SMART Approach Training

Amazing Race Performances By The SMART Approach Team

JENNIFER VANDENBERG - raced the TCTC Bayshore HALF Marathon in MI and crushed it. She ran a big PR following race strategy with a negative split strong finish. JV said, “I had more left in the tank and was surprised how much stronger I felt compared to my Fall HALF. Thank you coach. I could have not done this without you”. Great training, great racing. JV, you are so fit heading into marathon training later this Summer.

JUDI KWON - also raced the Bayshore HALF Marathon. The comeback is on. This was her first HALF in years as part of her strong comeback into training and racing. So happy to be back coaching Judi. She trained consistently and with purpose and ran an even paced race finishing strong and smiling. So proud of you Judi. In 2026 you will continue to build for that next Fall goal race (HALF).

MATT BROWN - this guy just keeps getting better and better. Dang. He raced the Dexter Ann Arbor 10K and simply rocked it. He knocked off over 11 minutes from last year and a huge 10K PR with a negative split race performance. Matt states, “So happy to stick with the strategy and execute. I don’t always PR but lately the training magic has been getting me to PR land and so happy to be running injury free”. Matt you are doing amazing! Thanks for your support.

MORGAN HOFFMAN - had a blast with a friend at the Buffalo HALF Marathon. She was a great motivator helping her friend through her first HALF Marathon. Her friend ran a strong negative split crushing it. What a great experience and smile at the finish. Nice job ladies.

HOLLY BISHOP - loves to race my favorite distance, 5Ks. Ha. Another one completed at the Medina 5K that she crushed again finishing nearly 3 minutes faster than last year. You are doing so well Holly. Thank you for your trust. Love it!!

WENDY SWEENEY - did the Seabrook Relay in WA and had so much fun with her team. Wendy ran nearly 16 miles over 3 legs on this day with each leg ran strong and well executed. You did so well Wendy. Very proud of you and your team performance!!

LAURA UNRUH - showed up at the Soldier Field 10K in Chicago. AND raced so well cruising 4 minutes faster than she was hoping for. This means you followed strategy and raced strong. Congrats Laura.

My buddy Norm and I did a 2 mile race. I pushed him late so we could beat the 8-9 years old in last 400m 😂 He ran a strong negative split and also a win for me running 2 miles without a walk break....a good test for my heel.

One thing these athletes all have in common?

They not only train SMART but race SMART trusting the game plan!

Patience early, execute the pacing/effort strategy I provide and then save their best running for later in the race finishing strong!

Fun, hard work and results all can co-exist!! So proud to coach these amazing athletes who believe in my approach. Love my team!!

The SMART APPROACH
IT.JUST.WORKS.

GREAT RACING!

More awesome race performances recently by the SMART APPROACH Team.

MATT BROWN - raced the I Ran The D 5k in Michigan and crushed it. He also bragged about Michigan basketball. Haha. A huge 5K PR this day at 8:11 pace!! Last year 9:15 pace here. Early last year when I started with Matt, he was running in the 9s for 5K races and body was beat up. Now, more runs a week, more miles a week, body feeling great and speed keeps improving with smarter training. You keep getting better Matt. Congrats man.

HOLLY KNIGHT - competed in the Cops and Robbers 5K with her husband Charles. Holly has gone through a lot over the past several months and this was her first race in a long long time!! And she rocked it on a very warm day. Her husband Charles also did his first 5K and they had a blast. So proud of you Holly (and Charles too).

JOSH DEVOE - nailed the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon. Josh always races so well and followed strategy and just hammered the last miles in the 7s finishing strong in Josh fashion. And he enjoyed this race experience with our good friend Liane. So good man! Congrats!!

VAL OESTREICH - competed in Epic HALF Marathon in Green Bay. A gloomy, cold rainy day but Val rocked it in her 62nd HALF Marathon. What? Like usual, she smiled throughout it all and at finish as her motto is “always have fun”. This was a great learning and teaching experience as well between Coach/Athlete. Some great post race reflection that will set up Val very well for future racing. Well done Val!!

