Episodes
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In this episode of the Keep Going podcast, Michael & I discuss the psychology of running.
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In this episode we trace many of the mistakes that an athlete makes at the midpoint of their training for a big command performance. Ostensibly, it is about dialing your strategies in way before race day: pacing for your race, dialing a specific strategy, fine tuning nutrition, getting your shit straight NOW! Don't make the mistake of waiting until your taper phase to be planning your work & working your plan.
Godspeed, my friends, godspeed. -
Missing episodes?
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We finally take a break from all the track & field talk & get back to talking training. Michael has been following the telos Running training model in preparation for his upcoming marathon in Detroit. In this episode we catch back up with his training progress, answer some questions & do what we are pretty "famous" for here at Keep Going, talking shit about running. We discuss mileage, how to execute in hot/humid conditions & adapting to these on race day, "sneaking in" last chance Boston qualifying races, strength training - in praise of the pistol squat!, curiosity & creativity in training, racing off feeling-based training & more. This one is a little of a grab-bag discussion be we cover a lot of ground &, as usual, have so much fun talking training. We hope you enjoy this one where we get back in the flow of the "typical" Keep Going content.
Please don't puke!
Godspeed, friends, godspeed. -
Halfway through the Olympic Games, Michael continues to reflect on his track & field education. We reflect on our experiences as fans during the amazing Paris Olympics. This episode was recorded on August 8th, about halfway through the Olympics T&F events. We know we are risking a little overkill for some of you who prefer our discussions around running culture & training more than this experiment in building a track & field fan. But we know there are some of you who are loving this shit. Don't worry. We'll get back to regular Keep Going content in the coming episodes.
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Definitely a provocative title, but true to how a new fan has experienced this compressed tutoring in the sport. This episode was recorded way back in early July, post-Olympic Trials & Pre-Olympics. For certain this is outdated discussion but we still feel like its interesting listening for those who have been following our ongoing attempts to turn Michael into track fan, for those who are interested in Steve's "hot takes" (racism, elitism, diversity, etc) & for our thoughts on how the sport is distributed across media channels.
Godspeed, my friends, godspeed. -
You can't get strong & fast at the same time.
-Steve SissonA mistake many runners make at some point in their running career is breaking the rule above. This episode covers the dangers of ramping up mileage while in the specific phase of a training plan. Steve describes the phases that he uses in any training program: Base, Foundations, Specific & Taper. We also discuss what the right mileage is for marathoners, what pace should our easy runs be & can they be too slow, & what about doing doubles? & much more great training intel in this episode. We hope you enjoy & godspeed.
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This is a special episode discussing/analyzing the first half of the Olympic Trials this past week in Eugene.
The Women's 800m Final Video
The Women's 5000m Final Video
The Men's 1500m Final
The Men's 10,000m Final
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In this special edition of Keep Going, Michael & Steve interview Darian Allberry, Head of User Experience or "Product Translator" at Coros. They discuss smartwatches, GPS & data & their uses in our training experience.
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This episode ends up being a continuation of last week's discussion around the important aspects any runner should be considering when starting a training plan. We covered so much ground last week but it felt to us that there were still things we needed to address.
Every runner who embarks on a training journey desires transformation. Ultimately, every runner who sets a goal time for a race wants to be somewhere different from where they find themselves in the moment. They are desiring transformation. & because they are working extremely hard for this change, there is a significant risk that if they don't hit the mark, there will be significant disappointment.
So the training process is very serious business. What do we need to be considering in order to be ready for the transformation we desire. Listen along as we unpack this more deeply. Godspeed, my friends, godspeed. -
Last time around we covered the essentials of a quality session. This time around we attempt to cover what to consider when starting a training cycle. Jury is out on whether we succeed or not. What we most certainly do is get our rant on. Steve pops off all over the goddamn place. Trigger warnings for vegans, overreachers, those who are full of shit & many others. This is definitely a wide open conversation heavy on Steve's "strong opinions".
