Science on Track

Velocity Project
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Science on Track brings a high school coach and researcher together for a point-counter point discussion about how coaches can implement the findings of a study with high school track & field or cross country athletes in their real practices. The goal of this show is to provide coaches with helpful ways to bring new science to help their athletes.

Episodes

  1. 10/02/2025

    Adolescent runners patterns in care at an Injured Runners Clinic

    Podcast Summary: Science on Track – Injured Runners Clinic🎙️ Episode OverviewThis episode explores a study on adolescent runners seekingcare at an injured runners clinic, focusing on clinical assessment, treatment,and referral trends. The study was published in the Journal of PediatricRehabilitation Medicine in 2024 and involved a retrospective review of 392patients and over 2,300 clinical encounters. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3233/PRM-220082?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed  🧠 Key Guests & Their Roles - Dr. Alexandra Dejong Lemke: Assistant Professor atVirginia Commonwealth University, led the study and shared insights from herclinical and research experience.- Coach Mark Hoffman: High school coach from South Milwaukee, WI, provided apractical coaching perspective on injury management and athlete care.🔍 Study Highlights  - Most Common Injury: Shin bone stress injuries accountedfor 40% of clinic visits.- Referral Trends: Referrals to physical therapy, gait training, nutrition, and psychiatry were common.- Evolution of Care: Shift from symptom management to addressing root causessince 2015.- Evidence-Based Practice: Clinical practices aligned with consensus statements from 2014, 2018, and 2023. 🏃 Coaching Insights - Early Intervention: Trust and communication are key toearly injury reporting.- On-Site Athletic Trainers: Improve injury management and reduce coach burden.- Load Management: Adjust training volume using strategies like reduced reps and cross-training.- Warm-Up & Cool-Down: Critical for injury prevention but often undervalued. 🥗 Nutrition & Injury Prevention - RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport): Under-fuelingis a major contributor to bone stress injuries.- Misconceptions: Harmful diets like no-fat diets can lead to long-term issues. 🧍‍♂️ Gait Analysis - Clinic Approach: Uses video analysis and treadmillassessments.- Wearables: Provide useful metrics like cadence and stride length. 🧒 Youth Athlete Considerations - Early Specialization Risks: Diverse movement and play helpprevent overuse injuries.- Coaching Challenges: Managing training loads is complex with multi-sport athletes. 🧾 Final Takeaways - Shin injuries dominate adolescent running injuries andrequire comprehensive care.- Early reporting, multidisciplinary treatment, and evidence-based practicesare crucial.- Coaches play a vital role in injury prevention through education, loadmanagement, and fostering trust. Hungria Hip Hop - Meu Carona (Wilde BeatsRemix) By Dj Wilde Beats is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

    56 min

  2. 09/15/2025

    Dogma of Running Injuries - Perceptions of High School Runners

    🎙️ Episode Overview Host: Evan Nelson, Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin Guests: Dr. Micah Garcia, Assistant Professor at Thomas More University, expert in youth running biomechanics and injury prevention. Coach Matt Cooper, Head Cross Country Coach at Verona High School, Verona, Wisconsin. 🧠 Topic: Perceptions of Running-Related Injuries This episode explores how adolescent and adult runnersperceive the causes and prevention of running injuries, based on the 2024 study: “The Dogma of Running Injuries: Perceptions of Adolescent and Adult Runners” (Journal of Athletic Training). 📊 Study Highlights Participants: 659 runners (ages 9+), globally recruited. Groups: Adolescents (≤19 years) vs. Adults (≥20 years). Method: Survey on beliefs about injury risk and prevention. 🧩 Key Findings ✅ Commonly Perceived Risk Factors: Poor bone health, low calcium, negative caloric intake Tight muscles, hard surfaces, narrow steps, high-mileage shoes Previous injury (strongest evidence-supported risk) ✅ Commonly Perceived Protective Factors: Stretching (dynamic before, static after) Strong legs/core, cross-training, cushioned shoes Taking rest/off days 🔍 Adolescents vs. Adults: Adolescents emphasized footwear, stretching, and surface. Adults emphasized overtraining and strength training. 🧪 Evidence-Based Truths Only strong evidence: Previous injury increases future injury risk. Inconclusive evidence: Most other factors (e.g., stretching, footwear, cadence). Cadence: Lower cadence linked to shin injuries in adolescents (emerging evidence). Strength training: Valuable for performance and bone health, though not conclusively injury-preventive. 🧠 Coach & Researcher Insights Coach Cooper: Emphasizes education, strength training, and athlete buy-in. Plans to use fatigue curves and alumni talks to improve understanding. Dr. Garcia: Encourages bridging the gap between research and coaching. Notes that beliefs often influence behavior—except in nutrition, where awareness didn’t match action. 🧰 Practical Takeaways Coaches: Use athlete-friendly education, visuals, and peer examples. Researchers: Simplify findings, attend coaching clinics, and collaborate with coaches. Everyone: Be curious, adaptable, and evidence-informed. Hungria Hip Hop - Meu Carona (Wilde BeatsRemix) By Dj WildeBeats is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