LAURA UNRUH - did the Starved Rock 5K with her husband Kelly. Another very strong race and Kelly too. And they had fun!!! A big 10K race ahead this weekend that I know will be fun too, right Laura? Haha.

HOLLY BISHOP - competed in the To The Clock Tower and Back 5K race. This was more of a training run/work out testing her ankle. She felt good throughout and brought it home fast the last mile feeling great!! Mission accomplished Holly. You rocked it! Love that post race pic!

These athletes had a blast and brought it!

Fun! Race Smarts! Achievement! Smiles!!

This is the culture of the SMART APPROACH I teach! So darn proud of this team.

The SMART APPROACH
It.Just.Works.

Hey Everyone,

Excited to officially introduce…

The HAPPY RUNNER Community

I created this new Facebook community to be a positive, supportive, fun place for runners of ALL levels.

A place where runners can:

✅ share their journey
✅ celebrate wins
✅ ask questions
✅ learn and grow
✅ smile more during the process

Yes, there will absolutely be SMART training tips, education, motivation and coaching insight from me, Coach Todd.

…but my bigger mission is creating a place where people truly enjoy their run journey together with positivity and no judgment.

Too often running becomes pressure, comparison, stress or just grinding through miles. This IS NOT my vibe. I like to have fun!

This community is about:
* fun
* positivity
* support
* smart running
* enjoying the process
* more smiles

Whether training for your first 5K, chasing a marathon PR, getting back into running or simply just trying to stay consistent, you belong here.

We’ll have:
- HAPPY RUNNER Tips
- HAPPY Fun Fridays
- Education & motivation
- Community interaction
- Video calls
- Race stories, selfies, wins & throw backs
…and a whole lot more.

Would love to have you check it out and join us. Answer a couple questions and you are in. And be sure to watch my welcome video and read my welcome message.

Join here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1G5zFFnH8e/

My Free 10 Page Training Guide is included with membership.

Run Miles. Share Smiles.

AWESOME RECENT TEAM RACING RESULTS

Different races, different goals… same outcome:

SMART ex*****on. Strong finishes. Big smiles.

DUSTY COOKSON – Took on the Pittsburgh Marathon and handled the hills like a boss. Stuck to the pacing and fueling plan I laid out and executed beautifully start to finish.

Dusty says,�"It was the most challenging marathon I’ve ever run. I stuck with your pacing plan and your fueling plan pre-race and during. It was spot on. Wouldn’t change anything. I feel like I executed it to the best of my ability."

Sure did. Controlled, strong racing. You rocked.
That’s what great strategy and a top performance looks like. Congrats man!

KARMEN KOEHMSTEDT – Raced the Flying Pig Marathon & nailed her training and was on track for a big PR before something unexpected hit at mile 20. No control over it. She still fought to the finish with toughness & perspective. Did everything right. As I often say, expect the unexpected on marathon day. Bad luck this day. You still rocked it. Next one is all you, Karmen. You are super fit and will crush it.

WENDY SWEENEY – Ran the Tacoma Half Marathon and handled surprising elevation with calm, smart ex*****on. We dialed in a new fuel and fueling strategy that worked perfectly. Result: even pacing, strong finish, 1st in AG, a lot of smiles. So good Wendy and for a great charity too.

VAL OESTREICH – We treated the Door County Half Marathon as a progressive training run leading into her goal race later this month. Stayed patient early, then closed hard with a huge negative split, beating her recent HALF race time from last month on a tougher course. Proof you can crush a race with no pressure and a fun focus. Boom!

JACOB CRON – First 5K since high school at the Prairie Fire 5K… and raced like a veteran. 6:07 pace, negative split, 2nd in AG. “Hurt like hell but had a blast like you said I would.” Exactly. Ha. Big things ahead Jacob. Great day with the fam.

