How do the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems actually work together—and what does that mean for the workouts we give our athletes?

In this episode, Jesse breaks down the science behind energy system interaction and connects it to the training coaches use every day. He looks at how aerobic and anaerobic contributions change across events from the 800m through the 10,000m, why even short, intense events rely heavily on the aerobic system, and why training for different events has much more overlap than we sometimes think.

Jesse also walks through a lactate curve and his approach to organizing training intensities, from easy running and Sub-T through tempo, lactate threshold, 10K, 5K, 3K, mile, and 800m pace. He explains how he uses these intensities with his athletes and how the Coaching Distance Pace Calculator can turn those percentages into actual training paces.

Finally, Jesse shares a simple analogy coaches can use with their athletes: think of the aerobic system as the gas tank and engine of a hybrid car and the anaerobic system as the battery. One provides enormous capacity, while the other can provide a powerful short-term boost—but at a cost.

Whether you're coaching middle-distance runners, distance runners, or a team that competes across the 400m–5K range, this episode provides a practical way to understand why different workouts matter and how they fit together.

Building Confidence Through Training & Racing with Dennis Newell

"Talent isn't the limiter. Belief is."

In this 75-minute Coaching Distance masterclass, Dennis Newell, Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track & Field Coach at North Dakota State University, shares a practical coaching framework for developing athletes who train with purpose, trust their preparation, and compete with confidence. Rather than treating confidence as a personality trait, Dennis explains how it can be intentionally developed through daily training, race preparation, team culture, and coaching language.

Dennis takes you through his Three Pillars of Racing Confidence: physical confidence, tactical confidence, and mental confidence and explains how coaches can strengthen each pillar through purposeful workouts, progressive overload, race simulations, and consistent training that gives athletes evidence to believe in themselves.

You'll also learn how to:

• Build confidence through consistent training and progressive overload
• Design workouts for success
• Use threshold training, tempo runs, and race simulations to prepare athletes for the demands of racings
• Create effective pre-race routines, visualization strategies, and positive self-talk
• Develop process goals
• Build a team culture that generates confidence, accountability, and athlete buy-in
• Help athletes overcome setbacks
• Conduct post-race reflections

Whether you coach high school cross country, collegiate distance running, middle school track and field, or elite endurance athletes, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to help your athletes perform at their best when the pressure is highest.

If you're looking to improve cross country coaching, distance running training, mental performance, athlete confidence, race strategy, team culture, or coaching leadership, this masterclass is a must-listen.

Link to full episode: https://www.coachingdistance.com/team-2/building-confidence-through-training-and-racing

Training Specificity for Distance Runners: Beyond Race Pace | Coaching Distance Podcast

Most coaches understand that specificity is important—but specificity in distance running is about much more than simply running at race pace.

In this episode of the Coaching Distance Podcast, we explore the three essential types of specificity that every cross country and track & field coach should understand:

• Physiological Specificity – Train the energy systems and physiological adaptations that drive performance.

• Duration-Specific Training – Match workout duration to to the demands of your event.

• Pace Specificity – Learn how to prescribe training paces that prepare athletes for racing without sacrificing aerobic development.

Topics Covered:

• What training specificity really means

• Physiological specificity and energy system development

• Duration-specific training and workout dosage

• Race-pace training and pacing strategies

• Practical applications for high school cross country and track coaches

Whether you're a new coach or an experienced distance coach, this episode will give you practical tools to build smarter, more effective training plans that translate into better performances on race day.