Rhys Desmond

Training Theory & Coaching

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  • Weekly Newsletter – What makes for a good running song?

    In this newsletter, exclusive to athletes in my coaching program and subscribers, I share what exactly makes for a good running song, based on my years of carefully curating running playlists to stay focused and run faster.

  • The secrets to feeling like a 10

    Anyone who runs knows that running your best requires more skillsets than just being able to run fast. At times, it’s as much a psychological game as a physical one, and you can make, break, or completely sabotage yourself through your mind alone, regardless of your fitness level going into any single day. I’ve been…

  • My top tricks for getting rid of plantar fasciitis

    Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common running injuries. Having had the lengthy spell on the sidelines where I tried everything to rid myself of the injury, I knew exactly how to manage it my second time around, and stopped it from becoming a serous issue. And while plantar fasciitis can be an injury…

  • Constructing your racing calendar

    With so many options at the touch of a registration button, it can be difficult for athletes to not overdo it when selecting their races. For many of us, myself included, racing is like nothing else in the sport. It is the #1 thing that can keep us motivated, curious, excited, and just feeling our…

  • Weekly Newsletter – How much vert do you actually need for mountain races?

    This weekend marked the anniversary of one of my favourite races – Sulphur Springs. It’s the fastest and most competitive trail race in Ontario, and with its runnable terrain and modest elevation, provides the opportunity for trail and road runners to intertwine. In Ontario, you don’t get that much high-quality, runnable trails, as they’re either…

  • Weekly Newsletter – My fuelling secrets in 2025

    Fuelling is one of the three most essential facets to getting better as an athlete (alongside proper training and recovery). And it’s equally essential to aiding the training and recovery process both in the prehab and rehab in between runs. Not to mention all the fuelling that needs to happen during the thing itself. With…

  • Trail du Coureur des Bois de Duchesnay 34K Race Recap – Mud Wars & Water Slides

    If you combined all of the mud and water on every single one of my trail races so far and tripled the number, it wouldn’t compare to Trail de Duchesnay on Sunday. And I’ve run on some super muddy courses. Falling Water was torn apart and super slippery; The Bad Thing rained throughout, turning bridges…

  • Weekly Newsletter – The secrets to my recovery in 2025

    As someone who is forever injury prone and forever punished by simple recovery mistakes, I’m always scrutinizing over recovery. Recovery is the single most important facet of training. Way more important than the training itself. It’s not only where those key adaptations take place. But it’s your body’s chance to allow you to continue to…

  • Weekly Newsletter – The Magic of 2-Minute Hills

    I love hill workouts in every form. From 3-minute hills to 10-minute hills to 90-second hills, I LOVE MY HILLS. There’s so much magic in a hill workout for trail running, as you get the muscle breakdown of all the downhills on your rest and recovery; and get to practice pushing harder in a more…

  • How I’ve become a better trail runner by running less on trails

    I knew I needed to prioritize my “speed” in 2025 to get faster. But I didn’t realize how quickly we could make cosmic changes just from more of an emphasis on one thing: Road running (i.e. running economy and efficiency).