What a PhD Mathematician Learned About Running 100 Miles

About this episode

Pat Cade shares insights from his experience as a mathematician and endurance runner, discussing coaching, training at high altitudes, and personal challenges.

Pat Cade has a PhD in mathematics, coaches high school cross country in Leadville, Colorado, and has finished the Leadville 100 six times. In this conversation, he explains what years of research math taught him about endurance: small steady progress compounds, inspiration only strikes if you're showing up every day, and sometimes the breakthrough comes when you stop following the plan and just go climb the mountain because it's beautiful outside. Pat shares how he and his wife landed in Leadville after leaving academia in New York, and how they decided to pour their energy into coaching and teaching after facing infertility. He breaks down what actually makes a good coach (hint: it's not yelling), why training at 10,000 feet requires rethinking everything you learned about recovery, and what the Leadville 100's Dream Chaser program is all about. He also attempts to explain his dissertation, including whether the universe might be shaped like a donut, in terms anyone can follow. Zoë and Brendan are mostly able to keep up. This episode is brought to you by LMNT, the tasty electrolyte drink mix with sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Pro tip for winter: heat up their chocolate salt…

People in this episode

Hosts: Zoë, Brendan

Guest: Pat Cade

Topics covered

• endurance running
• coaching
• mathematics in sports
• high altitude training
• personal journey
• Leadville 100

Keywords

• endurance
• running
• coaching
• Leadville 100
• high altitude
• mathematics
• infertility
• training

Sponsors

LMNT

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Leadville, Colorado, New York

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