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If you are hooked on the sport of running you know that it can be a constant battle with yourself as you continue to search for ways to become faster, less injured and be the best trained and prepared runner you can be on race day. Many focus on sheer pace per mile as their sole barometer of improvement during their training but that strategy may give many runners a false read on their true performance. During In Flight Running episode #3, Coach Michael Merlino explains how metabolic testing and determining your VO2 Max, anaerobic threshold, individual heart rate training zones and resting metabolic rate (RMR) can give you invaluable information on how to become a faster, more efficient and better fueled runner. After performing hundreds of VO2 Max and RMR tests find out why Michael has found that your heart and your current rate of metabolism don't lie and how heart rate training can give you a whole new view of training and performance.

The Houston Marathon, held every Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January, is Houston's largest single day sporting event attracting over 30,000 runners and half a million spectators. It runs concurrently with the Aramco Half marathon on a Sunday along with a 5K race that is run the Saturday before. The first Houston marathon was run on December 30, 1972 and featured 113 runners and a crowd of approximately 200 people. The 2015 race has grown to a combined 5K, half marathon and marathon field of 31,000 runners with the 2016 race expanding that field further to 33,000, 1,000 more for the marathon and half marathon each. During In Flight Running episode 2, Coach Michael Merlino is joined by special guest Brant Kotch, Race Director for the Chevron Houston Marathon, as they discuss the history of the race, how it has grown into one of the top 10 big city races, why it is such a great event and what's in store for the 2016 edition. Join them for a fun running discussion!

As long distance running became popular marathon and half marathons started dotting the planet with most major cities in the world now hosting their own hometown road race. This movement has spawned lots of travel opportunities as many runners mix their love of the sport with travel. But many runners who are burned out on the big city races are looking to branch out and plan trips to unique races that offer a much more scenic route on the way to the finish line. During In Flight Running episode #6, Coach Michael Merlino reviews some destination races that give runners the opportunity to run alongside some of the great natural wonders of North America including Niagara Falls, The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and more. Tune in as Michael interviews Niagara Fall Marathon Race Director Joyce Harris and Vacation Races President and Founder Salem Stanley about some of the most scenic marathon and half marathon race offerings in Canada and the United States.

Every year as spring fades and summer begins runners all over the world start training for fall and winter marathons and half marathons. But before runners start building up those training miles spring time is a great time to reflect on their recent performance, decide which races they will run during the upcoming season and what strategies they need to put into play to finish their first race or earn that new personal record. During In Flight Running episode #5, Coach Michael Merlino offers up some tips on how to map out your next training and racing season leading up to your next big race goal along with some new wrinkles you may want to add to your training. Whether you have kept a solid running base intact from the last marathon season, lost your edge a bit, took way too much time off or are training for your first 13.1 or 26.2 mile race now is the time to get the training going strong again.

Every third Monday in April on Patriot's Day for the past 119 years the gun has gone off for the world's Superbowl of running, The Boston Marathon. It is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known, athletic, human endeavors. Many runners spend a lifetime pursuing a qualifying marathon time to earn the right to race it while others raise money for a charity for the right to run it's heralded 26.2 mile course. When this sacred running ground experienced tragedy in 2013 the whole world gasped as runners vowed that the race of all races must go on and never succumb to terrorism. During In Flight Running episode #4, Coach Michael Merlino recaps the 2015 Boston Marathon through the eyes of two, newly medaled Boston Marathoners and a cagey running veteran who unexpectedly got a chance to pursue a lifetime goal of reaching the Boston finish line in 2004. This show is all about dreaming BIG with your running and your racing and being Boston Strong!

If you are hooked on the sport of running you know that it can be a constant battle with yourself as you continue to search for ways to become faster, less injured and be the best trained and prepared runner you can be on race day. Many focus on sheer pace per mile as their sole barometer of improvement during their training but that strategy may give many runners a false read on their true performance. During In Flight Running episode #3, Coach Michael Merlino explains how metabolic testing and determining your VO2 Max, anaerobic threshold, individual heart rate training zones and resting metabolic rate (RMR) can give you invaluable information on how to become a faster, more efficient and better fueled runner. After performing hundreds of VO2 Max and RMR tests find out why Michael has found that your heart and your current rate of metabolism don't lie and how heart rate training can give you a whole new view of training and performance.

The Houston Marathon, held every Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January, is Houston's largest single day sporting event attracting over 30,000 runners and half a million spectators. It runs concurrently with the Aramco Half marathon on a Sunday along with a 5K race that is run the Saturday before. The first Houston marathon was run on December 30, 1972 and featured 113 runners and a crowd of approximately 200 people. The 2015 race has grown to a combined 5K, half marathon and marathon field of 31,000 runners with the 2016 race expanding that field further to 33,000, 1,000 more for the marathon and half marathon each. During In Flight Running episode 2, Coach Michael Merlino is joined by special guest Brant Kotch, Race Director for the Chevron Houston Marathon, as they discuss the history of the race, how it has grown into one of the top 10 big city races, why it is such a great event and what's in store for the 2016 edition. Join them for a fun running discussion!

