Running Rogue

Zone 2 this and Zone 2 that... it's all the rage on social media and with longevity experts. On the bright side, discussing Zone 2 means that you are talking about the importance of EASY running, and we know easy running is the key to building fitness and longevity. On the other hand, there are misconceptions about what Zone 2 means and how to apply it. In this episode, I give you 6 truths about Z...

James Dodds joins me to help me recap a tough day at the Houston Marathon for me. It was my big goal race, but it didn't go how I hoped it would. Fortunately, the reasons for that are crystal clear, which I break down in the episode. I am still very proud of my day and even more hungry for what's to come. Thank you to everyone for your support in this journey. I will rest, recover, and get back to...

Do you want to have your best year of running yet? This episode is here to help you achieve the right balance in training in order to do so. I give you 4 things to do more of and 4 things to do less of in order to optimize your performance in 2024. Where you are out of balance?!? Listen in and find out! To redeem offers from this episode's sponsors: Use the code ROGUE15 for 15% off on running appa...

Many have asked about how my training for the Houston Marathon is going, and this episode is your answer. James Dodds joins the show to interview me on my training progress. You will hear that I still don't know what the outcome will be, but I feel really good about my progress to this point. We talk about my process and how I've felt along the way with lessons that are already taking shape. I thi...

In this episode, James and I interview Paul Esteso, a member of our virtual podcast group called the Rogue Renegades. Paul tells the story of his running journey and the epiphany that would lead to a massive breakthrough in his results. His marathon times had hit a plateau, and he wanted more. With a few simple changes to his training, focused on the fundamentals, he went from running 3:37 in the...

On October 23rd,  Rogue lost a member of our community when Larry Bright passed away. He was a runner with us for 17 years and a coach for 10 years. This episode is my tribute to him and the lessons we can all learn from his life and running journey. RIP to my friend Larry. To support Larry's family, you can give here: https://gofund.me/c98f8228 . To redeem the offer from this episode's sponsor us...

You just crushed your fall race... now what? I often see runners jump straight into the next training cycle without giving yourself time for the proper 2-3 week reset. In this episode, I talk about 8 things - 4 mental and 4 physical - in order to appropriately reset the mind and body for what's to come. Do not take shortcuts with your post-race reset! To redeem offers from this episode's sponsors:...

Lori Smiley (my sister) was on episode 303 of this podcast to celebrate her hard-earned Boston qualifier earlier this year. She was confident of toeing the line next April with her 5:00 minute buffer. Then, the news of the 5:29 hit her like a ton of bricks in September, sending her into an existential spiral over her running goals. In this episode, she joins James and I to talk about it all includ...

In this episode, James and I are joined by Doctor of Physical Therapy Morgan Riggins to talk about running and physical therapy. We discuss finding a good physical therapist to help you run more consistently, prevent and/or work through injury, and minimize downtime when injuries do pop up. If you don't have a physical therapist on your support team, then now is the time to find one.   Here are tw...

Have you ever wondered how your wearables are made? Or how a company validates the data that is produced by them? Probably not and that's ok, but today, that's going to change! In this episode, James and I chat with Jeff Knight, former Rogue coach and training director, who has been working in the wearable space for the last 8 years. We talk about his background and how he got in the space and the...

One of the top questions I get as a coach is about running and aging. Everyone is always worried about the grim reaper coming for their speed. In this episode, James and I are here to tell you to let go of those limitations and focus on 8 important elements to consider as you age. These 8 things, including 2 that are must-haves, touch on not only aging and performance but also aging and longevity....

In this episode, James and I chat with 5-year Rogue member Dan Wiersema. 5 years ago, Dan joined us with the goals to find a community, start moving, and lose a little bit of weight. That first season with us saw him complete his first half marathon, and now, he is dreaming of much bigger things as he prepares for his 3rd marathon this fall.  I think many of us will see a part of ourselves in Dan'...

