Podcast: How to improve physiological resilience for the marathon

Regular readers will know that I’m a big believer in the importance of physiological resilience for the marathon—the ability to resist the decline in your effective fitness level as a race continues. This week I was thrilled to return to Jason Fitzgerald’s Strength Running Podcast to do a deep dive into physiological resilience.

In the podcast, we unpack every aspect of resilience (sometimes also called durability): what it is, why it matters, and how you can improve it.

We also discussed questions like:

  • Is resilience the most important thing for the marathon?
  • Is fueling the key to better resilience?
  • What aspects of marathon training have I changed my mind on?
  • And much more!

Regular readers will remember that I appeared on Jason’s show in August of last year to chat about “Zone 3” and the benefits of high-end aerobic training. It was awesome to come back on the show and talk about another one of my favorite scientific topics. 

You can find the show on your favorite podcasting service:

🎙️ Click here to listen on Spotify

🎙️ Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts

You can also follow Jason on Instagram here. As always, if you enjoy the show remember to leave a review and recommend the episode to your friends. Enjoy the show!

Learn more about the science of the marathon

If enjoy the podcast and want to find out when I go on another show, subscribe to my email list! It's the best way to keep track of all my projects. You'll be the first to find out when I have new articles, new apps, or new projects coming out.

If you want to learn more about resilience, check out my blog post on resilience from last year, or pick up a copy of my new book, Marathon Excellence for Everyone: it's got an entire chapter on the science of resilience, plus workouts and training plans designed to improve it!

Related articles

Elite marathon training with Victor Urquhart Smångs

I just recorded a great podcast with Victor Urquhart Smångs, a coach and 28:57 10k runner in Sweden who is in the middle of a big build-up for the Valencia Marathon. We talked about elite-level marathon training, including key workouts, periodization, and heat versus altitude training.  Check out the full episode on your podcast app ... Read more

Talking marathon training on the Life in Stride Podcast

I just went on the Life in Stride Podcast to chat about all aspects of marathon training—workouts, periodization, fueling, tapering, recovery, and more!  This was a super fun chat with Chris, Scotty, and Danny, and it was great to get their own perspectives on training (Chris had just done the classic 8 x (1k, 1k) ... Read more

Podcast: Marathon Excellence on Running Book Reviews with Alan and Liz

I was just on the perfectly-named Running Book Reviews Podcast to chat with hosts Alan and Liz about my book, Marathon Excellence for Everyone. We talk about why I wrote the book, how I approach periodization for the marathon, and how to mentally approach race day, among many other topics. I really enjoyed this show ... Read more
John Davis lecturing about marathon science

Lecture: The science behind modern marathon training

I just posted the video from my live lecture on the science of modern marathon training!  In the video, I uncover the science behind the modern approach to marathon training, including how VO2max, running economy, lactate threshold, and physiological resilience each contribute to marathon performance. Then, I explore the training methods that most effectively target ... Read more

Chatting marathon training, strength work, and mindset with Alec Blenis

Recently I sat down to chat about training with hybrid athlete, coach, and content creator Alec Blenis. This was a particularly interesting conversation because I am also coaching Alec on his quest to break 2:30 in the marathon while maintaining his strength and physique goals.  I’m always looking to learn new things as a coach, ... Read more

Podcast: Base training for the marathon with the Seconds Flat Podcast

I just recorded a great conversation on the Seconds Flat Podcast from Columbus Running Company where we chatted about base training for the marathon, what coaches influenced me, how to set your marathon goal pace, and the merits of single vs. double threshold, among other topics.  Find the show on your favorite podcasting platform:  🎧 ... Read more

About the Author

John J. Davis, Ph.D.

I have been coaching runners and writing about training and injuries for over 12 years. I've helped complete novices, NXN-qualifying high schoolers, elite-field competitors at major marathons, and runners everywhere in between. I have a Ph.D. in Human Performance, and I do scientific research focused on the biomechanics of overuse injuries in runners. My new book on marathon training, Marathon Excellence for Everyone, is now available on Amazon!

Leave a Comment

Check out my new book on marathon training!