MicroCast: Recent Episodes
Microcosm Coaching
In this conversation, Coach TJ and Zoe discuss various topics related to nutrition, training, and race preparation. They announce the launch of their new podcast, Your Diet Sucks, which focuses on nutrition, performance, and diet culture. They also cover hot or not topics such as dried fruit, drop bags, and body glide. They answer athlete questions about training at night, salt on the skin, using poles while running, and increasing mileage. Zoe shares her training approach for the Leadville race, including specific terrain and mental preparation. In this conversation, Zoe and TJ discuss the importance of experiencing both the highs and lows in training, the decision to switch coaches, and the key factors to consider when choosing a coach. They also highlight the six biggest training mistakes athletes make, including not knowing their why, not fueling strategically, running too hard, not progressing training over time, lack of consistency, and neglecting speed work. 00:00 Introduction and Announcement of New Podcast 02:44 Hot or Not: Dried Fruit, Drop Bags, and Body Glide 07:03 How to train for racing at night and when to use poles while trail running 11:12 What does it mean when you see salt on your clothes after running? 18:41 Increasing Mileage and Deload Periods 26:19 How to train for the Leadville Trail 100: Training for Hope Pass 33:11 Experiencing the Highs and Lows in Training 35:27 How to choose the Right Coach: Values and Needs 53:06 Mistake #1: Not Knowing Your Why 56:51 Mistake #2: Not Fueling Strategically 59:41 Mistake #3: Running Too Hard 01:01:06 Mistake #4: Not Progressing Training Over Time 01:02:31 Mistake #5: Lack of Consistency 01:03:53 Mistake #6: Neglecting Speed Work
Would you run 100 miles with zero calories? Should you? In episode two, we break down the history - and the science - of fasting. We dive into why athletes seem drawn to a mentality of doing more with less fuel and the potential benefits of fasting compared with the downsides.
Welcome to episode one! Get to know hosts Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom and why they’re endlesslessly fascinated with food. In this episode, we ask why athletes seem so prone to diet bullsht and pseudoscience. We discuss how social media has hastened the spread of pseudoscience and why “experts” tend to overstate their experience. We conclude with a discussion of Bullsht Red Flags to help you identify diet nonsense in the wild.
In this conversation, Coach TJ and Zoe discuss the only five supplements that have evidence-based performance benefits: creatine, caffeine, nitrates, sodium bicarbonate, and beta-alanine. They delve into the dosing and timing of caffeine intake, the benefits and limitations of beta-alanine, and the use of creatine to improve muscle endurance and power output. They also explore the performance benefits of nitrates found in beet juice and the importance of tracking training volume by time or miles. The conversation concludes with a discussion on different frameworks for training and the importance of individualization. In this conversation, Zoe and TJ discuss different methods of measuring training intensity, including heart rate and perceived effort. They emphasize the importance of listening to your body and using perceived effort as a more reliable measure of intensity. They also discuss the importance of tracking vertical gain in training and how to match it with the demands of your event. Finally, they talk about the value of patience in training and racing, and how it can lead to better performance and enjoyment.
00:00 The Only Five Supplements with Evidence-Based Performance Benefits 06:48 Exploring the Benefits and Limitations of Beta-Alanine 09:02 Improving Muscle Endurance and Power Output with Creatine 14:15 Harnessing the Performance Benefits of Nitrates in Beet Juice 18:33 Tracking Training Volume: Time vs. Miles 26:07 Measuring Training Intensity 31:58 Matching Vertical Gain with Event Demands 38:20 The Value of Patience in Training and Racing
In this conversation, Zoe and Coach TJ discuss various topics including NSAIDs, the elliptical, intermittent fasting, aid station quesadillas, and what new ultra runners can expect in their first year of training. They emphasize the importance of not overusing NSAIDs, caution against using the elliptical as a substitute for running, debunk the myths surrounding intermittent fasting, and discuss the appropriate fueling options at aid stations. They also provide insights into the progress and accomplishments that new ultra runners can expect in their first two years of training. The conversation discusses the importance of tracking and maintaining consistent training mileage, the recommendation to not race a 100-mile ultra until at least two years of training, and the benefits of VO2 max training for ultra runners. The study mentioned in the conversation focuses on the impact of uphill high-intensity running intervals on well-trained runners' oxygen uptake. It concludes that running uphill can help athletes access 90% of their VO2 max more effectively. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of balancing training stress and recovery and structuring VO2 max training in a year-long training cycle. * Avoid overusing NSAIDs as they can reduce training adaptations and mask important signals from your body. * The elliptical is not a substitute for running, but it can be an effective low-impact cross-training tool. * Intermittent fasting may not lead to better outcomes and can increase the risk of injury and slower performance. * Be mindful of your fueling choices at aid stations and consider the impact on your performance and recovery. * New ultra runners can expect significant improvements in their easy pace, output levels, durability, and mental performance within their first two years of training. * Set realistic goals based on your available time and resources, and gradually work towards longer distances. * Consistency, tracking your training, and seeking guidance from a coach can greatly enhance your progress and success. Consistently tracking and maintaining training mileage is important for accurate assessment and progress. * It is recommended to have at least two years of training before attempting a 100-mile ultra race. * VO2 max training, particularly uphill intervals, can help ultra runners access 90% of their VO2 max more effectively. * Balancing training stress and recovery is crucial for maximizing adaptation and avoiding injury. * VO2 max training should be structured in a year-long training cycle, with more specific energy systems targeted closer to the race. * The grade of the hill for uphill intervals can vary between 4% and 12%, with no significant difference in effectiveness. * Downhill running should be approached with caution to avoid excessive muscle soreness and damage.
Find us online at Microcosm Coaching.https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/ Coach TJ and Coach Zoe discuss their recent experiences with racing and training at altitude. They touch on topics such as the use of salt pills for electrolyte replenishment, the pros and cons of giving blood while training, the effectiveness of multivitamins, and the challenges of racing at altitude. They also debrief Coach Zoë's recent race, the Silver Rush 50, and discuss the importance of setting outcome and process goals, staying true to your values and standards during tough races, and learning from difficult experiences. The conversation provides valuable insights for athletes training and competing at altitude. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss altitude training and its impact on performance in races at high elevations. They debunk common misconceptions about altitude training and emphasize the importance of focusing on overall fitness rather than relying solely on altitude interventions. They also discuss the effects of altitude on hydration and nutrition needs, as well as the benefits of trialing these strategies at elevation. The hosts provide recommendations for pre-race strategies, including getting an iron panel done and considering arriving early to the race location.
