Episode 64: Effective Communication with Athletes with Jack Mullaney

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with Jack Mullaney, head coach and executive director of the HOKA Northern Arizona Elite running team. In this episode, Jack discusses what it means to communicate effectively with athletes. Specifically, Rick and Jack cover the following topics:         1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?2. Your job is working with elite and professional runners. Are there any large differences between communicating with elite runners and the rest of us mere mortals?3. Oftentimes, coaching puts an emphasis on programming and physiology while soft skills take a back seat. Where would you rank soft skills in relation to hard skills such as programming, testing and biomechanics?4. When is the right time to receive and provide feedback after an athlete’s race didn’t go as expected or planned?5. Coaching often requires having hard conversations with athletes. Do you have any tips for this?6. How do you communicate with an athlete who disagrees with your programming or race selection?7. If you find that an athlete is not following the programming that you prescribed, what is your approach and strategy to communicate with them?8. Are there any situations or conditions where you would say that a coach should cease working with an athlete or vice versa?9. Do you have any tips on how to best motivate athletes? 10. At the symposium, one of the topics we discussed was how to meet athletes halfway to get what you want out of them as a coach, but also to meet their needs. Could you discuss this a bit more and perhaps share an example?To learn more about HOKA Northern Arizona Elite, please visit www.nazelite.comFor $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75 

In this episode of the "All Things Endurance Podcast," host Rick Prince chats with UESCA Mentor Faith Raymond Strafach. Faith is an ultrarunner and longtime running coach who mentors new and seasoned coaches. In this episode, Faith discusses a multitude of factors that lead to the success—and failure—of a coaching business. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Faith chat about during this episode:        1. Could you tell our listeners more about you and your background?2. From what you’ve seen, what are the three most common mistakes that new coaches make when starting a coaching business?3. What are the solutions for these mistakes?4. Imposter syndrome is a big factor for many new coaches. How can they overcome it?5. How does mentorship play a role in getting new coaches off to a great start?6. What factors should a new coach consider when setting their rate(s)?7. How important is having a coaching niche?8. A lot of coaches offer a slew of services. Do you think this is a good idea, or is it better to have just a few services to keep it simple?9. What are your thoughts on discounting your per-session or monthly rate based on volume?To learn more about Faith, please check out her IG account: @confessionsofarunnergirl For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75   

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with Brad Miles. Brad is the co-founder and CEO of Lever Movement, a bodyweight suspension system for treadmills that allows runners to unload a percentage of their bodyweight while running. Rick and Brad chat about how Lever came to be, the evolution of Lever’s demographic, use cases for Lever and the benefits of running unloaded. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Brad discuss during this episode: 1. Tell us about your background and how you got the idea to invent Lever Movement.2. You started by thinking of it from a rehab perspective, but you have now leaned into it as also a prehab use case. How did that evolution in thinking transpire?3. When we first spoke, you mentioned that your initial focus was on triathletes. Has Lever Movement since been adopted by the running community?4. In theory, would a product like Lever Movement replace traditional running recovery modalities such as pool jogging, elliptical trainers, etc?5. Volume is the number one predictor of running injuries. For runners who are injury-prone and/or those who run at what would be considered high volume, how many days per week is it suggested to run using Lever Movement?6. Have you found that rehab professionals can be liberal in their running prescriptions for injured athletes when using Lever versus those who don’t have access to reduced-weight-bearing training modalities?7. Pain is a great motivator. Do you find many people purchase a Lever Movement product after bouts of repeated injuries or when they’re currently injured?8. If someone wanted to learn more about Lever Movement or purchase a product, what is the best way to do so?To learn more about Lever Movement, please visit: https://levermovement.com/Lever Movement is a benefit provider to UESCA. For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75 

