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Tai Smith

@sai_tmith

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AZ 🏠🌵too slow to be a pro
🎽👟 @tracksmithrunning ASP
UMO Alumnus| Wingate Alumnus x 2
I coach @teamup_running

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Control my run 🎮🔥

Coaching: @teamup_running

#runner #game #runnersofinstagram #running #runners

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Your marathon is decided in the 7 days before it. 🏃

NYC is 17 days out. Most runners spend 16 weeks training, then blow it all in race week with bad sleep, new foods, and a “test” workout that wrecks their legs.

Swipe through for the 5 things to nail in your final 7 days, including the one that saves races at mile 20. 👇

Save this for your race week. Send it to your training partner.

What’s the one race-week mistake you’ll never make again? Drop it below.

#marathontraining #nycmarathon #marathonprep #runningtips #teamuprunning

🔗 Want a plan built for you? Free consultation. Link in bio.

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Got to see Family and Friends this summer and a good summer of training in Flagstaff⛰️! Got to go to Anaheim with my mom and now I’m heading off to Florida Tech for my last two years of school!!!
🎃✅☕️

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WHAT ACTUALLY IS THRESHOLD PACE? 🧠🏃‍♂️
Most runners hear “threshold” and think: “Run as hard as I possibly can.”
That’s not threshold.
Threshold pace is one of the most important training intensities for distance runners, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood
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WHAT IS THRESHOLD PACE?
Threshold pace is roughly the fastest pace you can sustain for around 40 to 60 minutes in a race setting.
It should feel “comfortably hard”, controlled, but definitely challenging.
Think:
🏃‍♂️ 83 to 88% of VO₂ Max ❤️ 88 to 92% of Max Heart Rate 🔥 RPE: 7 to 8/10
You should be working hard, but you shouldn’t be sprinting or racing.
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2 WHAT DOES THRESHOLD ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE?
A good threshold effort should feel:
✅ Controlled ✅ Strong ✅ Rhythmic ✅ Sustainable
You should be able to say a few words, but holding a full conversation should be difficult.
The biggest mistake?
❌ Running your threshold workouts too fast.
If your threshold workout leaves you completely destroyed, you probably went beyond threshold.
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3 HOW LONG SHOULD YOU RUN AT THRESHOLD?
You can accumulate threshold work in several ways:
🏃‍♂️ 20 to 30 MIN CONTINUOUS TEMPO
🏃‍♂️ 4 × 1 MILE @ THRESHOLD (60 to 90 sec easy jog)
🏃‍♂️ 3 × 10 MIN @ THRESHOLD (2 min easy jog)
The goal is to accumulate quality time at threshold, not to see how fast you can run.
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4 WHY TRAIN THRESHOLD?
Threshold training helps your body become more efficient at sustaining faster running before fatigue takes over.
In simple terms:
Higher threshold = faster pace for longer. 📈
It’s one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle for improving your 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon performance.
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THE BIGGEST LESSON
Threshold pace isn’t your fastest pace.
It’s the fastest pace you can control and repeat.
❌ Stop turning every tempo run into a race. ✅ Learn what controlled hard actually feels like.
Train the right intensity. Stack the weeks. Wat

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The heartbeat of this team grows stronger and louder every day.

Renegade Elite is building toward CIM, and we’re coming as a force.

📸 1, 5 @hey_miya
📸 2,6,7,10,11 @itslindseyshea

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Marathon pace (MP) is used to practice for a marathon race. MP sits between Easy Pace and Threshold Pace. Easy running has foundational physiological benefits that help with building a strong base. MP does not have any additional physiological benefits. Threshold Pace has helps build endurance.

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🏅 MEDAL MONDAY 🏃‍♂️🔥

Racing hard. Training harder.
📸: @austcorb
A huge congratulations to Tai for an impressive performance at the Flagstaff Downtown Mile, where he competed in the elite field and finished:

🏅 10th Overall
⏱️ 4:26 for the mile

The best part?

The race was just one piece of the day’s training.

After crossing the finish line, Tai laced back up and completed a workout to continue building fitness as part of his current training block. That’s the difference between racing for a result and racing with a purpose.

Coming off a strong half marathon earlier this month, this is just the beginning. Every race, every workout, and every mile is laying the foundation for what’s to come later this season.

We can’t wait to see what Tai accomplishes throughout this build. The fitness is coming together, and we’re excited to watch it all unfold this fall. 🚀

Congratulations, Tai! Keep stacking the work. 👏💪

Want to train with purpose like Tai?

Whether you’re preparing for your first race or chasing your next PR, Team Up Running creates personalized coaching plans designed around your goals, schedule, and lifestyle.

