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PODCAST

The MicroCast

Microcosm Coaching

The Microcosm Coaching Podcast helps endurance athletes—whether you"re a road runner, trail runner, or training for your first marathon or 100-miler—get more out of their training with evidence-based advice, effort-based coaching, and expert mindset support. Hosted by professional coaches and athletes, each episode explores practical strategies for race prep, running recovery, mental performance, and sustainable training. If you want to build fitness, avoid burnout, and find more joy in running,

sports running

All Episodes

01:18:48

The Performance Trap: What Elite Male Athletes Get...

The MicroCast ·

2026/03/17

If you've ever thought "I'm not dieting, I'm optimizing", this episode is for you.We're dropping this one from the Your Diet Sucks vault because we think it belongs in the feed of every endurance athlete. We brought in coach TJ David, former professional skier and elite endurance athlete, and Sean Van Horn, elite athlete, Kylee Van Horn's husband, and someone who spent six years not telling a single person he was struggling, because the way it shows up in men

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01:10:44

5 Most Overhyped Ideas in Endurance Training (And...

The MicroCast ·

2026/03/11

Meet coach Kyle Jones, a master's athlete dedicated to helping other runners achieve their biggest goals, no matter their age. See more and book a free consultation call at microcosm-coaching.com.Every few months, a new training idea goes viral, and suddenly it's everywhere. Zone 2. Cycle syncing. Ketones. Heat suits. Ninety grams of carbs an hour. The science behind most of these things is real. That's not the problem. The problem is that real science is getting stripped of context,

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00:57:39

Should You Run Twice a Day? The Science Behind...

The MicroCast ·

2026/03/04

Running twice a day sounds serious, but is it actually right for you? This week, Zoë and TJ dig into the full science of doubles: what they are, what they're definitively not, and how to know if you're actually a candidate. Plus, a round of listener-submitted Hot or Nots and a great question about why early morning runs feel so much harder.First up, meet Coach James Nance, a multi-sport specialist who coaches cyclists, runners, and skiers through big goals without burning them out. He's

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00:57:39

What Coaching Actually Is (And Isn't) with Cliff...

The MicroCast ·

2026/02/25

We brought in the person we trust with our own training. Cliff Pittman is the Director of Coaching at Carmichael Training Systems, which means he's essentially a coach of coaches, overseeing the education and development of CTS's entire coaching staff. He's also, full disclosure, our coach. So we wanted to have an honest conversation about what coaching actually is, what it isn't, and the massive gap between what athletes see and what goes on behind the scenes.Cliff walks us through

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01:09:38

Are You Playing Your Own Game? + Value Capture,...

The MicroCast ·

2026/02/18

Is your watch making you a worse runner? We dig into two powerful books — The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg and The Score by C. Thi Nguyen — to unpack how metrics, Strava segments, and training scores can quietly hijack your motivation and identity as an athlete.We also tackle a wild listener question: a 23-year-old running 30 hundred-milers a year. We break down the real physiology — rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, endocrine suppression — and the psychology of the attention economy,

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00:51:59

The Science of Going Long: How to Train Beyond Your...

The MicroCast ·

2026/02/10

Wired article on the Enhanced Games: https://www.wired.com/story/enhanced-games-freestyle-record-las-vegas-steroids/You've got a distance that sounds impossible — maybe it's a marathon, maybe it's a 100-miler. The process for preparing to go longer than you ever have is more similar across distances than you might think. TJ and Zoë break down the physiology, psychology, and practical strategies behind training for longer distances, from glycogen depletion and fat oxidation to the central

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01:10:43

7 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Runners Make (And How to...

The MicroCast ·

2026/02/04

Is fasted running sabotaging your performance? Are you accidentally under-eating on your hardest training days? This week, we break down the seven most common nutrition mistakes runners make, from calorie restriction at the wrong time to blindly copying elite protocols, and explain why the science says you probably need to eat more, not less.We cover why your gut issues might actually be a training problem, not a food problem. We talk about why "clean eating" is often just restriction in

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01:13:41

6 Principles for Training Through Big Life Changes

The MicroCast ·

2026/01/28

How do you keep training when life gets stressful? Whether you're navigating a new job, new baby, a big move, or personal loss, your body processes all stress the same way—and that changes everything about how you should train.In this episode, we break down the science of stress and running performance, including how the HPA axis works, why your "stress bucket" has a finite capacity, and why the same workout that built fitness last year might dig a hole this year. We share six

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00:54:11

How to Return to Running After Time Off , Plus:...

The MicroCast ·

2026/01/21

Taking time off from running, whether from injury, illness, or life—doesn't have to derail your progress. In this episode, we break down the actual physiology of detraining and give you a science-backed framework for returning smarter, not just faster.We cover what happens to your body during time off (spoiler: it's not as catastrophic as your brain tells you), why connective tissue is the real limiting factor in comebacks, and how to use RPE and walk-run protocols to rebuild safely. Plus,

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00:58:03

When Cross-Training Helps Runners (And When to Just...

