Run the Spirit, Not the Letter of Your Workouts
Don’t sabotage the purpose of a workout by trying to nail the numbers. Here's how to trust and adjust to maximize each workout's purpose.
Author
Matt Fitzgerald
Matt Fitzgerald is an endurance sports author, coach, and nutritionist. His many books include Running the Dream, 80/20 Running, and How Bad Do You Want It? Matt’s writing has also appeared in numerous magazines and on many popular websites. He is the cofounder and co-head coach of 80/20 Endurance and the creator of the Diet Quality Score smartphone app. A lifelong endurance athlete, he speaks frequently at events throughout the United States and internationally.
My Stories
No Regrets
Reflections on fitness and health, long-haul COVID, choices, and consequences.
Don’t Look Forward
Why it’s better to structure your training around the past, not what you hope to someday achieve.
How ‘Perception of Effort’ Can Make or Break a Race
Jenny Simpson's final race as a college runner was a fascinating example of how the mind can limit the body.
Reach Your Peak By Having More Fun Training Hard
Why enjoyment is key to achieving your goals, and three strategies for making your training more fun.
The Goal Underneath Every Other Goal
When Plan A goes out the window, knowing the ultra-realistic goal you can control will help you find Plan B and keep you on the road to success.
Workout of the Week: Thompson’s New Intervals
Add these rolling-recovery intervals to your training program to develop your ability to burn lactate, and run faster for longer.
3 Steps to Embracing Reality
How to make the best of a bad situation, whether in training, competition, or life.
How to Raise Your Mental Game as a Runner
Develop mental fitness and resilience by learning how to face reality like elite runners.
Anatomy of a Comeback: How Exceptional Athletes Bounce Back
Is there a special quality shared by top athletes who triumph over great challenges? And can anyone acquire it?
The Case for Minutes Instead of Miles
Get your training intensity and volume right by basing it on time rather than distance.
Are Stronger Feet the Key to Injury-Free Running?
A new study finds foot strengthening lowers injuries by a whopping 41 percent.