📲 Head to the link in our bio to schedule your FREE consultation and discover what personalized coaching can do for your running.

Let’s achieve your goals together. 🏃

#MedalMonday #EliteRunning #MileRace #DistanceRunning #RunningCoach

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Fueling is a huge part of performing! Let us know if we missed anything down below in the comments ⬇️

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🏃‍♂️ 4 sessions to BLOW THE ROOF off your 5K PR ‼️📈

Everyone wants to run a faster 5K.

Most runners think that means hammering hard intervals every week.

The fastest runners know something different...
It’s the right workouts, done consistently, that lead to breakthrough performances.

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1. 5 × 1K @ 5K PACE
(2 min easy jog)

One of the best race-specific sessions you can do.
It teaches your body to lock into goal pace while building the strength to hold it all the way to the finish.

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2. 12 × 400M @ 3K-5K PACE
(60 sec easy jog)

This session develops speed, running economy, and your ability to recover while still running fast.
Controlled, not all-out.

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3. 20 MIN TEMPO + 6 × 200M FAST

The tempo run raises your lactate threshold.
The fast 200s sharpen your turnover when your legs are already tired, the perfect combination for a faster 5K.

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4. LONG RUN + FINAL 15-20 MIN MODERATE

Yes... even 5K runners need long runs.
A stronger aerobic engine means you can maintain a faster pace for longer and finish stronger when the race starts to hurt.

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THE BIGGEST LESSON

A faster 5K isn’t built from one magical workout.
It’s built from months of stacking quality sessions on top of easy miles and showing up week after week.

❌ Stop chasing exhaustion.
✅ Start chasing consistency.

That’s how PRs are made. 💪

👇 What’s your current 5K PR, and what time are you chasing next?

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🏃‍♂️ 5 boring sessions that forge scary half marathon fitness 💨

Most runners are looking for the perfect workout.

Elite runners know it’s not about finding one magical session...

It’s about repeating the same proven workouts for months.

—

1. 3 × 2 MILES @ THRESHOLD
(2-3 min easy jog)

This is a staple in elite training.

It builds your lactate threshold so you can hold a faster pace for longer without blowing up.

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2. 10-12 MILE LONG RUN
with the final 3-5 miles at half marathon effort.

This teaches your body to run fast when glycogen is low—the exact feeling you’ll face late in the race.

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3. 6-8 × 1K @ 10K PACE
(60-90 sec jog)

One of the most common interval sessions used to improve VO₂ max, running economy, and your ability to sustain a fast rhythm.

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4. 40-60 MIN EASY + 6 × 20 SEC STRIDES

Simple. Effective.

Easy mileage builds the aerobic engine while strides keep your mechanics sharp without adding fatigue.

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5. 2 × 20 MIN @ THRESHOLD
(3 min easy jog)

A classic workout used by countless elite runners.

It’s not flashy, but spending quality time at threshold is one of the fastest ways to improve your half marathon performance.

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THE BIGGEST LESSON

Notice what isn’t here...

❌ All-out intervals
❌ Random “killer” workouts
❌ Running hard every day

Elite runners get scary fit by mastering the basics and repeating them week after week.

Consistency beats complexity, every single time. 💪

👇 Which one of these sessions are you adding to your next training block?

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💧Most runners don’t slow down in the summer because they’re out of shape...

They slow down because they’re dehydrated.

Just a 2% loss in body weight from sweat can lead to a noticeable drop in endurance, increased heart rate, and a harder perceived effort. That means your “easy run” suddenly feels like a workout and your workouts become much harder to execute.

The good news? Hydration is one of the easiest performance gains you can make.

Swipe through this carousel to learn:
💦 How much to drink before your run
🧂 When you actually need electrolytes
🚰 How to stay hydrated during long runs
⚠️ The warning signs of dehydration every runner should know

Small habits lead to big results. The runners who stay consistent through the summer are the ones who build the strongest fitness for fall races.

If you’re tired of guessing your training, pacing, fueling, and recovery, we’re here to help.

At Team Up Running, we build personalized coaching plans that fit your goals, schedule, and experience level, whether you’re chasing your first 5K or your next marathon PR.

📩 Send us a DM with “COACHING” or click the link in our bio to learn more and start training smarter.

🏃 Train with purpose. Race with confidence. Finish stronger.

#RunningCoach #RunningTips #MarathonTraining #HalfMarathonTraining #DistanceRunner

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This is what a workout morning really looks like. Get your clothes on, prepare your fuel, get your bag ready, grab your shoes, head out the door, lace em up and then do what your coach said to do.

#runningtraining #runningcommunity #marathonrunning #marathontrainingtips #running

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