Ep. 46- How do the Kenyans Train? with famed Dutch Kenyan coach: Hugo Van den Broek

Peter Dutton is one of the Run Culture Owl athletes I coach, we have worked together for the past 5 years! The hidden advantage of doing a podcast with an athlete you have coached for that long is that you have an incredible audio time capsule to re-visit! In fact, as I write this blurb I am re-listening to the very first podcast we did together (S1-Ep. 30 Feb 2020), it's quite an interesting process as a coach; he's definitely the same person but a little bit different...as am I! It has been a year to the day since the last time Pete was on the podcast! So, please do yourself a favor and listen in to hear; -How Pete's 3 month US trip went (he trained at Altitude in Boulder and Flagstaff!). -Or how he salvaged, in his words; 'the track season from hell!' .... -and how I have finally given him the green light to try to make the 2024 Melbourne Marathon start line!

🎙️🏃‍♂️ In today's episode of the Run Culture Podcast, I had an enlightening conversation with Dr. Phil Bellinger, a researcher and teacher from Griffith University in QLD, Australia. We delved into the fascinating world of muscle fiber phenotypes and how understanding them can revolutionize individualized training for athletes. 🏋️‍♀️⚡️ Dr. Bellinger shared insights from his groundbreaking study on 24 middle-distance runners, highlighting the diverse responses they had to overload training. He also revealed a non-invasive test he uses to accurately predict an athlete's muscle fiber phenotype. 🧪💪 We explored how athletes with different ratios of fast twitch, slow twitch, and hybrid fibers generally respond to training, debunking the assumption that coaches always get it right. Discover the adjustments you can make to training schedules to better cater to an athlete's specific phenotype. 📊🏃‍♀️ Ever wondered if fast twitch intermediate fibers can transform into more oxidative fibers over time? We tackled this question and discussed the types of training that encourage such adaptations. 💥🔋 Finally, we wrapped up by exploring the distinctions between acute fatigue, functional over-reaching, and non-functional over-reaching. It's crucial to understand these nuances to optimize training and prevent burnout. 💤🔄 Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights into the science of muscle fiber phenotypes and how it can enhance athletic performance. 🎧🔬 #RunCulturePodcast #AthleteTraining #MuscleFiberPhenotypes

Ok, I raced well or I raced poorly but what’s the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind this?? How good would it be if we could peak under the hood? This is exactly what Nick Jankovskis @nj_sportscience does for a living. Nick is a Sports Scientist and endurance performance coach at METS Performance Consulting. A specialist in improving endurance performance by accurately analysing performance through physiological testing to prescribe individualised training to optimise athlete performance. He helps runners answer questions like: How big is my engine? How efficient is my engine? Where could I improve? Is my current training efficient and aiding better performance? What training should I prioritise/maintain? Why should I train differently at times to my training partner? Thanks for the ripping conversation Nick and I look forward to doing some testing with you for a few of the athletes I coach over the coming months (a repeat podcast discussing the results is a must!). If other runners are also interested in doing some physiological testing with METS performance consulting be sure to check them out here: @metsperformance Welcome — METS Performance Consulting

On today's episode of the Run Culture podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Phil Batterson, the founder of Critical Oxygen. Dr. Batterson holds a PhD in human bioenergetics and is an avid endurance sports enthusiast himself. His passion lies in helping athletes and coaches optimize their physiology to enhance endurance performance. I've always wanted to delve into the scientific aspects of exercise physiology on the podcast, but I never felt qualified to do so. That's why it was fantastic to have Dr. Batterson join us today. During our conversation, Dr. Batterson provided a comprehensive understanding of the acute and chronic physiological processes that occur when we exercise. He explained how our bodies adapt to different types of training and highlighted the importance of testing and understanding our individualized training zones. This knowledge can greatly assist athletes in efficiently targeting specific adaptations to enhance their performance. If you want to follow more of Phil’s educational content be sure to listen to his podcast (Critical Oxygen Podcast) or want to reach out to him with a Question find him on YouTube/Instagram @critcalo2 or his website at www.criticaloxygen.com

Calling all runners! This one has to be up there as one of my all time most enjoyable Run Culture Podcast conversations! This is part 2 of the conversation I had with Dutch Kenyan coach: Hugo Van den Broek about his key training principles for running! Hugo’s passion, knowledge, thirst for learning and strengths as a communicator really shine through. Get ready to slow down and take notes or listen multiple times to absorb all the valuable lessons, stories, analogies, and coaching wisdom shared. Hugo, a former 2:12 marathoner, now resides in Kenya and coaches athletes worldwide through 'Train Smarter Run Faster' coaching. Check out his Instagram @running_coach_hugovandenbroek for more info.

