Recruiting Ep 20: How to Have a Real Conversation with a Coach

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.

Recruiting Ep 22: Texting vs. Emailing vs. Calling — What Coaches Actually Prefer and Why

You found the coach’s email. Maybe you have their cell number. But do you actually know the right way to reach out — and what happens on the other end when you do? In this episode, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino of Baldwin Wallace University Track and Field and Cross Country pull back the curtain on one of the most overlooked parts of the recruiting process: communication. Not what to say — but how and where to say it. They break down what coaches actually think when a recruit texts out of nowhere, why some emails get opened immediately while others sit unread for weeks, and the moments when picking up the phone can make or break your chances. Whether you’re a recruit just starting to reach out, a parent trying to help your athlete navigate the process, or a coach looking to understand what the other side of the inbox looks like — this episode is for you. You’ll hear:  • What coaches really think when a recruit calls their cell cold  • How to write a first email that actually gets a response  • The follow-up cadence that works — and the one that gets you ignored  • The most common communication mistakes recruits make every single year  • Why how you communicate during recruiting might say more about you than your times Relaxed and Fast is produced by Coach Joe Eby. New episodes drop regularly covering everything from race prep to the recruiting process — straight from the coaches who live it. Follow, subscribe, and share with a recruit who needs to hear this.

Ep 70: Injury Prevention vs. Injury Management — The Difference and Why It Matters

Injuries are part of running — but they don’t have to define your season or your career. In this episode of Relaxed and Fast, Coach Joe Eby and Coach Josh Fiorentino from Baldwin Wallace University draw a clear line between injury prevention and injury management, and explain why understanding the difference is one of the most important things a young runner can do. They cover how prevention is built into BW’s training philosophy, what athletes and parents should expect when injuries do happen, and the daily habits that keep athletes on the track instead of the sideline. Whether you’re a recruit wondering how a program takes care of its athletes, a parent figuring out what support looks like at the D3 level, or a coach building a healthier training culture — this one’s for you. Relaxed and Fast is a podcast about distance running, recruiting, and everything in between — hosted by the coaching staff at Baldwin Wallace University Track & Field and Cross Country.

Recruiting Ep 20: Getting Real: How to Talk to Athletes on a Visit Without Getting the PR Answer

Getting Real: How to Talk to Athletes on a Visit Without Getting the PR Answer   Campus visits are carefully planned — but the most important conversations happen off-script. Coaches Joe Eby and Josh Fiorentino from Baldwin Wallace University Track and Field and Cross Country break down how recruits can move past the polished answers and have honest, real conversations with current athletes. From the questions that actually work to reading what athletes aren't saying, this episode gives recruits and parents a practical playbook for getting the truth about a program before committing. Because culture is everything — and you deserve to actually know it.

Ep 69: What Running Teaches You About Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

What does it feel like to push past the point where everything in you says stop? In this episode, we dig into one of running’s greatest lessons — learning to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Whether you’re a high school runner toeing the line at your first big race, a college athlete chasing a PR, a coach trying to unlock potential in your athletes, or a parent watching your kid struggle and grow — this conversation is for you. We explore what happens in the gap between giving up and breaking through, how discomfort in training builds resilience that carries far beyond the finish line, and why the athletes who learn to embrace hard things early are the ones who thrive later in life. Because running doesn’t just build fitness. It builds people.