In this episode of the Lift Heavy Run Fast Podcast, I break down five simple, practical ways to make running way less shit — especially if you're a lifter, beginner, or hybrid athlete who didn’t grow up loving endurance.

These are the exact strategies I use personally and the ones I give my athletes at Lift Run Rehab. Nothing fluffy, nothing influencer-y… just real, realistic advice that makes running not only tolerable, but actually enjoyable.

If you’ve ever said “I want to run but I hate it”… this one’s for you.

In today’s episode, we cover:

• How to slow down properly so running stops feeling like punishment
• Why most people start too hot and burn out immediately
• How to choose the right shoes and paces for your body
• Why you need structure — not vibes — to build consistency
• The mindset shift that makes running feel easier instantly
• How to pair running with lifting without blowing up your legs
• Why running won’t feel good at the start… and why that’s normal
• How hybrids can pace their week so the legs survive
• When to push and when to back off
• My favourite beginner-friendly run types

Basically: how to make running feel like less of a chore and more of a skill you can improve.

🔗 Links & Resources

💪 Hybrid Training Programs → liftheavyrunfast.myshopify.com

🏋️‍♂️ Online Coaching with Coach Mike → Apply here: coachmichaelsechos.com

🎥 YouTube Channel → Hybrid Coach Mike

📱 Instagram → @hybridcoachmike

🎧 TikTok → @hybridcoachmike

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

In this episode of the Lift Heavy Run Fast Podcast, I break down the high–low training model and explain exactly how hybrid athletes can use it to lift heavy, run fast, and recover properly without burning out.

This isn’t theory—it’s the same framework I use with athletes inside Lift Run Rehab and in my own training. I’ll walk you through how to structure your week, where hybrids go wrong, how to pair lifting with running, and how to adjust intensity based on fatigue.

If you’re juggling strength and endurance and want a simple, reliable way to plan your training week, this episode will sort you out.

In today’s episode, I cover:

• What the High–Low Model actually is (not the overcomplicated academic version)
• Why hybrid athletes need it more than pure lifters or runners
• How to categorise your sessions into High, Medium and Low
• The biggest mistakes hybrids make when mixing these intensities
• How to place your heavy lifting days and harder running sessions
• How to avoid stacking too much intensity in one block
• My go-to weekly templates for beginners, intermediates, and busy adults
• When to ignore the model and when to double down on it
• Practical examples from my own training and my athletes
• What recovery actually means in a hybrid week (not bubble baths)

🔗 Links & Resources

💪 Hybrid Training Programs → liftheavyrunfast.myshopify.com

🏋️‍♂️ Online Coaching with Coach Mike → Apply here: coachmichaelsechos.com

🎥 YouTube Channel → Hybrid Coach Mike

📱 Instagram → @hybridcoachmike

🎧 TikTok → @hybridcoachmike

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

What does “good” actually look like for a hybrid athlete? How strong should you be? How fast should you run?

In this episode, Hybrid Coach Mike breaks down realistic performance standards for lifter-runners — from 5K times to 1RMs, from bodyweight strength ratios to endurance markers. You’ll learn how to set benchmarks that make sense for hybrid athletes, how to measure your own progress, and why comparison to single-sport athletes is useless.

Whether you’re chasing a sub-20 5K or a double bodyweight deadlift, this episode helps you define your version of hybrid performance.

In this episode:

• What defines “performance” for a hybrid athlete
• The difference between strength standards and endurance standards
• Why most athletes measure progress the wrong way
• How to set baselines for both lifting and running
• Benchmarks for strength (relative to bodyweight)
• Benchmarks for running (5K, 10K, and half half-marathon)
• Why hybrid training success depends on context — not comparison

🔗 Links & Resources

💪Hybrid Training Programs → liftheavyrunfast.myshopify.com

🏋️‍♂️ Online Coaching with Coach Mike → Apply here: coachmichaelsechos.com

🎥 YouTube Channel → Hybrid Coach Mike

📱 Instagram → @hybridcoachmike

🎧 TikTok → @hybridcoachmike

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

“Progressive overload” gets thrown around like gospel — add more weight, do more reps, run further. But that’s not what real progress looks like.

