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Final Surge Podcast

In the Final Surge Podcast, we interview coaches, athletes authors, and endurance industry experts to help you train with a purpose.
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Now displaying: June, 2017
Jun 28, 2017

Welcome to episode 50 of the Final Surge Podcast where today we talk to Derek Rubis. If you are active on Twitter you likely know Derek as DDritzenhein, the hub of running. Derek has a reputation as the #1 running fan around. Derek also has had a unique experience where he has been coached by a different coach each week for the last 3 years. Derek has had well-known coaches such as Ben Rosario and Danny Mackey. Derek is also an honorary member of the Brooks Beast Distance Group. 

How did you get started in running?

Some of our listeners are going to know you from Twitter as DDRitzenhein, the Hub of Distance Running if you can give us a little info about how you started getting connected to so many great distance runners and coaches?

You are one of the most active Twitter users I know, you have sent over 330k tweets. So how did this passion that you have now become so strong?

You are an honorary member of the Brooks Beast Pro Distance Running Group and the Melbourne Track Club & brand ambassador for Run Gum. How did these relationships develop?

One of the most interesting things is your training. It appears that you get trained by a different coach/athlete ever week is that correct?

How did this start and who did you first work with on this project?

Who are some of the most memorable that come to mind when you think of all the coaches you have had?

When you switch from one coach to the next how does that work with your training for events?

Are you currently training for any specific races?

How do you blend one week into the next?

You have seen more training from more great coaches than probably just about any distance runner. So what have you learned from this experience?

Are there any common themes you notice between all the successful coaches?

Who has given you the most challenging week yet?

What are some of the most memorable workouts you have done?

Who are you currently being coached with right now?

Do you have any big trips or races planned for this summer?

How many coaches have you had so far?

Final Surge 5 questions in under a minute
Favorite running book? - Like Father, Like Son
Current trainers you are wearing? - Brooks Launch 3
Favorite race? - 3k steeple
Favorite recovery meal or recovery drink? - SOS Rehydrate
Your favorite workout - Michigan workout

Connect with Derek

Instagram
Twitter

Jun 21, 2017

Welcome to episode 49 of the Final Surge Podcast where we welcome the Dr. Jay Dicharry. Jay is the author of a must have book for any coach, Anatomy for Runners. Jay discusses what to look for when looking for a physical therapist, we talk foot strike location, shoes, and some common injuries. 

How did you get started in running and endurance athletics when you were a kid?

What are you focusing on right now, are you working mostly in research or are you working with athletes?

When I talk to other coaches and we talk about books, there are two books that I say I could not live without. #1 on that list is Anatomy for Runners. How did this book come about?

There seem to be two types of common types of physical therapists. Type one is, you have a pain, let’s shut you down for a week or two while we do therapy and then start with a light jog for a couple days a week. And then there is the second type that says I know you are runner and my goal is to keep you running while you work through this. Do you have any advice on picking a good physical therapist who understands competitive athletes?

Are there any designations or initials after their name that we may want to be looking for? SCS or OCS

I go to a few coaching clinics a year, and when the question comes up how do you keep them healthy, the most common answer is run them on soft surfaces. Where we live, we are on concrete sidewalks for 2 miles before we can get to a dirt canal trail. What does the research show on the difference of different surfaces and injuries?

If you were talking in front of a group of 200 runners and they wanted shoe advice, is there any general advice on what runners could look for as qualities in a good shoe vs poor shoe choice?

Running shoes have been around for decades, and shoe companies are always making technology advancements, and the running injury rate is not getting better. Is there anything coming in shoe technology that could help?

And when it comes to shoes we hear a lot about over pronation. It seems there is an issue with diagnosing everyone as overpronators. What are your thoughts on shoes and pronation?

How do we get this information out to shoe stores?

When it comes to flexibility you mention in your book that all you need is proper range of motion to do the movement you are trying to accomplish, so a swimmer and cyclist and runner would all have different range of motion needs. Is there any benefit of stretching at all for general health and injury prevention?

When it comes to warmups you of course recommend dynamic movement but I know you also don’t recommend the most popular movements which are A/B skips. Can you explain why you don’t recommend them and what are a few of your favorite exercises pre workout?

You mentioned running is pushing and putting force into the ground, but there are also programs out there that teach you running is falling forward, how do they differ?

Glad you mentioned about landing underneath your body, the best professional distance runners when you watch them in slow motion are slightly ahead of their body, so what are we really looking for here is it foot location, angle of shin at contact or what?

If someone is overstriding I’m guessing you wouldn’t tell them to purposely change their foot strike location when they are running, what should runners work on?

When I look at many athletes with lower leg injuries and I film them, what I see with these athletes is what I believe you call toilet bowl of doom in your book. Can you explain this and how to address it?

We see shin splints in our high school and middle school girls, it seems to be way more prevalent on the girl's side, but they get shin splints so often that we joke it is contagious. What are your recommendations?

