Ep 74: Midwest Elite powered by Nike/second sole recap

Ep 74: Midwest Elite powered by Nike/second sole recap

The Midwest Elite Meet delivered one of the most memorable nights in meet history. In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino recap an incredible evening at George Finnie Stadium where nine meet records fell, dozens of athletes ran season bests, and a new generation of stars announced themselves on one of the Midwest’s fastest tracks. The conversation starts with Megan Puleio’s historic double as she broke meet records in both the 800m and 1600m, then expands into the deeper story of the meet: why great competition creates breakthrough performances. Joe and Josh break down the boys 1600m that produced a wave of personal bests, Blake Glass’s near record 1:50.99 800m, and the underclassmen who may become some of the region’s biggest names over the next few years. The episode also highlights standout performances in the sprints, relays, jumps, throws, and hurdles, including record setting efforts from Cole Taylor, Hayden Keith, Dontrelle Bailey, Claire Liposky, Kamryn Wadsworth, and many more. Most importantly, the coaches discuss what athletes, parents, and coaches can learn from a meet like this. Why do some athletes thrive in deep fields? How should young athletes think about development? And what does this meet tell us about the future of track and field in the Midwest? Whether you competed, coached, watched from the stands, or simply love the sport, this episode celebrates the performances, the people, and the magic that made the 2026 Midwest Elite Meet special. Topics Covered: • Nine meet records in one night • Megan Puleio’s record setting 800m/1600m double • The boys 1600m breakthrough performances • Distance running development and race strategy • Sprint, hurdle, relay, and field event standouts • Underclassmen to watch in the coming years • Recruiting and coaching takeaways • Why great competition accelerates growth Thanks to every athlete, coach, parent, and volunteer who helped make the Midwest Elite Meet such a special event. Relaxed and Fast Podcast Hosted by Coach Joe Eby & Coach Josh Fiorentino Follow @bw_tf_xc and @Run800met for more content and updates.

Ep 73: How Much Is Too Much? Weekly Mileage, Volume and Progression

How many miles should a distance runner actually run? In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino of Baldwin Wallace University Track & Field and Cross Country break down weekly mileage, training volume, and safe progression for high school and college distance runners. There’s no magic mileage number—the goal is optimal mileage, not maximum mileage. Joe and Josh explain what running volume does for aerobic development, durability, and recovery, how coaches determine the right mileage for each athlete, and why consistency matters more than occasional big weeks. In this episode:  • Why mileage is one of the most debated topics in distance running  • What adaptations easy miles and aerobic volume actually create  • How coaches set mileage based on training age, injury history, sleep, nutrition, and life stress  • The signs an athlete is ready for more—and the signs they’re doing too much  • Common high school mileage mistakes and the Strava comparison trap  • What healthy progression looks like from freshman year of high school through college  • Why the transition to college training is so hard  • Rapid-fire mileage myths: junk miles, running the same as your teammates, and getting faster by running less Whether you’re a recruit building your training, a parent supporting a young runner, or a coach refining your philosophy, this conversation will help you train smarter for the long haul. Think in years, not weeks. Relaxed and Fast is the podcast from Baldwin Wallace Track & Field and Cross Country, covering distance running training, racing, and the college recruiting process for recruits, parents, and coaches at the D3 level. — Follow along: 📸 Program: @bw_tf_xc 📸 Coach Joe Eby: @Run800met #DistanceRunning #CrossCountry #TrackAndField #RunningPodcast #WeeklyMileage #TrainingVolume #CollegeRecruiting #D3Running #BaldwinWallace #RelaxedAndFast

Ep 72: TFP: More Than a Motto

Lots of teams have slogans. The best teams have standards. In this episode we dig into what “Team Family Pride” actually means—and why it’s more than something we put on a shirt or shout before a race. We break down all three words: what separates a real team from just a group of runners, why we call ourselves a family (and whether that happens naturally or has to be built), and what healthy pride looks like when it comes from the process instead of the result. We get into celebrating each other’s wins, showing up for teammates through injuries and hard seasons, and being proud of how you handled a race even when nobody was watching. We also talk about why TFP doesn’t end at graduation—how Team, Family, and Pride show up in careers, relationships, and life long after the spikes come off. Plus a rapid-fire round and a closing challenge for any recruit or new athlete trying to understand what this is all about. Because the strongest teams aren’t built on talent alone. They’re built on Team, Family, and Pride. — 🎧 Relaxed and Fast 📲 Instagram: @bw_tf_xc and @Run800met 🐝 Baldwin Wallace Cross Country & Track and Field

Recruiting ep 23: The State Meet Recruiting Circus - Are We Doing This Right?

What is recruiting supposed to look like?   In this episode of the Relaxed and Fast Podcast, Joe and Josh share their experiences from four days at the Ohio High School State Track & Field Championships at Jesse Owens Stadium. For Josh, it was his first time recruiting at a state meet. For both coaches, it sparked some important questions.   As athletes walked out of the clerking area after some of the biggest races of their lives, college coaches lined up to introduce themselves, hand out business cards, and gather contact information. It is a common scene at championship meets across the country, but it left Joe wondering: Are we helping create a positive memory for athletes, or are we getting in the way of one?   The conversation explores the realities of college recruiting, the pressure coaches feel to connect with athletes before another school does, and the balance between being proactive and being respectful. Joe and Josh discuss what athletes might actually want in those moments, what young recruiters should know, and how relationship based recruiting can still exist in an increasingly competitive environment.   Topics include:   • Recruiting at championship meets • The athlete experience after competition • Building authentic relationships • Recruiting ethics and etiquette • Lessons learned from a first recruiting trip • What great recruiters do differently   Whether you’re a coach, athlete, parent, or recruiting coordinator, this episode offers an honest look at the intersection of competition, opportunity, and human connection.

Ep 71: Confidence in Distance Running — How it’s built and how it’s lost

Why do two runners with identical splits show up to the same start line — one believing, one already beaten? That’s confidence, and it might be the most underrated weapon in distance running. In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Fiorentino of Baldwin Wallace Cross Country and Track and Field dig into how confidence actually works: how it’s built one honest workout at a time, and how quickly it slips away after a bad race, an injury, or one too many glances at the competition. You’ll hear the “deposits” model of belief, why a single rough workout can haunt a runner for weeks, how to escape the comparison trap, and the concrete first moves for rebuilding confidence when it’s gone — plus what parents should (and shouldn’t) say after a tough race. For recruits, athletes, parents, and coaches. Relaxed and Fast — let’s get after it.