It’s 2026 and the Mind Your Miles boys are back. Nick and Will kick off the year with some real goals: Will wants to BQ at the Colfax Marathon in Denver (hills, altitude, vibes), Nick wants to run a marathon build using a classic, traditional structure, plus they both want at least one 100-mile week and, finally, a legit running book club.

Then we get into the main topic: what do you do with athletes who just do not have top-end speed, the kind where their 5K pace is uncomfortably close to their marathon pace? We break down why this caps performance (mechanically and metabolically), how injury history and fear can lock athletes into “governed” running, and how to rebuild turnover without turning every week into a misery fest of doing only what you suck at.

We talk practical solutions like drills, strength work, low-level plyos, accelerations, hill sprints, and how to coach effort and form so “running hard” actually makes you faster, not just more tense. We also debate the big question: do you need a true speed block where mileage drops and the focus shifts hard, or can you blend speed work into a marathon build and still move the needle?

Links:
https://mindyourmilespodcast.substack.com/
https://www.runbaldwin.com/

Nick’s thighs got absolutely wrecked at Run Rabbit Run 100, but the man still ran his first 100 mile like a total pro. In this episode we talk through Nick’s debut at Run Rabbit Run, gear that actually works for big-thigh runners, and how he kept it together through a cold, rainy night in Steamboat.Then we bring on our good friend and high school coach Danny Mercado to talk all things prep running, mileage for teenagers, racing every weekend, and how to keep kids from burning out before college.If you are into ultras, coaching, or just want to feel better about your own chafing horror stories, this one is for you.Work with Will 1-on-1: https://www.runbaldwin.com/

On this episode of Mind Your Miles, Nick and Will make a training plan live on the podcast!

Taking inspiration from some of the free training plans on the internet, Nick and Will go over one of these options, and then build an improved plan from scratch for the novice marathon runner.

Want the plan? You can get it on our Substack:

https://mindyourmilespodcast.substack.com

or

By sending us an email at: mindyourmilespod@gmail.com

or

By following @mindyourmilespodcast, @coachnickhilton, or @runbaldwin on Instagram.

Thanks for listening!