Training science, coaching, and the 80/20 method — from Matt Fitzgerald and the 80/20 Endurance coaching team.
How do you Cram for a Marathon? We’re all familiar with the phenomenon of cramming. You fail to attend any of your American Civilization 101 classes or to do any of the required reading all semester, and then, with one week remaining before the final exam, you hit the books and burn the midnight oil…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Effective Approaches for Marathon Pacing: With every new marathon event thousands upon thousands of runners will hit the wall before they reach the finish line, slowing down precipitously over the final miles of the race and consequently falling short of their goals. But you don’t have to be one of them! A good pacing strategy…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Many runners don’t know how to train during the winter. They know that they should train, but they lack a clear sense of the purpose of winter workouts. And if you don’t know why you’re running, it’s difficult to determine how to run. Objectives of Winter Training Assuming you wish to be in good…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Master the Marathon 18-Week Program Led by Coach Matt Fitzgerald Master the Marathon is an 18-week learning experience led by legendary running coach and author Matt Fitzgerald, and it’s free with the purchase of an 80/20 Endurance Marathon Training Plan, as an 80/20 Certified Coach, or as a Team 80/20 Member! View Running…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
The Two Words That Best Describe an Effective Training Program are – “Hard fun.” In my opinion, this two-word phrase constitutes the ideal description of an endurance training program that’s really working. As a coach, I can’t think of anything I would rather hear an athlete say in response to the question, “How would you…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
How to Set a Good Race Time Goal The short version. Set a goal pace, not a goal time, and set it from evidence. A recent race, your key workouts and a B race a few weeks out tell you what pace you can hold. Aim for an incremental improvement on what those show, not…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
Insider Tips for Making Periodization Intuitive The term periodization refers to the practice of dividing the training process into distinct phases, each of which is defined by a specific purpose and made up of workouts that are intended to fulfill its purpose. Simply put, an athlete who practices periodization does different things at different points in…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
The short version. The Norwegian method is how a country of five million keeps producing world champions in running, triathlon and skiing. In training terms it comes down to a large volume of easy work, a lot of time just below the lactate threshold, often in two threshold sessions on the same day, intensity kept…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
How to Approach Annual Training Assessments for Endurance Athletes The Smart Way! The 2024 endurance sports racing season is rapidly approaching the finish line, and athletes are no doubt looking forward to 2025 already. Many are basking in the glory of their 2024 accomplishments, or in some cases, wishing for what could have been…
Jim Vance ·
How to Choose a Training Plan Without a Time Goal If you’re like many other endurance athletes, you have probably followed a readymade training plan at one time or another. Perhaps you found it in a book, or maybe you purchased it online from a website such as Final Surge or TrainingPeaks. If so, then…
Matt Fitzgerald ·
