Nathan - Running Coach

Marathon Runner | Coach | Dad | Boston Marathon Qualifier | Helping runners build fitness one week at a time

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

This paper isn’t a critique of carbs. It’s a study of the assumption that if 90g/hr is good, then 120g/hr must be better.

The evidence for carbohydrate fueling in endurance sports is overwhelming.

The evidence that most athletes need ultra-high carb intake is less convincing.

Those are two very different claims.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

One of the most valuable skills for runners isn’t training harder. It’s staying calm when training gets interrupted.

Fitness is built over years. It isn’t erased by a few missed workouts.

The best runners understand the difference.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

I couldn’t agree more. One of the biggest mistakes runners make is treating workouts like races.

The goal of training isn’t to prove you’re fit, its to become fit.

Every time you turn a workout into a test, you borrow from race day. Save the proving for the finish line and focus on stacking bricks in training.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

Interesting finding from one of the largest running injury studies ever conducted:

Your injury risk may be driven more by one unusually long run than by your total weekly mileage.

When building fitness, pay attention to your longest recent run, not just recent weekly mileage.

https://t.co/MAui3gT8pm

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

A lot of runners label themselves as “responders” or “non-responders” to training.

A new study suggests it’s not that simple.

When people completed the same 8-week endurance program twice, their adaptations weren’t very reproducible. The athletes who improved the most the first time often didn’t improve the most the second time.

One training block doesn’t define your potential.

https://t.co/hqZ4U97m8M

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

@JoseAntonioPhD There’s so much that goes into training besides the training plan itself. Sleep, nutrition, stress, recovery, and so many other factors influence training adaptation.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

@HarrisonFinn This is why good coaching and true improvement is about trends over months and years, not based on a single training block. Stack those bricks!

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

@HarrisonFinn This study is interesting. But my takeaway isn’t that endurance training is unpredictable or ineffective.

It’s that adaptation from training isn’t linear.

An athlete who sees a huge gain from one 8-week block may not see the same gain from an identical block later.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

@EricTopol Some of the best health outcomes consistently show up when aerobic training is paired with strength training. This is just one of many reasons to make time for both within your training plan.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

@runnersworld Bicarb is definitely becoming more common for distance runners. But you need to train with it to make sure you tolerate it well.

That said, for most marathoners I’d make sure you are dialing in fueling, pacing, and training theory before worrying about bicarb.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

Happy Global Running Day!

A few years ago, I questioned whether I’d be able to get to the Boston Marathon.

The biggest lesson I learned through my training:

Consistency is key.

Stack quality weeks together and you can improve more than you might think.

#GlobalRunningDay

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

Want to get faster without adding more miles?

Run uphill.

Uphill treadmill workouts build strength, improve running economy, and raise your aerobic ceiling - all while reducing impact.

Don’t just run more. Run uphill! 

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

To me, this validates individualized training more than it disproves Zone 2.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

My takeaway isn’t that Zone 2 doesn’t work, it’s that many runners don’t know where their actual Zone 2 is.

The science supporting Zone 2 base training is strong. The challenge is that “Zone 2” can be very different between individuals depending on how it’s measured.

[Stuart Phillips (he/him) @mackinprof]

Much Ado About Zone 2 https://t.co/FEguHuVt7b

Influencers can’t get enough of Zone 2 training. So why did @gibalam publish a research paper challenging Zone 2 for the general public? In this episode, we go through a critical examination of Zone 2.

https://t.co/K9DWIYUh4S

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

I ran 2:53 at Boston this year, and most of my easy runs were 7:30-8:30 min/mile pace. Faster isn’t always better.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

The biggest mistake I see marathoners make:

Running easy days too hard.

Most runners think they’re limited by speed, but they’re actually limited by recovery.

The athletes I coach improve most when they slow down easy runs.

Recovery ➡️ Consistency ➡️ Improvement

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

@milesplit Better running shoes are definitely one of the main drivers of trackflation. But coaching and running theory have also become way more accessible.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

People can debate nutrition all day, but carb loading and high-carb fueling during endurance events are among the most consistently supported findings in sports science. This shouldn’t be a debate anymore.

[Stuart Phillips (he/him) @mackinprof]

https://t.co/ljeraSGVQS

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

@runnersworld Low-dose melatonin can be useful for race week anxiety. For regular use, I prefer magnesium bisglycinate and focusing on good sleep habits.

[Nathan - Running Coach @PatientMiles]

Most runners don’t need more intensity.

They need more consistency.

Stack enough weeks together and your fitness eventually shows up.