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You may have heard the training saying: "Easy runs easy; hard runs hard." I think there's an important addition to a well-rounded training plan, particularly for trail runners: "Medium runs medium."

The strict polarization between easy and hard serves a purpose. The grey area between aerobic threshold (an effort you can sustain for a few hours or more) and lactate threshold (around an hour, with variance) is a bit like a vacation to Cancun. It's fun to visit, but stay there too long and it starts to wear out its welcome, and before long you'll be covered in sunburn welts while Ted Cruz walks by in the saddest Hawaiian shirt. Countless running careers have been undercut in that grey area.

But that doesn't mean the grey area is all bad. 

It gets back to the old correlation versus causation conundrum. Athletes that do their easy runs with too much effort likely have an overall approach to training that is less sustainable. They chase the quick gains and more impressive Strava files from moderate running, get some of those quick gains, then assume that those gains will continue. At that point, the transition from rapid initial gains to marginal long-term gains pulls them out to the deep end. They keep doing many moderate runs, see less progress, fail to adapt their training to a more polarized approach, and eventually find themselves treading water via injury or stagnation.

As discussed in this article on the science and art of easy running, that model plays out every year in college programs across the country. Faster easy running often coincides with faster racing, leading to an association that can undercut growth after the aerobic, endocrine and nervous systems rebel against the chronic stress. Or in athletes that start their running journey later in life, any run might be moderate at first, creating an understanding that all running should be moderate even as fitness grows. That's when you'll sometimes have success with interventions involving heart rate caps, since excessive moderate running can undermine both low-level aerobic efficiency and upper-level aerobic capacity.

The key word there is "excessive"-we don't need to throw the moderate-running baby out with the polarized-training bathwater. In fact, I am going on the record to say I am against throwing out babies or bathwater altogether. I am brave to take that stand, thank you for saying so.

The key word there is "excessive"-we don't need to throw the moderate-running baby out with the polarized-training bathwater. In fact, I am going on the record to say I am against throwing out babies or bathwater altogether. I am brave to take that stand, thank you for saying so.

In coaching, my wife Megan and I rarely program specific "moderate" days because these grey-area runs can be counterproductive when they are inefficient, like when completed on sore legs or during periods of high life stress. That is why doing moderate running all the time can be so negative-if an athlete feels like crap and forces the pace, it becomes a hard run that can tear them down. Instead, we use the looser term "easy/moderate." 

Easy/moderate definition

Easy/moderate runs involve starting very easy. As the run progresses, athletes have permission to find ease of motion without urgency, while covering ground with smooth flow on flats/downhills and efficient purpose on uphills. The runs are faster if an athlete feels good, slower if they don't. Heart rate may be below aerobic threshold on downhills and flats, and closer to lactate threshold on climbs. Essentially, easy/moderate runs allow training to be dictated by the body and brain, rather than obligation to numbers on a plan or compulsion to push each day to the limit. Two major physiological principles are important to apply easy/moderate runs.

Principle One: Steady running around aerobic threshold can have major benefits for endurance, or major negative effects when forced

Coach Renato Canova works with many of the best marathoners of all time, and these types of steady effort long runs are key to his system. In his book Marathon Training: A Scientific Approach, Canova refers to steady effort runs as being around what he calls aerobic lipidic power, essentially meaning the effort is both fast and sustainable. His training system for marathoners revolves around increasing that power so that output at lactate threshold and aerobic threshold get very close together. That's why the top marathoners don't look like they're breathing all that hard at 5-minute miles-they have wildly impressive output around aerobic threshold.

Steady runs may improve lipid oxidation at higher outputs, whereas purely easy runs don't always have the same benefit. In addition, these runs could improve the power and recruitment of Type-I slow-twitch muscle fibers, while also spurring the production of mitochondria and capillaries. And since the runs are faster, the muscular output is greater, leading to more strength.

But there are downsides too. Go too hard, and some of those aerobic benefits erode away, while endocrine and nervous system stresses go sky-high. A steady run forced on tired legs leads to injury risk, with little benefit other than mental toughness. And if you're after mental toughness through increased discomfort, you could just stick your finger in the trash compactor. 

The goal is to run with as much pace as possible with as little effort as possible, since that is when running economy improves the most. And we don't want to have to call a plumber to clean the trash compactor.