Godspeed, friends, godspeed. -
What makes a workout something other than just a run? In this training deep dive, Michael & Steve describe the architecture of a workout. The two categories we use are form & function - following the famous quote of Louis Sullivan: "Form ever follow function."
Whether it be the sweeping eagle in his flight, or the open apple-blossom, the toiling work-horse, the blithe swan, the branching oak, the winding stream at its base, the drifting clouds, over all the coursing sun, form ever follows function, and this is the law. Where function does not change, form does not change. The granite rocks, the ever-brooding hills, remain for ages; the lightning lives, comes into shape, and dies, in a twinkling.
The full quote is pretty cool, actually:It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic, of all things physical and metaphysical, of all things human and all things superhuman, of all true manifestations of the head, of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function. This is the law.
-Louis SullivanIn our discussion we break things down as such:
Form
pace/effortdistance/durationrest/recoverywarm-up/cool-downFunction
variationspecificityone discrete wholepurposeWe go pretty deep here. Enjoy & godspeed, my friends, godspeed.
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In essence a Part II of episode 54 - The Privilege, in this episode we unpack Michael’s IM Woodlands race experience. We cover how we can think through race results that go wrong & so much more.
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The Women's 10K/5K History
The 10K wasn't even added into the WC or Olympics until 1988.
Again, the domination by the East African countries, especially Ethiopia & Kenya has been total.
I'll mention Ingrid Kristiansen, a Norwegian badass in the 80's who revolutionized the women's 5000/10,000 before moving up & getting steam-rolled in big races by the inimitable Joan Benoitin the inaugural women's Olympic Marathon (LA-1984). After this though, she utterly dominated the marathon between 1985-1989. Why is she not the GOAT? 4th in 1984; DNF in 1988.
After this the East Africans come in & start dominating, same as with the men.
Recent Results setting up 2024 Paris Olympics
10K/5K
2019 World Championships at Doha: VIDEO & SUMMARY
2020 Solo WR by Letesenbet Gidey at Valencia with the wavelights VIDEO
2021 Olympics in Tokyo VIDEO not the full race unfortunately & SUMMARY
2022 World Championships in Eugene VIDEO & SUMMARY
2023 World Championships in Budapest VIDEO & SUMMARY
The women's 5K/10K players over the past 5 years.
Sifan Hassan (1500m to Marathon) the world's greatest all around talent, hand's down.. But she loves to play. & simply wants to enjoy her career. If winning happens (& don't get it twisted...she wants to WIN) so be it. If not, she honors the Gift.Letesenbet Gidey (WR - 10K/Half/fastest marathon debut ever) Perhaps the greatest overall potential. But she has a hard time holding off the kickers - except in Eugene.
Hellen Obiri (NYC Marathon wins '22 & '23; 5K World Champion '17 & '19; 5K Olympic silver in Tokyo; 10K World Championship silver '22)
Gudaf Tsegay (5K WR - 14:00.21/10K World Champ '23; 5K WC '22; 1500m silver WC '22)Faith Kipyegon: The greatest miler of all time AGOAT (male or female...the A stands for Absolute) moved up to the 5K last year at the WC & won an epic battle with Sifan.
Americans:
Kara Goucher was our last great 10K woman. We have some solid potential here but we don't have our Grant Fisher yet.
Alicia Monson was stellar in the WC 10K battling to 5th but will struggle since the event is dominated by women who ha e equal or greater aerobic talent & sub 4 min 1500m wheels & gears on top of gears.
& Karrissa Schwitzer has been close but can't hold up under the final 800m pressure.
Elise Cranny could be in there but it seems she wants to move down to the 1500m/5K.We have seen women lead the world in willingness to move freely between the roads & the track, led by my favorite runner - male or female - right now, Letensebet Gidey. The most representative race to cover in the 2022 Eugene WC 10K Race. Watch the final 800m (30:54)Until the rash of WR 5K performances this past summer, Gidey held the WR in the 50K, 10K, 15K road (where, in the final 10K, she ran the fastest time ever recorded by a woman at the time - 29:12) & the Half Marathon. SHe's run two marathons now Valencia - 2:16 where she was 2nd in her debut - fastest debut ever - & 2nd at this fall's NYC Marathon.
