How 16-Year-Old Sam Ruthe Ran a 3:48 Mile — Coach Craig Kirkwood Breaks Down His 60–80km Training Weeks (#27)

Athletes Showing ‘Overtraining’ Symptoms Often Perform Better—When to Push Through Fatigue (and When to Pull Back) (Dan Plews #31)

In this episode, Dan Plews returns for a deep dive into fatigue and recovery, clarifying the difference between functional overreaching, non-functional overreaching, and true overtraining. He breaks down the key warning signs to watch for—including changes in motivation, performance, sleep, and heart rate—and how to interpret them within the context of your training. We also explore the role of life stress and nutrition in maintaining consistency, including practical approaches to energy balance and carbohydrate periodization. Send us your Hyrox training questions 👇 https://www.instagram.com/theplews/ https://www.instagram.com/johngetstrong/ Try Dan’s Hyrox Training System with 7-Days Free 👉 Endurox [https://admin.endurox.co/a/2148233785/WQKzu8Be] Episode breakdown: 00:00 Intro: Dan’s injury recovery and return to training 00:08 Post-surgery routine: why “something is better than nothing” 01:54 Fitness retention during downtime and early cycling comeback 02:18 German Volume Training: Dan’s bench press surprise 03:21 John’s training update: increasing volume for Hyrox progress 04:57 Can you turn weak stations into strengths? 07:12 Beginner frustration on ergs and skill-based endurance work 08:20 The “snowplow” analogy for long-term aerobic development 11:42 Fatigue vs overtraining: when should athletes worry? 13:52 Functional vs non-functional overreaching explained 17:23 Motivation, performance, sleep, and HRV as warning signs 22:14 Elevated vs suppressed heart rate: what they can mean 23:09 Training through illness: when to push and when to rest 23:51 Life stress, consistency, and unavoidable training disruptions 26:18 What uninterrupted training looks like at a high level 27:32 Nutrition for consistency: energy balance and recovery 29:49 Carb periodization: fueling for the work required 33:48 Outro: next Q&A episode and listener questions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johngetstrong.substack.com [https://johngetstrong.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

HYROX Is More Aerobic Than You Think! Joel Jamieson — Morpheus Founder on HRV, Aerobic Development & Strength-Endurance (#30)

Joel Jamieson is one of the leading experts in conditioning and recovery science, known for his work with elite athletes across combat sports, endurance sports, and professional teams. He is the creator of the 8 Weeks Out coaching program and founder of Morpheus, a recovery-based training system used by athletes to optimize performance through heart rate and HRV data. In this episode, Joel breaks down the physiology behind HYROX performance, explaining how aerobic capacity, strength endurance, and efficiency combine to determine race outcomes. We discuss why maximal strength has limited transfer to HYROX, how athletes should balance running and strength work across the training week, and why building a deep aerobic base is essential for sustaining performance across a 60–90 minute race. Joel also explains how tools like heart rate monitoring, HRV tracking, and dynamic training zones can help athletes personalize their training, improve pacing, and make better long-term progress. Finally, we explore what heart-rate data from elite HYROX athletes might reveal — and how emerging AI-driven coaching tools could shape the future of performance training. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Intro to Joel Jamieson, 8 Weeks Out, and Morpheus 00:28 The energy system demands of Hyrox 01:43 How to balance running, strength, and endurance in training 04:06 Powerlifting vs. Hyrox: very different physiological demands 07:31 Does max strength actually transfer to strength endurance? 11:01 Why more max strength is not always better 13:04 The best strength exercises for Hyrox athletes 14:45 General training vs. sport-specific training 17:03 What aerobic fitness really means 18:57 How Joel defines anaerobic threshold for sport performance 20:50 Why zone 2 and easier training matter 25:57 Resting heart rate, stroke volume, and aerobic progress 28:09 Why aerobic development takes years, not weeks 29:10 What Morpheus is and how it works 31:37 Static vs. dynamic heart rate zones 36:35 How to measure HRV properly 41:35 What elite Hyrox heart rate data might reveal 44:39 Why economy is everything in Hyrox 46:18 The most useful metrics to track besides heart rate 48:01 How AI could transform personalized training 50:47 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johngetstrong.substack.com [https://johngetstrong.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

How Jess Pettrow Built the Aerobic Engine for HYROX’s Elite 15 — From 400m Speed to 20-Hour Training Weeks (#29)

