All Things Endurance

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance” podcast, host Rick Prince chats with Dr. Rebecca Johansson. Dr. Johansson holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in exercise science, and she’s a UESCA Ultrarunning Coach. Through her business, The Performance Project, she coaches running, ultrarunning and multisport athletes.Rick and Rebecca chat about what training load is, how to effectively monitor it, signs that may precede injury, load adjustment and wearables. (This is the first of a three-part podcast series with Dr. Johansson.)Below are the specific areas that Rick and Rebecca discuss during this episode:      1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?2. What does “training load” actually mean? As coaches, why should we monitor it for our athletes?3. What did you find about endurance runners during your PhD — and what surprised you?4. Internal vs. external load: What does a coach genuinely need, and what's noise?5. What's the minimum viable monitoring system for a coach with 20 athletes and no lab?6. What are the earliest signals that precede injury or nonfunctional overreaching, and how much warning do they really give you?7. Once you see the signal, how do you adjust the load, and what does that conversation with the athlete look like?8. Where do wearables and readiness scores earn their keep, and where do they mislead?To learn more about Dr. Johansson and The Performance Project, visit: www.theperformanceprojectllc.comUse code ATE75 to get $75 off any UESCA coach certification.

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance” podcast, host Rick Prince chats with Mallory Robalino. Mallory is a nurse practitioner specializing in gastroenterology and also holds an MBA in Healthcare Management. Mallory is also a UESCA-certified running coach. Rick and Mallory chat about many areas related to eating disorders and disordered eating, including physiology, gender bias, health impact and long-term effects. Below are the specific areas that they discuss during this episode: 1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?2. Could you discuss the difference between disordered eating and eating disorders, if there is any distinction?3. Could you identify and explain some of the primary eating disorders?4. As a nurse practitioner specializing in gastroenterology, with respect to eating disorders, what is your primary role?5. In my experience, a lot of the discussion around eating disorders relates to the psychological side. However, you see the physiological side of it. Could you share some of the physiological effects that eating disorders can have on an individual?6. Oftentimes, eating disorders are viewed as primarily a female issue. While we know this is not true, can you share any statistics on the percentages of females and males who have or have had eating disorders?7. A lot of endurance athletes admit that they have or have had an eating disorder. From your experience as both a clinician and an endurance athlete, why do you think this is?8. Weight loss is a physical change commonly associated with eating disorders. What are some other outwardly visible signs of eating disorders?9. From a treatment standpoint, does it depend on the severity of the disorder or health of an individual, and is a team approach often the most optimal treatment pathway?10. Is it possible for a person to have an eating disorder and not be aware of it, or perhaps be in denial of it? 11. What are some of the long-term effects of eating disorders?Use code ATE75 to get $75 off any UESCA coach certification.

In this episode of the “All Things Endurance” podcast, host Rick Prince chats with Dr. Ann Bowers-Evangelista. Rick and Ann discuss the importance of developing leadership skills as a coach and why being an effective leader is critical to being a successful coach.Below are the specific areas that Rick and Ann cover during this episode:      1. Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself? 2. As a leadership psychologist and an endurance athlete, you likely have a strong understanding of what traits make up successful individuals. Could you share what being successful in business and as an athlete have in common? 3. Part of being a successful coach is having leadership qualities. Could you discuss what some of these qualities are and why they are so important? 4. When athletes quit working with a coach, it is often assumed that it is due to the lack of results or a personality mismatch. While I’m sure those reasons are sometimes true, can not being a strong leader be another reason an athlete fires their coach? 5. If a coach wanted to level up their leadership skills, what are some steps that you would recommend? 6. There are a lot of people in leadership roles, but in my experience, very few of them are strong, well-rounded and high-performing leaders. Why do you think this is? 7. What are some traits and actions that diminish one’s leadership image or standing? 8. Is leadership a learned skill that requires continued work and education? 9. Could you discuss your book, The Endurance Leader? To learn more about Dr. Ann Bowers-Evangelista and her leadership coaching, visit: www.llumos.comUse code ATE75 to get $75 off any UESCA coach certification.

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