
On Coaching with Magness & Marcus
Coaches Steve Magness and Jon Marcus team up to bring you an insider’s view on coaching. Taking you inside the thoughts and conversations that usually occur behind the scenes. They bring a diverse background having both worked with athletes at the collegiate and professional level. They hope to bring a mixture of science, old-fashioned wisdom, and a touch of philosophy to help understand the process of coaching and maximizing endurance performance. For more information visit www.ScienceOfRunning.com
Latest episodes

Sep 14, 2020 • 1h 6min
Episode 120: Peak Fitness vs. Peak Performance
The podcast explores the distinction between fitness and performance in running, highlighting the importance of psychological factors. It discusses the psychology of performance, focusing on overall improvement rather than personal records. The concept of 'easy strength' and base training are explored. The interplay between psychological and physical stress in fitness and peak performance is discussed. The challenge of maintaining fitness during uncertain times is addressed. The importance of optimism and resources for coaching development are emphasized.

Aug 30, 2020 • 55min
Episode 119: Upgrading Lactate Dynamics: A Key to Running Faster Longer
Learn about improving lactate threshold and buffering capacity. Explore different training methods for lactate threshold improvement. Upgrade lactate threshold and performance in distance running. Introduce new stimuli and manipulate variables for improved performance. Key points include the importance of quality training and developing pure speed.

Aug 17, 2020 • 1h 16min
Episode 118: The Future of College Sports and the NCAA
The NCAA and college sports are in disarray. Facing a mass pandemic, postponement and cancelation of fall sports, and a growing understanding by the athletes the leverage that they have. With many of us wondering what in the world is the future of college sports, this week we brough on an expert, Dr. Roger Pielke…

Aug 10, 2020 • 1h 8min
Episode 117: Development Part 2- Middle Distance Training
The Middle Distance Events. That combination of speed and endurance makes them one of the most enjoyable but also challenging events to train for or coach. In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges of training for the 800m and 1,500m.We walk you through: The wisdom of Percy Cerutty on coaching the mid-distance events.…

Jul 27, 2020 • 1h 7min
Episode 116: Endurance Development- Part 1
This podcast discusses the development of an athlete, focusing on training for endurance and middle distance events. They emphasize understanding physiology and individual characteristics when creating a training framework. The speakers also discuss the importance of incorporating recovery modalities and manipulating workout quality to improve endurance and velocity. They debunk the myth of jackpot coaching and encourage embracing nuance in endurance training. The hosts promote their program and analyze training logs from various athletes.

Jul 20, 2020 • 1h 3min
Episode 115: Fartleks, Alternations and the Lost Workout Style
Fartleks, the wonderful invention of Gusta Holmer in the 1930’s, is something we are all familiar with. Run hard for a minute, jog for a minute, repeat twenty times. But in today’s world where everything is measured and coaches rely on that feedback to adjust workloads, the fartlek is becoming a lost art. In this…

Jul 13, 2020 • 1h 4min
Episode 114: Do Fast Times Transfer to Being Competitive
Do the fastest athletes always win? The ones who come in with the best seed time. The athlete who threw down that fast mile at Mt. Sac or a blazing 5k at Stanford? If not, how come? In episode 114, we explore the world of racing. What does it mean to be competitive and can…

Jun 29, 2020 • 1h 5min
Episode 113: Being Fit Doesn’t Mean Running Fast
The podcast discusses the misconception that being fit means running fast, exploring the correlation between fitness and performance in running. They also emphasize the importance of balancing coaching and athlete independence, transformative teaching, adaptive sensitivity in athletes, and the evolution of fitness and performance in building robustness and resiliency.

Jun 22, 2020 • 1h 13min
Episode 112: The Myth of Losing Speed
One of my pet peeves when discussing endurance work is the concept of losing speed. In the middle distance world, this concept of losing speed is widespread. Go to any coaching conference, hang around enough coaches, or just talk to your athletes and you’ll hear this concept over and over. It’s used as an argument…

Jun 15, 2020 • 1h 6min
Episode 111: Top Mistakes Highly Motivated Athletes Make and Why
Highly motivated athletes are the best to coach. You don’t have to worry if they got their run or workout in, they are always eager to train, perform, and do what’s necessary to get better. But, there are pitfalls that even the most well-intentioned athletes need to be aware of. The higher the motivation, the…