FTR Blog

Read more about the article Double Threshold Training: Should High School Runners Be Doing It?
double threshold training for high school runners

Double Threshold Training: Should High School Runners Be Doing It?

If you’ve spent any time on running social media or talked with teammates, you’ve probably heard the term double threshold. If you’re reading this, you’ve likely also heard of the “Norwegian method,” which has gained significant attention in recent years thanks to athletes such as Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and triathlete Kristian Blummenfelt. The Norwegians have been measuring and testing…

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Read more about the article 4 Keys to a Faster Marathon

4 Keys to a Faster Marathon

As marathon season is now in full swing for the fall and winter, with the Houston Marathon on the horizon for us Texas runners, you’re likely deep into the grind of your regular weekend long runs—the foundation of every solid training plan. Here’s the thing, though: the long run isn’t just about slogging through miles. It’s also an opportunity to…

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Read more about the article The Economy of Endurance Sports: Why Efficiency Matters
running coach, triathlon coach

The Economy of Endurance Sports: Why Efficiency Matters

What Is Economy in Endurance Sports? Economy is a critical performance metric in endurance sports like triathlon, and running. It represents the energy cost of maintaining a specific exercise intensity. In simple terms, economy measures how efficiently an athlete can perform a task with minimal energy expenditure. The less energy you use at a given output, the more efficient you…

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Read more about the article Beyond Motivation: Building Self-Discipline for Your 2025 Triathlon & Running Goals

Beyond Motivation: Building Self-Discipline for Your 2025 Triathlon & Running Goals

With the new year 2025 underway, many people have great intentions with setting goals to improve their health and wellness. The Mayo Clinic recommends adults aim for 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week. If you spread this across 6 days, that is just 25 minutes per day. This would cause many of our competitive marathoners and Ironman triathletes to…

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Read more about the article 4 Ways to Improve Your Swim this Off Season
Coach Ritter doing recording a swimmer underwater

4 Ways to Improve Your Swim this Off Season

As a professional triathlon coach, I've seen countless athletes struggle with the swim portion of their race. This is not uncommon for those who start swimming later in life. Whether you're training for an Ironman or looking to improve your performance in shorter distance triathlons, improving your swim and becoming more “swim fit” can lead to a better triathlon overall…

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Read more about the article 7 Essential Strategies for Midlife Marathoners

7 Essential Strategies for Midlife Marathoners

Are you considering running your first marathon this fall? Congratulations! This is an exciting step into your running journey. This marathon guide is for those nearing to middle age adults who are looking to take on their first marathon or for those who are starting back to running after a long-term lay off. Let’s get started on how you can prepare for your first marathon feat with 7 key points.

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Read more about the article “Building an Aerobic Foundation: The Key to Long-Term Success for Young Runners” 

“Building an Aerobic Foundation: The Key to Long-Term Success for Young Runners” 

As a coach of young runners, one of the most common questions I get among aspiring young runners is "What can I do to improve my speed?" Many assume that means starting out with high intensity interval training repetitions on the track. However, the reality is that the ones who are saying this come in with better 400 and 800 meter times and weaker 3k and 5k times. They lack the aerobic foundation that lower intensity zone 2 aerobic training provides.

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Read more about the article Mastering Triathletes’ Brick Workouts: A Complete Guide

Mastering Triathletes’ Brick Workouts: A Complete Guide

A seasoned triathlete may know that training requires a little more than just mastering swim, bike, run as individual disciplines. We need to think of triathlon as one sport instead of 3 sports. It’s important that you become efficient in the swim and bike, so you can still have a strong run.

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Read more about the article “Master the 5 Essential Keys for Triathlon Success”

“Master the 5 Essential Keys for Triathlon Success”

So, you want to be a successful triathlete? Well, of course, you do! That’s why you’re reading this article right now. Perhaps you’re aiming to qualify for the World Championships 70.3 or Kona. The off-season is the perfect time to learn and build new habits to help you reach new levels for the next season that will soon be upon us.

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