    50 min

  3. 09/01/2025

    Nutrition Intervention for High School Runners

    🎙️ Episode Focus The episode centers on a study titled: “NutritionEducation Curriculum Promotes Adolescent Runners’ Self-Efficacy, Knowledge, andIntake of Nutrient-Rich Carbohydrate Foods.” https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2021.2019139 👩‍⚕️ Guest: Dr.Michelle Barrack • Assistant Professor at Cal State Long Beach and a sports dietitian.• Passionate about working with high school endurance runners.• Her research focuses on nutrition’s role in energy availability, bone health, and injury prevention.🧑‍🏫 Guest:Coach Brian Jefferson • Head boys track and field coach at Monona Grove High School, Wisconsin.• Emphasizes the importance of “little things” like nutrition in athlete development.• Interested in applying research findings to improve team performance.🧪 Study Overview • Purpose: Evaluate a 4-week nutrition education program for adolescent runners.• Focus: Quality, quantity, and timing of nutrient-rich carbohydrate intake.• Participants: Male and female high school distance runners from two Southern California schools.• Sessions Included:1. Role of carbohydrates in training.2. How much carbohydrate runners need.3. Building performance plates.4. Nutrient timing for performance and recovery.📊 Key Findings • Increased Knowledge: Significant gains in nutrition knowledge after the first two sessions.• Improved Self-Efficacy: Confidence in applying nutrition strategies increased across all four sessions.• Behavioral Changes: Athletes reported real-life changes like enhancing meals with more carbs (e.g., adding bananas to yogurt).• Engagement: High schoolers responded well to interactive, hands-on learning with food models and take-home activities.🧠 Concept Highlight:Energy Availability • Defined as the energy left for normal body functions after accounting for exercise.• Critical for bone health, hormonal balance, and injury prevention.• Carbohydrates were identified as the most commonly lacking macronutrient in adolescent runners.🏃‍♂️ Coach’sPerspective • Coach Jefferson found the term “energy availability” more relatable than “nutrition.”• Plans to integrate findings into team meetings and weekly updates.• Sees value in simple, actionable changes like post-practice snacks during cool-downs.🚧 Barriers toImplementation • Time constraints for athletes (school, jobs, family responsibilities).• Coaches’ varying comfort levels with nutrition education.• Limited access to sports dietitians in some regions.💡 Recommendations • Coaches can start small: provide snacks post-practice, reinforce nutrition messages.• Include parents in education efforts to support athletes at home.• Use resources from:• American Sports and Performance Dietitian Association• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Sports Nutrition Practice Group)🧾 Final Takeaways • Nutrition education can be impactful even in short interventions.• Building self-efficacy is key to long-term behavior change.• Coaches play a vital role in reinforcing healthy habits.• Collaboration between researchers, coaches, and parents enhances success.Hungria Hip Hop - Meu Carona (Wilde Beats Remix) By Dj Wilde Beats is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

