Are You Getting Fitter—or Just More Tired? The Difference Between Training Hard and Training Well

Are You Getting Fitter—or Just More Tired? The Difference Between Training Hard and Training Well

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2450527/fan_mail/new] You can complete every workout, push hard, and finish exhausted—and still miss the purpose of the training. Hard work is necessary, but difficulty alone does not make a workout effective. In this episode, Coach Justin explains the difference between training hard and training well, why fatigue must be managed rather than feared, and how to judge each session by the role it plays in the larger plan. What You’ll Learn * Why a hard workout is not automatically a productive workout * How effort, purpose, and recovery determine whether a session served the plan * Why testing your fitness in training can lead to panic training and unnecessary fatigue * Six questions that help you evaluate workouts more objectively Timestamps: 00:00 — Training hard versus training well 05:00 — Why quality versus quantity is too simplistic 12:35 — The danger of constantly optimizing training 19:00 — Building your fitness floor versus raising the ceiling 26:00 — What separates training from simply exercising 31:00 — When training builds fatigue instead of fitness 39:00 — Why one workout cannot define your fitness 44:00 — Fatigue is not proof of progress 50:00 — Stop trying to prove race-day fitness in training 56:00 — The cost of always doing more 1:05:00 — Six questions to evaluate every workout 1:11:00 — Did the session serve the plan—or your need for validation? For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com [https://fuel2run.com] Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com [https://tabularasaracing.com/] Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com [theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com]

Road to Grandma’s Marathon: Final Weeks of Training & Heat Training vs. Altitude Training

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2450527/fan_mail/new] In this final Road to Grandma’s Marathon episode before race day, Katie shares a candid look at the last few weeks of training, tapering, travel, and preparation leading into one of the most anticipated races of her season. From testing a bargain pair of carbon-plated racing shoes and completing key marathon workouts, to navigating travel across Colorado, New York, Vermont, and eventually Minnesota, Katie discusses the realities of marathon preparation when life doesn’t always go according to plan. She reflects on adapting workouts, managing confidence after illness, balancing family commitments, and learning to trust the training despite missed sessions and unexpected challenges. Katie also takes a deep dive into the science of altitude training versus heat training. She explains how altitude improves oxygen-carrying capacity, how heat training influences plasma volume and thermoregulation, and why she incorporated sauna sessions and strategic heat exposure to help maintain altitude-related adaptations while spending several weeks at sea level before race day. In this episode you'll learn: *  How Katie's final marathon workouts and taper unfolded  *  Why missed workouts rarely make or break a race  *  The importance of confidence heading into race week  *  The differences between altitude training and heat acclimation  *  How sauna sessions may help endurance athletes prepare for racing  *  Practical considerations for heat training, hydration, and recovery  *  Why the taper is often more of an art than a science  With carb-loading underway, race nerves building, and Grandma’s Marathon just days away, Katie shares her final thoughts before stepping onto the starting line and reflects on the journey that got her there. Whether you're preparing for your own marathon, experimenting with heat training, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes reality of endurance training, this episode offers practical insights and an honest look at the final stretch before race day.  Tune in and join Katie on the final steps of her Road to Grandma’s Marathon. For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com [https://fuel2run.com] Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com [https://tabularasaracing.com/] Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com [theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com]