What an insightful conversation with renowned Dutch Kenyan coach Hugo Van den Broek! In part 1, we delved into the secrets of Kenyan training methods and explore the polarised training literature. Stay tuned for part 2, where we'll dive into Hugo's key principles for running training. A former 2:12 marathoner, Hugo now resides in Kenya with his family and coaches athletes globally through 'Train Smarter Run Harder' coaching. He also runs Kenyan coaching camps. For more information go to Hugo's Instagram: @running_coach_hugovandenbroek. Get ready for a wealth of knowledge!

Today on the Run Culture Podcast I had the privilege to chat to Rene Wormhoudt, the Dutch national soccer team strength and conditioning coach and a physical therapist. Rene is also one of the founders of; ‘The Athletic Skill Model’, a model designed to create more ‘adaptive/creative/versatile athletes’. If you are a therapist, coach or athlete trying to improve performance, reduce injury or make training fun this is a great listen for you! The idea that participating in seemingly unrelated sports can emergently help your target sport's co-ordinative abilities and versatility, is a complex concept to comprehend in our linear modern world dominated by reductionistic science. However, the athletics skill model and Rene Wormhoudt shed light on the immense benefits of incorporating such routines. Embracing variability in training can enhance coordination and unlock potential in various physical activities. #FarTransfer #CoordinativeAbilities For those interested in finding out more about the #AthleticsSkillModel please go to: www.athleticskillsmodel.nl and/or purchase the book.

I first came across Callum Jones only recently when I was trying to find out more about the ‘Norwegian double threshold method’ and I came across his and Gavin Smith fantastic podcast called ‘Conversations About Running.’ Callum Jones is a competitive runner himself over 1500m to 10km and also a coach at; ‘Train Smarter, Run Faster’ with famed Kenyan Coach, Hugo Van den Broek (who he has studied extensively under). He’s also the head of marketing and a coach at ‘Running Trips’ a company that does training camps in Kenya. He has a girlfriend from Norway, so has spent a considerable amount of time in Norway trialing the Norwegian Double Threshold Method. He lives in Cornwall and runs for the Bristol track club. Last year, Callum travelled to Sierra Nevada and trained with the Norwegian Athletics Federation with athletes like, Simen Halle Haugen, Narve Gilje Nordas and Hendrik Ingebrigtsen. He’s a fantastic resource of running and coaching knowledge. It was fantastic talking to him today about the Norwegian double threshold method, and what training is like in Kenya, as well as his personal experiences with running himself. I hope you enjoy this chat, I certainly enjoyed hearing about how different cultures tend to train.

Just had an inspiring chat with Matthew Hansen, a talented Aussie distance runner from the Bert Squad in QLD! He's making waves on the US college circuit and has seen incredible progress recently with 'The Norwegian Double Threshold Method'. Tune in to hear what Matt has to say about this training method, his experience with overtraining, his race mentality, and his tips for aspiring athletes looking to apply for US college. Don't forget to check out his YouTube channel (@MattHanso) to follow his running journey. #RunningCommunity #Inspiration.

I just had an incredible conversation on the Run Culture podcast with Jae Gruenke, a certified Feldenkrais practitioner, former professional dancer, and running form coach of over 20yrs. We discussed the fascinating concept of Feldenkrais and how it can benefit runners. Jae shared how her dance background has influenced her coaching approach and how it can help runners move more authentically and efficiently. We also explored the idea that humans are naturally evolved to run, but our modern habits and beliefs can hinder our movement. Jae explained the difference between running drills and running lessons, emphasizing the importance of a more explorative and sensory approach to motor learning. She also shared a few of her six main principles for balanced running. Such valuable insights! Check it out! And, if you want to find out more about Jae's offerings be it blogs, videos or courses be sure to go to: https://www.balancedrunner.com/ #RunCulture #RunningForm #InjuryPrevention