We frame these runs as easy/moderate to emphasize that athletes should err on the side of relaxed. The goal is to run with as much pace as possible with as little effort as possible, since that is when running economy improves the most. And we don't want to have to call a plumber to clean the trash compactor.

Principle Two: In trail running, athletes must train for the specific musculoskeletal demands of running efficiently over varied terrain

Steady runs are especially important for marathoners, who often use long runs to lock into faster paces. Meanwhile, easy/moderate runs are geared toward trail runners who are running over varied terrain, with different paces, outputs and even form depending on the trail. The trail athletes face a much wider range of musculoskeletal and biomechanical stresses, emphasizing the ATHLETE part of being a runner. Easy/moderate runs build specific adaptations to uphills and downhills, particularly during long runs that start to approximate race pace for ultra runners. We like athletes to apply five rules to add some structure to these unstructured effort days.

Guideline One: Start easy for the first 10 minutes

Let the body kick into a fully aerobic gear. No pace is too slow, like all easy runs.

Guideline Two: Let your body dictate the effort by finding ease of motion, without urgency

After those 10 minutes, listen to your body. What is it saying? "I feel good and fresh" = time to let the effort roll. "I am a bit ragged" = take it easier. "Five, five dollar, five dollar foot loooong" = go to Subway post-run. The cue of finding ease is what I like athletes to lock into in ultra races, and easy/moderate long runs are great for practice.

Guideline Three: Flow on the downs and smooth on the flats

On downhills, heart rate will be lower, so it's a good time to practice running with focused, purposeful flow. As you adapt to the musculoskeletal demands, downhills will become free speed. On flatter terrain, embody smoothness with relaxed arms and no urgency.

Guideline Four: Efficient purpose on the ups, with the option to progress effort on good days

Easy/moderate runs can become extra effective workouts for trail runners due to the uphill stress. If you walk most of the ups in training, try to run a bit more. If you walk some of the ups, try to run all but the steepest grades. If you rarely walk, add a bit more power into your stride. For all athletes, on days you feel good, some of the steeper ups may approach lactate threshold effort, and that's great for fitness. Just make sure you're not fading too hard as the run goes on, which may indicate pacing that exceeds your current fitness levels.

Guideline Five: Fuel well

Because easy/moderate runs are higher overall effort, they are also higher risk. Fueling is key to improve endurance and adapt to the training you are doing, while also mitigating some of that risk. 

For our athletes, easy/moderate long runs on trails are a staple outside of base period. Sometimes, they will even include 20-30 minute moderately hard tempo runs after a warm-up, which is how we can spur more long-distance adaptations without doing 30 or 40 mile runs in training. Every 4-6 weeks, a mid-week trail run may be a similar approach, often in aerobic build weeks.

Easy/moderate means that you're giving your body the love and respect to let it tell you what it's ready for. Use these runs in the context of a well-rounded training plan with high-end speed and low-end aerobic development, and your body will probably be telling you that it's ready for race-day breakthroughs.

Most Olympic marathoners spend their youth focused on running. They join track clubs, compete in national championships, and pursue the sport from an early age.

Julia Mayer’s journey was very different.

Today, Mayer is Austria’s marathon record holder, a multiple national record holder on the roads, and an Olympian. Yet for much of her athletic life, running was not her primary sport.

For 16 years, she played soccer.

Then she discovered something that would change her life.

“I noticed that I was really fast in the fun runs and that it was really, really fun,” Mayer said when reflecting on her transition from soccer to distance running.

What began as curiosity quickly became a passion. She eventually made the bold decision to leave soccer behind and focus entirely on running. It was a move that surprised many people around her, but Mayer believed she had found her true athletic calling.

The decision proved to be the right one.

Within a few years, Mayer developed into one of Europe’s top marathon runners. Her steady improvement carried her from local races to the international stage, where she began rewriting Austria’s record books.

She now holds Austrian records in the marathon, half marathon, and road 10K. Her marathon best of 2:26:08 established her as the fastest female marathoner in Austrian history. Her performances in the half marathon and 10K have further cemented her place among the country’s all-time great distance runners.