Nutrition Deep Dive: The Carb Load Playbook For Improving Race Day Performance

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2450527/fan_mail/new] Carb Loading for Endurance Athletes: What Actually Works? Is carb loading really necessary before a marathon, Ironman, or long endurance event? How many carbs do you actually need, and will carb loading make you feel heavy, bloated, or gain weight? In this episode of the Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast, Board Certified Sports Dietitian and endurance athlete Katie takes a deep dive into the science and practical application of carb loading. With Grandma’s Marathon just weeks away, Katie shares both the research and her personal approach to maximizing glycogen stores before race day. You'll learn: *  What carb loading is and why it improves endurance performance  *  How glycogen fuels long-distance events and helps delay fatigue  *  The difference between old-school and modern carb-loading strategies  *  Who should (and shouldn't) carb load  *  How many carbohydrates you actually need before a race  *  Common mistakes that can sabotage your carb load  *  Why fat and fiber intake matter in the days before competition  *  Whether carb loading causes weight gain  *  Practical meal and snack ideas to help you hit your carbohydrate goals  *  How to combine carb loading, race morning nutrition, and in-race fueling for optimal performance  Whether you're preparing for a marathon, half Ironman, Ironman, ultra marathon, or long cycling event, this episode will help you create a carb-loading plan that supports your performance goals and helps you avoid hitting the wall on race day. Tune in to learn how a well-executed carb load can help you start your race with a full tank and finish stronger. For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com [https://fuel2run.com] Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com [https://tabularasaracing.com/] Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com [theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com]

Why Your Race Fueling Fails: How to Train Your Gut

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2450527/fan_mail/new] For Episode 100, Coach Justin and Coach Katie are tackling one of the biggest reasons endurance athletes fall apart on race day: fueling that was never practiced like training. You may think your stomach is the reason your fueling fails. But for many endurance athletes, the real issue is simpler: the gut was never trained to handle the fuel being asked of it on race day. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie break down why fueling falls apart during long workouts and races, how gut training actually works, and why your race-day plan is only as strong as what your body has practiced in training. What You’ll Learn * Why GI issues do not always mean you need less fuel * How to progressively train your gut to handle more carbohydrates * Why copying another athlete’s fueling plan can backfire * How to practice race-day fueling before it costs you performance Timestamps: 00:00 Episode 100 and the importance of gut training 05:24 Why higher-carb fueling can improve training and recovery 07:16 The fear of eating before workouts 11:19 Fasted training, weight loss, and performance goals 18:57 What gut training actually means 20:02 Justin’s experience building up to 60 grams of carbs per hour 23:38 Carb targets, elite examples, and realistic expectations 32:24 Why underfueling leads to bonking and late-race fading 39:36 Common fueling mistakes athletes make before race day 42:18 Real food, gels, and why race-day products must be practiced 51:00 What changes inside the gut when you train it 55:56 How to build a progressive gut training protocol For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com [https://fuel2run.com] Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com [https://tabularasaracing.com/] Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com [theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com]

Minutes vs Miles: Stop Chasing Distance and Manage Training Stress

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2450527/fan_mail/new] Miles can make a training plan feel clear. But they can also make it easy to chase a number without understanding the actual cost of the work. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie break down the difference between training by minutes and training by miles — and why the better choice depends on your experience, your goals, your sport, and the stress your body is already carrying. If you are a runner, triathlete, or endurance athlete trying to follow a plan without overdoing it, this conversation will help you think more clearly about volume, recovery, long runs, heat, terrain, and when “just hit the miles” may not be the smartest answer. What You’ll Learn *  Why mileage does not always reflect the true stress of a workout  *  When training by minutes may be better for newer athletes, triathletes, and time-crunched schedules  *  Why runners often get emotionally attached to certain mileage numbers  *  How to choose the training structure that fits where you are right now  Timestamps: 00:00 — Minutes vs miles in training plans  02:27 — Why many runners prefer mileage-based plans  06:50 — The downside of chasing mileage  12:00 — Fueling long runs by time, not distance  20:24 — How heat changes the cost of a workout  28:00 — Why template plans can miss the bigger picture  38:14 — The problem with arbitrary mileage goals  47:12 — The case for minutes-based training  56:16 — Time-crunched athletes and training stress  1:03:20 — Why training by time can feel freeing  1:20:33 — The limitations of minutes-based plans  1:28:42 — How to decide which method fits you For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com [https://fuel2run.com] Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com [https://tabularasaracing.com/] Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com [theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com]