Articles by Cliff Pittman
The logic goes like this: if heat acclimation improves performance in the heat, I should do as much heat training as possible before heading into a race. This way of thinking leads to athletes training in heat suits for long efforts, stacking thermal stress on top of training stress and grinding through degraded workouts in the name of being heat-adapted.
If you’ve spent any time in endurance sport circles, you’ve probably encountered the term aerobic deficiency syndrome. It sounds clinical, serious and devastating, but it is none of those things.
Training zones are a tool. Like any tool, they’re only useful if you understand what they’re built on. When you understand the physiology underneath, a lot of the zone arguments that fill coaching forums start to look like noise.
When Molly Seidel stepped onto the starting line at Black Canyon, many assumed her preparation required wholesale reinvention: more vertical gain, more mileage, more long trail days – more everything.
A DIY training camp is not about doing more work for the sake of doing more work, and it should be used sparingly and with intention. It is a deliberate tool designed to address a specific gap in long-distance preparation: the ability to execute well under deep, accumulated fatigue.
Ultrarunners love to dream big. We picture breakthrough performances, bucket-list races and long, flowing miles on challenging trails. But when the season actually begins, many athletes drift from race to race without a clear sense of purpose.
For many ultrarunners and coaches, VO2max training sits in a gray area. Acknowledged as an important physiological measure, it’s often dismissed as irrelevant when events last not minutes, but hours or days. It’s common...
Most record-breaking performances are stories of aggression and risk. Will’s race was a lesson in clarity.
Muscular endurance, what many in the endurance community now more accurately refer to as durability, is a cornerstone of ultrarunning performance. It reflects the ability to sustain movement, resist breakdown and continue producing force over long hours and rugged terrain.
This article explores how these athletes—and their coaches—navigated the critical stretch between those summer “A” races and the World Championships using smart recovery, strategic training and data-informed decisions to peak again when it mattered most.
Endurance training often feels like a balancing act between structure and freedom. As athletes, we strive for peak performance while also craving the adventure and joy that comes with exploring some of the world’s most b...
There’s a certain mystique to mountain ultras. Whether it’s the sweeping views, relentless climbs or thin air at the start line, high-altitude races have an undeniable pull. For many, they’re bucket-list events – Wester...
Abby Hall wasn’t even guaranteed a spot at the race until weeks before, inheriting a Golden Ticket after EmKay Sullivan deferred her entry. Just two years removed from a broken leg that required surgery at the renowned Steadman Clinic, Hall had every reason to doubt whether this was the year—but she didn’t.
It’s easy to believe elite ultrarunners are doing something that’s top secret. But after speaking with Rod Farvard, Shea Aquilano, Jeff Mogavero and their respective coaches, one thing is clear: they follow the same training principles as everyone else. What’s different is the scale and the precision at which they execute.
We all know that proper planning can set us up for success. Whether it’s managing our daily routine or going on vacation, having a plan can simplify things. Of course, it’s possible to go through life without one and sti...
With snow-covered trails across much of the country, winter provides the perfect chance to explore different exercise modalities. As spring approaches and race season nears, it’s time to transition from general fitness to race-specific training.
With snow-covered trails across much of the country, winter offers athletes a prime opportunity to shift focus from their usual training routines. Whether through structured indoor workouts on the treadmill or a bike tra...
Running is one of the purest expressions of human movement, especially when compared to the wide array of endurance sports. Evolution has fine-tuned our ability to cover great distances, often at remarkable speeds. The o...
The inaugural Ultrarunning Coach Conference recently took place in Colorado Springs, CO, led by the United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy and coach Jason Koop. The three-day event drew coaches from across North America and featured an impressive array of speakers.