    44 min

  4. 07/30/2025

    Which Training Log is Accurate? GPS watches vs Athlete Reported Training

    🎙️ Podcast Overview Host: Evan Nelson, Associate Professor at theUniversity of Wisconsin Guests: Dr. Micah Garcia, Assistant Professor at Thomas More University, expert in youth runningCoach Charlie Burnham, Girls' Cross Country Coach at Burnsville High School, Burnsville, MN🏃‍♂️ Topic: MeasuringTraining Load in High School Cross Country Runners The episode explores how to best track training loads inhigh school runners, comparing GPS watches and electronictraining journals. 📊 Key Concepts External Load: Objective measures like distance and time. Internal Load: Subjective or physiological responses like perceived exertion or heart rate. 📄 Study Summary Title: “Global Positioning System Watches and Electronic Journals: Are Training Load Measures Similar in High School Cross Country Runners?” Published: 2022, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance Authors: Dr. Micah Garcia & David Bazzett-Jones 🔍 Purpose: To compare data from GPS watches and electronic journals toassess consistency in tracking training loads. 📈 Findings: GPS watches provided more consistent and complete data for external loads. Journals often had missing entries (about 1/3 of GPS-recorded runs were not journaled). When both sources were available, journal entries tended to overreport distance and time by ~10%. Internal load (perceived exertion vs. heart rate) showed poor agreement—heart rate data from wrist-based GPS watches was often inaccurate. 🧠 Insights from Dr. Garcia GPS watches are more reliable for external load tracking. Subjective perceived exertion may be more accurate than wrist-based heart rate for internal load. Coaches should choose tools based on their goals and available resources. 🏫 Coaching Perspectivefrom Coach Burnham Prioritizes external load (time and distance), especially time-based training for inclusivity. Uses a Google spreadsheet for summer training logs; less structured during the season. Emphasizes fun, consistency, and long-term love for the sport over strict data tracking. Notes challenges with technology access, motivation, and accuracy among high school athletes. 🧩 Practical Takeaways GPS watches are effective for capturing external load but may not reflect perceived effort. Self-reported intensity is valuable but requires routine and motivation. Coaching context matters: team size, athlete experience, and program goals influence the best tracking method. Hungria Hip Hop - Meu Carona (Wilde BeatsRemix) By Dj WildeBeats is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

    49 min

  5. 07/01/2025

    Week-to-Week Changes in Running Volume Were Not Related to Risk of Sustaining a Running Injury in High School Distance Runners

    🎙️ Podcast Summary:Science on Track – Week-to-Week Changes in Running Volume Host: Evan O. Nelson Guests: • Dr. Mikel Joachim – Research Program Manager, University of Wisconsin• Coach Jane Wheeler – Head Girls Cross Country Coach, Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf, Iowa🧪 Study Overview The episode centers on a research study titled: “Week-to-week changes in training were not prospectively associated with injuries among Wisconsin High School cross-country runners” (published in Injury Prevention, 2024). https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2024/07/31/ip-2024-045233 🔍 Study Purpose To investigate whether week-to-week changes in trainingvolume (distance, duration, intensity) are associated with injury risk in high school cross-country runners. 📊 Key Findings • No significant association was found between week-to-week changes in training volume and injury risk.• Most runners in the study averaged 20–30 miles per week, with few exceeding 50 miles.• Preseason training had a strong protective effect:• Every additional 5K (~3 miles) run per week in the preseason reduced injury risk by 17%.• Coaches’ day-to-day training modifications likely play a major role in injury prevention, even if not captured in weekly data. 🧠 Insights from theGuests 🧑‍🔬 Dr. MikelJoachim: • Null results suggest that current coaching practices in Wisconsin high school programs are effective in managing injury risk.• The study relied on daily text surveys during COVID, with athletes self-reporting training and injuries.• Emphasized the importance of holistic athlete monitoring, including stress, sleep, and other sports participation.🏃‍♀️ Coach Jane Wheeler: • Reinforced the importance of individualized coaching and preseason preparation.• Noted that injury risk is multifactorial, often influenced by training history, biomechanics, and external stressors.• Advocated for flexibility in coaching and communication with athletes to adapt training in real time.🧩 PracticalTakeaways for Coaches • Preseason training matters: Encourage consistent summer/winter running to reduce injury risk.• Small weekly increases (up to 30%) in training volume appear safe.• The 10% rule is not strongly supported by evidence—coaches can be more flexible.• Monitor athletes holistically: Consider stress, sleep, and other commitments.• Build strong coach-athlete relationships to better detect and respond to early signs of injury. Hungria Hip Hop - Meu Carona (Wilde Beats Remix) By Dj WildeBeats is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

