Ego-Free Coaching: Prioritizing Athlete Needs

Formerly anonymous Arizona high school running coach Mike Scannell has become a sensation in the American distance running community with the amazing success of his runner Grant Fisher, the undisputed king of American long distance running!

Grant had a sensational Paris Olympic Games, winning bronze medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. These are events where only a handful of Americans have ever won Olympic medals, ever! Mike is an old friend, a former elite collegiate runner, and a fellow competitor on the professional duathlon circuit, and it was amazing to catch up with him and detail the amazing Olympic journey!

The backstory of Grant and Mike is pretty amazing. Mike coached Grant in high school in Michigan, where he became one of only eight high schoolers ever to break four minutes in the mile. Grant then headed off to a great NCAA career in Stanford and a pro career with the elite Bowerman Track Club team in Oregon. In a surprise mid-career shift, Grant decided to go about it his own way. He moved to Park City, UT for altitude training, and phoned up his old high school coach looking for guidance. This is less than a year before the Olympics as America's top distance runner! In this show, Mike will discuss the risks and pressures elite athletes face (and their coaches!) You'll be taken behind the scenes for the Paris Games and the extraordinary measures Grant and Mike took to ensure he could focus and succeed. 

You'll love the story of how Grant and Mike were locked inside the Olympic stadium late at night after winning his 10,000 meter bronze. You'll learn about Mike's evolved approach where he is solely focused on serving the athlete and avoids getting the all-too-common coaching ego into the mix. You'll learn about today's popular scientific approach to endurance training centered upon measuring and controlling blood lactate levels during workouts, and why many runners "ruin their workouts" with a less disciplined approach. You'll learn the benefits of altitude training, and how Grant's mindset and extensive rehearsals helped him execute awesome strategy at both Olympic races. 

At the end, Mike provides some profound insights for young runners and their parents about the importance of being motivated naturally and intrinsically. You'll also learn why, a couple decades ago, crime didn't pay in Tucson, AZ, where you might have gotten into a foot pursuit with someone who would most definitely outlast you...I've known and studied lots of coaches over the years, and I don't think you'll find a more healthy and evolved disposition than that embodied by Mike. No wonder Grant phoned him up out of the blue and asked for help going and getting some Olympic medals! Enjoy the show. Young runners can get a daily tip of inspiration by following Mike on X @realironmike

TIMESTAMPS:

We take a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on with Olympic athletes and their coaches. [00:53]

Coaching Grant Fisher in the Olympics, Mike is able to share his expertise. [06:06]

What we commonly see these days are high profile teams with big sponsors. It’s a different approach from what Mike and Grant have done. [07:54]

How did Mike’s own experiences with coaches help him to get this particular disposition? [13:43]

With the scientific approach, the thing the runner can do is check blood lactate. [16:20]

Besides checking blook lactate, Mike checks heart rate, hematocrit and hemoglobin and other things. [19:38]

When training at altitude or in the heat of Arizona, you have to cut the tempos why back. [21:19]

It is very easy to ruin a workout by using that competitive intensity to work really hard. [23:40]

What kind of volume and load can you put on the runner so that he absorbs the training and is ready for the next session? [27:33]

You can have all the tech toys in the world but you have to listen to it! [29:48]

When you make a detailed plan for the athlete, how often to you deviate from that plan? [31:17]

Grant takes good care of himself.  He takes care of sleep, massage, his food at home. [39:58]

How do they manage the constant risk of overuse injuries? [41:05]

In taking on the job to coach Grant Fisher, did you feel nervous about the whole USA expecting some medals? [45:36]

What was his experience in Paris? What was the race strategy? [50:00]

Living and training at altitude helps your body build additional red blood cells, but when you come down to sea level, you lose some of the benefits. [59:34]

When running in the prelim, all you need is to be in the eight finalists. [01:04:13]

Staying in the Olympic Village with the other athletes can be fine for social interactions, however, when you have big important events to still compete in, being around rowdy parties doesn’t work. [01:05:53]

You have to plan on when you need to go faster when you are in the big race.  [01:09:15]

There is no reason for Grant Fisher to take the lead in the Olympics first 4,000 meters. [01:12:46]

Mike’s coaching method involves only when the athlete himself asks for coaching, not if the parent asks. [01:21:50]

High school kids don’t know what they can’t do so please don’t tell them. [01:25:55]

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
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