Takeaways: Salt pills can be a convenient way to replenish electrolytes during training and racing. Giving blood while training should be done cautiously and not during important race build-ups or training blocks. Multivitamins may not be necessary for everyone and it's better to target specific micronutrient deficiencies with the help of a nutritionist or healthcare provider. Racing at altitude can be challenging for everyone, but it's important to be kind to yourself and adjust expectations accordingly. Setting outcome and process goals, staying true to your values and standards, and learning from difficult races are key to growth and progress as an athlete. Focus on overall fitness rather than relying solely on altitude interventions Trialing hydration and nutrition strategies at altitude is important Consider arriving early to the race location to acclimate Get an iron panel done to ensure optimal performance at altitude
Coach TJ discusses his experience running the Western States 100-mile race and shares insights on racing in hot conditions, managing downhill sections, changing shoes, using ice bandanas, fueling strategies, and the use of saunas for race preparation. In this conversation, Zoë and TJ discuss various aspects of racing and pacing in ultramarathons, specifically focusing on their experience at the Western States Endurance Run. They cover topics such as changing shirts during a race, using handhelds versus vests, the importance of pacers, and the start-stop-continue approach to race debriefs. They also highlight the significance of ice as a cooling strategy and the need for a long-term training plan for Western States. Overall, they emphasize the importance of preparation, having a supportive crew, and enjoying the unique aspects of the race. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Recap of Western States Race 01:52 Hot Races: Challenges and Benefits 08:41 How to run faster downhill on trails and in ultras 10:26 To Change or Not to Change Shoes 27:21 Fueling Strategies: Sports Nutrition vs. Whole Foods 32:03 Sauna for Race Preparation 34:45 Changing Shirts and Cooling Strategies 37:41 The Importance of Pacers and how to choose pacers for a 100 mile race 44:45 Race Debrief: Start, Stop, Continue 55:37 The Power of Ice in Ultramarathons 59:14 How to train for Western States Endurance Run 01:08:55 The Unique Experience of Western States
In this conversation, Coach TJ and Zoë discuss various topics related to training for ultramarathons. They start with some light-hearted banter before diving into hot or not topics, including recovery sandals and KT tape. They then talk about the importance of cadence in running and the misconceptions around the ideal cadence of 180. The conversation shifts to discussing the Tour de Geants and Western States races, and TJ's WSER Race plan. They also touch on the importance of blood tests and injury prevention tips. In this conversation, Zoë and TJ discuss essential tips for injury prevention and training for a 100-mile race. They emphasize the importance of consistency in running, avoiding peaks and valleys in training volume, and incorporating prehab exercises to address weaknesses and imbalances. They also stress the significance of eating enough and getting adequate sleep for optimal performance and injury prevention. They discuss the need for mental preparation, including self-talk, labeling thoughts and feelings, and developing performance standards to guide athletes through challenging moments. They conclude by highlighting the individual nature of 100-mile training and the importance of finding a goal that aligns with personal values.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Greetings04:50 Hot or Not: Recovery Sandals and KT Tape11:26 The Truth About Cadence in Running24:47 The Importance of Blood Tests in Training30:53 Essential Tips for Injury Prevention in Ultramarathon Training38:42 Injury Prevention and Indications of Health45:36 Fueling and Recovery: Eating Enough for Ultramarathon Training and Sleeping Well51:05 Mental Preparation for ultramarathons: Self-Talk and Labeling57:38 Performance Standards: Guiding Principles for Success01:03:42 How to train for your first 100 mile race
In this conversation, Coach TJ and Zoë discuss the use of salt pills during races, the benefits of drinking water, the preference for flasks over bladders, the use of pole quivers, why we quit cheap sunglasses, and the importance of setting outcome-oriented goals in racing. They also touch on Zoë's recent 50K race, TJ's training for Western States, and his decision to ski Mount Rainier. Zoë and TJ discuss training to get better at running uphill, including strengthening the posterior kinetic chain and how to get stronger on hills.
In this Microcast episode, Coach Zoe and TJ discuss the effectiveness of plyometrics in running, the value of reading race reports, the impact of changing shoes during a race, and the comparison between Tabata and fartlek workouts. They also explore the challenge of the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim run. The conversation covers the topics of fartlek training and heat training for athletes. It discusses the benefits and drawbacks of different training methods and the importance of self-talk and individual adaptation to heat training. The conversation emphasizes the need for a long-term approach to training and the importance of understanding one's own physiology and training goals.00:00 The Impact of Plyometrics on Running Economy04:28 The Value of Race Reports in Race Preparation14:23 Strategic Shoe Changes During a Race23:33 Conquering the Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim to Rim Challenge25:17 Optimizing Athletic Training: Fartlek and Heat Training31:01 The Art of Heat Training: Adapting to Thermal Stress49:47 Long-Term Gains: A Holistic Approach to Athletic TrainingTakeawaysPlyometrics can improve running economy and efficiency, even with reduced training mileage.Reading race reports may not always be useful for race preparation, as individual experiences vary widely.Changing shoes during a race should be intentional and based on efficiency gains, with consideration for terrain and foot conditions.Fartlek workouts are beneficial for improving lipid metabolism, glycogen recovery, power output, and muscle fiber recruitment.Tabata workouts may not be as effective for runners due to the impact on metabolic efficiency and neuromuscular adaptations. Fartlek training can be beneficial for athletes when used appropriately, providing a mix of zone three work and recovery.Heat training involves adapting to heat exposure, which can lead to improved performance and thermal tolerance.Individual physiology and self-talk play a significant role in heat acclimation and performance.A long-term approach to training, focusing on consistency, recovery, and refueling, is essential for maximizing athletic potential.Understanding one's own physiology and training goals is crucial when considering different training methods and interventions.
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In this conversation, TJ and Zoe discuss their recent experiences with boot camps and races. They talk about the benefits of boot camps for advanced athletes preparing for 50-mile or longer races, emphasizing the importance of mimicking race conditions and trialing nutrition and hydration. They also discuss the value of racing shorter distances to build fitness and improve lactate shuttling. Overall, they highlight the need for specific training that matches the demands of the race and the importance of rest and recovery in the training process. In this conversation, Zoë and TJ discuss the importance of training specificity in ultra-marathon preparation. They explore the balance between general fitness and race-specific training, emphasizing the need for a strong foundation of fitness before focusing on specific adaptations. They also discuss the role of nutrition, rest, and mental toughness in training, as well as the importance of terrain-specific workouts.
Takeaways
- Boot camps are beneficial for advanced athletes preparing for 50-mile or longer races, as they help mimic race conditions and trial nutrition and hydration.
- Racing shorter distances can be a valuable training tool to build fitness and improve lactate shuttling.
- Specific training that matches the demands of the race is crucial for success.
- Rest and recovery are essential components of the training process. Training specificity is important in ultra marathon preparation, but it should be balanced with a strong foundation of general fitness.
- Newer athletes should focus on building fitness and recovering better, while more advanced athletes can benefit from more specific training.
- Nutrition, rest, and mental toughness are important factors in training for ultra marathons.
- Terrain-specific training, including uphill and downhill workouts, can help prepare athletes for the demands of their races.
In this conversation, Zoë and TJ discuss various topics including Pop-Tarts, hiring a coach for your first ultra, the Garmin recovery score, pacing at races, training consistency, and the importance of bootcamp-style training. They also talk about their upcoming race preparations for Western States and Leadville 100. In this conversation, Zoë and TJ discuss the common mistakes that can lead to a DNF (Did Not Finish) in an ultra race. They cover topics such as not following a training plan, neglecting nutrition, lacking mental preparation, relying on cross-training, and not having a structured strength training program. They emphasize the importance of having a plan, practicing fueling strategies, developing mental toughness, and focusing on specific running training. They also provide recommendations for each topic to help athletes avoid DNFs in their first ultra race.
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Takeaways
- Hiring a coach for your first ultra can help you avoid mistakes and make the training process more enjoyable.
- The Garmin recovery score may not be accurate or reliable, so it's best to rely on your own body's signals for recovery.
- Choosing the right pacer for a race is important, and it's essential to communicate your expectations and needs.
- Consistency in training over a long period of time can lead to significant improvements and injury resilience.
- Bootcamp-style training on the race course can help simulate race conditions and prepare mentally and physically for the challenges ahead. Having a structured training plan is crucial for success in an ultra race.
- Developing a fueling strategy and practicing it during training is important to avoid nutrition-related issues during the race.
- Working on mental toughness and having a strong why can help athletes push through tough moments in an ultra race.
- A specific strength training program that focuses on running-specific exercises is beneficial for improving performance and preventing injuries.
