Training guides
Practical guides on using your numbers: Zone 2 training, VO2 max testing, and race pacing, written by a running coach.
How Much Should You Slow Down in the Heat? (More Than You Want To)
Heat doesn't care about your goal pace. Here's how much running in warm weather actually costs, why dew point matters more than temperature, and how to race smart when it's hot.
Your Race Predictor Is Lying to You (A Little, and for Good Reasons)
Race time predictors are useful and wrong at the same time. Here's what the formulas assume, why the marathon breaks them, and how to use a prediction without getting burned.
The Rockport Walk Test: Fitness Testing When You Can't Run Hard
Coming back from injury, or just starting out? The Rockport one-mile walk test estimates your VO2 max without a single running stride. Here's how to do it right.
Cooper Test vs. Your Garmin's VO2 Max: Why They Disagree
Your watch says one VO2 max, a 12-minute field test says another. Here's how each number is made, which one to trust, and why the trend matters more than either.
The Marathon Pacing Mistake Everyone Makes in the First 5K
Most marathon blowups at mile 20 were actually caused at mile 2. Here's the physiology of going out too fast, and the plan that protects you from race-day adrenaline.
MAF vs. Karvonen vs. Percent of Max: Which Zone 2 Method Should You Trust?
Three popular methods for finding your Zone 2 heart rate, three different answers. Here's why they disagree, what each one gets right, and how to pick your number.
How to Pace Your First 10K (Negative Splits for Normal Humans)
Most first 10Ks blow up in the last two miles, and the damage is done in the first ten minutes. Here's a pacing plan that actually survives race day.
Training for a Backyard Ultra When You Have a Job and Kids
I'm training for my fifth backyard ultra around a business, a family, and a cranky ankle. Here's what the training actually looks like when you're not a professional.
How Slow Should Easy Runs Be? (The Answer Feels Wrong)
Easy runs should be one to two minutes per mile slower than your race pace, and most runners can't bring themselves to do it. Here's the math, the physiology, and the fix.
Why Zone 2 Feels Too Slow (And Why That's the Point)
Zone 2 running feels embarrassingly slow at first. Here's why that discomfort is the signal you're doing it right, and how to actually hold the zone (hint: walking is ok!).