Half Marathon Training Plan Podcast

Why do runners often get hurt right when training finally starts working? There is a dangerous moment in beginner running: the point where your breathing feels easier, your confidence rises, and you start thinking, “Maybe I can do a little more.” That is often when runners accidentally increase mileage, pace, hills, or training frequency too quickly. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya exp...

Do your feet sound loud when you run? If every step feels heavy, jarring, or harder than it should, the issue may not be your fitness. It may be the way your foot is landing. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya explain overstriding in simple, beginner-friendly language: why landing too far in front of your body creates a braking effect, why that can make running feel harder, and how small...

Why does Achilles pain keep coming back, even after taking time off? For many runners, the cycle is frustratingly familiar: your Achilles starts hurting, you rest until it feels better, then the pain returns as soon as you start running again. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya explain what the latest sports medicine research says about Achilles tendinopathy, tendon loading, calf strength...

Why do some runs suddenly feel terrible… even when your training hasn’t changed? Your legs feel heavy. Your pace falls apart. Your heart rate is unusually high. And suddenly you start wondering if you lost all your fitness overnight. In reality, most bad runs are not caused by lost fitness at all. They are caused by accumulated stress your body has not fully recovered from yet. In this episode, Co...

Why does running slower feel so uncomfortable at first? If easy running makes you feel awkward, out of shape, or like you are somehow “doing it wrong,” you are not alone. Most beginner runners accidentally spend every run stuck in the middle: too hard to properly recover, but not easy enough to build a true aerobic base. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down why slower running fee...

Do your shin splints keep coming back every time you start running again? You rest. The pain goes away. You feel good. Then you run… and it comes right back. If that cycle sounds familiar, you are not alone—and you are not doing anything wrong. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down why shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome) keep returning, and why the common advice to “just...

Why do your legs suddenly feel heavy during a run—even when your fitness is improving? This is one of the most frustrating and misunderstood experiences in running. One minute you feel smooth and in control… and the next, your legs feel like bricks. This episode is grounded in exercise physiology and real-world training principles. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down exactly why...

Do you really need $250 carbon-plated super shoes to run a half marathon? If you walk into a running store and feel completely overwhelmed by the "wall of neon," you are not alone. The running shoe industry wants you to think you are broken so they can sell you an expensive fix. But the truth is, the wrong "advanced" shoe can actually contribute to shin splints and knee pain. This episode is groun...

Why does running outside feel so much harder than running on a treadmill? If you’ve ever felt strong indoors but struggled the moment you hit the pavement, you’re not imagining it. The difference isn’t mental — it’s physiological and biomechanical. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya explain exactly why treadmill running feels easier, what changes when you move outdoors, and how to transit...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System This is the episode that ties everything together. Most runners think injury is random. That shin splints just happen. That bonking is inevitable. It’s not. In this season-anchor episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya consolidate the entire Half Marathon Training Plan system into one clear, practical framework designed to keep yo...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Do you actually need carbon-plated shoes, recovery boots, and $300 gadgets to avoid injury? Or is most of it just smart marketing? In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down the only five pieces of running gear that truly reduce injury risk — and explain why most expensive upgrades don’t fix the real problem. We co...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Have you ever felt great on a long run… until everything suddenly fell apart? Heavy legs. Brain fog. Emotional crash. Walking when you planned to run. That’s not a lack of fitness or mental toughness. It’s called bonking — and it’s a predictable, fixable fueling problem. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down t...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Do your legs feel heavy even when your training plan looks right? By week five of half marathon training, many runners hit a wall—not from mileage, but from invisible fueling mistakes that quietly sabotage recovery and increase injury risk. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down the science behind nutrition and...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Missed a run this week and feeling behind? You’re not lazy. You’re human. And trying to “catch up” on missed mileage is one of the fastest ways runners get injured. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down the science of consistency—why missing a run doesn’t erase your fitness, but panic almost always does. We co...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Shin pain in Weeks 2–4? You’re not broken — you’re right on schedule. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya bust the biggest shin splints myths (including the “you need stability shoes if you pronate” advice) and explain what the research actually points to: shin splints are usually a training-load problem, not a shoe pr...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Recovery supplements are confusing on purpose. Search “runner recovery” and you’re told you need magnesium, BCAAs, tart cherry, collagen, fish oil, and a dozen powders you can’t pronounce. In this bonus episode of the Half Marathon Training Plan Podcast , Coaches Chris and Maya cut through the noise and explain what actually h...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Does running already feel harder than you expected? If you’re in Week 2 of training and questioning whether you’re cut out for running, you’re not failing — you’re right on schedule. In this episode of the Half Marathon Training Plan Podcast , Coaches Chris and Maya explain why most beginner runners struggle early on, why it u...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System It’s the start of a new year — and runners are being flooded with ads for expensive shoes, supplements, and “must-have” gear. In this episode, Coaches Chris and Maya cut through the noise and perform a true runner gear audit : what actually improves performance and recovery, and what most runners can safely skip. We break down...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Most runners quit their New Year's resolution by January 19th ("Quitter's Day"). It’s not because they lack willpower—it’s because they pick the wrong plan. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya break down the 2026 Training Blueprint : a science-backed strategy to help you survive the "Resolution R...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System It’s December 22nd. You are traveling, the house is chaotic, and there is a plate of cookies staring at you. The anxiety sets in: "If I miss my long run on Christmas morning, will I lose all my fitness?" The answer is NO. In this episode, Coach Chris and Coach Maya give you scientific permission to do less this week....

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System If you just signed up for your first half marathon, you might be tempted to spend a fortune on carbon-plated shoes and fancy gadgets. Don't. In this episode, Coaches Chris and Maya break down the only 3 tools you actually need to stay injury-free and consistent. We explore the science of the "Comfort Filter," why...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Most runners think recovery runs are just “junk miles” or a way to flush out lactic acid. In this episode, Coaches Chris and Maya explain why that’s wrong – and how truly easy running quietly builds the endurance engine that makes you faster on race day. Using real training science, they unpack what recovery runs actually do i...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Most runners hit the wall not because they’re out of fitness, but because they’re out of fuel. In this episode, Coaches Chris and Maya break down the real science behind mid-run fueling so you can avoid bonking, run stronger, and finish faster. We unpack everything from glucose vs fructose transporters, to sodium co-transport,...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System Magnesium might be the most important mineral runners overlook — and the science shows its impact reaches far beyond cramps or sleep. In this episode, Coaches Chris and Maya break down how magnesium affects energy production, muscle contraction and relaxation, neuromuscular control, cardiovascular stability, and long-term trai...

New to the podcast? Start here → ⁠The Injury-Proof Half Marathon System The 10% rule is one of the most widely repeated training guidelines in running — but science says it may actually be slowing you down and increasing injury risk. In this episode, Coaches Chris and Maya break down the real research behind mileage progression, long runs, fatigue resistance, workload management, and smarter ways...