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What is Endurance?
Episode 23rd November 2025 • Training Well Done • Coach Donald
00:00:00 00:56:21

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Host:

  • Coach Donald: Coach Donald, M.Ed Exercise Science, Owner of Global Human Performance
  • Coach Tim: MBA, CPT, PES, FNS

Summary:

Coach Donald & Coach Tim scratch the surface of endurance training, and discuss the physiological adaptations as well as different types of training stimulus. The coaches touch on heart rate zone models, high-intensity interval training and biological responses to jogging, running and sprinting.

Key Discussion Points:

  • Coaching Moments:
  1. Cross-country season update
  2. Great Race recap
  • Deep Dive:
  1. Physiological adaptations to increased running volume
  2. Heart rate zone training
  3. Stimulus/training adaptation to different types of running workouts
  4. High-intensity interval training
  • Webinar Pitch, Outro & Feedback

Noteworthy Moments/Quotes:

  • 1:45 - The coaches introduce the topic of conversation, and lay the groundwork for the discussion.
  • 3:15 - Coach Tim talks about his personal journey with distance running.
  • 7:34 - The coaches talk about their recent Coaching Moments, and chat about their cross-country season highlights.
  • 14:15 - Addressing common assumptions and misconceptions in distance running and training.
  • 17:28 - Coach Donald’s leg falls asleep, and he shares a funny anecdote about it.
  • 18:30 - The coaches chat about the fact that more isn’t always better, but that more can be effective and how to properly condition to be able to effectively absorb more mileage.
  • 19:50 - A discussion on the physiological changes and adaptations to running.
  • 28:05 - Coach Tim unpacks heart rate zone training, and explores the nuances to the prevailing five-zone model.
  • 33:53 - The coaches explore LSD runs, tempo runs, lactate threshold and Vo2 max.
  • 38:48 - Coach Donald dives deep into lactic acid, lactate, pyruvate, acidosis and oxidative capacity.
  • 45:15 - Exploring high-intensity training as it relates to recovery needs, and highlighting density, volume and intensity as well as the “talk test.”
  • 52:04 - The coaches ask for listener feedback, get slightly distracted, pitch the webinar and then sign off.

Resources Mentioned:

Actionable Takeaways:

  • Run easy most of the time and run fast some of the time, but never do all your workouts at the same pace!
  • When increasing training volume, focus on frequency first, duration second and intensity third.
  • Heart rate zone training is a useful way to approach things, but is much more nuanced than it seems on the surface.
  • Support the podcast by downloading Coach Donald’s Strength Training for Runners webinar!

Next Episode Teaser:

In Season 2: Episode 3, Coach Donald geeks out about the physiology of sprint training while Coach Tim just tries to keep up and apply the principles to the world of distance running.

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