You’re within 5 minutes of a sub-3 hour marathon.

by | Apr 4, 2026 | Purpose of Different Runs, Training, Uncategorized

What’s actually holding you back from sub-3?

For some runners, more volume can be very beneficial. For others, the main limiter is threshold fitness or raw speed. It comes down to knowing what’s holding you back. If your 5k-10k PRs are better than your marathon PR (i.e. you’re an 18 min 5k runner or faster) things that might help are more long runs with marathon paced work, a mileage increase, and/or more threshold runs.

Here are some threshold workout examples:

  • 2 x 3 miles (2-3 min easy) at threshold pace (~6:42-6:34 min/mile, 4:10-4:05min/km)

  • 10-12 x 3 min (1 min easy) at ~4-8s faster than threshold pace

  • 2miles -2 miles -2 miles -1 mile (2-3 min easy) at threshold pace, or do a progression starting a little over threshold pace and ending the mile a little under.

However, before you start marathon training or in the first phase of training for a marathon, you’ll want to focus on faster, shorter workouts. This could be everything from 12 second to 1 minute hill reps, to 200s, and 3-4 min intervals at VO2 max pace. Then even as you get more into marathon specific training, you can still add in more touches of speed without running yourself into the ground.

These are some specific ideas:

  • 8 x 30s (1 min easy) or 5-6 x 1 min fast (1 min easy) after the end of a threshold run

  • 10 x 800m (1-1.5 min easy) at ~10k pace

But what if you’re already in your final 8 weeks of marathon training?

If you’re in your final 8 weeks, the goal shifts. You’re not trying to close the gap, you’re building fitness and getting comfortable at sub-3 pace.This could look like 4 x 3-4 miles at current marathon fitness pace builds the endurance and strength to hold your pace on race day. Or, 10 x 1 mile at 6:52/mi (4:16/km) gets you touches of sub-3 pace in your long runs without overdoing it, while still supporting your current marathon fitness.

Training Considerations for Mountain Trail Races

Training Considerations for Mountain Trail Races

by | Mar 29, 2026 | Trail Running

By Higher Running Coach, Jake Head

Spring is approaching. The weather is getting warmer, the trails are opening up, and the trail-prone among us are scouring UltraSignup for our next mountain adventure. If you are anything like me, the steep, rugged, and remote events always seem the most appealing. If you find yourself on the entry list for one of these races, this article is for you!

Know Your Course

The first thing I have athletes do when preparing for a steep race is calculate the vertical gain per mile. This is simply the total vertical gain divided by the race distance.

For example, a 50k with 8,000 feet of vert averages about 250 feet of climbing per mile.

This number gives you a useful target when structuring your long runs. As you get closer to race day, your long runs should begin to approach the vertical density of your race. This helps your legs adapt not just to running long, but to climbing long.

It’s also important to look at how the climbing is distributed. 8,000 feet of vert spread across constant rolling terrain feels very different than the same vert concentrated into a few sustained climbs. Being familiar with the elevation plot of your race can be extremely valuable, not just for knowing where the hills are on race day, but also for knowing what kind of hills to look for in training to best mimic the race course.

Understanding your course helps you prepare specifically and feel confident on race day.

Run or Hike?

Many runners, especially those coming from road backgrounds, resist hiking. It can feel like giving up. But in steep trail races, hiking is often the most efficient option.

At steeper grades, the energy cost of running increases dramatically while providing very little speed advantage. For most runners, a 15–20% incline (roughly 800–1000 feet of elevation gain per mile) is where hiking is going to be a better choice. A strong, purposeful power hike can often match running speed while costing significantly less energy.

For reference, a sustainable running pace for me at a 15% grade is about a 14:00-minute-per-mile pace. I can power hike that same grade at roughly a 15-minute-per-mile pace, and it is significantly less taxing to do so. Unless your race’s climbs are very long, the time loss from swapping to a hike is often negligible, and you get to save your legs for downhill and flat sections.