- Cross-training should be used intentionally and in conjunction with running training, rather than as a replacement for it.
Chapters
00:00 The Pop-Tart Odyssey Continues
03:46 Hiring a Coach for Your First Ultra: Hot or Not?
11:16 The Garmin Recovery Score: Vibes, Baby
13:36 Pacing at Races: Finding the Ideal Pacer
26:29 Bootcamp-Style Training: Simulating Race Conditions
29:22 The Importance of Following a Training Plan
32:38 How to Not DNF Your First Ultra
37:27 Fueling Strategies for Success
47:30 Developing Mental Toughness
52:02 Strength Training for Ultra Runners
Runners should shift away from focusing on data and tech to truly learn how to gauge their efforts. Tune in to find out why using RPE is better than a heart rate monitor for runners.
We also dive into
- Sodium bicarbonate - helpful for hyped?
- Beet juice for race day performance and pee!
- Can caffeine enhance your performance?
- Ketones- the pros and cons of exogenous ketones.
- How TJ is getting his downhill legs for WSER
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We dive into the physiology of aging for athletes and how everyone can embrace the aging process. Even if you're not yet a master athlete, there is so much to learn from the aging process and taking a long-term, process-oriented approach for lifelong athletics
Plus
- Spring Energy controversy
- Pop-tart update!
- Strength Training for older athletes
- cross training for athletes over 40
- Protein intake and muscle mass
When should athletes wear supershoes? We discuss when athletes will get the most out of carbon supershoes and what to consider when training and racing with carbon. Plus, Coach TJ discusses his recent fourth-place finish at the Lake Sonoma 50 and what he learned from the race that he's taking with him to Western States!
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In this episode, coach Zoë and TJ talk about maximizing spring trail training to prepare for summer races and adventures. Plus, we talk about how TJ is training for the Lake Sonoma 50 and using it as a focused effort to get ready for Western States. We also dive into:
- The Barkley Marathons
- How to increase vert
- improving downhill running
- building aerobic base
- planning summer race schedules
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We have a special guest on this week's podcast, Mental Performance Consultant and Professional Trail Runner and Climber, Lucie Hanes. Lucie has finished 2nd at the Leadville 100, 1st at the Ring of Springs 100k and 1st at the Valkyrie 50k. She's a 5.14a climber and is sponsored by Scarpa. As well as been an accomplished athlete in two disciplines, Lucie is fast becoming a thought leader in the space of Applied Sports Psychology for Outdoor athletes and has her Masters in Applied Sports Psychology. This conversation is full of tons of great insights for athletes of all levels, so check it out!
In this episode, Lucie takes us on an inside out journey into the following topics:
-The Impact of Mental Barriers on Performance
-The Importance of Embracing Failure and Learning From it
-The Process of Grieving Failure and Finding Lessons From it
-The Power of Segmenting
-Integrating Mental Performance Training with Physical Training
-Finding Harmony between Outcome and Process
-Shifting Focus from Outcome to Process
You can check out Lucie on the web through the following links:
https://insideoutathlete.com/
Lucie Hanes
On this week's podcast, coaches TJ David and Zoë Rom take a deep dive into the guiding principles athletes can use to help shape their training when they are looking to pursue their potential. We talk about everything from the importance of knowing your why and developing your vision, so having a sound plan so you can work on the gap between where you are today and where you want to go. We also get into some guiding principles and ways to approach your training on a daily basis and offer some additional principles around Patience, Judgment, Stress, The Numbers and Data and more. As usual, TJ and Zoë start the call off with a fun hot or not, talking about real foods athletes often use on race day and giving their takes on those choices.microcosmcoaching@gmail.commicrocosm-coaching.com
Coach Zoë Rom is back in the studio this week to chat about her upcoming race season. Coach TJ & Zoë discuss swapping A races this year, as TJ Runs Western States 100 which Zoë ran in 2021 and Zoë runs Leadville 100. which TJ ran in 2023. The two also discuss what athletes need to focus on to tap into their potential once they've mastered the basics: Consistency, Fueling Well & Getting Good Sleep. This includes tips on Mental Performance, Strategic Strength Work, Goal Setting and Alcohol use. As usual, they start with hot or not, covering topics around the Omius Headband, Post Run Beers, Strava Segments and Track Workouts!microcosmcoaching@gmail.com microcosm-coaching.com
Hey everyone! Welcome back to the MicroCast, I’m really excited to welcome Jonathan Levitt, creator and host of For The Long Run Podcast to this weeks’ show.
Jonathan has conducted over 300 podcast interviews over the past five years and those interviews often span a wide spectrum of perspectives, backgrounds and abilities but seem to get to the heart of what really drives and motivates athletes to train and pursue goals year after year. I’ve brought Jonathan onto the podcast to chat about what he’s learned from interviewing people from the top of the sport to the back of the pack and everywhere in between. Jonathan, welcome to the show!
On Today's Show we cover topics from:
-The Importance of Knowing Your WHY
-The Curiosity Mindset
-Community for sustaining the process
-Outcomes
-The Power of Creating a Vision
-and many other topics.
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We had a very special guest in the studio for this week's podcast - Athlete, Doctor of Philosophy and Religion and Author Francis Sanzaro! Francis is a multi-time author and accomplished climber and alpinist and our discuss today centered around Francis' new book "The Zen of Climbing." I recently read this book and it was a total page turner. It combined spirituality, sports psychology and performance together in a neatly packaged and practical way I hadn’t heard articulated before. I just couldn’t put it down. Although the book looks at performance through the lens of climbing, the lessons and insights in this book can easily be applied to a multitude of disciplines within endurance sports and even to life. Together, Francis and I explored a central theme and Zen Principle, Big and Small mind and used that framework to look at topics like Failure, Self-Talk, Why Confidence is Overrated and our Attachment to Outcomes. I’m so excited to share this talk!You and check out Francis' other publications and Ted Talks at his website here: http://www.fsanzaro.com/public-speaking.htmlYou can pick up his book here:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+zen+of+climbing&hvadid=669935322924&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9029198&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7895786812559663000&hvtargid=kwd-2047015315150&hydadcr=7680_13500496&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_6o9kxk4taa_eAnd follow him on socials here:https://www.instagram.com/francis_sanzaro/microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
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This week we welcome Microcosm Coach and Athletic Trainer Zack Russell to the podcast to discuss the nuances of planning for your a-race. Including how to develop a 16 week plan with specific guideposts and intermediary goals to take you from where you are to where you want to go. As part of this discussion, we get into the importance of adopting your training the specific life constraints, priorities and responsibilities you might have as a person, after all training doesn't happen in a vacuum. We also get into the importance of developing your why and purpose behind the event and then touch on how to best work on auxiliary goals, like preparing for altitude, heat, developing a nutrition plan and gear.
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Coaches TJ David & Zoë Rom talk about the pitfalls in New Year's Resolutions and how you can up level your resolutions by taking a habit and outcome based approach rooted in commitments to make those resolutions stick. They also get into a hot or not covering Stair Steppers, Racing Abroad, Kettle Balls and Crunches!
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On this week's podcast, Coaches TJ David & Zoë Rom discuss 2023, from their most memorable moments, to pop culture, to their rose, bud and thorn. This conservation spans everything from relationships and life to athletics to coaching and business. As usual, the two also discuss several hot or not topics, including Normatech Boots, Peloton, Planks and Clif Bars. You won't want to miss this episide.microcosmcoaching@gmail.com microcosm-coaching.com
Coaches TJ David & Zoë Rom discuss their favorite influencer, plus Training Peaks, Foam Rolling, and Flat Coke in their opening "Hot or Not" segment. From there they move into an in-depth discussion around the Four Essentials to the Coach-Athlete relationship. They also discuss some tools for managing new life stress in the context of training as well as best approach for being on the "waitlist" of your A-Race.
