Episode 595: Zach Cygan

Zach recently won the Phoenix Hyrox Open division, running an impressive 56:39. And he did it weighing in at 110 lbs. In a sport where frame, mass, and long levers truly matter, how has he been able to achieve this level of success?

Take2Trail is built by and for runners who believe gear should keep moving long after we’re done with it. They give your like-new and gently used trail running gear a chance to see another mile. No flaky buyers. No sketchy meetups. Just a smarter, smoother way to keep quality gear in circulation — and out of the landfill. Used doesn't mean useless.

We are joined by Sam Konowitch, a software engineer contracting for Space Force, to learn every single detail we could ever need to know about fully utilizing the capabilities of our GPS watches. From extending battery life to maximizing route accuracy in every location imaginable, this is the episode to nerd out on all things run tracking!

We fully intended to just rapid fire the remaining questions and then hit our real topic. An hour later we were still deep diving into the Q&A topics!

We pick up with your remaining questions from last week! Highlights include Heat Training, Hamstring Strengthening, Super Shoes for “Slow” Runners, and Compromised Running.

When COVID effectively ended his music career, Cody reinvented himself as a an endurance athlete. From running across the Atacama Desert to setting an FKT on the Bruce Trail in the wilderness of Canada, he’s been searching for his limit and hasn’t found it yet.

You’ve sent some great questions this month! Highlights include: What’s holding you back, efficiency or engine?  What supplements should you be trying? Uphill efficiency vs flat speed efficiency. What should you do if your HR is too high even when jogging slow?

Jared Francisca PT, DPT, joins us to talk specific processes for rehabbing common running related soft tissue injuries (tendinitis, tendinopathy, strains, tears). 

Kirk takes one side and Brakken takes the other while they debate the overall importance of Strength Training for a distance runner.

With both boys scheduled to toe the same start line in May, this marks their first time racing each other since 2021! Today they break down their lifetime head to head match ups and predict how this one will go.