Coaching is a push-and-pull between tradition and innovation, between “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” and “Newer is better!”. During my coaching career I’ve been on both sides of that divide, always seeking innovation but wary that innovations that sound good don’t always lead to improved performance. Training when on a low carbohydrate (CHO) regiment…
Read the full articleTopic: ultrarunning
Jason Koop’s Ultrarunning Training Presentation from 2017 Western States Endurance Run
By Jason Koop CTS Coaching Director Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” I had the pleasure of sharing the stage at the Western States Endurance Run with Dr. John Diana and Dr. Tracy Hoeg, and I wanted to share the video with all of you. Talking about training right before the start of an ultramarathon is…
Read the full article7 Steps to Recovery After Running 100 Miles
By Jason Koop, CTS Coach and author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” I just returned home from supporting athletes at the 2017 Western States Endurance Run, and I’m tired. I need a recovery week and I didn’t even run the race! Congratulations to everyone who toed the start line, fought through their individual rough patches,…
Read the full articleTapering for Ultrarunning: How to Prevent Taper Tantrums!
By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director, Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” For many athletes, tapering before a major goal event is a double-edged sword. On the one hand they are happy about the lightened training load, but on the other they are sometimes anxious or distressed by the reduction in training volume. Athletes have…
Read the full articleBuild an Unbeatable Ultrarunning Support Crew in 6 Steps
You spend a lot of time inside your own head during an ultramarathon, and entering an aid station sometimes feels like a brief and welcome visit to civilization. Most ultras now have such comprehensive race provided support that a runner doesn’t absolutely need his or her own personal support crew, but it sure is…
Read the full articleMaximizing Hot Weather Training for Ultrarunning
By Jason Koop, author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Ultramarathon runners have to be prepared to compete in a wide range of weather conditions, from mid-day heat to late night cold, rain and even snow. It is important to recognize the difference, however, between preparing for the experiential challenges associated with weather and maximizing the…
Read the full articleCaffeine and Performance in Ultrarunning
Several years ago while pacing my wife during the latter stages of the Run Rabbit Run 100 I vividly remember stumbling upon a ream of a dozen 200-mg caffeine pills. I wondered whether the runner who dropped the package was simply lazy and had not cut the foil-constrained ream down into more realistic chunks of a…
Read the full articleTracking Training for Trail Runners
By Jason Koop, author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Prescribing and tracking workload and work rate are essential components of effective training, for any endurance sport. Cyclists have it easiest because power meters directly measure mechanical work. Runners who stick to generally flat and smooth terrain have well-researched calculations for workload and work rate…
Read the full articleBlisters: 9-Step Plan for Treating Blisters on the Run
Adapted from “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning”, by Jason Koop and Jim Rutberg. Buy your copy today! In 2011, Martin Hoffman and Kevin Fogard published an article titled “Factors Related to Successful Completion of a 161-km Ultramarathon.” Their study explored the characteristics and issues that affected the performance of runners during the 2009 Western States 100-Mile…
Read the full articleAnyone Can Finish an Ultramarathon by Mastering These 8 Fundamentals
One of the greatest aspects of ultrarunning is its accessibility. You don’t need much expensive and specialized equipment, and you don’t have to be incredibly fit or talented to participate. That is not to say ultrarunning is easy, because it most definitely is not. However, by structuring training to address eight fundamental areas, I am…
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