LAURA UNRUH – Mixed it up with the LOS DOS Indoor Duathlon and had a so much fun racing alongside her husband. Strong effort, great energy. Love it!

THE TAKEAWAY
Training hard is a big part of this but not everyone knows how to race smart.

Pacing. Fueling. Patience early. Strength late. This is what I teach.

Race SMART. Run Happy. Have fun. Finish Smiling.

The SMART APPROACH
IT.JUST.WORKS.

AMAZING RECENT TEAM RACING RESULTS

The SMART APPROACH team has been crushing it this spring. Different races, different goals, different conditions… but the same theme keeps showing up:

Smart racing. Strong finishes. Growing confidence.

I absolutely love seeing this.

⸻

SHERRIJEAN HUSSER – Traveled across the world to take on her goal race, TCS London Marathon Confidence was the biggest challenge leading into this one. We had to tweak things along the way, and yes… that 20-mile training run never happened. Guess what? She didn’t need it.

We built her confidence, got her mindset right, and she showed up to the start line feeling strong and ready.

The course was tricky, it got warm and sunny, but she executed beautifully with steady, controlled pacing throughout. Check out her paces.

Result? Sub 3:40 for the first time and nearly a 4-minute PR at age 67.

She said it best:
“I am very happy with my time. Your coaching is amazing and key to my runs. I still think I have sub 3:35 in me.”

She just keeps getting better and will likely move up in her world and U.S. age rankings. Boom.

⸻

JOSH DEVOE – Took on a rare 15K in New Jersey and absolutely nailed it.

He went out a touch strong early, recognized it, adjusted immediately and then locked into a steady rhythm. From there, he executed the plan perfectly finishing with his fastest miles late.

Sub-8 pace and 4th in age group.

Josh shared:
“I thought I slowed down, but I didn’t. I was shocked when I saw my splits. Very happy with how this went.”

That right there is what smart racing feels like.

⸻

DARYL SHREVE – Showed up in New York for the Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon, but this one wasn’t about racing all-out.

Coming back from a knee issue, the goal was a controlled progression run based on feel.

Daryl executed it beautifully, had a great experience, and most importantly… came out of it with his knee feeling strong.

Mission accomplished.

⸻

HOLLY BISHOP – Just keeps improving.

At the Draft Day 10K in Canton, she knocked off another minute from a recent race just weeks ago.

Again, she trusted the plan, stayed patient early, and finished strong with a negative split.

She said:
“I stuck to the plan and was shocked with the result.”

She’s running strong, running happy, and has Chicago ahead this fall. This is going to be a fun build.

⸻

MORGAN HOFFMAN – Took on the Seneca 7 Relay with her team and had an absolute blast.

Three legs, each stronger than the last, and she finished with her fastest effort on the final leg. That’s not easy to do.

Strong performance and an awesome team experience.

⸻

ANDREA DULEY – Proudly running in her 70s and loving every minute of it.

She raced the Loop the Lagoon 5K in California and won her age group with a negative split on a course that had hills, gravel, dirt, mud and pavement.

She said:
“I think this is the best I’ve run a 5K in a very long time.”

So impressive, so inspiring Andrea. 🙌

⸻

THE TAKEAWAY

These athletes aren’t just training hard they are truly learning how to gain confidence and race effectively and strong.

And when you get it right…you don’t just perform better…you enjoy the experience a whole lot more.

⸻

Proud coach right here.
More great racing ahead this Spring. 💪

The SMART APPROACH
IT.JUST.WORKS.

I was so pumped to be back on the
with Letty & Ryan from Marathon Journal.

Also, the episode was released on the day of the which was pretty cool.

On this podcast we talk about the PANIC PHASE of marathon training where you might be 8 weeks out or 4 weeks out from the big day and training has not gone well or you have been injured or missed long runs or missed training. Now what?

Perhaps you are beat up, have lost confidence, battling race anxiety or you feel you are behind and may have to cram in the training before the big day. I give you further insight on how to handle this on the podcast and in the article on the site. Marathon Journal

3 athletes I coach who did the Boston Marathon this year had some of these very challenges in their build up. I am proud to say all 3 got through the big day healthy and with an amazing BOSTON MARATHON experience.

