Tim and Cal Emz break down running economy and why it matters so much for long-course triathlon. They also swap race-week stories from Sunny Coast, talk through recent injuries, and share practical cues and drills that can help runners become more efficient without overhauling their natural style.
Key topics
In this episode, Cal and Emz give a quick update on recent race recovery, off-season plans, and the realities of juggling training with unexpected injuries.
Tim explains running economy as the energy cost of running at a given speed, and why minimizing wasted movement matters more when athletes are already fatigued in a 70.3 or Ironman.
The group discusses the main pieces of economy: metabolic efficiency, elastic return through tendons, muscular strength, and coordination.
Tim points out that good running form is not always obvious visually and that some athletes look unconventional but still run very economically.
Cal compares different elite runners and notes that speed, resilience, and injury resistance do not always show up in the same athlete.
Emz shares what has improved her own economy lately: genuinely easy running, consistent strength work, and drills done as part of the program.
The coaches talk through useful running cues like running tall, soft shoulders, light feet, and pelvis posture, and why different athletes need different cues.
The discussion covers how drills, strides, and video feedback can help athletes notice changes in form over the course of a long run.
Cal explains how arm carriage, relaxed shoulders, and posture can help on hills and when holding cadence under fatigue.
The episode closes with a reminder that efficiency is about what a runner can sustain, not just how they look from the outside.
Timestamps
00:00 - Race updates, recovery, and the injury lottery
01:44 - Why random injuries happen outside hard training
03:17 - Port Macquarie logistics, accommodation, and race planning
06:37 - What running economy actually means for triathletes
08:25 - The four main ingredients of better economy
10:13 - Why some elite runners look efficient even when they do not look textbook
13:04 - Form is what you can see, economy is what it costs
14:01 - The sprint finish debate: line changes, fatigue, and kick speed
15:47 - Hayden Wilde, recovery, and backing up hard races
17:19 - Short course versus long course and what age might change
18:43 - Emz on the three biggest gains in her running economy
21:06 - Easy aerobic running, drills, and strength working together
22:46 - Why running tall and relaxed shoulders matter
23:46 - Cues for posture, light feet, and listening to foot strike
24:54 - The belt-buckle cue for hills and forward posture
25:20 - More cues: hips under the body, glutes, hamstrings, and cadence
26:46 - Using video to compare the first and last part of a long run
28:00 - Arm drive, core stability, and keeping the body compact
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