Journal
Vol. I · 28 entriesLong-form essays on physiology, fueling, race execution, and the small decisions that separate finishing from racing.
Zone 2 Heart Rate Calculator: How to Find Your True Aerobic Zone (2026)
Most Zone 2 calculators use age-only formulas that miss by 15–25 bpm. Here's the math, the field test, and the coach-built calculator that gets it right.
More essays.
FTP Calculator for Cyclists: 5 Ways to Estimate Functional Threshold Power (2026)
FTP from a 20-minute test, an 8-minute test, a ramp test, or a race file. Which method is most accurate, and how to use the number once you have it.
Boston Marathon Cutoff Times: Complete History 2014–2026 (and What 2027 Will Need)
Every BQ cutoff since 2014, why the cutoff exists, and the data-backed projection for what time you'll actually need to run to get into Boston 2027.
Heat Acclimation Protocol: 14 Days to Race Faster in the Heat
Racing a summer marathon? A coach-built 14-day heat acclimation protocol that drops your core temp, raises plasma volume, and turns a 75°F race day from disaster into business as usual.
Marathon Fueling Strategy: The Carb Math That Wins the Last 10K
Bonking isn't fitness — it's fueling. A practical breakdown of carb intake, hydration, and the gut training that lets you actually hit your goal pace at mile 22.
Running Cadence Guide: Why 180 SPM Isn't Magic (and What Is)
The 180 steps-per-minute rule is the most over-prescribed cue in running. Here's what cadence actually predicts about your form, injury risk, and speed — and how to change it without wrecking your stride.
Lactate Threshold vs VO2max: Which One Actually Wins the Race?
Two physiological markers, two different training prescriptions. A coach's breakdown of what each one means, how they're tested, and which one to chase based on your event and your years in the sport.
Half Marathon Training Plan: A Realistic 12-Week Build to 13.1
Twelve weeks is the sweet spot for a half marathon build — long enough to gain real fitness, short enough that life doesn't derail it. Here's the structure that produces PRs without burnout.
Ironman Training Plan: A 24-Week Roadmap for Your First (or Fastest) 140.6
What 24 weeks of Ironman training actually looks like — phases, weekly hours, key sessions, and the brick workouts that separate finishers from sufferers.
Boston Marathon Qualifying Times: The Real Story Behind BQ Standards
Hitting the published BQ standard isn't enough anymore. A coach's breakdown of how the qualifying system actually works, the cutoff math, and the buffer you need to make the field.
Heart Rate Zones Explained: The 5-Zone Model for Runners and Cyclists
Forget the chest-strap chart that came with your watch. A coach's guide to setting heart rate zones that actually map to your training — and the only two zones that matter most.
How to Calculate Your Real Marathon Pace (Not a Wishful One)
A marathon pace calculator can tell you what's possible. This guide tells you what's realistic — and how to dial in the pace that gives you the best chance of negative-splitting on race day.
VDOT Training Guide: How to Use Jack Daniels' Formula for Real Speed
Stop guessing your training paces. A complete, athlete-friendly guide to VDOT — what it is, how to calculate it from a recent race, and the five training paces every distance runner should be hitting.
Marathon Taper Guide: 3-Week Schedule to Race Day Sharp
Exactly how to drop volume, keep intensity, manage your head, and walk to the start line feeling sharp instead of sluggish.
Strength Training for Runners: The Two Sessions a Week That Change Everything
What runners actually need from the gym — the exercises, the sets, the reps, the timing — to run faster, stay healthy, and finish strong.
Boston Marathon Qualifying Times by Age (2026 & 2027 Standards + Real Cut-Off)
Full 2026 & 2027 Boston Marathon qualifying times by age and gender, the per-mile pace to hit each standard, and the realistic BQ cut-off you actually need to beat.
How to Train for Your First Marathon: A Coach's 20-Week Blueprint
Everything a first-time marathoner needs — weekly structure, long-run progression, fueling, taper, and race day execution. From a coach who's done it 12 times.
Jack Daniels VDOT: The Complete Guide to Training Paces That Actually Work
What VDOT really measures, how to calculate yours from a recent race, and how to translate it into easy, threshold, interval, and repetition paces.
FTP Explained: What Functional Threshold Power Means and How to Test It Right
FTP is the most over-tested, most misunderstood number in cycling. Here's what it actually represents, the three testing protocols that work, and how to use it to train.
Ironman and 70.3 Time Predictor: How to Forecast Your Finish Realistically
Why most Ironman predictions are wildly optimistic — and the inputs that actually matter for an honest 70.3 or full distance forecast.
Marathon Pace Calculator: How to Pick a Goal Time You Can Actually Run
The math behind a smart marathon goal — using VDOT, recent half marathon time, training volume, and the heat factor most athletes ignore.
Zone 2: Why Slow Training Builds Fast Athletes
The unglamorous truth about aerobic base — and why your easy days dictate how fast you'll race on the day that matters.
Boston Marathon Course Strategy: Mile-by-Mile From Hopkinton to Boylston
The Boston course punishes anyone who treats it like a flat marathon. Here's the mile-by-mile plan I give every BQ athlete I coach — pacing, fueling, and the four hills that decide your race.
Fueling the Long Ride: A Practical Carb Strategy
How many grams of carbs per hour, when to start, and what to do when your gut shuts down at hour three.
The Taper Myth: Less Isn't Always More
Why most athletes botch their taper — and the simple framework I use with every athlete to arrive sharp instead of flat.
Strength Training for Endurance Athletes: What Actually Works
Two sessions a week, heavy and short. Why endurance athletes who lift heavy run, bike, and swim faster — and what to actually do in the gym.
Heart Rate, Power, and Pace: Which Metric Should Drive Your Training?
Each metric tells a different story. Knowing which one to trust — and when — is the difference between racing your potential and racing your guesses.
How to Pick a Goal Race You'll Actually Show Up Ready For
Most athletes pick races emotionally and pay for it physically. A coach's framework for choosing a race that matches your life, your timeline, and your current fitness.
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