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with renowned ultrarunning coach Jason Koop. Jason is the head ultrarunning coach at Carmichael Training Systems (CTS), as well as the author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning,” editions one and two.  Rick and Jason chat about various topics related to training and racing in the heat and how to best acclimate oneself. Below are the specific areas they discuss during this episode:      1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?2. This year in particular, extreme heat has been a constant theme around the world. How impactful is this on an ultrarunner’s race prep and race day execution?3. What are some of the most valuable methods of training for racing in the heat? 4. How can an athlete integrate heat training into their training program without taking away from the quality of the training sessions? How do variables factor in, such as pacing, hydration, etc?5. If someone lives in a hot environment, is it advised to always train in the heat, or should they also look to train during cooler times of the day and/or indoors via treadmill where they can control the temperature? 6. What are some race day strategies that can mitigate the negative effects of heat? 7. What are your thoughts on ice vests or other external cooling sources with respect to their effectiveness and practicality?8. Is it ever advised to dump water over your head during training/racing, or does that lead to negative consequences?9. What are some common mistakes that you see ultrarunners make with respect to heat acclimation training or racing? 10. Some people fare better and are more comfortable in the heat than others. How does this influence training and race day performance? To learn more about Jason and Carmichael Training Systems (CTS), visit: www.jasonkoop.com and www.trainright.comFor $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75   

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with ultrarunner Christian Zepeda. Christian is running from Utah to Mexico in memory of his mom, who passed on due to cancer, and to support and inspire others to appreciate their health. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Christian chat about during this episode:        1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself? 2. You’re running from Utah to Mexico, starting on August 11, to support breast cancer patients, but not specifically to raise money or awareness. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about why you’re doing this run? 3. Why running? Did you consider other means to support breast cancer patients? 4. What does your running training look like for this, and how many miles do you plan to run per day? 5. In the event that someone would want to do a multi-state or multi-country run, what do the logistics look like? Is this self-supported, or will you have support throughout the trip? 6. Currently, more than 300,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer annually in the U.S. There is a good chance that most of us know someone who has breast cancer or has a history of it. What are some ways that people can support those who have breast cancer? To learn more about Christian and to follow his journey, please visit his IG account at: @christianzepeda2For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75   

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with Professional Triathlete and Coach Matt Hanson. In addition to Matt’s job of racing really fast in triathlons and coaching other triathletes to do the same, Matt is the lead contributor to UESCA’s Triathlon Coach Certification. Rick and Matt chat about some common mistakes that triathletes make in their training. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Matt cover in this episode:  1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?2. As not only a pro triathlete but also a seasoned triathlon coach, you likely see many training mistakes. What mistakes are often made related to training volume and training intensity?3. Do you think apps such as Strava and social media play into these mistakes due to triathletes trying to emulate the training of other athletes?4. Triathlon is a tech- and equipment-heavy sport, especially cycling. Do you see a lot of triathletes putting too much focus on equipment or marginal gains versus the training aspect?5. What are some ways a triathlete can avoid making major training mistakes? 6. What are your thoughts on pre-formatted and AI training programs?7. What mistakes do you see athletes make when deciding to hire a coach?To learn more about Matt Hanson and his coaching business, please visit: www.matthansonracing.comFor $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75  

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with renowned ultrarunning coach Jason Koop. Jason is the head ultrarunning coach for Carmichael Training Systems (CTS), the author of Training Essentials for Ultrarunning (editions 1 and 2) and the author of the UESCA Ultrarunning Coach Certification.Rick and Jason chat about what amateur ultrarunners can learn from the elites, key considerations and training modifications, and what things elite ultrarunners do that amateurs should not try to emulate.   Below are the specific areas that Rick and Jason chat about during this episode:  1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about you?2. You have a long history of working with elite ultrarunners. Aside from their unique physiology, what are some other ways elite ultrarunners differ from amateur ultrarunners?3. There are often catchy headlines out there, such as “Train Like a Pro.” Overall, and with respect to ultrarunning, is this good advice?4. Do you find that a lot of amateur ultrarunners believe the “right” training strategy is to emulate that of a pro, but reduce the volume and/or intensity?5. What are some areas of training that amateur ultrarunners can benefit from learning from the pros?6. Conversely, are there any areas of training that amateur ultrarunners should avoid or drastically modify when following a pro’s program/training method?To learn more about Jason Koop and his coaching business, please visit: www.jasonkoop.com and www.trainright.comFor $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75 