This episode starts with a discussion of the recently-announced Boston Marathon "buffer" and how gutting it is for those who missed the cut. As a coach, I feel that pain too having many athletes who just missed being able to toe the line next year in Boston. As a part of that discussion, I give a few tips for those who missed out and also give my suggestion for how to update the process to make it...

Why am I not improving? I get this question a lot as a coach, and this episode provides the answer, eight of them to be exact. First of all, I talk about how to know if you are in a performance plateau, and then I give you 8 reasons why that might be true. Along the way, I give you the solutions to consider so that you can find performance gains again. If you feel like you are stuck in your traini...

In this episode, James and I chat with everyday runner and relatively new half marathoner - Sarah Perry. Sarah sent me a direct message on Instagram with questions about VO2Max and heart rate, and it magically turned into a 1-hour coaching chat with James and I. Plus, we recorded it so that you all could learn from the discussion as well! In this chat, we learn about Sarah's goals for pursuing the...

In this episode, one of my athletes - Nicole Winter from @nicolemruns - interviews me!  This was the idea of Nicole and other athletes in my Austin training group (shout out to the Rogue Morning Show!). They put together a list of questions for me ranging from fun, get-to-know-you questions to questions about my running journey and even some questions that brought out the inspirational side of me....

The fall racing season is almost here, and in this episode, we help you answer this fundamental question: should I do a race in preparation for my primary race (aka my "A race")? Thank you to Caroline from the Rogue Renegades for these questions. The short answer is... it's not as simple as you think. For the long answer, tune in for more. In this episode, we answer these questions: What is a prep...

In this episode, I replay a live question and answer session that I did with Nicole Winter's followers (@nicolemruns). Nicole is an athlete that I've coached for 2 years, including to her first Boston Qualifier in Eugene in April. She's a running and fitness content creator on instagram, and definitely worth a follow there. Her followers also ask great questions, and this episode is no different....

Prompted by a question from a Rogue athlete, we dig into the HOW of separating your identity and your worth from your results. It's a never ending journey, but you will get better at it over time with consistent work. In this episode, we frame up the problem and give you examples of how this might manifest in an unproductive way in your training, framed by examples from our own journeys. Then, we...

For this episode, I am excited to interview Tina Muir and Zoë Rom about their new book Becoming a Sustainable Runner. The book talks about how to be a happy and healthy runner for a lifetime while also giving back to your community and your environment. In this conversation, we talk about: The importance of taking a long term view of your running journey Disconnecting your identity from your outco...

I'm back after a summer hiatus and joined by guest host James Dodds. Thanks for your patience with new episodes, but we are back for the duration! In this episode, we answer questions about choosing training paces, building race plans, and recovery. If you have ever wondered how to determine your training paces, how those paces might evolve over time, and how you might determine race pace from you...

I've gotten many questions recently about building or rebuilding a running routine, whether it be for the first time or for someone restarting after a break. In this episode, I give you 9 principles to consider when doing so in order to do it in a safe and sustainable way with your long term potential in mind. The main message is this: take your time and listen to your body, but we cover a lot mor...

Nicole Winter (@nicolemruns) had me back on her Instagram Live this week for another Q&A from her followers, who always have great questions. We talked about offseason training, tips on running form, how to balance running and strength work, and so much more. You can also watch the video on Nicole's account. Thank you to Nicole for having me on again! Plus, please go support my sponsor for this ep...

I have had several people ask me recently about how my running journey is progressing. Well, here it is. I give you an update on the last 18 months of training for me and what's next for the rest of 2023 as I build toward the Houston Marathon in 2024. The good news is that things are going well toward my goals, but it hasn't been without major challenges in the last 18 months.  I discuss those cha...

Did I dig deep enough? Can I go faster? How do I know when I've reached my limits? These are all questions you may have asked yourself at one time or another. You might think that grit is a genetic trait, but it is very much learned and can be developed. In this episode, I talk about 9 ways to build your own grit and resilience so that you can get the most out of workouts and ultimately race day....