The MicroCast ·

2026/01/14

📧 ⁠microcosmcoaching@gmail.com⁠🌐 microcosm-coaching.com💬 Foothills Community: $10/month (code FOOTHILLS10)Does cross-training actually help runners, or is it just a distraction from the main thing? We break down the research on what transfers to running performance and what doesn't, covering AlterGs, curved treadmills, ellipticals, cycling, swimming, yoga, and Pilates.The key finding: VO2 max transfers between modalities, but running economy does not. Runners who replaced all running with

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01:02:24

5 Signs Your Runs Aren't Easy Enough

The MicroCast ·

2026/01/08

Happy New Year! Welcome to our first episode of 2026.We kick things off with our Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon race recap—Zoe ran an 8-minute PR after 4 years of training (that's 30 miles per second of improvement), while TJ ran his worst time ever and learned some valuable lessons about mental performance and showing up when things don't go your way.Then we answer a listener question: Does shoe cushioning actually matter for injury prevention? The 2024 research from Malisoo et al. might

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00:56:18

5 Off-Season Habits That Will Make You a Stronger...

The MicroCast ·

2025/12/31

Your off-season choices today determine your race day results tomorrow.Most runners get the transition season completely wrong—they either hammer through on their way to burnout or disappear entirely and spend January rebuilding from scratch. In this episode, we break down what actually works for year-over-year improvement.We cover why taking zero time off after race season is a recipe for injury and plateau, the science of post-race recovery (CNS fatigue, hormonal reset, glycogen restoration), and

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00:54:42

Coaches' Mailbag — Your Running Questions Answered

The MicroCast ·

2025/12/23

Listener Q&A: Your Trail & Ultra Running Questions AnsweredHoliday grab bag episode! We answer your most-asked questions about ultras, gear, and training.What We Cover:Road marathon to ultra transition: drop bags, poles, navigation, aid stationsHow to choose your first 100 milerTrail shoe buying guide + our current favoritesGPS watches: what you actually needSupplements: sodium bicarbonate vs creatineMasters athlete training tips for 100K+When to add more volume (and when to hold steady)Hot

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01:07:26

5 Running Studies That Actually Matter in 2025 (Skip...

The MicroCast ·

2025/12/17

We break down the five most important running studies of 2025 and give you a framework for deciding which science actually deserves your attention, and what's just expensive distraction. Plus, we debunk the hype around ketone supplements and Norwegian double threshold training.What We Cover:The "Should I Care" framework for evaluating new researchWhy strict 80/20 polarization isn't magic for recreational athletesHow strength training improved time-to-exhaustion by 35%The fueling

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01:05:39

5 Running Lessons I Wish I Learned Sooner | Advice...

The MicroCast ·

2025/12/10

We're back after a quick Thanksgiving break to share the running wisdom we wish someone had told us years ago. Drawing on interviews with experienced runners and our own coaching insights, we break down five lessons that could save you years of frustration, injury, and wasted effort.What We Cover:Why the most important quality in an athlete isn't talent, it's showing upHow to incorporate skiing and winter activities into spring race trainingThe truth about consistency vs. intensity

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00:52:55

11 Things Every Runner Should Do to Reach Their...

The MicroCast ·

2025/12/03

What separates athletes who reach their potential from those who plateau? In this fan-favorite episode, Coach TJ and Zoe break down 11 guiding principles that form the foundation of sustainable athletic growth—from knowing your why to controlling the controllables.But first, we settle the important debates: Pop-Tarts vs. Fig Newtons, why watermelon at aid stations is basically a psy-op, and which race day foods are actually worth reaching for.The 11 Principles:Know your whyCreate your

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01:36:46

RED-S Explained: Why Underfueling Hurts Your...

The MicroCast ·

2025/11/25

Training harder but not getting faster? Dealing with recurring injuries? The problem might be your fuel.Before Thanksgiving, I'm sharing an episode from Your Diet Sucks about RED-S, the energy mismatch that's quietly destroying athletic performance and causing injury after injury.When you chronically undereat for your training load, your body can't adapt. You're doing the work, but not getting the gains. Studies show athletes with RED-S are 4.5x more likely to get bone injuries and

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00:53:27

5 Science-Backed Ways to Prevent Running Injuries:...

The MicroCast ·

2025/11/19

👍 Subscribe for weekly evidence-based training advice💻 Learn more about 1:1 coaching: https://www.microcosm-coaching.com📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/microcosmcoaching/Want to run healthier, stay consistent, and finally stop the cycle of overuse injuries? This episode breaks down the five most science-backed strategies for injury prevention, in a way that’s actually useful for real runners balancing work, family, and life. Coaches Zoë and TJ take a broad but evidence-based

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00:55:09

Stop Overthinking Your Training: How to Simplify and...

The MicroCast ·

2025/11/12

Want to train smarter, run stronger, and stop second-guessing your training? This episode dives into one of the biggest pitfalls we see as coaches: overthinking. From obsessing over pace and metrics to chasing “perfect” plans, Zoë and TJ break down how overthinking sabotages performance, and how to get back to feeling good, recovering well, and actually getting faster.🎙️ In this episode:The “Overthinking Hall of Fame”: Pace Police, Data Collectors, and Plan PerfectionistsWhy more data doesn’t mean

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01:13:10

Running Recovery Myths and Metabolism Mistakes: What...

The MicroCast ·

2025/11/05

Want to train smarter, fuel better, and understand what your body actually needs? This episode unpacks the real science behind endurance training and fueling—no pseudoscience, no gimmicks. We start with a quick announcement about our Boston Marathon 2026 prep webinar (covering pacing, fueling, and course strategy from Hopkinton to Boylston), then move into a “Hot or Not” segment on popular running recovery tools: KT tape, dry needling, cupping, and stretching versus mobility.Next, we tackle a

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219 results

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