Even elite trail runners hike steep climbs. This allows them to conserve energy and maintain steadier output over long races. But the key is making sure your hiking is intentional. A strong power hike (driving through the glutes, maintaining an upright posture, and moving efficiently) can make a massive difference over the course of a long climb.

If you know your race includes steep climbs, practice hiking during your training (contrary to popular belief, the Strava police won’t come for you if you hike during your “Morning Trail Run”).

How Much Vert Should You Be Doing?

A mistake I often see is runners either avoiding vert entirely or doing steep climbing every single day. Neither is ideal.

Your long runs and key workouts should include vert that reflects the demands of your race. Using our earlier example of 250 feet per mile, a 15-mile long run might include roughly 3,500 to 4,000 feet of climbing.

This doesn’t need to be exact. The goal is to gradually expose your legs to the demands of sustained climbing so race day doesn’t come as a shock.

At the same time, it’s important that your easier days remain easy. Steep climbing places significant stress on your calves, quads, and glutes, and it can be very difficult to climb at a true recovery heart rate. Including flatter runs allows your climbing muscles to rest and helps maintain good biomechanics. While running uphill builds strength and power that can help improve biomechanics, it can lead to an “ultra shuffle” type of running form if you never run flatter terrain and allow your stride to open up.

When planning your run routes, keep in mind the intention of the run and whether the route is conducive to the goal of that specific training session.

What If You Can’t Hit the Trails?

The treadmill is your friend! Cranking the incline up can be an extremely effective way to prepare for a mountainous race, especially if weather, schedule, or other factors prevent you from getting out on the trails.

A session I like to do is to look at the elevation plot of my race and try to recreate those climbs on the treadmill. For example, my goal race this year, Teanaway Country 100, has a 6-mile uphill on a forest service road at the start of the course, gaining about 2,000 feet. I can hop on the treadmill and do 6 miles at a 6–7% incline to create my own indoor version of that specific climb and get a good idea of how it feels.

Most treadmills max out at a 12–15% incline, don’t usually have the ability to decline, and are not going to test your balance like real trails do, so getting out on actual hills is still ideal when possible.

Don’t Neglect the Downhills

While climbs get most of the attention and are what runners often worry about the most, descents are often what determine how well you perform late in a race.

Downhill running places high eccentric loads on the quadriceps. This type of loading causes more muscular damage than climbing and is often what leads to the heavy, unresponsive legs many runners experience late in races.

The solution isn’t bombing every downhill in training, but gradually building tolerance.

One of my favorite workouts is pairing hard uphill efforts with controlled, faster descents. After a hard climb, running downhill at a steady but purposeful effort teaches your legs to handle the exact demands you’ll encounter in racing.

It doesn’t take much of this type of training to see significant benefits. Even a small amount of intentional downhill exposure can dramatically improve durability. This sort of training can also be risky and only needs to be done a couple of times in a training block to fully reap the benefits. Coach Sandi and Coach Sage wrote a whole article about it here: https://higherrunning.com/2025/10/

Trekking Poles

For races with sustained steep climbs, trekking poles can be incredibly helpful (check your race’s rules to make sure they are allowed, though!).

They allow you to distribute some of the workload to your upper body, reducing the strain on your legs and helping you maintain efficiency during long climbs.

If you plan to use poles on race day, it’s important to train with them beforehand. A common mistake I see runners make is not engaging their lats (the big muscles of the back) when using poles. Think about performing a lat-dominant movement like a chin-up or row. Your lats should be doing most of the heavy-lifting, and your arm muscles are just assisting. This goes for poles as well. If your lats are not engaged, it’s very easy to fatigue the muscles in your arms, as they are relatively small and weak compared to your lats. I have seen runners in steep races burn out their arms from improper pole technique, and it’s not pretty!

When choosing poles, make sure to get a light carbon-fiber Z-fold style specifically for running. Regular hiking poles are much heavier and are not quickly deployed or stored. Leki and Black Diamond both make excellent lightweight trekking poles specifically for running. Make sure you pick a pair that is fitted for your height!