Thank you Letty/Ryan and Marathon Journal for the interview and interviewing me on the site discussing this very topic.

Runners, if you have not checked out the
you need to. An excellent online platform that is taking the running and marathon community by storm. I love this resource, industry news, articles, podcasts etc.

Let me know your thoughts on this topic or if you are struggling. Please reach out if any questions.

Marathon Running Podcast by Marathon Journal Running Podcast · Updated Weekly · Are you a runner looking for a new source of inspiration and motivation? Our weekly podcast brings experts in the running community straight to you, covering everything from training and nutrition to …

BOSTON MARATHON RECAP

I was so excited to have 3 of my SMART APPROACH athletes at Boston Marathon to experience the magic. The one thing that always comes back to me is the mystique, aura and emotion of being at the most prestigious marathon in the world. It is so overwhelming which is why I always try to take pressure off my athletes.

They already won by qualifying.

Now it becomes about executing the race plan, staying calm, soaking it in and if feeling great late… go for it.

EILEEN MUHS - this experience was quite overwhelming for Eileen. Eileen has been a short distance specialist for years going back to high school where she still owns school records. She never felt she was or could be a marathoner until she wanted to try and then she trusted me in her journey. She not only became a marathoner but qualified big time in Chicago in 2024 and I saw it live! So to get to Boston was beyond a dream for her and very emotional.

Eileen states, “Thank you for all your wisdom on this journey….it was a marathon for the books and you helped me achieve what most do not, to get the chance of setting foot on this magical stage, the biggest most powerful stage of any in running and you were part of it…it is so difficult t try to relate what it did for me. The moment I got here I was in tears of just getting here and then I couldn’t believe I had done it!! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! I have undying gratitude!”

Eileen indeed took it all in and loved everyone screaming her name throughout and had the amazing support of her husband Dan who cheered her every step of the way looking like a banana 😂 So proud of you Eileen. You ARE a marathoner!!

KENDAL BATUYONG - this has been a comeback for Kendal. She went through a very surprising and shocking serious injury in 2nd half of last year that took her out of running for months. So, my support was magnified to get her body and training back slowly and safely in addition to handling the emotional part of not running and the fear of re-injury.

Kendal states,
“Words cannot express how grateful I am for you, Coach. I truly don’t think I could have done this without your support or guidance. It is truly a miracle. It’s been a roller coaster of emotion and you have been patient listening to every fear, sadness, hope and heartache. I would have been clueless how to come back after dealing with this injury. Thank you for not only being my coach and also my friend. The unicorn medal is just as much yours as mine”.

Kendal held steady the whole race and finished strong and healthy with big smiles. The future is bright KB.

PATTI SHAWBER - ahhh this one makes me feel so good. I coached Patti when she achieved her 4:15 BQ qualifier. She was unable to keep me on as her coach for a while because of life circumstances and tried it on her own. Her next 2 marathons were 5:13 and 5:29 and not a pleasant race experiences with late race bonking. Just weeks before Boston she reached out to me saying or asking…. “I need you, I just did 18 miles and am wrecked and could barely get through it”. In less than 4 weeks, I got her body recovered and her mind back in the game. Grounded her, got in her head, dialed in her fueling, mindset and had her lined up confident to succeed. She ran a 4:36 and felt amazing!!

Patti states, “This training block was off for me and I had to get back the guidance and expertise of Coach Todd to talk me off the ledge and get me ready. He had a strategy with mindset, pacing and fueling/hydration that without it, I probably would have been 5+ hours on the course. I dreamed of this moment 15 years ago as a newer runner in her 40s thinking I will never be that good. Well, I qualified so I guess I am meant to be here. Thank you Coach, I wouldn’t be here without you, my running community or my friends”.

You rocked it Patti and executed the strategy getting to finish line with a smile.

