The word "tempo" might be one of the most commonly misunderstood words in coaching vernacular, even as it might be the most commonly prescribed type of workout.

It's also one of the most important and critical training efforts for distance runners, so it is critical to understand it well if you want to improve.

This episode is all about that tempo. We give you the what, the why, and the how of executing a solid tempo workout. Plus, you get a host of examples of how it might be done in different ways across all training phases. Don't fidget. Tempo!

400m reps at 5K pace. 800m reps at 10K pace. 1 mile repeats starting at HM pace and working down by 2-3 secs per rep.

Our vernacular in running is to use training paces based on what you could theoretically run at each distance. It is a useful tool for dialing into effort, but it IS NOT The end all and be all.

In this episode, we give you 9 truths about training paces and how to use them effectively while still keeping the big picture in mind!

We take a break from our book discussions to reflect on 400 episodes and nearly 10 years of podcasting.

Our hope with this one is simply to remind you and ourselves of why we do this. Thank you to everyone who has listened and downloaded through the years. We do it for you. One step at a time. Onward.

Recovery is how you build fitness. We need recovery after hard and long days, hence our emphasis on recovery running. You also need recovery after hard weeks, so in our programming, we do "down weeks" every third week to consolidate the fitness gains of the "up weeks." Two up, one down. That is the rhythm of working hard and then recovering from that work to actually get faster.

In this episode, we talk about the what, why, and how of down weeks. What do they look like? Why do we do them? And how do you make them as effective as possible with 6 key success factors?

Almost at 400 episodes!

In this episode, we cover the final 2 phases of your training block - the taper and the post-race recovery phases. Both are critical for hitting this peak and then getting to your next one. We give you the reasons for the taper and the mechanics of it (for volume, speed, and routine), and then we break down how to recover from your race. It is critical to taper in order to be fresh and ready for your A race, and then it is imperative to recover appropriately in order to start your next cycle on the right foot, pun intended. In this episode, we also talk about special cases, including tapering while slightly injured or sick, as well as answer questions such as "what to do with strength training during the taper?". It's time to get fresh and ready, y'all!

We continue our journey through the training phases. In this episode, we talk about the goals and guiding principles of the race-specific phase of work. This is where you put the icing on the cake or the cherry on top of the sundae. You've earned the right to be a little more aggressive, but it's time to crowd out the noise/distractions and focus on the final steps to be race-ready!

Last week was all about that base. This week is all about that aerobic strength - the aerobic strength phase of work specifically.

We think there is a lot of confusion about this phase of work and what's involved. We break it all down in this episode. It's about building endurance and staying power in order to be prepared for the race specific phase to come. We give you guidelines on volume building, sharpening, and the nature of the workouts in this phase of work with plenty of examples.

If your base is big enough, then the next step is to get aerobic strong enough as you step toward the big day!

In this week's episode, we begin a walk (err... run) through each period of training. We start with base building, digging into what it should look like for you. What should you focus on in this phase? How should you think about the running and building your weekly mileage? What are other considerations including strength and lifestyle?

We also discuss the Maffetone Method and how it might fit into your base building plans. Have you spent an extended time on base lately? If not... we would encourage you to consider it!