Rediscovering a Process Focus
There’s a runner I coach, we’ll call him Jeremy, who’s concerned about his weight. It’s not that he’s overweight and worried about developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease. Rath
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Articles
Training science, coaching, and the 80/20 method — from Matt Fitzgerald and the 80/20 Endurance coaching team.
Pressure Is a Double-Edge Sword
In 2015, economists Daniel Hickman and Neil Metz conducted an interesting study on the effect of pressure on performance in professional golfers. Data from the final hole of PGA to
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Your Performance Management Chart Is Lying To You
…but you can make it tell the truth. The Performance Management Chart in TrainingPeaks is an extraordinary tool. As early as 1975, physiologists have been attempting to quantify, a
Matt Fitzgerald ·
New Workout: Billat’s Analog Windup
Like many other endurance athletes, I’m adapting to the COVID-19 era by the seat of my pants, seeking ways to maintain my normal level of enthusiasm for training without races to l
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Book Review: The Science of the Marathon
I first discovered the work of Veronique Billat in 2002, when I was working on my book The Cutting-Edge Runner. That’s a long time ago, but in retrospect I’m somewhat embarrassed t
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Avoiding Dietary Self-Sabotage
I don’t really consider myself an expert on anything, but I do know a thing or two about endurance nutrition and training. Nevertheless, I choose to coach on the training side only
Matt Fitzgerald ·
What’s the Key to Avoiding Injuries? Keep the Ball Rolling.
Injuries are the bane of the runner’s life. More than any other impediment, they thwart the efforts of runners to build fitness and achieve competitive goals. For this reason, inju
Matt Fitzgerald ·
If One Bad Workout Lowers Your Confidence Level, You Weren’t Confident in the First Place
Confidence, which dictionary.com defines as “belief in oneself and one’s powers and abilities,” is critical to athletic success. We all know this. Yet we seldom pause to reflect on
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Do It Because You Suck at It: Training and Racing with a Mastery Mindset
I ran my first Boston Marathon in 2009. Although I came into the race super fit, having just lowered my half-marathon PB, I knew within 12 miles that I was in for yet another long
Matt Fitzgerald ·
How to Convert Pool Swim Workouts to Open Water
Pools are closed, but the weather is warming and athletes in many places are gaining access to venues for open-water swimming. Perhaps you’ve thought about take advantage of such a
Matt Fitzgerald ·
