About this episode
Send us a text Ready to stop signing up for everything and start building a season that actually fits your life? We sit down with CTS coach Addison Smith to design a smarter year from the ground up: choosing an A race that truly motivates you, mapping B and C races that build skill without burnout, and matching training blocks to your goal’s specific demands. Whether you’re eyeing a first 50K or sharpening for a 100-mile bid, this conversation turns vague intentions into a practical plan. We break down the three-phase progression that drives long-term growth—learning to train, learning to race, and learning to win—and show how each stage shapes your calendar. Addison explains how to dial intensity by race duration and athlete level, why mid-packers often race best with more zone two than they think, and how to layer in threshold and marathon-effort work at the right time. We also get real about volume and recovery: minimum viable hours for 50K, 100K, and 100 mile, the risk of copying pro training, and how to avoid the all-in gambles that lead to burnout. Fueling myths get a major reality check. That 100 to 120 grams of carbs per hour? It only works if your pace and gut training support it. Most runners succeed at 60 to 90 grams per hour with fewer GI blow-ups. We walk through a simple framework to personalize hydration with a one-time sodium sweat test and easy at-home sweat rate tests, so your plan adapts from cold starts to hot, exposed climbs. Plus, actionable race routines, post-race debriefs, and candid insights from crewing at Javelina help you execute calmly when it counts. If lotteries didn’t go your way—or life’s time budget got tight—you’ll hear how to pivot without losing momentum. Subscribe for more coaching-focused episodes, share this with a training partner who’s planning their season, and leave a quick review so we know which topics to dig into next. Your next PR starts with a better plan—let’s build it together. Work with Addison, CTS Coach - @addisonsmith Follow Addison on IG - @addison_smith16 Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod Use code steepstuffpod for 25% off your cart at UltimateDirection.com !