Final Thoughts

Preparing for a steep mountain race can feel daunting, but with specific and intentional training, your body will adapt to what you need it to do. Do your homework on your race course, prepare intentionally, and you’ll be ready not just to survive your event, but to fully enjoy all the trail magic you’ll experience along the way.

Happy trails!

Coach Jake Head

Strength Training: The Flossing of Running?

Strength Training: The Flossing of Running?

by | Mar 5, 2026 | Uncategorized

We know, we know. Being told to incorporate strength training into your running is a bit like your dentist telling you to floss.

You already know it’s good for you. You already know you should be doing it. And yet… it’s usually the first thing to get skipped when life, mileage, or fatigue pile up.

Over the years, Coach Sandi Nypaver has seen enough patterns, both in her own training and in the athletes she coaches, to be convinced that strength training isn’t just “nice to have” for runners. It’s foundational. The trick is doing the right kind, at the right time, and for the right reasons.

Where Do You Even Start?

Saying “all runners should strength train” is easy. Executing it well is harder.

Before you load anything, bodyweight, bands, or external weight, you need the ability to move correctly. That means activating the right muscles and having enough mobility to actually access them. If you can’t hinge, stabilize, or rotate properly, strength work tends to reinforce compensation rather than fix it.

When I first started working with a strength coach, nearly the entire first month was foam rolling, lacrosse ball work, and mobility drills. No heavy lifting. No flashy exercises. And I was sore because I was suddenly able to use muscles that had been underperforming for years. That foundation changed everything that came after it.

What’s the “Best” Type of Strength Training for Runners?

There are plenty of effective approaches, but for most runners, especially those balancing volume, intensity, and real life, core strength consistently delivers the biggest return.

Core doesn’t just mean abs. It’s your glutes, hamstrings, obliques, lower back, and deep stabilizers. These muscles are central to posture, force transfer, and efficiency.

The good news: core work is practical. It can be done at home, requires minimal equipment, and doesn’t need to be long to be effective. The key isn’t novelty or complexity. It’s correct execution and consistency.

Many of my athletes rotate between two or three short routines. A handful of exercises done well, repeatedly, will do far more for your running than a long session where you’re just checking boxes.

Why It Actually Matters

Well-designed strength training can improve running economy by increasing muscle fiber recruitment and improving rate of force development. In simple terms: you get more output for the same effort.

It also helps maintain muscle mass and bone density, which becomes increasingly important as you age. And yes, it can reduce injury risk, but only if it’s done correctly. Poor form or poor muscle activation can reinforce faulty mechanics and create new problems instead of solving old ones.

Making Strength Transfer to Your Running

One common frustration: you get stronger in the gym, but it doesn’t automatically show up in your running.

Strength gains don’t transfer on their own, because you have to teach your body how to use them. That’s where activation exercises, drills, and intentional focus during runs come in.

Activation work before a run helps you feel the muscles you want to utilize better. During the run, make a conscious effort to tap into those same sensations. You won’t feel them firing as intensely as during strength work, but they should be present.

That’s how strength stops being something you do around running and starts becoming something that actively makes you a stronger, faster, more durable runner.

by | Feb 24, 2026 | Uncategorized

You paid for coaching. But you were still guessing.

In the past few years we’ve had runners come to us who were unsure whether coaching was really working for them.

They liked the idea of having a coach.
They invested in it financially.
But over time, something felt off.

They weren’t always sure how closely their workouts were being reviewed. They weren’t given clear pace ranges or guidance that reflected their current fitness. Feedback felt surface level or wasn’t there at all. There was no guidance on pacing, mindset strategies, or building a race day plan. Importantly, they never really understood why they were doing what they were doing.

There was no sense of a longer arc.
No conversation about how this training cycle fit into the next one.
No evidence that their coach truly knew them as an individual runner rather than one name on a long roster.