In this episode, Coach Michael Sechos breaks down what progressive overload actually means for hybrid athletes who lift and run. You’ll learn why more isn’t always better, how to recognise genuine progression, and the smarter ways to keep getting stronger and faster — without burning out or stalling.

This one’s for every lifter-runner chasing results, not just fatigue. Lift heavy and run fast.

In this episode:

• The real definition of progressive overload (and why most people miss it)
• Why you don’t need to constantly add weight to the bar
• When doing less can actually make you progress faster
• The role of recovery and fatigue management in long-term gains
• What true progression looks like in both lifting and running
• Real-world examples from Coach Mike’s own training and his clients

🔗 Links & Resources

💪Hybrid Training Programs → liftheavyrunfast.myshopify.com

🏋️‍♂️ Online Coaching with Coach Mike → Apply here: coachmichaelsechos.com

🎥 YouTube Channel → Hybrid Coach Mike

📱 Instagram → @hybridcoachmike

🎧 TikTok → @hybridcoachmike

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

You’ve heard it before — “You can’t get strong and fit at the same time.” That’s the myth of the interference effect — the idea that lifting and running cancel each other out.

In this episode, Coach Michael Sechos breaks down why that old-school belief doesn’t hold up anymore. We dive into the real science, how training variables actually interact, and why most “interference” is really just poor fatigue management.

If you’re a hybrid athlete chasing strength and endurance, this episode will show you how to train both — without compromise. Lift heavy run fast.

In this episode:

• What the interference effect actually is
• Why early studies made it sound worse than it really is
• How smarter hybrid training eliminates “interference”
• The real limiting factors: fatigue, recovery, and poor planning
• How to balance intensity across lifting and running
• Why hybrid athletes can still get strong and fast
• Real examples from Coach Mike’s own programming and client results

Key takeaway:

The interference effect doesn’t ruin progress — poor recovery and planning do.

🔗 Links & Resources

💪Hybrid Training Programs → liftheavyrunfast.myshopify.com

🏋️‍♂️ Online Coaching with Coach Mike → Apply here: coachmichaelsechos.com

🎥 YouTube Channel → Hybrid Coach Mike

📱 Instagram → @hybridcoachmike

🎧 TikTok → @hybridcoachmike

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

Most lifters know they need to deload. Most runners ignore it.

But for hybrid athletes who are doing both — getting it wrong can wreck progress fast.

In this episode, I break down:

• What a deload actually is (and what it isn’t)
• When you should take one
• How to deload your lifting and running without losing momentum
• What I’m currently doing in my own training block and why

If you train hard year-round, this one’s worth a listen. It’ll help you reset without losing the edge.

📲 Follow & Connect:

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/hybridcoachmike/

TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@hybridcoachmike

Website — www.coachmichaelsechos.com

🎧 Listen to all episodes — https://liftheavyrunfast.buzzsprout.com

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

In this episode, I break down exactly how to structure your training week if you want to get stronger and faster without burning out.

I cover how to balance lifting and running sessions, what order to train them in, how to manage fatigue, and more.

Listen to the full episode here:

http://liftheavyrunfast.buzzsprout.com

Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/hybridcoachmike

Follow me on TikTok:

http://www.tiktok.com/@hybridcoachmike

Learn more about my coaching and hybrid training programs:

http://www.coachmichaelsechos.com

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro

Welcome to the Lift Heavy Run Fast Podcast — hosted by Coach Michael Sechos, better known online as Hybrid Coach Mike.

This show dives into what it really takes to get stronger and faster at the same time — without living like a monk. Each week, I’ll be sharing honest conversations about hybrid training, lifting, running, recovery, and the realistic approach to chasing both.

🎙️ Episode 1 is live now — an introduction to who I am, why this podcast exists, and what to expect moving forward.

Listen and subscribe here:

http://liftheavyrunfast.buzzsprout.com

Follow me on Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/hybridcoachmike

Follow me on TikTok:

http://www.tiktok.com/@hybridcoachmike

Learn more about my coaching and hybrid programs:

http://www.coachmichaelsechos.com

Lift Heavy, Run Fast Podcast Intro