We decided to have return guest Dr. Ross Dexter back to discuss the impact carbon plated shoes may have beyond really fast performances. Do they cause injuries? Ross is our go to guru to discuss just about anything related to the physio world. Ross is now the Assistant Athletic Director for Health and Performance at Southern Oregon University.

This is a great discussion with a true expert.

If you want to send in any questions for our next show or send us any message, please reach us at justathleticspodcast@gmail.com.

Please subscribe to the show on iTunes or Stitcher or Spotify or really where ever you get your podcasts to get future episodes and please follow us on Twitter @just_athletics and like us on the Facebook or our Instagram page. Plus we would love to have you rate the show!

Alex Lyons competed at American University for Matt Centrowitz Sr. and Sean Graham, for two years before transferring to the University of Illinois to focus on academics.

He coached at the high school level for ten years in the state of Illinois at Lyons Township HS and Downers Grove North HS. Alex moved to Utah in 2023 and started coaching at Olympus HS in Salt Lake City in January of 2024. During his stint in Illinois, Alex coached a girl who broke the state meet record in the mile. He has had 14 former athletes go on to compete at the NCAA Division One level.

Alex is a USATF Level 1 and 2 certified coach (in endurance) and a graduate of the Altis Mentorship Program. Recently Alex started Lyons Performance Consulting where he works with coaches at every level to improve their programs. Alex is also a licensed massage therapist. We asked good friend of the show, Jay Johnson, to share his thoughts on Alex and they are as follows:

"I've coached for 25 year, at all levels of the sport, and I can say with confidence that Alex Lyons is one of the sharpest minds and clearest thinkers in distance running. Alex is one of the few coaches who truly understands both the science of coaching and the art of coaching. Perhaps the strongest endorsement I can offer is this: as a father of both a high school and middle school athlete, I would trust Alex completely to guide my own children's training.

If you're a parent with the opportunity to have Alex work with your son or daughter, you won't regret it. Alex's expertise and approach to coaching will set them up for success in high school and beyond.

If you're a coach - at any level - looking to accelerate your professional development, spending time with Alex is invaluable. Whether you're trying to get your team on the podium or simply want to deepen your understanding of the sport, an hour or two on a call with Alex will do more for your coaching than attending a typical coaching clinic (and I say this as someone who puts on coaching clinics)."

Alex truly is "so damn good" as Dave states on the show and this pod is a good representation of just how smart Alex is. We hope you enjoy the show!

Also, if you want to send in any questions for our next show or send us any message, please reach us at justathleticspodcast@gmail.com.

Please subscribe to the show on iTunes or Stitcher or Spotify or really where ever you get your podcasts to get future episodes and please follow us on Twitter @just_athletics and like us on the Facebook or our Instagram page. Plus we would love to have you rate the show!

If you know of Dirk Lakeman’s running career you are probably in awe.

If you don’t know about it, sit back and relax and listen to Dirk take you through his time at powerhouse South Eugene in the late 1970s under the guidance of legendary coach Harry Johnson, who after building the dynasty of all high school dynasties went on to coach a little professional group called Athletics West.

DIrk was the best HS miler in the country in 1977. His 4:04.94 mile time set at the Pre Classic was an Oregon State record that held for 27 years until it was broken by another home grown Oregon Legend and Olympic medalist. His high school 4xMile team ran 17:05 and his DMR ran 10:07. Both of those records stood for 40 years. Dirk got it done before super shoes and altitude tents with pure grit, determination and good old-fashioned hard work. And he was coachable. He won state titles in cross country two times and on the track.

His friendly, but fierce rivalry with the great Billy McChesney is one of the most iconic in Oregon HS history. It’s amazing to hear about it in Dirk's words (highlighted by their epic clash in the mile at the district meet their senior year).

After HS Dirk went on to be an All-American at the University of Arizona, then on to a professional career that included National Championships in several distances and participation on World Cross teams.

Dirk coached all four of his kids, no doubt highlighted by Caleb’s dramatic double victory at the Oregon State meet in 2022 in the 1500 and the 3000. Currently, Dirk is coaching cross and track at Clackamas Community College and his love for running has never been stronger.

If you know Dirk, you love him like we do. If you don’t know Dirk, after this podcast you will know why we love him and you will probably love him too.

This was a special one for the Just Athletics Podcast. Dirk is a legend, a great father and husband and a dear friend. We hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Also, if you want to send in any questions for our next show or send us any message, please reach us at justathleticspodcast@gmail.com

Please subscribe to the show on iTunes or Stitcher or Spotify or really where ever you get your podcasts to get future episodes and please follow us on Twitter @just_athletics and like us on the Facebook or our Instagram page.