But Obiri is now the NYC/Boston x2 champ & looks to be the best strategic marathoner in the world. But what will happen in the 5K/10K this summer?
I am most excited for these two races in Paris.
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Where we start with X - & weak sauce social media takes, move into Michael's pre-race thoughts around IRONMAN Texas on April 27th (no pressure, dude!) & finish with privilege of celebrating the human experience of training & racing.
Hot takes on Death, predictive processing, & the recent Kara Goucher/Rich Roll episode.
We hope you dig this one.
Godspeed, my friends, godspeed. -
In this episode Steve takes a deep dive into the 10,000m track event in our series on trying to make Michael into a track & field fan in anticipation of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. For the notes Steve created to help introduce Michael to the event, please see below.
Please note that we while we didn't go into the women's 10K nearly enough, we'll continue to bring out the important storylines over the coming months to ensure Michael has as much intel on the women's events as the men's.The 10,000m Episode Notes
Relevance. It's more likely that you have experience running/racing the 10K than the 800m. Also, you understand the energy needs for this event more than the 800m. The TEN. One of the biggest 10Ks of the year was run this weekend. Sound Running put on the their yearly 10K on So Cal in perfect conditions where athletes were trying to get their Olympic standards. This provides an excellent opportunity for you to watch the race before we talk & have it top of mind.
Here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdnO--7pbP4
You won't know many/any? of the names before watching this video & I won't be surprised if you want to fast forward to the final 5 min or so. If you do fast forward, I recommend you jump to 17 min (18:17 on the video). One argument for listening all the way through is you can get a chance to be exposed some of the lingo & energy. How To Qualify for the Olympics. This will give us a chance to go over the rather confusing & complicated process for getting on the starting line of the 10K in Paris. Another important 10K happened over the weekend in Spain where two of the favorites for the 10K gold medal ran on the roads. You can see that HERE of you are interested.Main Discussion Points
We want to talk distance. How the event feels when racing. We want to talk surface. Track (25 laps of the 400m track) vs Cross Country vs Road. I want to talk about technology & how wavelight & new "super" spike/shoe tech has revolutionized the distance. Also, here is an interesting review of the top 6 models as of summer 2023.I want to talk a quick overview of the history of the event: Flying Finns, Emil Zatopek & then the African Dominance of the past 30 years. See below for a bit more on that. Set Up for the Olympic 10K final. Is the 10K redundant?Quick History
The Flying Finns: Paavo Nurmi & the dominance of Finland in the first Emil Zatopek, of Czechoslovakia East/North African Dominance
The MenAt the World Championships, between 1991-2023, out of 51 potential medals, 47 were won by East or North Africans. The other four were won by Mo Farah of Great Britain, who was born & raised in Somalia, in East Africa. .
At the Olympics, between 1988-2020, out of 21 potential medals East/North Africans won 17 of 21. 2 of these were Mo Farah. The other two were an Italian in 1988 (EPO era) & Galen Rupp in 2012.
There have been a few eras in the 10K since the 70's.
The Lasse Viren era (Prefontaine & Frank Shorter competed in this era).The Haile Gebraselassie/Paul Tergat era.The Kenenisa Bekele era.The Mo Farah era.& the Joshua Cheptegai era we are in currently.The Women
Women did not begin competing in the 10K until the late 80's at the World Championships (1987) & 1988 Olympics.
Similar story to the men in the dominance of East/North Africans in the event.
Recent Results & Race Videos setting up 2024 Paris Olympics
2019 World Championships at Doha: VIDEO & SUMMARY
2020 Solo WR by Joshua Cheptegai at Valencia with the wavelights VIDEO & SUMMARY
2021 Olympics in Tokyo VIDEO & SUMMARY
2022 World Championships in Eugene VIDEO OF FINAL 1K & SUMMARY
2023 World Championships in Budapest SHORTER VIDEO & SUMMARY
The TEN (VIDEO) was raced this weekend & 8 runners got the Olympic Standard.