THE TAKEAWAY
Training matters. But in the lead up and on race day…mindset, pacing, fueling, confidence and strategy matter too. And support! That is real life coaching. Boston is amazing and I absolutely enjoyed coaching everyone of these ladies and felt like I was right there with them. Proud of these women. Proud to be their coach.

Train Happy. Race SMART. Smile. Celebrate.

The SMART APPROACH
IT.JUST.WORKS.

SMART APPROACH TEAM RACE RECAPS

Amazing results this past weekend by the SMART APPROACH team. Different races, different goals, different conditions… same theme:

Smart ex*****on. Strong finishes. Big smiles.

WENDY SWEENEY – Raced the Honolulu Half Marathon in warm, humid, wet conditions & handled it beautifully & top 10% in age class. Finished strong, smiling & recovered like a rock star. Awesome job Wendy!

JOY MOSDELL – Jumped into a rare 5K and crushed it, winning 1st Overall Masters Female at the Shuttleversary 5K in Florida. She also knocked 2 minutes off a previous best in this event. I keep telling athletes how valuable 5Ks are… Joy now agrees and is looking for more 😄

JOSH DEVOE – Ran the Coastal Delaware Half Marathon & followed the race plan beautifully. Paced smart early, felt it out, then hammered late with a negative split & sub-8:00 miles in miles 12 and 13. That’s how you race big guy!

MATT BROWN – Delivered a huge PR in his 5K finishing inside the Big House Stadium in Michigan. Nearly 4 minutes faster than last year with a sub-8:00 mile in there too. You keep getting better Matt. Proud of you!!

VAL OESTREICH – on far right had a blast at the Run Away to the Bay Relay in Oshkosh, WI, running 3 strong relay legs with her team. Sunshine, smiles & fun. A great day Val. Love it.

LAURA UNRUH – Just two weeks after an Achilles injury scare, Laura bounced back with my SMART Approach active recovery and raced pain-free at the Forgotten Memorial 5K. Negative split and 3rd in age group. Wow! Fantastic racing Laura!

HOLLY BISHOP – Huge back-to-back weekend with a 10K/Half Challenge Saturday & Sunday. Ran her best 10K since 2022, beat 2024’s time by 4:30, placed 2nd in age group and she wasn’t even in full race mode. She then executed a disciplined Half the next day with walk breaks per coach’s orders. She is still building up so kept it controlled. Outstanding weekend Holly! 🙌

Anyone can train hard. Not everyone knows how to race smart and strategically.

These athletes trusted the process vs just going for a time! Well done team!!
�The SMART APPROACH
IT.JUST.WORKS.

THIS WEEK… Coach Todd Presents On

RUNNING SHOES

Most runners don’t realize this…

* The wrong shoe can quietly limit your performance and recovery
* The right shoe can unlock it physically and mentally

Same fitness…Different outcomes??

Shoes impact more than just comfort, they can affect:

✔️ Running economy (yes, your speed)
✔️ Muscle fatigue and stress
✔️ Recovery between runs
✔️ Confidence on race day

And?
That mental edge you need! If you feel better & faster, you likely are!!

But many runners just guess and wear the same shoe for everything and not always understanding what they are wearing or what actually works for them or what they need.

So, I will be discussing it all, educating and also can guide you in developing your ideal shoe rotation with my running questionnaire.

SMART ACADEMY ZOOM CALL
RUNNING SHOE CHOICES:
Run Faster. Feel Better. Last Longer.
🔸 How to build your perfect shoe rotation
🔸 How super shoes actually work
🔸 Do you really need more shoe technology
🔸 What’s new in 2026 and so much more

Tuesday, April 7th
7:00 PM Central

This is for my INNER CIRCLE…but I’m opening it up to a select number of guests.

To be eligible, DM me or comment FAST SHOES below for opportunity to get in and receive my running questionnaire.

Don’t leave performance out on the road because of what’s on your feet. This call will be a blast! Do running shoes interest you??