By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director and author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Winter is coming… at least to the northern hemisphere. While it’s not the end of the competitive season for everyone, it is for the majority of the athletes my coaches and I work with. And that brings the inevitable discussion of what …
By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director and author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” Raising your legs above your heart used to be post-workout dogma, and even standard practice during downtime at any running practice or workout session. I have no idea how many hours I spent during high school and college lying on my back …
By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director and author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning” One of the things I enjoy the most about being a coach is seeing athletes compete. For one thing, throughout the year I don’t spend a lot of time with the athletes I coach. In some ways I think that distance …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 based on pace and weight. The problem is, those …
Despite their diverse backgrounds, elite ultrarunners share three common characteristics. You have them too. The differences just come down to a matter of degree, and you can enhance all three characteristics to improve your running performance! Talent: All elite ultrarunners (and elite endurance athletes in general) have a high genetic potential for aerobic power. …