020 - Andrew Miller - Giving, Community, Coaching, and Uphill Running

Check out Andrew's coaching and his Instagram.

In this episode, Andrew Miller discusses his experience winning the Western States race and the pressure and expectations that followed. He emphasizes the importance of community and the support he receives in his hometown of Corvallis. Andrew also shares his involvement in race organization and trail building. He provides tips for uphill running and discusses his coaching approach. The conversation concludes with a discussion on future trail races and nutrition. In this conversation, Andrew Miller discusses various aspects of ultra running, including aid station food, coaching and race planning, exploring new training ideas, multi-sport athletes, preparing for a 200-mile race, the appeal of longer races, the broad spectrum of ultra running, and future challenges and FKTs. He also talks about the challenges of traveling for races.

Takeaways

Managing pressure and expectations is crucial for maintaining enjoyment in running.

Community support and involvement can greatly enhance the running experience.

Trail building and volunteering are important ways to give back to the running community.

To improve uphill running, it is important to find a balance between running and hiking, and to focus on building strength and aerobic fitness.

Coaching can be beneficial for runners of all levels, and beginners often see the most progress. Consider bringing your own food to aid stations to avoid potential allergens and save time.

Coaching involves not only training plans but also helping athletes set realistic race schedules.

There is still much to be discovered in the sport of ultra running, and athletes from different sports bring new perspectives and ideas.

Multi-sport athletes can benefit from cross-training and specific training for their chosen discipline.

Preparing for a 200-mile race requires attention to detail and taking care of non-running aspects such as foot care.

Longer races offer unique challenges and require patience and careful planning.

Ultra running encompasses a wide range of events, from road races to FKT attempts, providing opportunities for different types of athletes.

There are still many unexplored challenges and FKT opportunities in the world of ultra running.

Traveling for races can be exhausting, and it's important to consider the logistics and time commitment involved.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Western States Win

03:24 Pressure and Expectations After Western States

07:07 Dealing with Pressure and Expectations

09:13 Running Alone vs. Running with Others

11:04 The Importance of Community

12:18 Involvement in Race Organization

14:15 The Culture of Service in Corvallis

17:30 Trail Building and Volunteering

23:19 Tips for Uphill Running

26:01 Coaching and Target Audience

36:42 Future Trail Races and Nutrition

40:40 Aid Station Food and Self-Sufficiency

42:09 Coaching and Race Planning

44:17 Exploring New Training Ideas

46:30 Multi-Sport Athletes

47:32 Preparing for a 200-Mile Race

51:11 The Appeal of Longer Races

56:24 The Broad Spectrum of Ultra Running

57:02 Future Challenges and FKTs

58:08 The Challenges of Traveling for Races