What does it really take to build a championship distance program — and are miles enough?

In this episode, I sit down with Andy Dirks, head cross country coach at Plainfield North, fresh off a state championship, to break down how he develops complete athletes, not just distance runners.

We explore the parallels between distance training and speed development, including:

• Why sprinting still matters for distance athletes
• How strength training fits into a championship XC program
• Moving beyond “just logging miles”
• Developing athleticism that carries over to track, sprinting, and long-term performance
• Building resilient, adaptable athletes at the high school level

This conversation challenges traditional distance training models and shows how speed, strength, and smart programming can coexist with high-level endurance performance.

Whether you coach cross country, track & field, sprint athletes, or care about long-term athletic development, this episode is about going beyond miles.

🎧 Topics Covered:

• Cross country training philosophy
• Speed training for distance runners
• Strength training for runners
• Athlete-first vs mileage-first programs
• High school coaching and development

In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, Coach Tony Holler sits down with Coach Brian Weiss — a standout 400m/800m runner from the 1999 Harrisburg championship team and now the head coach at Triad High School.

Brian was part of the very first team to experience the Feed the Cats philosophy in action — when Coach Holler shifted from traditional high-mileage training to a focus on speed, recovery, and max velocity. That season ended with a state title and marked a turning point in sprint-based coaching.

Join us as we reflect on:
- How “Feed the Cats” began and changed everything
- The difference between running more and running faster
- Brian’s journey from athlete to successful coach
- Lessons from the 1999 championship season that still hold true today

🎙️ Feed the Cats Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Ben Patrick, a.k.a. Knees Over Toes Guy, whose training methods have taken the internet by storm. His mission is simple: less knee pain and more knee ability — with or without equipment.

We dive into how Ben’s approach aligns with Feed the Cats Speed Training principles:
- Avoiding overtraining to stay fresh and explosive
- Building athletic skills that make you faster, stronger, and healthier
- Training smart to extend your career and performance

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or just someone who wants to move without pain, this conversation will change how you think about training and longevity.

📌 Follow Ben Patrick:
- https://www.youtube.com/c/thekneesovertoesguy
- https://www.instagram.com/kneesovertoesguy/?hl=en

#KneesOverToes #SpeedTraining #AthletePerformance #BenPatrick #StrengthTraining #KneeHealth #AthleteLongevity

Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBPj3-_eDe-42EpKhMt4B7Q/join

What if football practice was shorter, faster, and more fun — and your team won more games because of it?

In this solo episode, I break down Sprint-Based Football (SBF) — a speed-first, low-dosage approach to coaching that prioritizes performance over grinding and winning over outworking your opponents.

We’ll cover:
✅ Why traditional “conditioning-first” football is outdated
✅ How speed training boosts performance, health, and durability
✅ The role of max velocity in making athletes faster and less prone to injury
✅ Why short, high-quality practices create better game-day results
✅ Real-world results from programs winning over 90% of their games with SBF

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your players fresh, healthy, and fast all season long — this episode will change the way you think about football forever.

📢 Learn more the USR Masterclass: https://universalspeedrating.com/ftcmasterclass

In this episode, I sit down with David Weck, founder of The Weck Method and inventor of the world-famous BOSU Ball, to dive deep into sprint mechanics, speed development, and athletic performance.

David shares his approach to movement and speed training, including:
- Head Over Foot positioning
- The Spinal Engine
- Coiling mechanics for power and efficiency
- How tools like Rope Flow, ProPulsers, and Weighted Vests enhance athletic performance

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or just someone passionate about training, this conversation unpacks how proper mechanics can unlock new levels of speed, coordination, and athleticism.

📌 Learn more about David Weck and The Weck Method here:
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thedavidweck/?hl=en
- Website - https://shop.weckmethod.com/

#SpeedTraining #SprintMechanics #AthleticPerformance #RopeFlow #StrengthAndConditioning

In this episode, we sit down with Douglas Heel, founder of Be Activated—the groundbreaking muscle activation system also known in the U.S. as RPR (Reflexive Performance Reset).

Douglas explains how poor movement patterns and stress responses can block your body’s potential—and how simple activation techniques can instantly improve strength, speed, flexibility, and overall athletic performance.

We discuss:
🔹 What is Be Activated / RPR?
🔹 How to reset your nervous system and movement patterns
🔹 Why activation improves performance across every level
🔹 Real-life examples of athletes transforming with this method
🔹 How YOU can integrate these techniques into your training

This system is laughably simple to learn—and shockingly effective. Whether you're a coach, athlete, or just want to move and feel better, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about the body and performance.

Find more from Douglas here:

- https://www.instagram.com/douglasheel_beactivated/?hl=en

- https://douglasheel.com/

🎧 Don’t miss this mind-blowing conversation with the man behind one of the most effective systems in sports performance.

What happens when a college sells its soul to survive? In this episode, we sit down with author Rus Bradburd to unpack his latest satirical novel, “Big Time” — a hilarious and biting commentary on the wild world of college athletics and higher education.

- Link to his book, Big Time: https://amzn.to/44uoVSG

Set at the fictional Coors State University — where beer companies fund the campus, professors moonlight as cops, and the history department sells popcorn — Big Time paints a screwball but alarmingly familiar picture of what happens when money and sports hijack academia.

Bradburd, a former Division I basketball coach turned award-winning author, shares the inspiration behind the book, the real-world absurdities that shaped it, and why Big Time is resonating with readers across sports and education.

🔥 Praise for “Big Time”
“Sharp, clean hit.” — Jonathan Eig (author of Ali and King)
“A subversive, sidesplitting screwball of a novel.” — Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education
“Provocative, hilarious, and thought-provoking.” — Jesse Washington, ESPN/Andscape

Whether you're a sports fan, a coach, a college student, or someone tired of the NCAA’s influence, this episode delivers laughs, truth, and eye-opening insights.

📘 Grab your copy of Big Time
🔔 Like, comment, and share if this hit home

In this first episode of a two-part series, the Feed the Cats Podcast welcomes Rus Bradburd—a former Division I basketball coach, world-class ball handler, and acclaimed author. Rus shares his incredible journey from growing up in Chicago Public Schools to becoming one of the top dribblers in the game and coaching at UTEP and New Mexico State.

We dive into his transformation from coach to writer, explore how his experiences on and off the court shaped his voice, and hear stories from his impactful Basketball in the Barrio program. Rus’s unique perspective on sports, culture, and the role of athletics in social progress makes this an unforgettable conversation.

- Link to his recent book, Big Time: https://amzn.to/44uoVSG

📘 Books by Rus Bradburd include Big Time, All the Dreams We've Dreamed, and Forty Minutes of Hell.
🎻 Bonus: He’s also an accomplished fiddle player living between Chicago, Belfast, and New Mexico.

👉 Don’t miss Part 2 where we discuss his book "Big Time" in depth.