& that's just the men.
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In this episode we introduce a series in which we endeavor to educate & inspire Michael to become a track & field fan as we approach the 2024 Paris Olympics. As the series unfolds, we'll go through each of the distance/middle distance events & unpack the event, its history & attempt to set the stage for whatever transpires this spring & summer. It is an incredible time to be a track fan. Each event now has an unprecedented about to drama, really compelling storylines & rivalries & we are seeing an absolute renaissance in the sport, & especially in the middle & ling distances as America is finally competitve & the hegemony of the East & North Africans is beginning to be broken up. It is a very exciting time to be a fan. We hope you'll consider joing us on this journey we call Hoe To Become A Track Fan: An Introduction. Godspeed my friends, godspeed.
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In this episode Steve critiques Michael's strength training regimen. We cover four domains that should be considered when spending any time working on developing strength.
Some links to resources discussed in this episode:
The two classic text's Steve references here are by Jay Dicharry are Anatomy for Runners & Running Rewired. -
In this episode we discuss the roots of being local. In Austin, we have a local business support rallying cry that has become the de facto Austin vibe: Keep Austin Weird. We spend a lot of time wrestling with the concept of being local in a global running culture. This is our 50th episode & while we don't really celebrate the milestone in any concrete way, we definitely hit our favorite themes here.
Godspeed, my friends, godspeed.
Some links around what we discuss in this episode:
Comedor Running Club in Austin
Atreyu Run Club is Michael's crew in Austin.
Episode 25 where Paul Carrozza challenges us to invest in local events.We've decided to jettison the intro & drop the needle right into the deep track. Let us know if you miss it...I certaily won't miss doing it!
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What an awesome opportunity Michael & I had last week to interview the legendary Leo "The Lion Manzano. This is a personal & wide-ranging discussion around his experiences in the sport & industry of distance running. One of Keep Going's missions is to explore local running culture & this episode does not disappoint on that level, but it is also so much more. Leo is incredibly candid, funny & insightful in detailing how a young Hispanic boy in Granite Shores/Marble Falls with limited options or opportunities ran himself into the American running legend he his today.
In this episode we cover a lot of ground but spend most of our time discussing Leo's local Central Texas roots & racing experiences. If you don't know who Leo Manzano is, you must be living under a rock. He won the first Olympic medal in the 1500m in the 2012 London Olympics in 44 years. As we discuss here, we argue that Leo - & his University of Texas teammates between 2004-2008 - fundamentally changed the face of American distance running.
Leo has two ventures we are excited to support. Check out his store at www.leomanzano.com. Leo is also announcing very soon his involvement in the new Border Line Track Club, founded by Paul Carrozza this spring. This group's unique feature - besides having both Paul & Crayton, his six-time All-American son, onboard - is to help athletes who find themselves in limbo in their collegiate career. There are many athletes who find themselves pushed out of the collegiate system. This group will allow these athletes to bridge back to the collegiate system, or bypass it altogether if that's the best choice. See this recent FloTrack article for more, We are very excited to see how this venture proceeds & look forward to supporting Leo & Paul in any way we can.
Please enjoy this extended & candid conversation with one of the all time greatest American middle distance runners, Leo "The Lion" Manzano.A correction in the audio: Leo was at UT from 2004-2008, not from 2008-2012.
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We have been dancing around the edges of capital P "purpose" in many of our discussions over the past year, but in this episode Michael & I dive in deeper. We consider if purpose should be considered as an ultimate aim or if we are in need of a less grandiose & more useful conception. As usual we get into pretty deep waters. But you've come to expect that by now.
So we hope you'll join us for a conversation we call Running & Purpose: Towards a Natural Style.
Godspeed, my friends, godspeed. - Show more
