Show Notes
Coaching yourself? These are the five mistakes we see self-coached runners make most, and they're easier to fall into than you'd think. TJ and Zoë start with a listener question about the best time of day to train. Physiology gives late afternoon a small edge as core temperature and muscle readiness peak, but the real answer is whatever time lets you train consistently. They also cover running in the dark, why one missed workout doesn't matter, and whether evening runs wreck your sleep. Then the list. First, copying the wrong model, including what the HERITAGE family study found when hundreds of people did the identical training program and got wildly different results. Second, the Franken-plan, where a podcast workout, a YouTube session, and a group track night get stitched together with nothing connecting them. Third, training your strengths instead of your limiters, and how to periodize hills, speed, and technical downhills months out from your goal race. Fourth, the planning fallacy, and the research on why we underestimate how long everything takes, even compared to our own worst-case guesses. Fifth, making big training decisions in the wrong emotional state, from post-DNF race sign-ups to the dangers of watching a Billy Yang film on a full stomach. Plus, meet Microcosm coach Skylar, who works with road runners from the mile to the marathon. Links Foothills community ($10/month, coach calls + Slack community), code FOOTHILLS10: https://microcosm-coaching.com Work with a Microcosm coach, including Coach Skylar: https://microcosm-coaching.com Send us your questions and Hot or Nots: [email protected]
More from The MicroCast
This is a replay of an episode about long runs while TJ is out of the office! 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. Next, we tackle a listener question on calf cramps during long races, what causes them, how to respond in the moment, and how to prevent them through smarter training and fueling. Finally, we close with a deep dive into metabolism for runners: ATP production, the limits of fat oxidation, how and why the “crossover point” matters, and why fasted or low-carb approaches can increase injury risk and reduce performance—especially for women. ⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro & Boston 2026 webinar invite04:00 – Hot or Not: KT tape, dry needling, cupping, stretching vs. mobility22:00 – Listener Q: Calf cramps—on-course fixes and long-term prevention40:00 – Metabolism 101: fat vs. carb fueling, crossover point, LEA/RED-S risks Subscribe for more evidence-based endurance coaching.Learn about 1:1 coaching at microcosm-coaching.com and follow @microcosmcoaching on Instagram.
Strides and VO2 max intervals both mean running fast, but they do completely different jobs. Strides are short and smooth, and they train the way you move. VO2 max intervals are long and brutal, and they train your heart. Mixing them up is one of the most common speed work mistakes we see as coaches. In this episode, Zoë and TJ explain what each type of workout trains and how to structure both. They also cover the six mistakes that keep runners from getting the most out of their hard days. Before that, they answer a listener question on super shoes. A new 2026 study suggests that slower runners may benefit more than earlier research found. In this episode: Meet Microcosm coach Kyle Jones, who specializes in masters athletes Zoë’s new science podcast with Nick Tiller, PhD: The Claims Department, launching October 15 Listener question: when are you “fast enough” for super shoes? What the research says about super shoes at slower paces, including a 2026 ETH Zurich study of runners from 8:00 to 12:50 pace Nylon vs. carbon plates, lower-leg injury risk, and how to pick a pair Strides vs. VO2 max intervals: purpose, duration, and fatigue cost VO2 max, threshold, and running economy explained in plain language How to pace VO2 max intervals Why your watch’s VO2 max and threshold estimates aren’t reliable How to structure strides: length, recovery, effort, and where they go in your run 6 mistakes: running intervals too hard, stacking intensity, turning recovery into another interval, skipping strides, turning strides into a conditioning test, and chasing heart rate or pace numbers Want a coach who knows the difference between 20 seconds and four minutes? Microcosm has roster spots open. Learn more at microcosm-coaching.com or email [email protected].
Lactic acid, static stretching, stability shoes, heel striking, 180 cadence, and icing everything: some running advice has not held up. Coaches Zoë Rom and TJ David cover six common myths, what the research actually shows, and why some of these ideas have stuck around for so long. Zoë also apologizes to everyone she sold motion-control shoes to in Northwest Arkansas. Also in this episode: A listener asks why they feel wired and can't sleep after long runs. We cover what's going on in the nervous system, the caffeine you might be missing, and when this becomes a red flag. TJ gives an update on his health: he's been diagnosed with sarcoidosis after being misdiagnosed with HAPE at Leadville. Zoë recaps Mammoth Trailfest and shares a first look at next year's race plans. Resources mentioned Cochrane Review (2022): running shoes for preventing lower limb injuries PEACE & LOVE framework for soft tissue injuries (Dubois & Esculier, BJSM) Coaching: microcosm-coaching.com | Email: [email protected] Rate and review wherever you listen. It really helps!
Ready for your next ultra distance? Maybe. In this episode, we tackle the question of when to move up from the 50K to the 50 mile, 100K, 100 mile, and beyond, and why the "ladder" framing might be steering you wrong. Distance alone doesn't say much about what a race demands. A mountainous 50K can ask more of you than a runnable 50 miler, so we talk about how to size up a race by duration, terrain, and your own capacity. We start with a listener question: should you practice run-walking during ultra training, especially on tired legs in high-volume weeks? We explain why power hiking is a race skill, why fixed run-walk ratios work well in training but poorly in races, and why extra walking can be stress without much stimulus. From there, we cover how to identify your real weaknesses. That means separating a bad day from a pattern, finding root causes instead of symptoms, and deciding which limiters to address first. Spoiler: it's often fueling and hydration. We share practical approaches for improving speed, climbing, descending, durability, and your gut. We finish with the signs you're ready to move up, what does and doesn't change in training as races get longer, the special demands of 200 milers, and when it's better to wait. Plus, meet Microcosm coach Kylee Van Horn: nearly 20 years of coaching across road, track, and trail, a registered dietitian's lens on fueling, and a hot take about why you can't cross-train your way to a 100 miler. In this episode: Kylee Van Horn coach spotlight Listener question: should you practice run-walking? Power hiking vs. walking, and why fixed ratios fail on race day "Stress, not stimulus": the hidden cost of extra walking volume Why the ultra distance "ladder" is a myth How to find your weaknesses and root causes Prioritizing limiters: low-hanging fruit first Training for speed, climbing, descending, durability, and GI tolerance Signs you're ready to move up in distance Why 50K and 100 mile training look more similar than you think What makes 200 milers different When not to move up, and the six-year test Want to work with Kylee or another Microcosm coach? We have roster spots available. Email [email protected] or visit microcosm-coaching.com. If you liked this episode, subscribe, follow, and leave us a review. We read all four of them.
Zoë's article on Ability vs. Ambition YDS Episode on "Racing Weight"