With this episode the Fitness Momentum show shifts to more of a pure running format. Coach Michael Merlino’s new show entitled “In Flight Running”, will be your guide to everything running whether you are thinking about starting a running program, just embarking on your running journey or are already entrenched in the sport and looking for ways to improve your training and race performance. In this inaugural In Flight Running episode #1, Coach Michael delves into the question: Why do we run? What gravitates people from every walk of life towards one of the fastest growing sports in the world? What is it about training and racing through all of our personal running defeats and triumphs that has us yearning for more medals and new personal bests? Running is many different things to many of us so Michael will be joined by a few of his own Houston area “In Flighters” during the show to help him describe what draws us to running and racing and why we keep coming back for more.

Technology can be a double edged sword when it comes to fitness. Some would say tech has made us all a little bit lazier or given us many more reasons to sit on the couch or spend more time staring into a screen. On the other hand, technology and improved fitness gadgets are changing the way we approach fitness and running. From Apple’s Steve Job's brilliance of the IPod to GPS technology to the explosion of smart phone apps; we now have instant entertainment and feedback to keep us more accountable than ever to our daily workouts. Technology has also shown improvements in exercise gear, shoes, apparel and accessories to make exercise and running more fun, comfortable, functional, efficient and much easier to pull off. Join Coach Michael Merlino and a few of his clients and runners on this fun-filled show as we explore the hottest new fitness gadgets and gear for exercise enthusiasts and runners. Get some fresh ideas to add to your fitness regimen or to give to others.

The key to optimal fitness is a balance between proper nutrition, cardiovascular fitness and strength training. But the one thing that continues to be lacking in many fitness regimens is strength training or muscle building activity. Without it many will never realize the true potential of what they can accomplish with their exercise. During Fitness Momentum show #6, Coach Michael Merlino discusses the huge benefits of strength training, why it is the missing link to fat loss, how it can help slow down the aging process and why it will help runners run faster and become less injured. Join him as he makes a strong case on why “Muscle Is King” and why we all need to be building strength and muscle as a part of our workout plan.

If it was that easy all of us would be in tip top shape. Sticking to a fitness plan continues to be a tough challenge for the average person as we all juggle work, family and life with fitness many times becoming a second priority way too often. During Fitness Momentum show #12, Fitness Trainer and Running Coach Michael Merlino discusses some ways to re-assess your fitness every few months and use his top 10 tips to get back on track and get that fitness momentum rolling again.

Ask any runner what their #1 goal is and they will probably quickly respond run faster!. But to pick up the pace and be able to train and race faster it takes a little more work and raising the bar with your training. That's were interval training comes in or running faster, shorter distance spurts with recovery built in between sets. Interval training added to any runner's weekly training regimen usually nets faster race times and improved running form and efficiency. During Fitness Momentum show #11, Running Coach Michael Merlino discusses the various forms of running interval workouts. He will be discussing how these workouts are designed, how to run them safely to avoid injury and how you can easily add these peppy workouts to your training plan and be well on your way to a new race personal best at any distance. Learn how track workouts, speed play, anaerobic threshold runs, surges, fartleks and hill training can help you find that running gear you didn't think you had

Fitness should be a three pronged attack including cardiovascular fitness, strength training and solid nutritional habits. Practice all 3 along with some stretching and flexibility thrown in and you are well on your way to optimal health. But nutrition is probably the toughest for most of us to consistently pull off yet the most important for body transformation, weight management and performing well at running or your favorite sport. brbr On Fitness Momentum show #4, Michael is joined by special guest and accomplished dietitian, Catherine Kruppa, as they share and discuss solid nutrition tips heading into the new year for weight loss, improved energy and optimal performance. brbr Since this show airs just 9 days before the running of the 2015 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon, they will also discuss carbo loading tactics for marathoners and half marathoners leading up until race day.

Running is a numbers game from the weekly miles you run, your heart rate and the speed at which you run during every training run and race. But many runners from the beginner level to more advanced don't use their own personal numbers to get a better awareness of what running paces are appropriate based on the goal of each training session or their next major race. During Fitness Momentum show #10, Running Coach Michael Merlino discusses very simple ways to determine what pace you should be running at for each type of training run from your average weekly pace, pickups and threshold runs, track workouts, hill training and predicted race goal pace when it really counts. Tune in and get some solid tips that can really help you find out what your pacing should be and how to use proper pacing to your advantage to earn that next personal best on the race course.