If you've been running consistently for months or even years but stopped seeing improvement, this episode will explain exactly why that happens and what to do about it.

Coach Brad breaks down the critical distinction between running and training, why so many runners get stuck in the "gray zone" of moderate effort, and how shifting your mindset from logging miles to training with purpose can unlock the progress you've been missing. You'll learn the three fundamental purposes behind every training run, what each type of workout actually does to your body, and how to structure your week for real results.

Whether you're frustrated by a plateau or just starting to take your running more seriously, this episode lays the foundation for smarter, more effective training.

• Why running the same pace every day leads to a plateau
• The "gray zone" trap and why it feels productive but produces minimal adaptation
• The three fundamental purposes of every training run
• How your body responds differently to different types of stress
• The five main workout types and what each one accomplishes
• Why training is a system where all the pieces must work together
• The spectrum between "winging it" and overly rigid periodization
• How to make the shift from running to purposeful training
• Why polarized training drives adaptation better than moderate efforts

1. Every run needs a purpose. Before you head out the door, you should know whether today's run is for recovery, improvement, or maintaining your fitness base.
2. Gray zone running is the enemy of progress. Running at the same moderate effort every day is too hard to recover from and too easy to drive adaptation. You end up stuck.
3. Your body adapts to specific signals. Easy running builds aerobic infrastructure. Threshold work raises your lactate threshold. Speed work improves neuromuscular coordination. If you only send one signal, you only get one adaptation.
4. Training is a system. No single workout is magic. It's the combination of different workout types, properly distributed and sequenced, that produces improvement.
5. Make your easy days easier and your hard days harder. Polarized training means genuine contrast between efforts. That contrast is what drives your body to change.

00:00 - The Runner Who Does Everything Right But Stops Improving

02:21 - The Gray Zone Trap: Why Moderate Effort Produces Minimal Results

04:33 - The Three Purposes of Every Training Run

09:42 - The Building Blocks: Easy Runs, Long Runs, Tempo, Intervals, and Recovery

12:55 - Structure Without Rigidity: Finding the Right Balance

15:01 - Five Ways to Shift From Running to Training

18:25 - The VMAX App: Personalized Training Plans Coming Soon

19:08 - Final Thoughts: Running Is Beautiful, Training Makes You Better

• Website: vmax.run
• Instagram: @vmax.running

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a runner who's been putting in the miles but wondering why they're not getting faster.

If you set some running goals on January 1st and they're already starting to slip, this episode is for you. And if you're listening months from now and still waiting for the "right time" to start, it's for you too.

Coach Brad shares why January 1st is way less important than most people think, why focusing on outcomes might be setting you up for frustration, and how a simple shift in the way you think about yourself can make all the difference. You'll also hear his personal story of going from dreading the gym class mile to winning races and running a sub-five-minute mile, and what actually made that transformation possible.

Whether you're trying to build a consistent running habit, training for your first race, or chasing a new PR, this episode will give you a practical framework for making your goals stick.

• Why January 1st is completely arbitrary (and why that's actually freeing)
• The difference between outcome goals and action goals
• How to adopt the identity of a runner before you feel like one
• The "falling asleep" analogy that explains how transformation actually works
• Why the first 21 days are the hardest and what to do about it
• Five concrete steps you can take starting today
• What to do when you inevitably miss a day
• How this framework applies to any goal, not just running

1. Start today, not Monday. There's nothing magical about January 1st or any other date. The only day you can take action is today.
2. Focus on actions, not outcomes. You can't directly control your finish time, but you can control whether you show up for your training. Those actions compound over time.
3. Adopt the identity first. Stop saying "I'm trying to become a runner" and start saying "I am a runner." When running is part of who you are, showing up stops being a negotiation.
4. Give yourself 21 days. The beginning is supposed to be hard. Push through the grind phase and the habit will start to feel automatic.
5. When you miss a day, start again immediately. One missed day doesn't break anything. The day after you miss is the most important day to show up.

00:00 - The Dreaded Gym Class Mile

00:53 - From Non-Runner to Podium Finisher

01:58 - Why January 1st Is Completely Arbitrary

05:43 - The Problem with Outcome Goals

08:42 - The Identity Shift: Becoming a Runner

13:19 - The 21-Day Habit Bridge

16:03 - Five Concrete Steps to Make It Stick

19:04 - Final Thoughts and Encouragement

• Website: vmax.run
• Instagram: @vmax.running

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a fellow runner who could use some encouragement to get started.

If you've been running the same type of long run every week—just going out, logging the miles, and checking the box—you're missing out on some powerful training adaptations.

Coach Brad breaks down why the long run is the single most important workout of the week, what's actually happening inside your body during those extended efforts, and the different strategies you can use to target specific adaptations. From Lydiard's foundation-building approach to Rosa's late-race fade prevention method, you'll learn exactly when and how to use each type of long run.

Whether you're building your base for the first time or training for your fastest marathon yet, this episode will help you get more out of every long run you do.

• Why the long run is the most important workout of the week (no matter what distance you're training for)
• The five critical physiological adaptations that only happen during long runs
• How to execute the standard long run: pace, duration, and common mistakes to avoid
• Arthur Lydiard's philosophy and why you can't rush aerobic development
• Bill Squires' surge strategy for building pace-change ability and fighting boredom
• Gabriele Rosa's fast-finish method for preventing the late-race fade
• Pete Pfitzinger's marathon pace segments for building race-day confidence
• How to decide which long run strategy to use based on your training phase
• Why variety in your long runs leads to better adaptations

1. Time on feet triggers adaptations that nothing else can replicate. Your body needs extended duration to increase capillary density, multiply mitochondria, improve stroke volume, enhance glycogen storage, and build mental toughness.
2. The standard long run should be conversational pace. Think 70-80% of max heart rate, or a 5-6 out of 10 effort. If you're struggling in the final miles, you started too fast.
3. Build gradually and respect recovery. Add no more than 10-15 minutes per week to your long run distance, and always plan an easy day or rest day afterward.
4. Use specialized long runs strategically, not randomly. Save surge runs, fast finishes, and marathon pace segments for race-specific training phases—not during base building.
5. Practice your race-day fueling during long runs. Once you're going beyond 90 minutes, use your long run to dial in your nutrition strategy so there are no surprises on race day.

(00:00) Introduction to the Long Run
(02:01) Why the Long Run is Essential
(02:45) Physiological Benefits of the Long Run
(05:54) Standard Long Run Fundamentals
(11:13) Specialized Long Run Strategies
(18:24) Choosing the Right Long Run Approach
(20:11) Conclusion and VMAX Training App

• Arthur Lydiard - New Zealand coach who revolutionized distance training with his emphasis on sustained aerobic development through long, steady runs on hilly terrain
• Bill Squires - Greater Boston Track Club coach who incorporated surges into long runs to teach pace changes and fight mental fatigue
• Gabriele Rosa - Italian coach of world-class marathoners who popularized the fast-finish long run for preventing late-race fade
• Pete Pfitzinger - Olympic marathoner and coach who uses marathon pace segments within long runs for race-specific preparation

• Website: vmax.run
• Instagram: @vmax.running

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with a fellow runner who wants to get more out of their long runs.