Her rise culminated with qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Competing in the Olympic marathon represented the realization of a dream. On one of the most challenging marathon courses ever used for the Olympics, Mayer ran courageously against the strongest field in the world and finished 55th in her Olympic debut.

Behind the scenes, success has come through extraordinary dedication. During marathon preparation, Mayer trains twice a day and covers approximately 200 kilometers, or 124 miles, each week. The workload demands discipline, patience, and a deep commitment to continuous improvement. 

What makes her story especially inspiring is not simply the records or the Olympic appearance.

It is the fact that she found her greatest talent later than many elite runners.

In a sport where athletes are often identified at a young age, Mayer’s journey serves as a reminder that potential does not always reveal itself early. Sometimes it takes years of experience, a willingness to try something new, and the courage to follow a different path. 

The former soccer player who once chased a ball across a field is now chasing history on the roads of Europe.

And according to those closest to her, her best performances may still be ahead.

For runners of every age and ability, Julia Mayer’s story delivers a powerful lesson: it is never too late to discover what you are capable of.

From soccer player to Olympian, her journey proves that remarkable achievements can begin when least expected.

Megan Keith produced the performance of her career in Oslo on Thursday night, shattering one of Scotland’s longest-standing distance running records and cementing her place among Britain’s greatest female 3000m runners.

The 24-year-old clocked a sensational 8:28.35 over 3000m, breaking the Scottish outdoor record that had stood for nearly four decades. In doing so, Keith eclipsed the previous mark of 8:29.02, set by Scottish legend Yvonne Murray back in 1988, ending a record reign that had lasted 38 years.

Keith’s breakthrough run was more than just a national record. The performance also propelled her to third on the UK outdoor all-time list, placing her behind only two of Britain’s most celebrated distance runners — Paula Radcliffe, who leads the rankings with 8:22.20, and Laura Weightman, whose 8:26.07 remains the second-fastest outdoor mark by a British woman.

The significance of Keith’s achievement is amplified by the calibre of athletes she now joins in the record books. For decades, Murray’s mark stood as one of Scottish athletics’ most untouchable records, surviving generations of elite competitors. Keith has now succeeded where many outstanding runners have fallen short, announcing herself as one of the leading distance talents in British athletics.

Her time also compares favourably with the best performances produced indoors. Olympic medallist Laura Muir ran 8:26.41 indoors in Karlsruhe in 2017, underlining just how exceptional Keith’s outdoor effort in Oslo truly was.

The run continues a remarkable rise for the Scottish star, whose progression over recent seasons has transformed her from a promising prospect into a genuine force on the international stage. Running with confidence and composure against elite competition, Keith demonstrated both the speed and endurance required to challenge the very best in Europe and beyond.

With the World Championship season gathering momentum, Keith’s record-breaking display sends a powerful message. Not only has she etched her name into Scottish athletics history, but she has also established herself as a serious contender in one of the sport’s most competitive events.

In Oslo, Megan Keith did far more than break a record. She ended a 38-year wait, climbed into the upper echelon of British distance running, and delivered a performance that may prove to be a defining moment in her career.

British middle-distance talent Phoebe Gill took another significant step forward in her return to top form, producing a determined victory over 800 metres at the Meeting de Marseille in France on Wednesday.

Competing in challenging, wind-affected conditions, the 19-year-old demonstrated both resilience and composure as she held off a late charge from Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo to secure the win in 2:00.81. Vancardo finished just three hundredths of a second behind in 2:00.84, underlining the fiercely contested nature of the race.

While the margin of victory was narrow, the result represented another encouraging milestone for Gill as she continues to rebuild momentum following her injury setback. The young Briton showed impressive race awareness and strength in the closing stages, maintaining her advantage despite the difficult conditions that made fast running a challenge throughout the evening.

The Marseille triumph adds to a growing body of evidence that Gill is steadily progressing toward her best form. Earlier in her comeback campaign, she clocked 2:01.50 for 800m in Bydgoszcz before demonstrating her versatility with a strong 4:05.53 performance over 1500 metres at the BMC Grand Prix meeting in Trafford.

Those performances have highlighted not only her improving fitness but also her ability to compete across multiple distances as she carefully builds her season. The Marseille victory now provides further confirmation that the European junior star is moving in the right direction.

