Blog - A-Team Coaching

Endurance for the 5 000m and 10 000m: From parkrun Progress to Peak Performance

by A-Team CoachingTraining January 8, 2026January 1, 2026No Comments

When it comes to distance running, the journey to excellence takes years — not weeks, and certainly not one training block. Developing world-class endurance for the 5 000m and 10 000m is a long-term process backed by extensive research and decades of coaching experience. In fact, it typically requires eight to twelve years of consistent, …

Run the World: The Ultimate Marathon Journey with the 7 Abbott World Marathon Majors!

by A-Team CoachingMarathon December 17, 2025December 17, 2025No Comments

For distance runners around the globe, there are few dreams bigger than standing on the start line of the world’s most iconic marathons. To celebrate 20 years of elite global road racing, the Abbott World Marathon Majors has launched an extraordinary competition called The World Tour — a challenge that offers one runner the chance …

How to Start a Marathon and 3 Pitfalls to Avoid

by A-Team CoachingTraining, Marathon December 11, 2025December 17, 2025No Comments

How to start a marathon and get the best results may surprise you. Normally, the starting line of a marathon is electric. The atmosphere buzzes with energy, nervous excitement, and the collective anticipation of thousands of runners waiting for the gun to go off. For many, it’s the most dangerous moment of the entire race—not …

How Accurate Are Wrist-Worn Heart Rate Monitors?

by A-Team CoachingTraining December 4, 2025December 7, 2025No Comments

Heart rate monitors have become indispensable tools for runners and fitness enthusiasts. Most smartwatches and fitness bands use wrist-based optical sensors, known as photoplethysmography (PPG). In one study, an evaluation was conducted on how accurate these wrist-worn devices are—both at rest and during exercise—for people in normal heart rhythm (sinus rhythm) and those with atrial …

Critical: Warm-Up and Cool-Down

by A-Team CoachingTraining November 27, 2025December 17, 2025No Comments

Running may look as simple as lacing up your shoes and heading out the door, but the most successful and resilient runners know that what happens before and after the run is just as important as the miles themselves. The warm-up and cool-down is more than routine rituals—they are critical components of performance, injury prevention, …

Training on a Treadmill – The Right Way to Do It

by A-Team CoachingTraining November 20, 2025November 28, 2025No Comments

For many runners, the treadmill is a necessary training partner. Whether it’s due to poor weather, time constraints, safety concerns, or the simple convenience of training at home or in the gym, treadmills offer a reliable way to keep mileage ticking over. But like any tool, they have limitations. Used correctly, they can form part …

Why Planning Your Running Races Matters

by A-Team CoachingTraining, Marathon November 13, 2025November 24, 2025No Comments

In the world of running, there’s a big difference between simply racing often and racing well. While it’s tempting to sign up for every event that pops up on your calendar, the truth is that smart race planning is one of the most powerful tools you have as a runner. It allows you to train …

Understanding Energy Systems for Better Running

by A-Team CoachingTraining November 6, 2025November 24, 2025No Comments

How Your Body Fuels Performance When you lace up your shoes and head out for a run—whether it’s a 100m sprint, a 10K race, or an ultra-marathon—your body taps into an intricate system of energy production to keep you moving. These energy systems determine how fast, how far, and how efficiently you can go. As …

Altitude Training for Runners – Does It Really Work, and What Are the Alternatives?

by A-Team CoachingTraining October 29, 2025November 24, 2025No Comments

For decades, elite runners have flocked to mountain towns like Iten in Kenya, St. Moritz in Switzerland, Flagstaff in the United States, Lesotho and Dullstroom in Southern Africa, to chase the so-called “magic” of altitude training. The belief is simple: by living and training at high altitude, the body adapts in ways that improve oxygen …