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On this weeks' podcast, Coach TJ and Coach Zoë take a deep dive into the difference between operating on the level of intention and the level of commitment. We make a strong distinction between the two so athletes can gain awareness on the importance of both of these qualities of being, while also helping athletes make the shift to commitment in order to elevate their habits and routines in service of their goals. We also talk about the importance of commitment in support of progress, and some of the things we look for in the athletes we coach to help them and us determine whether they are making progress. We also touch on Loop and Out and Back Races, plus Xtraining and Saunas!For more information, Microcosm-Coaching.com or microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
On this weeks' podcast, Coach TJ and Coach Zoë talk about what they've learned as coaches and what Microcosm Coaching has learned as an organization over the past five years of operation and how those learnings have influenced the creation of Microcosm 3.0. Microcosm Coaching's latest iteration of their coaching services. On the podcast, the pair also discusses the importance of a Transition Season and why as an organization they've stopped calling it "off-season." They also provide some color commentary on running dates, friends that don't run, step-ups and sleeping in! For more information, Microcosm-Coaching.com or microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
The Bad Ideas Draft! Hosted by coaches TJ David, Zoë Rom and special guest coach Sean Van Horn.
From Low Carb High Fat Diets to Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches to 100 Mile Weeks and Run Streaks. We can't into the worst we've seen in training, coaching and living athletic lives over the past decade.
Going snake style, our coaches go through five categories of "bad ideas" in the endurance space for over a decade. Then the team provides color commentary on each idea and at the ends votes for the coach with the best "bad ideas."
Five Categories: Nutrition, Training, Internet Takes, Gear and Wild Card! We touch on: Low Carb High Fat DietsHot Ham and Cheese SandwichesSkinnier is FasterMaking Your Own GelsThe Five Stages of Ultra Running InjuriesTime on FeetRunning 2-3 Days Per WeekThe Squirrel MethodRun StreaksIt's Supposed to Be HardNo Pain, No GainTraining Advice from InfluencersVibram Five FingersDesk Stationary BikeIts Pretty so it Must be GoodMinimalist ShoesFasted TrainingKetoGoing with the Flow of an unstructured Training Plan100 Mile Weeks
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MicroCAST: Hosted by Coaches TJ David and Zoë Rom.
On today's episode we cover hot or not topics:
-Sitting down at aid stations
-Running with music
-Yoga for runners
-Recovery Shakes
Then, we dive into our Top 10 Favorite Workouts and WHY we love them! We get into some of the science behind the intention behind these workouts and when athletes might seeing them during training too!
We close out our call with a discussion around the importance of having hobbies and what we like to do for fun. As athletes, it's easy to go all, because we're committed to growth and excellence, but what happens if we lose that outlet due to injury or illness? How will that make us feel and how will we respond? By having other interests that we regularly pursue, we're not only ensuring we have additional tools to help us deal with challenges in our running journey's, but that we also aren't fully reliant on running to gain other important insights and appease other needs that we might have as humans. You'll definitely want to tune into this part of the discussion as there are tons of important takeaways for athletes and insights here.
If you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com. Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Zoê Rom and Tina Muir https://becomingasustainablerunner.com/
MicroCAST: Hosted by Coaches TJ David and Zoë Rom.On today's episode we cover hot or not topics: -Minimalist Shoes-Backyard Ultras-Sweat Tests-Blood TestThen, we dive into some reflections on the epic weekend our team and community had at the Run Rabbit Run ultras in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. As the conversion progresses, Coach Zoë recaps her day at the race, where she placed 7th and went well under 24 hours. Coach Zoë gets vulnerable, talking about her struggles with mental health following a disappointing and challenging summer of racing coupled with the launch of her new book and the tools and changes she made that helped her elicit a big performance breakthrough during the race. Athlete's will appreciate the detailed discussion around embracing change, confronting your own limits, and taking breaks for their integral role in Zoë's success. Her persistent pursuit of excellence and continued willingness to rewrite old, tired stories that weren't serving her so she could rise up into the athlete she has always been capable of being is truly inspiring and we hope you all enjoy.If you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com.Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Zoê Rom and Tina Muir https://becomingasustainablerunner.com/
MicroCAST: Hosted by Coaches TJ David and Zoë Rom.
On today's episode we cover hot or not topics:
-Toe Socks
-Carbon Shoes
-Out and Backs
-Being a Brand Ambassador
We also talk about a few of our favorite shows and movies of late: The Bear, La La Land. And how they paint important narratives about the importance of relationships in going for big dream goals, the coach-athlete relationship, non-linear growth and finding purpose.
In the meat of our discussion, we get into Training Adaptations and Timescales for Adaptations. From early, to imtermediate, to advanced adaptations as well as structural adaptations, we talk the listeners through some of the physiology we're aiming to improve on in the training process, how long it takes to realize those adaptations and what athletes can expect to feel along the way. We also talk about the importance of consistency, habit forming behaviors and mindset, as well as the pit falls to avoid in the process.
If you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com.
Resources: Understanding the Timeline of Adaptations, by Coach Cliff Pittman https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/understanding-the-timeline-of-training-adaptations/ Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Zoê Rom and Tina Muir https://becomingasustainablerunner.com/
Today's chat, hosted by TJ David and Zoë Rom takes a reverse course, starting with six Hot or Not Topics: UTMB, UTMB Theme Music, Ice baths, Hot tubs, World Championships, and Writing a Book. Then we get into a discussion around Coach Zoë's new book, which she co-authored with Tine Muir, "Becoming a Sustainable Runner." In this conversation, we touch on some of the important aspects of sustaining your individual running journey, including building a healthy identity, having a healthy relationship with outcomes, and how to recognize self-sabotage. We also discuss the importance of breaks within the context of consistent training, and how to implement breaks into training. From here, the conversation dives into the importance of community, and how communities are only as strong and sustainable as the healthy individuals that make them up. Our conversation touches on the importance of the "group effect" in environmental stewardship and policy making, as well as some of the myths that have embedded themselves in talk about sustaining the planet.
Toward the end of our call, Z provides some commentary around "bootcamps" in preparation for big races and TJ also talks about the importance of non-linear recovery after long races.
Resources: -Microcosm Coaching - Personalized Plans, Daily Feedback, Reach Your Goals! microcosm-coaching.com -Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom https://becomingasustainablerunner.com/
Today's chat, hosted by TJ David and Zoë Rom takes a reverse course, starting with six Hot or Not Topics: Caffeinated gels, Mash potatoes, Magnesium, Hot tubs, International racing and Running alone. Then we get into TJ's race at the Leadville 100, touching on some fun takeaways from the race and TJ's perspective on how this will impact his coaching. We finish off the call talking about some book reviews on Z's new book, "Becoming a Sustainable Runner" and Zoë proposal to TJ at mile 98 of Leadville.