Gill emerged as one of Britain's most exciting middle-distance prospects through a series of breakthrough performances as a teenager, earning widespread recognition for her fearless racing style and remarkable maturity. Injury temporarily interrupted that upward trajectory, but her recent results suggest she is steadily rediscovering the form that made her one of the sport's brightest young talents.

With each race, the signs of progress become increasingly evident. Winning in difficult conditions and under pressure from a quality field is often a stronger indicator than a fast time alone, and Gill's latest success demonstrated exactly those qualities.

As the summer season gathers pace, the Marseille victory offers another confidence boost for the British teenager, whose return continues to gain momentum. If her recent progression is any indication, Gill could soon find herself back among the leading names on the European middle-distance circuit. 

The NCAA Track and Field Championships delivered a moment few could have predicted as Ja’Kobe Tharp produced one of the most astonishing performances in the history of sprint hurdling, rewriting the record books in spectacular fashion.

Competing in the opening round of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, the Auburn star stunned the athletics world by clocking an incredible 12.75 seconds, becoming the first athlete ever to break the 12.80-second barrier. In doing so, he eclipsed the long-standing world record of 12.80 set by Aries Merritt in 2012, a mark that had stood as one of the sport’s most revered achievements for more than a decade.

What makes Tharp’s breakthrough even more remarkable is the scale of his improvement. Entering the championships, the defending NCAA and U.S. champion had recorded a season-best of 13.05 seconds. Yet under the brightest spotlight, he unleashed a performance that exceeded every expectation, slicing an extraordinary 0.26 seconds from his personal best in a race that instantly became one of the greatest ever run.

The achievement sent shockwaves throughout the track and field community. While Tharp arrived in Eugene as one of the leading contenders for the NCAA title, few envisioned a performance capable of redefining the limits of the event. Instead, the American hurdler delivered a race for the ages, combining flawless technique, explosive speed, and impeccable rhythm from the first hurdle to the finish line.

The historic run not only secured his place in athletics history but also transformed the outlook of the championship. With the world record now in his possession, Tharp advances to the final as the overwhelming favorite, carrying momentum that could make an already unforgettable weekend even more extraordinary.

For years, the 12.80 barrier appeared untouchable. On a stunning day at the NCAA Championships, Ja’Kobe Tharp proved otherwise, producing the kind of performance that reminds fans why sport remains so unpredictable. In a matter of seconds, he turned a routine qualifying round into a landmark moment that will be remembered for generations.

The world record no one saw coming is now a reality—and Ja’Kobe Tharp is the man who changed history.

A new chapter in middle-distance running may have begun in Oslo after American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus produced one of the most remarkable performances of the season, narrowly defeating reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling men's 800m contest at the Diamond League meeting.

The 17-year-old sensation shocked a world-class field by crossing the finish line first in a race that came down to the smallest of margins. After an intense battle over the final metres, Lutkenhaus held off Wanyonyi by just one hundredth of a second, producing a dramatic finish that left the packed stadium in disbelief.

From the opening lap, the pace was relentless as the leading contenders positioned themselves for a fierce showdown. As the athletes entered the home straight, Wanyonyi appeared poised to unleash his trademark finishing kick. However, Lutkenhaus refused to be intimidated, matching the Olympic champion stride for stride before producing a perfectly timed lean at the line to secure a historic victory.

The result marks a breakthrough moment for the young American, who continues to establish himself as one of the brightest talents in global athletics. Defeating an Olympic champion at a Diamond League event is a feat many athletes spend entire careers pursuing, yet Lutkenhaus achieved it before reaching adulthood.

For Wanyonyi, the narrow defeat does little to diminish his status as one of the world's premier 800m runners. The Kenyan once again demonstrated his exceptional class and competitiveness, pushing the race to a world-class standard and forcing his young rival to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Beyond the result itself, the race offered a glimpse into what could become one of the sport's most exciting rivalries in the years ahead. With established stars and emerging talents now pushing each other to new heights, the men's 800m continues to evolve into one of athletics' most captivating events.

On a memorable night in Oslo, the spotlight belonged to Cooper Lutkenhaus. At just 17 years old, he stood toe-to-toe with an Olympic champion and emerged victorious, announcing himself to the athletics world in spectacular fashion.