Run Culture Podcast

Have you ever been curious what actually happens at the top end of the sport?This week I sat down with Alex Ostberg - professional assistant coach at Nike Swoosh Track Club in Eugene under Jerry Schumacher - fresh off Charlie Hicks’ phenomenal 2:04:35 at the Boston Marathon, one of the fastest American performances we’ve seen..... to be honest… it’s not what most people think.It’s not reckless - but it’s definitely not always, 'lets play it safe' either. It’s high risk, taken at the right time. Years of consistency, massive aerobic bases, fundamentals done properly… and then when it’s there - they lean in. Not stupidly, just enough. We get into what elite athletes are actually like - the habits, the mindset, the monotony, the discipline - and why the best in the world are usually just the best at doing the basics over and over again. No secret sauce. Just timing, patience, and getting the most out of the fitness they’ve built.Alex also shares how he sees coaching at that level - like a GPS. The athlete’s driving, he’s just guiding. Knowing when to push, when to pull back, and protecting the one thing that matters most… consistency. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to get to that level - this one will hit.Full episode now live on the Run Culture Podcast.If you’re keen to hear more from Alex Ostberg, check out his Substack newsletter The Rundown or listen to him on The Running Effect Podcast.

How does a team go from never making NCAA Nationals… to becoming D2 national champions? That’s what I wanted to understand in this episode, when I sat down with Wingate Head Coach @poldomenechf In 2021 Wingate had never made the national championships. Two years later they won the whole thing. What fascinated me wasn’t just the result- it was the system behind it.We talked about building belief in athletes who weren’t big recruits, the role of aerobic development and threshold training, and how they’ve created a culture where athletes just keep improving year after year. We also spoke about the NCAA pathway for young runners- something a lot of Australian athletes are curious about. There’s a lot of wisdom in this one. If you enjoy conversations about coaching, development, and the culture of distance running, I think you’ll really enjoy this episode. Out now on the Run Culture Podcast.Episode 200 I might add!! Now, that's 200 conversations more wiser than when I started this project.If you enjoyed this chat and are interested to find out more or follow Wingate College's progress over the coming years be sure to go to @wingatexctf