Resources: -Microcosm Coaching - Personalized Plans, Daily Feedback, Reach Your Goals! microcosm-coaching.com -Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom https://becomingasustainablerunner.com/
On today's Call, Coaches TJ David and Zoë Rom dive into dealing with uncertainty, and offer some grounding tools and techniques to help athletes who might be feeling anxiety about a life event, training or an upcoming race. Coaches TJ and Zoë also dive into training when sick, and offer some practice solutions and takeaways for athletes to think about when making adjustments for training due to illness. The call follows this up with a discussion around Hot Water Immersion, specifically a 3,6 or 12 day protocol, referencing the study in the show notes. The meet of today's discuss talks about the nuances of the Leadville 100 course, TJ and Zoë's history at the race, and TJ's training leading up to the event. They also have some awesome hot or not topics toward the end, so stick around for those!
microcosm-coaching.com microcosmcoaching@gmail.com microcosmskimo@gmail.com
Referenced Study on HWI: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00315.2021
Meditation Techniques: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/add-meditation-to-your-recovery-toolbox/
Rest/Stress Balancing Act: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/the-stressrest-balancing-act/
Reframing Stress: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/reframing-stress-for-athletic-success/
Today's chat, hosted by TJ David and Zoë Rom dives into the biggest obstacles we've faced in our running journeys and how we dealt with them. Plus, we talk about working remote, getting vulnerable around a big book tour, and training while traveling. This episode is packed with takeaways for athletes of all levels, and wraps up with some hot or not questions that touch on our perspective around taking breaks from training and coaching. You won't want to miss any of it.
Resources:
-Microcosm Coaching - Personalized Plans, Daily Feedback, Reach Your Goals!
-The Stress/Rest Balancing Act - https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/the-stressrest-balancing-act/
-Tough Athletes Respond to Adversity - https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/tough-athletes-respond-to-adversity/
-Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom
Today's chat, hosted by TJ David and Zoë Rom dives into the challenges of covering a super long, remote and technical race like the Hard Rock 100. The challenges of running a business and the constant work it takes to learn, adapt and be open to change. We take inspiration from NF's song, "Hope" and talk about what it means to us, while also reflecting back on "Champions Mindset" in the context of TJ's big win and 15 minute PR at the Silverton Alpine Marathon last weekend. We finish up by getting into how we both got into running and what advice we wish we could give our younger selves. This episode is jam packed with tons of goodies and takeaways, so you won't want to miss any of it.
Resources:
-Microcosm Coaching - Personalized Plans, Daily Feedback, Reach Your Goals!
-Fuel Like a Boss - Microcosm Coaching & Kylee Van Horn, Fly Nutrition https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/fuel-like-a-boss-for-long-runs-and-races/
-Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom
Today's chat, hosted by TJ David and Zoë Rom dives into the San Juan Summer Solstice 50 miler, recapping the event and Coach Z's process oriented goals for the day. We talk specifically about her goal to dictate the race from the start and later tie that into "The Champions" mindset- Champions aren't afraid to lose, and that's what makes them so dangerous! As the conversation continues, we do a deep dive into values and how values drive all we do as both athletes and humans. This chat encompasses a wide range of topics, with tons of great takeaways from aspiring athletes and coaches.
Resources:
-Microcosm Coaching - Personalized Plans, Daily Feedback, Reach Your Goals!
-Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom
We have a special guest this week, coach Kristen Schindler! Not only has Kristen been a long-term coach at microcosm, helping scores of athletes accomplish their big dreams each week, Kristen is also an accomplished runner and no stranger to the podium.
On our call today, we dive into a life changing injury that Kristen sustained in 2022. That injury ended up being the impetus for deeper, inner change- and ultimately led Kristen to developing a healthy relationship with herself and running.
This call is full of important takeaways and tips for athletes who are going through injuries, or are in doubt that their best performances are ahead of them.
Tools and Takeaways!
-Self-Compassion workbook by Kristin Neff, PhD
-Learn how to build out and lean on your team of supporters and community
-The importance of accountability and working with PTs
-Doing the Inner Work around Identity, Outcomes and External Validation
-Dreaming big, even in the face of uncertainty
More info at https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/
Today's chat, hosted by TJ David and Zoë Rom dives into the improv comedy principle "Yes, and," as well as the importance of consuming enough protein to support recovery, and WSER Fomo. We also shift into an important conversation about the WHY behind the Microcosm Community and how to balance training with our inherent social needs has humans. After all, a goal isn't really a big goal, if you can do it alone. Toward the end of the call we get into some important Hot or Not takes- touching on best case use for Ice Vests, our biased via on zero drop shoes, and how to do race reports right!
Resources:
-Microcosm Coaching - Personalized Plans, Daily Feedback, Reach Your Goals!
-Koopcast Ep 181. Protein for Ultrarunning with researcher Jose Antonio, PHD https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/koopcast/id1489494447?i=1000614558665
-Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom
Introducing a new format to the MicroCast, hosted by coaches TJ David & Zoë Rom - In today's chat, we get into challenges we worked through outside of running in the past week, something outside of running that we're currently obsessed with and our mindsets going into our races at UTMB Valhöll in Argentina last month. We chat about identity and the "never enough mentality" as well as Zoë's new book, Becoming a Sustainable Runner, and some fun talk aways from Taylor Swift and Matthew McConaughey. Make sure you stick around for the end where we get into some "hot or not" rapid fire questions too.
Resources:
-UTMB Valhöll Recap
-Visualization 101
-Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom
We have a special guest this week, professional sport climber and coach, Dan Mirsky. Over a twenty plus year career, Dan has not only become one of the best climbers in the world, he’s also become a highly sought after coach with a wealth of knowledge that transcends climbing and sport. But, that journey hasn’t been linear.
In today’s call, Dan talks about a herniated disc injury in his lower lumbar spine and associated nerve pain that he sustained in 2019. The injury ultimately resulted in an open discectomy with laminectomy surgery and a challenging, year-long, non-linear recovery process that had him questioning if he’d ever climb at a high level again. Through our discussion, Dan talks about dealing with navigating uncertainty and shares the valuable insights that played an integral role in his ability to work through the injury and recovery process to achieve new heights in his climbing in the years post-op.
Throughout the call, we touch on specific tools for navigating challenges, the importance of mindfulness and mastery, as well as balancing outcome and process oriented goals. Dan also takes us on a deep dive into coping with failure, recognizing symptoms of burnout and the steps he takes for dealing with those feelings and sensations in order to perpetuate his love and passion for climbing forward long-term. There are so many overlaps and takeaways from this conversation that apply to runners and endurance athletes, but even moreso, they transcend sport completely. I hope you enjoy this call!
If you’re a long time listener of this podcast, please do us a favor and rate and review us
on your preferred listening platform. This helps us continue to build our community and
get more interesting and important conversations out there.
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support
in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
We have a very special guest this week, microTEAM member and athlete Zena Robinson. Zena joins us today to talk about her experience running, and finishing 100 Millas Sierras Del Bandoleros, a steep 100 miler in the south of Spain. This was a dream race and performance for Zena, and in today’s microCHAT we get into the nuts and bolts of what it took to not only train for the event, but finish it in style! We talk about her background, training, and how we changed her approach to training in the lead up to this race and why that was so impactful for her. During our conversation, we uncovered important insights from the process that have the potential to impact and influence how other athletes train and race, with particular attention to process oriented goals and intuition.
If you’re a long time listener of this podcast, please do us a favor and rate and review us
on your preferred listening platform. This helps us continue to build our community and
get more interesting and important conversations out there.
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support
in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact
us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Coach Zoë and I had a wonderful experience at the UTMB Valhöll race in Cordoba, Argentina and this call is all about recapping that experience. From our training through a wet and snowy colorado winter, to our mindsets, process oriented goals and expectations for the race - to how we dealt with challenges and a race that ended up being more technical, hotter and longer than expected, we get into all the good stuff. There are a lot of important insights for athletes on this call, particularly with regard to choosing goals, mindset, flexibility, working through setbacks and personal growth. We landed on our first international podiums out there and this was clearly an exciting experience for us- but what really makes it so special is all the trials we’ve gone through to get to this point. The journey is everything!