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with Dana Sowards. Dana holds a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Human Performance, is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD). Rick and Dana chat about what GLP-1s are, their origin and intended demographic, implications for coaches, key considerations for those on GLP-1s, and much more! Below are the specific areas that Rick and Dana chat about during this episode:         1. Could you tell our listeners about yourself and your business?2. What are GLP-1s, and what does GLP-1 stand for?3. What do GLP-1s do in the body?4. What purpose and demographic are they intended for?5. When and why did GLP-1s start being used outside of the specific, intended demographic?6. A lot of people have had weight-loss success with GLP-1s. Are there any downsides?7. Are there any studies on the long-term effects of GLP-1 usage outside of the intended demographic, or is it too new?8. Aside from fat loss, are there any other benefits of GLP-1s?9. GLP-1s are reshaping why people come to the gym, as fat loss is a decreasing reason to work out. That said, how important is weight training for someone on GLP-1s?10. If someone has a “bad” diet while on GLP-1s, will they still lose weight?11. A lot of people do cardiovascular exercise to lose/maintain weight. Do you think that, as more people use GLP-1s, there’s a possibility of fewer people doing cardiovascular exercise, leading to an overall less aerobically healthy population?12. What happens when someone stops using GLP-1s? Do you need to wean yourself off, or can you stop cold turkey?13. Do you need to keep increasing the dose of GLP-1s the longer you’re on them? To learn more about Dana and her performance nutrition business, please visit: https://www.adashofdana.us/For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75 

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with Dominique “Dee” Stasulli. Dee is a strength and endurance coach, a professor of physiology and pathophysiology, a current doctoral student and UESCA’s primary content creator. Rick and Dee chat about what it means to be a professional coach and how it relates to all aspects of the coach/athlete relationship.Below are the specific areas that Rick and Dee chat about during this episode:         Please tell our listeners about yourself.How would you sum up professionalism in coaching in a few sentences?What are some of the most important aspects of professionalism in coaching?When it comes to professionalism, how does a coach balance friendship with an athlete and being their coach?How can coaches create and enforce policies related to coaching professionalism?When it comes to professional communication, what are some key examples?A lot of coaches feel that it isn’t super important to be on time, whether for an in-person coaching session, a call, sending a program, etc. What is your take on this?Do you view continuing education, staying current on recent research and being aware of trends as an important aspect of professionalism?Could you discuss other aspects of professionalism, such as attire, language, body posture and attention to the athlete? What are some other aspects of professionalism in coaching that we didn’t discuss?To learn more about Dee and her coaching business, please visit: https://www.zealendurancecoaching.com/ For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75 

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with Chris Soden, founder and owner of Strategic Fitting, a bike fitting company. Chris discusses many things related to fitting a triathlon bike, such as the difference between fitting a road bike versus a triathlon bike, safety considerations, clip-on bars and more! If you work with cyclists or triathletes, this podcast will be a valuable resource on the variables and considerations in triathlon and time-trial bike setup and fit. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Chris chat about during this episode:         1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about your background? 2. What are the main differences between bike fit for a road bike and a triathlon bike?3. Does the bike fit differ between a time-trialist riding relatively short distances and a triathlete riding a long distance?4. If someone wants to make a drastic change to their position to be more aerodynamic, assuming their body can maintain the desired position, do you make the big change all at once, or do you move them into that position gradually?5. With a triathlon fit, how do you ensure the position is in aero yet still safe from a field-of-vision perspective?6. When working with a new triathlete or cyclist who may not have great bike-handling skills, how does that factor into the fitting process, if at all?7. What are some of the most important aspects of a good fit on a triathlon bike or a time-trial bike?8. This is not necessary for most people, but if someone is looking to optimize their aerodynamics and does not have access to a wind tunnel, are there alternatives?9. Could you discuss the difference between a triathlon bike fit and a road bike fit with aero clip-on bars? 10. What mistakes do you commonly see people make when fitting themselves to their triathlon bikes?To learn more about Chris and Strategic Fitting, please visit: https://strategicfitting.com/ For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75