:

water1 liter/hr
sodium1500mg/hr
carbs128g/hr
caffeine50mg at mile 19 and 50mg at mile 24

I developed this plan over several years of testing, practice, and trial and error. Essentially sciencing the shit out of it!

Where do you begin?

Start with water. To get an idea of how much water you lose, weigh yourself before and after a run (If you struggle with body image issues, enlist the help of a friend to record your weight). 1 liter of water weighs 1 kilogram or 2.2 lbs. So if you run for 1 hour (without drinking or eating anything) and lose 1 lb, you’ve lost 0.45 kg of water through sweat. To replace what you’ve lost, you’ll want to drink close to one half liter bottle an hour. This amount will vary based on things like weather and how hard your effort is, but this will be a good starting point.

Sodium is the next piece of the puzzle. How much sodium an individual loses during exercise varies a ton. At 1500mg an hour, I’m considered a very salty sweater. Other people might only lose 400mg per hour. Figuring out exactly where you stand can be tricky without actually getting a sweat test which you can get from Precision Fuel and Hydration. I’ve had one done. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it. Other than testing, you can get a general idea of how much salt you lose by looking at your clothing and face after a long workout. A salty sweater will have noticeable white marks. If you have a dog, you may notice you become his new favorite person because of how salty your legs taste.

Carbs are magical! In general, the more you can tolerate, the better you’ll feel, perform, and recover. You probably don’t need carbs for any event under 2 hours, but I like consuming mid-race carbs for anything over an hour in duration. How much should you take? I take 128g/hr, but if you’re a beginner in the carb game, don’t start there. Start with 60g/hr and see how you feel. Then, continue to slowly build up to 90g/hr in your training runs. These days 90g/hr is good minimum amount to shoot for. Many people do very well on 90g/hr. If you can tolerate it, experiment with higher amounts in training, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t push higher. Super high carb intake is not for everyone.

Caffeine is rocket fuel! But be aware of how you tolerate caffeine. I’m pretty sensitive to caffeine so I use it sparingly and in small amounts. Other people are better at processing and using caffeine so they can tolerate larger amounts.

Adapt on the Fly

While it’s a good idea to enter a race with a definitive plan, things happen and you have to be ready to adapt. Weather could be cooler or hotter than anticipated, your effort level could be different, or your stomach could just be having a bad day. A good racer knows how to roll with the changes, listen to their bodies, and adapt. I know I had to adapt at Black Canyon. Because temperatures were cooler than I expected at the beginning of the race, I ended up skipping a planned water fill-up at one of the early aid stations. I made this decision on the fly during the race based on how my body felt. I knew from experience that I would function better with a little less water early on. A plan is good, but don’t be afraid to deviate from it.

As always, If you’d like more personalized advice, message me!

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running

Sculpting a Runner

Run training is like creating a sculpture. Each day you make a tiny scratch in the rock. Over the course of several weeks, months, and years, these scratches add up and eventually coalesce into a shape, the shape turns into a figure, and the figure turn into a work of art.

Some days are more productive and you might make a bigger scratch. You might see a hint of progress and gain a boost of confidence that you are actually creating something worthwhile. You’re motivated to continue the process and excited to see what the following days and weeks bring.

But most days seem underwhelming and the scratch you make is nearly imperceptible. Did that run matter? Am I standing still? Or worse yet, am I going backwards?

The size of the daily scratch is seemingly out of your control. A magical combination of mysterious factors that seem at times like witchcraft and fairytale mixed with a hint of science.

On race day you pull the curtain down and unveil your work to the world. You are vulnerable. All your weaknesses and strengths exposed. Here is what I spent weeks, months, and years creating. What do you think? Is it good enough?

Having a coach can help you keep the big picture in mind. They are constantly watching from afar, seeing the tiny scratches come together and the many factors that contribute to each scratch.

A coach will let you know that your on track to create something great. A coach can also see if things aren’t trending well. In either case adjustments can be made in the plan to make sure you goals are achieved.

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