Dr. Alyssa Olenick on Ultramarathon Training Tips, Why Speedwork Matters, and Balancing Life and Training
Everyday Ultra
How to design a realistic race season
Joe asks for season planning; Alyssa advises picking an A-race, spacing big races, allowing 1–2 weeks recovery, and 6–8 weeks between major events.
If you’re an ultrarunner who wants to get faster, train smarter, avoid burnout, and actually reach your potential, this episode is a must-listen.
Dr. Alyssa Olenick — exercise physiologist, hybrid athlete, 17-time ultramarathon finisher, and creator of The Lyss Method — joins the show for one of the most insightful, science-backed, and refreshingly honest conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast.
Alyssa doesn’t just talk theory. She lives this stuff: running ultras while running a business, earning her PhD, navigating injury, rebuilding her speed, and transforming her mindset through some of the most demanding seasons of her life.
In this episode, we dive into:
The counterintuitive strategy that made Alyssa dramatically faster
Why most ultrarunners are leaving huge performance gains on the table
How ultras reshape your identity — and why that matters for training
The “life-load” mistake almost every busy runner makes
The neuroscience of going long
The hidden cost of being a high-performing runner
How to design a race season that builds fitness instead of destroying it
The mindset shift that separates long-term healthy runners from burnt-out ones
If you’re training for a big goal, trying to balance real life with big mileage, or simply want to understand the science and mindset behind becoming a stronger, more resilient runner — this episode will change how you train.
Huge thank you to Alyssa for coming on the show!
SHOW LINKS:
Register for our race, The Desert Peak Ultra 100K + 50K at desertpeakultra.com
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Follow Joe on IG: https://www.instagram.com/joecorcione/
Everyday Ultra YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUelKGeptWZivD6yRIDiupg
Follow Alyssa on IG: https://www.instagram.com/doclyssfitness/
Alyssa's Social Links: https://doclyssfitness.com/insta/
Learn more about The Lyss Method and Work with Alyssa: https://www.thelyssmethod.com/
Alyssa's Website: https://doclyssfitness.com/
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