If you’re a long time listener of this podcast, please do us a favor and rate and review us
on your preferred listening platform. This helps us continue to build our community and
get more interesting and important conversations out there.
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support
in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact
us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 04/28/2023In today’s call, I’m joined by coaches and parents Sarah Strong and Drew Conner to discuss training and goal setting while parenting. In our call, we dive into the importance of developing good communication skills, flexibility with priorities, zooming out skills and self-care. We also get into the specifics around finding time to train and how to consider setting goals for newer parents as well as parents who are farther along in the process. This call was incredibly informative- with tons of great takeaways for athletes at every level and every stage of the process. Even if you aren’t a parent, listen in. The skills that parenting forces athletes to develop are fundamental for the longevity and success of every athlete!As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for supportin your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contactus at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Today’s call is all about the habits we see our most successful athletes exhibit in the training process. This isn’t a call about consistency, successful athletes have already laid that groundwork, and it's not about choosing the right goals, successful athletes already understand that process. This is about the small things, the glue that holds everything together and helps perpetuate the process forward through ups and downs, season after season, goal after goal. It’s about getting to the nuts and bolts of what separates athletes who grow continually over time and athletes who don’t. The point here is that we can adopt some of these habits, routines, attitudes, beliefs and ways of being and use them to skill up, to get to the next level. Both in athletics and life!
If you’re a long time listener of this podcast, please do us a favor and rate and review us
on your preferred listening platform. This helps us continue to build our community and
get more interesting and important conversations out there.
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support
in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact
us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 03/24/2023:A deep dive into Long Run & Race Day Nutrition with one of the leading experts and Sports Dieticians, Kylee Van Horn RDN of FlyNutrition: https://www.flynutrition.org/. Topics include:-Getting started with fueling & hydration-Fueling & hydration for long runs & races-Fluid Loss & sweat testing-Pre-race fueling and hydration-Best practices and standardized approaches
If you’re a long time listener of this podcast, please do us a favor and rate and review us
on your preferred listening platform. This helps us continue to build our community and
get more interesting and important conversations out there.
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support
in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact
us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 03/17/2023:
This episode is all about planning for your first ultra, but veterans, don’t stop listening. There are tons of important takeaways that can be applied to athletes at all stages of the process. Our call starts with a focus on pacing, and then moves from topics around fueling, hiking, and working through low moments that will inevitably pop up on race day. In addition, we talk about practical and important parts of the race experience like using aid stations, drop bags, changing shoes, and studying the race map and profile. We finish the call with a brief on making it all about fun. Afterall, fun is the fuel that perpetuates the process forward over years, and truly allows us to find out what we’re really capable of as athletes.
If you’re a long time listener of this podcast, please do us a favor and rate and review us on your preferred listening platform. This helps us continue to build our community and get more interesting and important conversations out there.
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 03/03/2023
This episode is all about beginner runners, but if you aren’t a beginner, don’t stop listening. There are tons of important takeaways that can be applied to athletes at all stages of the process. We start the call by talking about easy runs based on feel versus heart rate, and from there evolve the call to touch on developing habits and routines, incorporating strength training and nutrition focus, as well as developing timelines toward big dream goals.
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support
in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact
us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 02/24/2023
We all have a really special guest this week, he’s written a new book called The Big Thing Effect: How to Transform Your Life Forever.
This book will grab you and inspire you. It will help you unlock parts of you you didn’t know were there, both personally and athletically. Zoë and I have both really enjoyed this book, and I was really intrigued by how so many of the concepts are really applicable to athletes specifically. I think there’s a lot to unpack from listening to our discussion that can uplift us all!
Today's guest is author, success coach and expert speaker - Jeff Patterson.
You can follow Jeff on IG @officialjeffpatterson
And check out his new book here: http://aspensuccesscoaching.com/
As usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 02/10/2023:
Today’s call is all exploring the concept of building confidence through a running lens. In this call, we define confidence as our belief in our ability to accomplish something. From here, we identify two types of confidence, extrinsic and intrinsic confidence, and discuss how to build intrinsic confidence through training and specific tools. Many of these tools were mentioned in last week’s mental performance toolset call, so please refer back to that call for tips on developing affirmations, visualization and mental imagery, as well as others. Throughout this call we mention that confidence is a growable skill, it’s not something that just exists or we’re born with. If you don't feel confident in a particular part of your running journey, use that as an opportunity to grow your confidence through the techniques and practices mentioned here.
Think about implementing one new technique into preparation for a workout or long-run, and one new technique into the workout or long-run itself at a time. Develop a sense for what you feel works well for you and what doesn’t through practice and experimentation with the goal of showing up for your next big event feeling more prepared and confident to go the distance.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 01/27/2023
Today’s call is all about developing your mental performance toolset! We hope that by providing these techniques you’ll be able to build out your mental performance toolsets so you can better deal with adversity in training and racing. For more on visualization, see the link to our blog post on visualization 101 in our call notes.
Like anything, these techniques are best practiced overtime. Think about implementing one new technique into preparation for a workout or long-run, and one new technique into the workout or long-run itself at a time. Develop a sense for what you feel works well for you and what doesn’t through practice and experimentation, with the goal of showing up for your next big event with a few new tools that you know work well in practice.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
VISUALIZATION: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/how-visualization-can-lead-to-training-and-racing-breakthroughs/
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 01/20/2023
The “Never Enough” mentality and approach to work, life, relationships, and financial status is an ever present part of today’s culture. It shows up everywhere, and for athletes this same mentality crosses over to training and goal setting- and has far reaching impacts on our mental health and overall contentment in an athletic life.
On today's call, we define what this mentality is and discuss several ways in which we see it manifest in ourselves and in the athletes we coach. We’re doing this in an attempt to help athlete’s become more aware of this mentality, so you all can better avoid the pitfalls in living in this mindset, and in the process develop a stronger relationship with yourselves while feeling more contentment in an athletic life.
As the call develops, we try to offer practical methods and solutions for working through the never enough mentality in training and in goal setting. We also lean on Licensed Clinical Social Worker and mental health expert Sarah Strong to offer us mindfulness tips and active solutions to help us grow our awareness and perspectives around this subject. The goal here is to help our athletes get to a place where they make better decisions in training and goal setting. Ultimately, so many of these takeaways can be applied right back into life too, so make sure you stick around to listen to this part of the call, because ultimately the most important relationship you have is the one with yourself. No achievement will ever feel like it’s enough if your self-worth isn’t intact.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 01/13/2023
As many athletes on our team continue to get their race schedules ready for 2023, we wanted to start this year's calls off with the question, How does an athlete know when it’s time to step up to the next distance and what would an ideal timeline to get there look like? We love this topic because it encompasses so many of our coaching principles, like developing and knowing your why, developing self-awareness, and the compounding consistency principle.
From here, we talk briefly about xtraining before going into another in depth discussion around balance. We ask, does balance exist? Is it a worthy thing for athletes to strive for? How can we plan for training blocks that don’t go to plan? In answering questions like this, our team seems to always come back to our favorite James Clear quote, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your habits.”