Runners' knee is another big one, what are the most common issues with runners knee that you see?

What about wearable devices. How are they coming along in helping runners address the things they need to work on?

What about your typical age group runner who probably spends most of their day sitting, what do they need to work on with body positioning?

Are you working on any new books coming out?

Links
Are you ready to go minimal video
Jay's book Anatomy for Runners
Jay's website

Jun 14, 2017

In episode 48 of the Final Surge Podcast, we talk to Dr. Stephen Seiler who is the leading researcher on polarized training for endurance athletes. Welcome to episode 48 of the final surge podcast where we welcome

Welcome to episode 48 of the final surge podcast where we welcome Dr. Stephen Seiler. Seiler has spent his career studying the optimal ways for endurance athletes to train and his polarized training methods are the foundation for Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 training book. In this episode, we talk about what exactly are the 80/20 zones, where do tempo and threshold runs play into that formula and how to work rest into your interval work. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @FinalSurge and please take a moment to subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or whatever your podcast app of choice is.

Listen to the podcast on iTunes or listen to it on Stitcher if you have an Android device.

Stream it right here:

 

Your bio could take me 5 minutes to read, instead of getting into all of it, could you take a minute and introduce yourself to our audience?

We had Matt Fitzgerald on a while back and talked about his 80/20 book. You are referenced many times in that book. And I’m actually holding a huge packet here in my hand called Seiler’s Hierarchy of Endurance Training Needs. How did you get interested in sports science?

Most of the research I have seen from you is with cyclist and xc-skiers. But what you have learned from your research is also able to be applied to other endurance athletes like runners and triathletes correct?

Can you explain polarized training?

Is there a better way to define these high intensity, low intensity, and middle grounds?

If we look at Mark Wetmore at the University of Colorado, probably the most respected college coach in the game today, Joe Vigil who is maybe the most successful college coach ever, and very successful in developing athletes who go on to the next level. With all of these coaches, the tempo runs or lactate threshold are a large staple in what they do. Could there be a case made that for athletes still developing their aerobic system, who maybe run 50 miles a week instead of 130 miles a week that the threshold work could have a big impact on that aerobic development?

If a runner is only running 40 miles a week and not doing 80-120 miles, is it more important for them to maybe do a little more of the high quality, high-end threshold work than someone who is doing 3x their volume?

When someone is in that 80% easy training zone, how easy is that? What would that be in a percent of maximum heart rate?

In that 80%, is there a number you have studied that becomes too low?

On the other end, on the 20%, how long are you trying to get into that area for a workout?

If we are doing those 4x8 minute intervals, what would the recommended rest intervals be?

What would a year of periodization look like under this type of program?

Does the volume that they are doing need to be sports specific, or have you looked at cross training to get the same benefits?

I've read your hierarchy of endurance training a few times. There is a pyramid you have put together in that document on how to train. Can you explain it?

Do you coach or are you just studying this topic?

You’ve been talking about this for several years now, what's new or what ideas have maybe changed since you started?

Do you have anything you are studying that may work on these concepts more?

Has anything interesting come out of studying the micro sessions?

Links to resources:

Research Gate Publications
Hierarchy of Training Needs Document
Stephen Seiler on Twitter

Jun 7, 2017

Welcome to Episode 47 of the Final Surge Podcast. Today we get away from specific training and talk about setting and adjusting running goals with Diana Fitts who has a book called Better Running Goals. Diana is a Boston Qualifier and an author of three books. 

Can you tell us how you got your start in running?

I know you are a Boston Marathon qualifier and have also run shorter distances, so what is your preferred distance of choice right now?

I came across you when I found your book, Better Running Goals in which you talk a lot about priorities. Why did you decide to write this book?

You mention that when you started running and training that running became your number one priority. Was that a good thing or an issue in your life?

The one thing you focus on when you are setting goals is your why? Why you run. So could you let us know what your why is and how it has changed over the years?

I know with me the more time I coach the more my passion for sport grows, but I find myself running less and gaining weight while just wanting to run. What are common issues you find in people where people don't make the commitment to the goals they say they want to reach?

How do you find your why, do you have any exercises you recommend?

How do you schedule a week so that you make sure your runs are in place and get done?

In the book, you talk about compromises and different levels of compromises. Can you talk about those?

As priorities change how often or when do you recommend people hit pause and reevaluate their priorities?

What do you do about detours that come up? How do you adjust?

I enjoyed Better Running Goals. Do you have any other books coming up?

Final Surge 5 questions in under a minute
Favorite running book? - Any Matt Fitzgerald mindset book
Current trainers you are wearing? - Brooks Ghost
Favorite race? - Boston Marathon
Favorite recovery meal or recovery drink? - Peanut butter
Your favorite workout - Long Tempo Run

Connect with Diana and resources

Website: http://betterthanalive.com/ 
Free PDF Worksheet:  
http://betterthanalive.com/run/ 
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DianaAFitts

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