When that happens, it doesn’t just affect results.
It creates doubt.

Runners start questioning their training and wonder if they should just go back to guessing on their own. They worry about wasting more good training years by choosing wrong again.

That confusion is reasonable.

Thoughtful coaching is not about how many athletes someone has or large social media accounts.

It means engaging with your data and your feedback.
It means explaining decisions so you can learn and build confidence in the process.
It means planning with your long term development in mind, not just your next race.

If you still care about improving, staying healthy, and understanding your training, that hasn’t gone away. What you’re really looking for is a coaching relationship built on trust, communication, and individual attention.

Here’s a few things we’ve heard recently:

“This coaching experience is already so much better than I thought it was going to be.”
“I can tell you actually care, not just about my training, but about me.”
“You actually know how to coach. You’re not just giving me a custom schedule.”
“The advice you gave me was priceless. Good coaching is so much more than just a plan on paper. It’s shared wisdom, words, experience. I toed the line in such a good headspace this morning.”

Thoughtful coaching means engaging with your data and your context.
It means explaining decisions so you can learn and trust the process.
It means thinking beyond one race and toward who you’re becoming as a runner.
It means staying curious, continuing to learn, and approaching each athlete with individual attention.

If a previous experience made you question whether coaching is worth it, that hesitation is reasonable.

But we want to tell you that we care. And we combine that care with experience, expertise and a true love for wanting to help people reach their running goals while truly enjoying the process.

You’re probably misunderstanding Zone 2

You’re probably misunderstanding Zone 2

by | Feb 12, 2026 | Purpose of Different Runs, Training, Uncategorized

Zone 2 training has become one of the most discussed concepts in endurance running, and for good reason. Easy aerobic running is foundational.

But when runners say, “I trained in Zone 2 for a year and didn’t improve,” the issue is rarely a lack of patience or discipline. It’s usually a misunderstanding of how Zone 2 fits into the larger training picture.

Easy running supports aerobic development and plays an important role in building tissue resilience and durability. It allows adaptations to accumulate through repeatable, recoverable training.

For many runners, “Zone 2” aligns with easy, conversational running. But for higher-level athletes, spending too much time near the top of that range can quietly turn easy days into moderate ones and interfere with recovery.

What easy running does not do particularly well on its own is prepare you for the demands of racing.

Race performance depends on more than aerobic capacity. It requires efficiency at faster speeds, tolerance for higher metabolic stress, and the ability to coordinate force under fatigue. Those qualities are trained through targeted exposure to higher intensities.

That doesn’t mean hard workouts year round. It means that at some point in a training cycle, most runners benefit from introducing small, intentional doses of faster running. This can include strides, tempo or threshold work, and occasional VO₂max efforts. Each serves a different purpose, and together they complement the foundation built by easy mileage.

Easy miles make harder training possible.

Harder training makes fitness specific.

Where easy running matters most is when you’re building the ability to train.

If you’re newer to running, returning from time off, or rebuilding mileage, keeping most runs easy while gradually increasing volume is exactly the right focus. At this stage, easy running strengthens muscles and connective tissue, improves coordination, and raises tolerance for frequency and consistency.

But when weekly mileage is very low, easy running alone may not provide enough total stimulus to drive meaningful performance improvements, particularly for longer events like the half marathon and above. In those cases, progress often comes from a combination of consistency, gradual volume increases, and complementary stress such as short intensity work, strength training, or cross training.

The goal isn’t to rush fitness. It’s to expand what your body can handle sustainably.

The real value of Zone 2 isn’t that it’s a special or optimal pace. It’s that it allows you to train more, more often, without breaking down. By keeping mechanical, metabolic, and nervous system stress low, easy running makes recovery and repeatability possible.

That consistency is where long term fitness compounds.

As weekly volume becomes more sustainable, easy mileage creates room for quality work to actually do its job. Zone 2 isn’t about chasing a number or a philosophy. It’s about building training you can repeat week after week.