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 12/16/2022:
This week's call is split into two sections, the first encompasses a really interesting, and ongoing discussion with athlete, coach and chaplain Chris Morgan about purpose. During this part of the call, we attempt to shed a little light on whether or not there is a purpose problem in trail running, if you need purpose to sustain the process and if the process itself is enough of a purpose to keep athletes running and working toward their goals for years. In the second half of our call we talk about our thoughts on having multiple A races in a season, choosing races and doing adventures that don’t fit our skill sets, and how to approach leveling up to more difficult adventures.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 12/09/2022:
On this week's call, we go into a deep dive on the menstrual cycle and birth control and their impacts on training. We discuss how athletes who menstruate can work with their bodies and take a practical approach to training. From here, the conversation shifts to talking about the impacts of low level activity on training and how athletes should view things like dog walks and human-powered commuting in the context of their training.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 12/02/2022:
On this week's call, you will hear from coaches Sarah Strong and Kylee Van Horn on their takeaways from the 2022 season. What went well, what they’d like to improve on in 2023 and what process oriented goals will help guide them. From here, we’ll transition into a conversation about planning for 2023 and offer some tips for winter running!
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 11/18/2022:
On this week's call, you’ll hear expressions of gratitude and reflections on 2022 from our team of coaches and athletes. Gratitude is one of the values we hold most near and dear at Microcosm, and the time around Thanksgiving always offers us an annual reminder of the importance of expressing gratitude and incorporating those expressions into daily life. The thing that we all find really exciting about these expressions of gratitude is that they do not only come from the heart, they are completely unique to each individual's experience, and we really love celebrating that at Microcosm.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 11/11/2022
On this week's call, we took a deep look into our coaches 2022 seasons, discussing their high and low points. We focused in on some of the specific takeaways each coach had from the season, talking about perspective shifts, parenting, new habits and routines and what each coach wanted to focus on in 2023. Myself, Kristen and Drew all had unique and different process oriented goals for 2023 which I know you all will enjoy.
From here, our conversation moved into how we approach off-season and fall/early winter with our athletes at Microcosm. We talked about how to hold the training loosely to remove internal and external pressures to perform a certain way, and the importance of paying attention to how things feel, both physically and mentally. We noted how important it is to maintain habit and routine during periods of base building or during downtime in training and specifically highlighted the opportunity for athletes to use these moments to work on nagging injuries and niggles so they could move into winter speed work feeling strong!
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web atmicrocosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 11/04/2022 We had a great call this week, diving deeper into the topic of mental setbacks and dealing with prolonged injury and illness. We started the conversation off by recapping Coach Zoë Rom’s experience at the Puerto Vallarta 100k by UTMB and how she dealt with setbacks following Western States that ultimately paved the road to a great race there. From here, the conversation goes deeper as we hear from Coach Drew Connor and Kylee Van Horn about their experiences dealing with setbacks and the approaches they use and the advice they give their athletes. Coach and clinical social worker Sarah Strong offers some wonderful advice on acceptance and Coach Kristen Schindler helps transition the conversation to embracing community as a tool for working through setbacks. This is one of my favorite parts of the call. I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 10/21/2022
This week’s call consists of three parts. In the first part, we dive into the mental side of training setbacks. Coach Sarah Strong, our resident clinical social worker, gives us some great tips for how to overcome these challenges while normalizing setbacks as inherently part of the process. In the second part of our call we talk about whether or not athletes should change their running form and what the timeline for making those changes would be. In this section of the call we dive into everyone’s favorite topic, down hill running as well. We close the call with our resident dietician, Coach Kylee’s take on Athletic greens, so make sure you stick around for that!
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
On this week's call we dive into How to Respond to Training Setbacks! As athletes, it’s important to accept the inevitability of facing training challenges in training. From overuse to serious injuries, to dealing with challenges in life that affect training, acknowledging that you will face challenges and setbacks in your athletic journey is incredibly powerful.
Throughout this call, our coaches draw on both personal setbacks and hypothetical scenarios to give you all important tools and perspectives that will help you through challenges in training.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 09/30/2022:
On this week's edition of Rapid, not so Rapid Fire Friday, we get into a ton of questions from our team and listeners. We start off by talking about traveling internationally with race nutrition and gear as well as protein and fat intake during longer ultras. From there, the conversation shifts to race preparation, from choosing A races to how much time to spend in aid stations and what to put in drop bags during events and how to hack the UTMB mandatory gear checks. Our conversation ends with a deep dive into thinking beyond one race season and giving yourself time to truly improve as a runner before stepping up to longer ultras.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 09/23/2022
The long steep hill is my greatest frenemy! Nothing makes me cringe more when I look at my plan and see something like 6 x 3 minute steep hills mod/hard, 20 minute tempo on tired legs directly after. Having done these before, I know they never get easier and things are going to feel so hard by the middle part of that tempo that I'm going to want to phone in a friend for a pick-up or a SAR team for a rescue. This stuff is brutal!! BUT some tips and tricks, yes some tricks like smiling when running uphill, can really help. We break it all down on this weeks podcast/community call.
Topics:
-Hill Strides
-Form
-Advanced Workouts
-Race Specific Workouts
-Incorporating hills into weekday runs and weekend long runs.
-A beginners approach to hills and improving on hills!
-Poles or no poles?
On this week's call we do a round-table Q&A session with Coaches Kristen Schindler, Drew Conner and Sarah Strong -- Our Conversation touches on air quality and treadmill runs, gear and planning for self-supported long-runs, the ins and outs of easy running and the pros and cons of carbon shoes. We then transition into the mental side of performance, giving advice on how to not get lost in other peoples training and how to cultivate intrinsic motivation. These calls are 100% athlete driven, with all the questions coming from our team and listeners. Big thanks to everyone who contributed!
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 09/09/2022
All things group runs! The benefits, the pitfalls, group run doubles, comparison traps & advocating for your training!
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 09/02/2022:
First, I apologize for the length of this call. I know it’s a bit longer than usual, but this was a big topic with many facets and nuances to touch on.
Ok, so this week's call is an attempt at illustrating the long-term process involved in working toward big goals through the lens of my race at UTMB CCC. For those of you not familiar, this is essentially the world championship of 100km mountain running, with 62 miles and 20,000 feet of vertical gain. It’s set in the most iconic location for mountain sports in the world, Chamonix, France.
On this call, Coach Zoë and I take the team through the four year process of preparing for the event, through my recent build, UTMB week and talk a bit about the race too.
There are a lot of great takeaways here, but the main points I want athletes to think about surround our timelines for big goals, the ever elusive balance between work, life and training- that is worth striving for balance but only when you have the understanding that it will never truly be perfect, and that you’re capable of more than you believe, even in the face of a lot of information that might tell you differently.
I hope by talking a bit about my experience at CCC we can further diminish some of the stigma around the incorrect logic that bad days and not hitting performance or outcome related goals on race day are the same thing as failure. They are not.
I also want to diminish the stigma around how races are supposed to go even after incredible builds and great preparation. The course and the day don’t owe us anything and therefore it’s important to remember and emphasize the overall journey. As I mentioned in the call, I had one of the best, most fun builds leading up to CCC and that experience only helps to further fuel everything that will come after this. A good build should help feed your stoke- when it does you know your goals are truly in alignment with your values and WHY and you’ve created the intrinsic environment necessary for reaching that finish line.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 08/19/2022:
This week's call is all about mental performance! But, before we dive into the goods, I wanted to just take a few minutes to talk a little bit about training for CCC, international travel packing tips and general updates on what we’ve been up to in training and life the last few weeks. From there our conversation stays in the same vein as we talk about pre-race rituals, dealing with nerves and rising up during hard moments in races. This conversation covers some of the most important topics on the mental side of training and provides some insights into what I’ve been thinking about before taking the line at CCC.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 08/05/2022:
On this week's call, we talk about athlete/coach communication. Everything we do as athletes hinges on how clearly and openly we communicate with our coaches, and everything we do as coaches hinges on the feedback we get from athletes and how we communicate our responses. This symbiotic relationship is one of the key components to the coach athlete relationship. In this call we talk about best communication practices for athletes, talk about the dos and don’ts in the training logs and get into the three vehicles we use for communication at Microcosm: training log, email and text. We also talk about the role of social media in the communication process for both athletes and coaches too.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 07/29/2022
On this week's call, we talk about race recovery. Big dream races really push us mentally and physically, upping the time it takes to recover, but athletes often forget to adjust expectations around that important part of the process. Through this conversation, we hope to shed light on how long it really takes to come back after big races with the goal of helping you avoid the challenging pitfalls that can occur during long recovery periods. From here, we segue into a related topic and discuss the importance of flexibility in training. We get into each coach's perspective and best practices for staying flexible with their athletes training plan. To finish off the call, Coach Kylee of Fly Nutrition gets into the four different types of sugars that make up the products and whole foods we use to fuel our workouts, long runs and races.
