Coach Sage Canaday discusses about one of the simplest, most effective ways to improve your running without adding more mileage or intensity: Strides.

What Are Strides?

They’re smooth, controlled, and focused on form, not effort. Think of them as a hybrid between a drill and a mini speed burst.

Why Do Strides?

• ✅ Improve running economy (how efficiently you run)

• ✅ Enhance technique (foot strike, arm swing, posture)

• ✅ Build speed and power without high stress

• ✅ Activate fast-twitch muscle fibers, even if you’re a slow-twitch specialist

Even though my form isn’t perfect, I started doing strides 25 years ago. As a slow-twitch marathoner, I once ran a 3:55 for 1500m (that’s a 4:15 mile!) 🙌

How to Add Strides to Your Week

After Easy Runs (2–3x/week):

• 4 × 100m strides (or 4 × 20 seconds)

• Walk or jog for 60–90 seconds between each

• Focus on relaxed, smooth form — not max effort

Before Speed Workouts:

• Use strides after your warm-up jog to prime your body for intensity

A Quick Word on Safety

Keep your posture tall, arms swinging naturally, and feet landing under your center of mass.

 Final Thought

So next time you finish an easy run, throw in a few strides — your future self will thank you!

Coach Sandi Nypaver discusses what matters when training for a race.

I’ve always enjoyed looking at the training of professional runners and the recurring theme is that while there are similarities, there are also some significant differences. This is especially true when looking at elite trail and ultra runners.

If you were to look at the training of the past 10 winners of the Boston Marathon, you’d see both similarities and major differences. The same is true for races like Western States. While there are certainly best practices, there’s no single “best” way to train that works for everyone.

Some runners even find that a method of training works well for years—until suddenly it doesn’t. At that point, something has to change for progress to continue. Among elite road runners, you’ll see not only different types of workouts but also very different ways of organizing them within a training cycle.

When it comes to elite trail runners—or runners in general—the variety only widens. Weekly mileage and elevation gain can look drastically different, even for athletes preparing for the same exact race.

As a coach, I have my own training philosophy, but I also take into account many factors. I look for where a runner has the most room to improve, whether the race profile requires specific adjustments, and when it might be more beneficial for an athlete to simply repeat a similar training cycle to build confidence and consistency.

Just as important as the training itself is trust—trust in the process and in your coach. If you don’t believe in what you’re doing, it’s much harder to reap the benefits. You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing. If you’re not enjoying it, you might have success for awhile, but that success isn’t going to last.

For me, good coaching isn’t about declaring myself “the best” or trying to establish authority. It’s about recognizing that there are multiple effective ways to train—and then helping each runner find the right path for them.

It’s Okay to Heel Strike (sometimes) — Here’s Why from Coach Sage Canaday

When it comes to running form, few topics spark as much debate as heel striking. Many runners worry that if their heel touches the ground first, they’re doomed to inefficiency, injury, or slower times. But here’s the truth: it’s not that simple.

A heel strike isn’t automatically bad. The key lies in where your foot is landing. If your stride causes you to reach far out in front of your body, that kind of overstriding heel strike can waste energy and put extra stress on your legs. That’s the type most runners want to avoid.

But if your foot is landing closer to underneath your center of mass, a slight heel strike can actually be just fine. In fact, it might even be your most natural and efficient stride.

Take me as an example. At age 14, I ran a 16:23 I ran 5Ks in cross country with a pretty obvious heel strike—nothing graceful about it.

Fast forward 11 years: I ran a 2:16 marathon (that’s 5:13 per mile or 3:14 per kilometer), still with the same noticeable heel strike. The form wasn’t picture-perfect, but it worked for me—and it was efficient enough to run fast.

The takeaway: Don’t get caught up in trying to force a “perfect” footstrike. Your body has its own natural stride, and for some runners, that includes landing on the heel. What matters most is avoiding overstriding and focusing on consistent, strong, and injury-free training.

Photo Credit: Ultimate Direction

Looking to improve your endurance and pace? Lactate threshold runs can help! But what exactly is lactate threshold?

Lactate threshold is the point where your body produces lactate faster than it can clear it. Training around this threshold enhances your body’s ability to handle lactate, allowing you to sustain faster speeds for longer periods. This is zone 4 in the 5 zone model.

Examples: In Minutes
4-6 x 5-7 minutes (1-3 minute recovery jog)
3-5 x 8-10 minutes (2-4 minute recovery jog)
2-3 x 12-15 minutes (2-5 minute recovery jog)
1-2 x 20 minutes (3-6 minute recovery jog)

In Miles:
3-4 miles
3-6 x 1 mile (2-3 minute recovery jog)
3-5 x 1.5 miles (2-4 minute recovery jog)
2-4 x 2 miles (2-5 minute recovery jog)
2 x 3-4 miles (3-6 minute recovery jog)

Incorporate lactate threshold runs into your training routine regularly to see improvements in speed, endurance, and overall performance.

Should you do the speed workout if you’re feeling a little tired?

This is a question I get a lot from the athletes I coach.

Moving the speed workout (or long run) over a day is of course a good option when it makes sense with the rest of your training or life schedule. However, that doesn’t always make sense, and it’s not uncommon to feel a little tired during the warm-up and then have a great workout! I am intentionally saying a l”ittle tired,” too. To me, there’s a big difference between a little tired and exhausted.

My general guideline is this: if you’re feeling a bit tired and debating whether or not to do the workout, ask yourself if you could slow down by five to ten seconds per mile and still hit the right effort.

For example, if it’s a lactate threshold run, and you think you can back off the pace slightly but still maintain the correct effort, then go ahead and at least try the workout. On the other hand, if you know you’re tired enough and your legs feel heavy enough that you’ll be nowhere near your usual pace, then it’s probably best to skip it.

What I tell my athletes is that you should generally feel consistently good, with just a few off days here and there—and that’s perfectly normal. But if you’re having a lot of off days, especially several in a row, that’s a sign that something needs to change.

There are a ton of nuances to this topic and I can come up with a lot of different scenarios and responses in my head. This newsletter is just to get you thinking about what to do in this scenario!

Happy running!

Coach Sandi

Whether you’re chasing a new Boston Qualifier time or aiming to break the 3-hour barrier, Higher Running Coach Sage Canaday shares his top three tips to help you run a faster marathon.

 Tip #1: Build Higher, Consistent Mileage

The number one principle? Consistent aerobic base mileage. Many runners need to hit 50–60 miles per week—or even up to 100K—to reach their full potential. But it’s not about going fast all the time. You build up gradually, with slower-paced, easy mileage. That aerobic foundation is key to long-term improvement.

 Tip #2: Add Quality Speed Work

Once your base is solid, it’s time to layer in speed. This could be as simple as 6 x 20-second strides, or more structured workouts like:

• 800m repeats

• Kilometer or mile repeats

• Tempo runs at 10–20 seconds per mile faster than your marathon goal pace

These workouts help make your goal pace feel smoother and more efficient.

 Tip #3: Manage Life Stress Outside of Training

Training isn’t just about running. Ask yourself:

• Are you getting enough sleep?

• How’s your diet?

• What’s your work/travel/family stress like?

When I ran my marathon PR of 2:16, I admit my diet wasn’t perfect. I had some pizza, Taco Bell, and even some beer here and there—but I was sleeping 9–10 hours a night and fully committed to the training lifestyle!

 Final Thoughts

Factor in all aspects of your life when building your training plan. Consistency, quality workouts, and recovery are all part of the equation.