Science of Running

Steve Magness and John Marcus rant about the “recovery industrial complex,” arguing that while recovery knowledge has improved, monetized gadgets can waste money, create psychological fragility, and g...

Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus discuss an updated approach to summer base building that keeps aerobic mileage as the foundation but adds “spices” year-round to prepare athletes for race demands. In...

Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus discuss the art and science of delayed training effects, arguing that training adaptations are non-linear, hard to quantify, and often misunderstood as quick “return ...

In this week’s episode Steve and Jon discuss injuries as an unavoidable, unpredictable part of running due to impact and eccentric loads, arguing coaching has shifted from “rest and hope” to cre...

The episode focuses on constraints in coaching: manipulating training and environment to drive physical and psychological adaptation by identifying and widening an athlete’s primary bottleneck. David ...

We host Olympian and Norwegian-method innovator Marius Bakken and talk bout the history and principles behind double-threshold training, lactate testing, and “muscle tone” as a key limiter of recovery...

Steve Magness and John Marcus continue their peaking series by reframing peaking as maintaining fitness while eradicating fatigue so athletes can express existing fitness on race day, rather than expe...

Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus discuss how coaches should define a training approach without falling into two traps: having no coherent philosophy by mixing everything, or rigidly copying one syste...

Coaching Successful, Part 1: Defining Your Philosophy and Boundaries Steve Magness and Jon Marcus begin a “coaching successful” series by arguing that sustainable high-level coaching depends less on p...

The Illusion of Optimization: Balancing Physiology and Neurology in Coaching In this episode of the Coaching Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus dive into a deep discussion about the...

Balancing Fitness and Robustness: The Importance of Neuromuscular Coordination in Training In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, Steve Magness and Jon Marcus discuss the concept of ‘fit bu...

Mastering Race Day Mindset: Proven Strategies and Quirks In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jon Marcus delve into the psychology of training the mind for race day. The...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, we delve into the critical topic of recovery, emphasizing the importance of keeping it simple and avoiding the pitfalls of the ‘industrial complex of ...

In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jon Marcus walk you through how to coach a runner from the very start. From the training to the mental game, we cover it all. -Steve...

In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus discuss the challenges and strategies of coaching new runners in a team setting. They emphasize the importance of creati...

Mastering the Art of Super Shoe Training In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, Steve Magness and Jon Marcus delve into the timely and highly requested topic of using ‘super shoes’ in...

In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, Steve Magness and Jon Marcus delve into the current era of training experimentation, inspired by a recent in-depth discussion in the Scholar Program. They e...

In this episode of the ‘On Coaching’ podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jon Marcus discuss the importance of consistency in training and coaching. They delve into how simple, repetitive acti...

Exploring Racing Tactics and Mental Preparation from NCAA Championships In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus dive deep into the insights and lessons from the...

In this episode of the ‘On Coaching’ podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jon Marcus discuss the importance of consistency in training and coaching. They delve into how simple, repetitive acti...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus dive deep into the concept of double threshold training. They discuss its application to track, cross country, and marat...

In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jon Marcus discuss the complexities of holistic coaching and how to effectively integrate various training components for athletes. ...

In this episode, hosts Steve and Jon dive deep into the psychology of modern athletes, emphasizing the impact of social media on athletes’ perceptions of reality and mental health. They discuss ...

The five insights discussed include recognizing self-sabotage, balancing exploration and commitment, building your own home field advantage, balancing caring deeply with letting go, and the importance...

In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of lactate threshold, debunking common myths and explaining its significance in athletic performance. We discuss the science behind lactate production an...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus dive into the third part of their three-part series on becoming a champion. This segment, ‘How to Recover. How...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus dive into the second part of their three-part series on becoming a champion. This segment, ‘How to Train,̵...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, Steve Magness and Jon Marcus kick off a three-part series on what it takes to become a champion. They delve into the essential mindset and behaviors needed ...

A special bonus episode! We’re going to try something a bit different. We’re talking the mental side of sport, the biology of winning and losing, and much more. Except…your hosts are...

In this episode, Steve Magness explores the psychology and science behind performance anxiety, choking, and the phenomenon known as ‘the yips’ in sports. Drawing on his experience working ...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus delve into the essential concept of consistency in achieving athletic success. We begin with an announcement about Steve...

In this special 10-year anniversary episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus delve into the intricacies of surging during races. They explore both the physiological and ...

The Importance of Teaching in Coaching In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus emphasize the significance of teaching in coaching, arguing that workouts sho...

The Nuance of Drills: Do They Really Work? In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus delve into the controversial topic of whether drills are effective in enh...

The Art of Coaching: Insights on Adjusting and Perfecting Training Plans In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus share their perspectives on the importance of k...

Mastering Training Plans: Foundations and Strategy In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, Steve Magness and John Marcus dive into the essentials of writing effective training plans for athletes. ...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, Steve Magness and Jon Marcus delve into the challenges of handling race day meltdowns. They discuss the emotional and psychological aspects that both athlet...

The Great Long Run Debate: Length vs. Speed In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus dive into the classic debate on long runs: should athletes focus on long...

In this episode of the On Coaching podcast, Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus discuss the importance of a holistic approach to training. They argue that workouts constitute only 40% of the equation fo...

n this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus discuss the intricate demands of cross country racing that go beyond mere physiological preparation. They explore the nee...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus discuss the intricate balance of being a good coach versus a nice coach. They delve into the importance of setting boundar...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus dive deep into the intricacies of designing and implementing hard workouts for distance runners. They discuss the multi-di...

Understanding and Addressing Performance Anxiety in Athletes In this episode of the ‘On Coaching’ podcast, hosts Steve Magness and John Marcus delve deep into the modern issue of performan...

In this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, hosts Steve Magness and Jonathan Marcus delve into the concept of the ‘fifth man’ and its crucial role in building winning cross country teams. ...

n this episode of the On Coaching Podcast, Steve Magess and John Marcus delve into the essence of motivation in sports, focusing on the significance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. They discuss pe...

How do you show up on race day? How do you flip the switch during the last 200 to kick like crazy? In this episode we use the recent Olympics as a way to unpack racing under pressure. Join us for a li...

What is fatigue and how do we deal with it? In this episode we go into the science of fatigue, understanding the physiological and psychological components, and what we can do about it! Steve & Jo...

What does a winning culture look like? In this episode we explore the underpinning of a championship culture, a sense of community and connection. Steve & Jon Check out the Scholar Program The Sch...

How do you extend your peak? In this episode we go deep on how to keep the peak going and the myths surrounding peaking. Steve & Jon Check out the Scholar Program The Scholar Program is our one-st...

We all know what a base is right? Just run some easy miles. Well, a base is a bit more complex than that, and it should change over the course of your career. In this episode, we go deep on what a bas...