I hope you enjoy this episode and as usual, if you have any feedback, a question for a future call or are looking for support in your running journey, please visit us on the web at microcosm-coaching.com or contact us at microcosmcoaching@gmail.com
Microcosm Coaching Team Call: 07/22/2022
Silver Rush Takeaways: The Joy Factor, Sweat Tests and Intermediate Goals
Plus, Was it really a bad run? & Taper Science!
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 07/15/2022:
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPGSnjaFIWI
Agenda:
-Walk through of a strong and stable trail legs circuit for runners
-How to build strength into one's training plan at both a micro and macro level (weekly/yearly)
-Q & A
On this weeks call we talk about giving up Saturday's to do long runs, making long-term investments in yourself, FOMO and regrets. We also get into social media, its negatives and positives and how to maintain a healthy relationship with apps like strava and instragram.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 07/01/2022: Our WSER Take-aways plus getting Vulnerable on Race Day.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 06/17/2022. In this episode we cover everything Summer Training! It's hot, how do we stay cool? When should we run? Should we do our interval training during the hottest part of the day or early in the morning? What about hydration/fueling? Have you done a sodium concentration sweat test? We've got info on that too. Bottom line, never judge your fitness by how well you do in the heat. Give yourself time to adjust (4-8 weeks) and don't extrapolate things about your fitness based on how runs in hot temps go. These are moments for self-compassion and tons of grace!
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 06/10/2022: Today's episode is all about Strength Training for runners! Hosted by Microcosm Coaching Strength Partner coach Megan Flanagan, we get into the WHY you should strength train, WHAT you should do and HOW you should do it. Megan also teamed up with us to put together this comprehensive blog post for athletes to refer to along with this podcast episode. Check it out here: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/strength-training-101-for-runners
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 05/13/2022: Topics include Collegiate Peaks 50 miler OA WIN and recap with Coach Zoë, Electrolytes and Hydration 101 with RD and Coach Kylee Van Horn, Dog Running 101 with Coach Kristen (leave dogs at home on workout days!!) and what Coach Drew and Coach Sarah are focusing on with their athletes.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 04/01/2022 -- Long Runs, Long Run Variations and Long Run Fueling! Fueling discussion starts around 40 minutes in.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 03/18/2022 -- Crewing and Pacing 101. From how runners should pick their teams, communicate vital information and expectations to how crew members and pacers should work with their runner and take care of themselves on event day.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 03/04/2022 -- Coach/Athlete Sarah Strong Wins Up for Air 24 hour event! Recap on her preparation, training and the mental aspects of her training leading up to and during the race. Take a deep dive into trusting the process through life's challenges, staying grounded in your running and balancing your training load with life.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 02/25/2022 -- Exploring Process Oriented Goals. What are they? Why are they important? How does an athlete go about creating them? How does an athlete put them into action? Exploring Comparison Traps! When friends and partners compare themselves to each other.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 02/18/2022: Exploring the topic of Finite and Infinite Games in the context of an athletic life. Based off our our blog post: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/microblog/r1eb1uunlfe4klfpdfubc8krf0dt75 And the work of Dr. James Carse and Simon Sinek.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 02/11/2022 -- Fueling tips when under stress and when busy with Kylee Van Horn, RDH (FlyNutrition) and Sarah Strong, LCSW (Fireweed Counseling) plus taking a foundation of health and well being and applying it to more focused training. Running Economy, What is it? Why is it important? Workouts by effort, not pace and less is more when it comes to vert for most athletes.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 02/04/2022 -- Winter Gear, When to take an extra rest day, How to gain more autonomy in the training process, plus rapid fire Q&A
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 01/21/2022 -- Coaches conversation about new training habits and routines in 2022 plus prioritizing long term health in uncertain times.
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 01/14/2022 -- How to deal with covid uncertainty in training & racing plus developing sticky habits in 2022!
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 01/28/2022 -- we talk about Winter Fueling and Wellness for runners.
COACHES CORNER! Scary Wildlife Encounters, Workout Intention and Ultra Nutrition with Coach Kylee!!
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Should you always listen to music while you run?
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winter hydration/nutrition
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anti-racism in the running space!
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"real food" fuels vs. sports nutrition
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baja blast and food wads!!
Resources: Runners for Public Lands https://runnersforpubliclands.org/about/Black Girls Run https://blackgirlsrun.com/How To Be an Anti-Rascist https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
Topics: Should I take a Vo2Max Test? Post Long Run Recovery, Improving Downhill Running, Keeping Electronics Charged on Long Runs, Runners Highs and Running for Stress Relief, Choosing FKTs!
4-PT Daily Check-In, Rest Days, Run Streaks, Alcohol, Writing Out Splits For Workouts/Easy Runs, Picking Races and Setting Realistic Goals!
Topics: Holiday downtime insights, picking races, antidepressants for athletes, inner-critic, letting go of guilt for missing runs, and yoga!
gives us the lowdown on the connection between mental and physical health, along with tools to better take care of your brain!The ever incredible
Sarah Strong of Fireweed Counseling
Remember: your brain is a body part, and taking care of it isn't just a vital part of training, it's an important part of life!
Microcosm Coaching Team Call 12/11/2020 -- We cover topics from Rest Day 101, Comparing Yourself to Others and limiting Social Media Use, Winter Specific Activities and How to Incorporate it into Your Plan, Common Injury Areas and What Balance Means to Us
- How to get started with eating while running
- how to train your gut to meet the demands of your event
- when and how much protein/carbohydrates should I be eating
- how to develop a nutrition, hydration and electrolyte plan!
In this episode we cover some basics of heart rate training, how much of your training should be geared towards specific events/outcomes, how to feel confident showing up for group runs, and how to dress for wet and chilly runs!
In this call we talk goals 101. Everything from The Hierarchy of Goals, How to Set Big Goals and link them to intermediate goals and the small daily goals that drive the process. We also get into race goals and process-oriented goals for races! https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/
: -100 mile foods with Kylee!
-Daily training sessions are MicroGoals!
-How to fit training into big workdays! -How to create your 100 mile training calendar
-When to know it's time for your off-season!
https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/
This episode digs into body image and building confidence, as well as OWNING your athletic self!!! If you own running shoes, YOU ARE A RUNNER!
On this podcast, we discuss the signs of stress, from physical manifestations to mental/emotional. We talk about how to manage it, become more aware of it, and get the most out of your training when feeling like your stress bucket is full or overflowing.
Microcosm coaches go over all things winter training! Tips and tricks to stay warm, dry and motivated all winter long!
In today's talk we go over how to stay motivated during training (especially in the winter), setting long-term goals and nachos. https://www.microcosm-coaching.com/