    51 min

  6. 06/16/2025

    Relationship of Running Step Rate & Injury in High School Runners

    Step Rate & Injury Risk in High School Runners⁠ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26818150/) Presented by the Velocity Project Guests: Dr. Lace Luedke (Physical Therapist &Researcher) and Coach Adam Frye (High School Coach) Host: Evan O. Nelson Episode Overview: In this episode, we dive into the research behind step rate (cadence) and its influence on shin injuries and anterior knee pain in high school runners. Dr. Lace Luedke shares insights from her 2016 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, while Coach Adam Frye offers a practical coaching perspective on injury management and training adaptations. Key Topics Background & Motivation: Dr. Luedke’s personal and clinical experiences with running injuries inspired her to explore how step rate might predict injury risk in young athletes. Study Design: High school cross country runners were assessed for step rate at both a fixed pace (8:00/mile) and a self-selected pace. Injuries were tracked over a 10-week season. Main Findings: Runners with lower step rates (170 steps/min) were 5–6xmore likely to experience shin injuries. No significant link was found between step rate and anterior knee pain in this study, possibly due to low incidence. Coaching Challenges: Coach Frye discusses the difficulty of individualizing training for large teams and the practical barriers to measuring and modifying cadence in a high school setting. Practical Applications: Step rate can be measured manually on a 400m track using simple tools like a stopwatch and counting steps. Metronome-based cadence retraining (5–10% increase) is a feasible intervention, especially in off-season training. Foot Strike Considerations: While cadence changes may influence foot strike, abrupt transitions (e.g., to forefoot striking) can increase injury risk elsewhere(e.g., Achilles, foot). Takeaways for Coaches: Cadence is a modifiable risk factor for shin injuries and can be assessed without expensive tech. Use simple tools like a stopwatch, whistle, and manual counting to assess step rate. Introduce changes gradually, ideally in the off-season, to avoid overloading new tissues. Metronome apps can help athletes internalize a new cadence without long-term reliance. Follow and Learn More: Instagram: @wisco.velocity Facebook & LinkedIn: Velocity Project Website: velocityproject.fammed.wisc.edu Subscribe to Science on Track on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube.

    44 min

  7. 06/04/2025

    Our Why

    In this episode, Dr. Evan Nelson describes why he created the Velocity Project, what the Velocity Project is, and how the Science on Track podcast is connected to the Velocity Project Mission. Host: Evan O. Nelson, PT, DPT, PhDAffiliation: University of Wisconsin–MadisonRole: Physical therapist, clinical researcher, and Director of the Velocity ProjectPurpose:The podcast aims to bridge the gap between scientific research on running injuries and real-world coaching practices, especially for youth and high school athletes.Background:- Dr. Nelson has nearly 20 years of experience treating runners and conducting research. - He noticed a disconnect between research findings and their application in coaching, particularly for youth athletes.The Velocity Project:- Mission: Disseminate evidence-based knowledge to improve health, performance, and experience for youth runners.- Inspiration: A conversation with a local coach revealed that even nearby professionals were unaware of relevant research findings.Strategies for Knowledge Sharing:1. Podcast: Features discussions between researchers and high school coaches to translate findings into practice.2. Online Workshops: Short, accessible coaching seminars.3. In-Person Seminars: Planned annual events with expert speakers.4. Web & Social Media: Sharing research and updates through digital platforms.Focus on High School Athletes:- High school runners differ significantly from adults and collegiate athletes in physical and psychological development.- The project aims to create tailored, evidence-based guidelines for high school or adolescent track & field or cross country athletes. Music: Hungria Hip Hop - Meu Carona (Wilde Beats Remix) By Dj Wilde Beats is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

    10 min
  • 7 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
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About

Science on Track brings a high school coach and researcher together for a point-counter point discussion about how coaches can implement the findings of a study with high school track & field or cross country athletes in their real practices. The goal of this show is to provide coaches with helpful ways to bring new science to help their athletes.

Information

  • Creator
    Velocity Project
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Velocity Project
  • Show Website
    Science on Track