Rhys Desmond

Training Theory & Coaching

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  • Weekly Newsletter – Why you can’t just do the bare minimum

    Trail and ultra running is a complex, multifaceted discipline that requires so much more than just aerobic fitness and endurance. It’s as much a mental game as a physical one, and it’s as much about nutrition, strength, and recovery as it is about training. In order to maximize the chance of success in such a…

  • Weekly Newsletter – Adventure is part of the fun!

    The art of exploration is so powerful to making a run more meaningful and memorable. Running with friends has the same effect. 

  • It’s more fun if you sing along

    I can’t quite pinpoint it, but I just know that I’ve not been having fun so far with my races. I’ve been having fun in training. But maybe because training’s been going so well, I’ve started to put more pressure on myself to punch above my old belief systems. So in the second half of…

  • Weekly Newsletter – Making races more fun!

    So as we all build toward our next races together, I encourage you to think of ways that you can make racing more fun! 

  • Quebec Mega Trail 50K – 2025 – We survived…

    It seemed like everything conspired against me to hit me like a muddy brick wall when I went to Duchesnay, and I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure I had a more pleasant experience the second time around in Quebec this year – at the National Championships for 50K. But it ended…

  • Weekly Newsletter – Why do you even run at all?

    A few weeks ago I started a new job. I’ve been having so much fun with it and it’s reminded me of something really important, that applies to all areas of life – including training… You have to enjoy what you do to both give your best effort, and to see the progress! So this week, I…

  • How to stack consecutive long runs for older and injury-prone athletes

    The traditional approach is to do the massive, race-specific day on the first day (say, a Saturday), and the shorter effort the next day. When athletes have worked up to this state and can recover from it, this is the best approach. Even just from a perspective of helping that second run feel like something…

  • Weekly Newsletter – Finding your downhill flow & downhill training theories!

    This article is for athletes that work with me and subscribers to the site! If you aren’t one of those but still want to read the article, simply reach out to me!

  • Weekly Newsletter – Avoiding RED-S with a pre-race checklist

    This article is for athletes that work with me and subscribers to the site! If you aren’t one of those but still want to read the article, simply reach out to me!

  • The 15 questions every trail runner should be asking themselves before their next race

    There are many reasons why I love trail running over any other type of running. The main one is because of its varying levels of complexity. The puzzle that must come together. The sheer amount of things that you need to get right to have a successful race and accomplish what you want. So with…