Jess Pettrow is one of the fastest athletes in HYROX, combining elite track speed, strength training, and a relentless commitment to the process. In this episode, she shares how she cut eight minutes from her HYROX time by building her aerobic capacity, increasing training volume, and developing a structured program with coach James Kelly. We break down her 18–20 hour training weeks, the alternating easy-day/quality-day structure she uses to stack consistent volume, and the key lessons she’s learned about racing — from pacing burpee broad jumps to managing energy before the decisive wall balls. Jess also explains why fueling and heart-rate monitoring are underrated, why maximal strength is often overrated for HYROX, and how a strong training environment on Australia’s Sunshine Coast has helped elevate her performance as she prepares for the World Championships. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Intro: Jess Pettrow’s season highlights and world record 00:28 Total dedication to sport and love of the process 02:24 Why the athlete lifestyle is so rewarding 04:00 From first HYROX to cutting 8 minutes off her time 05:20 Track background: 400m, 800m, and college running 07:18 From track to strength training, CrossFit, and hybrid fitness 10:25 First HYROX race and what hooked her into the sport 11:50 Training environment with James Kelly and Joanna Wietrzyk 14:05 Weekly training structure: 18–20 hours, easy vs quality days 19:56 Building volume, aerobic capacity, and long-term progression 22:03 Future improvement and identifying performance limiters 24:28 Trusting her coach and building the athlete-coach relationship 26:59 Overrated vs underrated: sprints, long runs, gels, squats, HR monitors 31:52 How to race HYROX well: pacing, energy management, and strategy 35:08 Burpee broad jumps: pacing, EMOMs, and movement breakdown 38:57 Wall balls: fatigue, breathing, rhythm, and technique 42:19 2026 season goals and World Championship mindset 43:52 Coaching philosophy and helping athletes of all levels This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johngetstrong.substack.com [https://johngetstrong.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Most Hyrox Athletes Are Skipping the Real Foundation of Performance | The Hyrox Training Pyramid (Dan Plews #28)

Dr. Dan Plews explains the Hyrox Training Pyramid—a framework for structuring your Hyrox training from the ground up. We discuss why training volume and frequency form the foundation, how to distribute intensity across the week, and when to layer in threshold work, strength endurance, and race simulations. We also cover tapering strategies, common mistakes athletes make with intensity, and how to prioritize your training when time is limited. Send us your Hyrox training questions 👇 https://www.instagram.com/theplews/ https://www.instagram.com/johngetstrong/ Try Dan’s Hyrox Training System with 7-Days Free 👉 Endurox [https://admin.endurox.co/a/2148233785/WQKzu8Be] Episode breakdown: 00:00 Intro: The Hyrox Training Pyramid explained 00:44 Why Dan created the Hyrox training hierarchy 02:06 Is this a blueprint for coaching Hyrox athletes? 03:23 Overview of the pyramid: from volume to taper 03:53 Why tapering matters and how much it can improve performance 06:39 Should frequent racers taper for every event? 08:51 Why frequency and volume sit at the base of the pyramid 10:21 One long session vs two-a-days: what works better? 13:43 Concurrent training effect: separating strength and cardio 14:49 Molecular signaling, mitochondria, and endurance adaptation 20:03 Training intensity distribution and avoiding the “black hole” 25:54 Threshold development: why it matters for Hyrox 28:10 How threshold training should progress toward race day 33:48 Strength endurance and why it sits high on the pyramid 36:57 Hyrox-specific simulations and race preparation 37:35 Key takeaway: don’t put the cart before the horse 38:35 Q&A: Sub-threshold vs LT2 training 40:03 How to find your threshold pace 41:48 VO2 max vs threshold: which matters more? 44:13 Strength and cardio on the same day: does interference matter? 45:16 Minimum Hyrox training while preparing for a marathon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johngetstrong.substack.com [https://johngetstrong.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

How 16-Year-Old Sam Ruthe Ran a 3:48 Mile — Coach Craig Kirkwood Breaks Down His 60–80km Training Weeks (#27)

At just 16 years old, Sam Ruthe ran 3:48 for the mile — the fastest performance ever by an athlete his age. In this episode, his coach Craig Kirkwood breaks down how it happened: the 60–80km training weeks, the balance between speed and aerobic development, and the deliberate decision not to rush a generational talent. We explore race-day lessons from competing against Olympic champion Cole Hocker, why VO₂ max doesn’t tell the whole story, and how consistency, culture, and long-term thinking are shaping Sam’s trajectory toward the top of the sport. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Meet Craig Kirkwood (Sam Ruthe’s coach) 00:41 What will it take for Sam to run the mile world record? 01:13 When do milers actually peak? 02:18 Sam’s training load at 16 (60–80km/week) 03:22 Is more mileage always better? 04:27 How is a 16-year-old running 3:48? 06:33 Inside a typical training week 07:20 What his key workouts look like 08:49 Why you shouldn’t race your training 09:44 Lab testing vs training by feel 11:14 VO₂ max: useful or overrated? 12:34 Arthur Lydiard’s influence on Craig 14:24 Adopting trends (double threshold?) 15:12 Over/Underrated: zones, long runs, carbs, hills 19:37 How seasons shape the training plan 21:18 Why racing accelerates development 22:10 North Carolina: chaos at world-record pace 25:07 Nike backing + stepping onto the world stage 28:15 What’s Sam’s best distance long-term? 28:59 Developing elite 800m speed 30:09 Flying 30s, 150s & finishing fast 31:22 Strength & plyos (movement first) 35:25 Why lift right after track sessions? 36:40 The #1 takeaway: consistency beats hero workouts 38:04 Why so many runners get injured 40:38 Spotting and fixing running mechanics 41:59 The Tauranga effect: culture builds champions 43:26 Craig’s biggest coaching challenge now 44:40 Final thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johngetstrong.substack.com [https://johngetstrong.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]