Best Running Podcasts for MAF Training
The best running podcasts for MAF training athletes. Find standout episodes on the 180 formula, aerobic base building, and low heart rate training.
If you're building your aerobic base using the MAF method, podcasts are one of the best ways to stay educated and motivated during long, slow runs. The irony is not lost on anyone: you're running slow enough to have a conversation, so why not listen to one?
The problem is finding the right episodes. Most running podcasts spend the majority of their time on race recaps, gear reviews, and speedwork. MAF-relevant content is scattered across hundreds of episodes. This guide cuts through that and gives you the specific shows and episodes worth your time.
For a quick primer on the method before you dive in, see what the 180 formula actually means or MAF training for beginners.
The Extramilest Show (Floris Gierman)
If you're only going to follow one podcast for MAF training content, make it this one. Floris Gierman is one of the most consistent public practitioners of the MAF method. He went from a 4:11 marathon to a 2:44 PR at Boston using low heart rate training, and he built his podcast around that journey and the broader community doing the same.
The show is interview-driven. Guests include Dr. Phil Maffetone himself, elite athletes who use heart rate-based training, and everyday runners who've gone through the MAF process. What makes it different is that Floris doesn't just cover the theory. He gets into the uncomfortable parts: the slow early months, the frustrating pace adjustments, the confusion over nutrition.
Standout episodes:
Episode #3: Dr. Phil Maffetone on Heart Rate Training, Nutrition and Recovery This is the foundational episode. Maffetone explains the 180 formula, how aerobic function degrades with stress and overtraining, and why nutrition is inseparable from heart rate training. If you're new to the method, start here.
Episode #21: MAF Training and Nutrition with Andy Hooks Andy went from a 4:22 marathon to a 2:53 marathon using MAF heart rate training. He covers how he applied the 180 formula, how long the slow phase actually lasted, and what changed nutritionally. One of the most practical episodes in the catalog for anyone in the early frustrating months.
Episode #35: MAF Challenges, Frustrations and Progress Sisters Kathryn and Jennifer Geyer share their real experiences with low heart rate training while preparing for their first marathon. Jennifer had to drop to a 13:21 min/mile pace to stay at her MAF heart rate of 142. They cover what it actually feels like to run that slow, the emotional discomfort, and when they started to see results. Good episode to listen to when you're three months in and questioning everything.
Episode #39: Dr. Phil Maffetone Returns A follow-up with Maffetone covering the 180 formula adjustments, safe integration of anaerobic training, and how aging affects aerobic capacity. More nuanced than the first episode and worth coming back to once you've had a few months of MAF training under your belt.
Find the show at extramilest.com/podcast or search "Extramilest" in any podcast app.
Trail Runner Nation
Trail Runner Nation is primarily for trail and ultra runners, but it has become one of the deepest archives for MAF and aerobic base content available in podcast form. Dr. Phil Maffetone has appeared multiple times, and the hosts consistently return to aerobic training, base building, and the cost of training too hard.
The tone is more casual and conversational than Extramilest, which makes it easier listening on long efforts. Episodes vary in quality but the Maffetone appearances and base-building deep dives are consistently excellent.
Standout episodes:
EP 571: Training Principles: Base Building Maffetone appears alongside other coaches to break down what aerobic base building actually means, how long it should last, and what common mistakes athletes make during this phase. Practical and specific. If you're planning a base phase, this is required listening.
EP 625: Dr. Phil Maffetone - Speed Up by Slowing Down A deep dive into the training-slow-to-race-fast paradox. Maffetone explains the physiology behind why aerobic development requires patience and what actually happens in the body when you keep heart rate below MAF. Good episode to share with skeptical training partners.
EP 752: Train Slow, Race Fast and Train Your Brain: Maffetone Returns One of the more recent Maffetone episodes, covering updated thinking on the MAF method, brain training, and how the aerobic and cognitive systems interact during endurance efforts. Shows that the method continues to evolve.
EP 703: Are You Making This Common Training Mistake? No guest, just the hosts working through aerobic conditioning and what happens when athletes skip the base phase. Uses examples from elite training to show why the base isn't optional. Worth it for the framing alone.
Find it at trailrunnernation.com or search "Trail Runner Nation" in your app.
Endurance Planet
Endurance Planet has been producing MAF-focused content for over a decade. Host Tawnee Prazak (now Gibson) has interviewed Maffetone multiple times and the show's Ask the Coaches (ATC) series regularly addresses listener questions about implementing the MAF method in training.
The format is longer and more technical than the other shows here. Endurance Planet leans into physiology, lab data, and coach perspectives. If you want to understand the science behind why MAF works and how to adjust it for your specific situation, this catalog is worth digging into.
Standout episodes:
ATC 294: MAF Method Guide - The Coaches Outline Everything You Need to Know A comprehensive walk-through of the MAF method from a coaching perspective. Covers who should use it, how to set up the training phase, common mistakes, and what progress should look like. Practical and dense.
Dr. Phil Maffetone 23: How to Add Beats to Your MAF Heart Rate, and Adjustments to the 180 Formula Maffetone revisits the 180 Formula with host Tawnee Prazak, covering when and why you'd adjust up or down based on health history, training background, and lifestyle factors. Includes new additions to the formula regarding when to subtract beats. Critical listening if you've ever wondered whether the base formula applies to you as-is.
Mark Allen & Phil Maffetone: The Benefits of Having a Coach and MAF for Athletic Longevity Six-time Ironman world champion Mark Allen trained under Maffetone for 13 of his 15 years as a professional triathlete. This episode features both of them together discussing the method from both the coach and athlete perspective, how Phil coached Mark to adapt his physiology for faster performance at a lower heart rate, and how Allen still uses MAF principles today. The most compelling case study for the MAF approach at elite level.
Find it at enduranceplanet.com or search "Endurance Planet" in your app.
The Drive (Peter Attia)
Peter Attia is a physician focused on longevity and performance. His podcast leans heavily toward exercise science, and his episode with Dr. Maffetone is one of the best introductions to the MAF method from a clinical perspective.
Attia is skeptical by default and pushes back on claims that lack evidence. The conversation is more rigorous than the typical running podcast, which makes it a valuable counterpoint to the more practice-first approach you'll find elsewhere.
Standout episode:
Episode 144: Phil Maffetone - Optimizing Health and Performance Through Maximal Aerobic Function Released January 2021. Maffetone defines maximal aerobic function, explains the 180 formula in detail, covers the MAF test as a tracking tool, and discusses how nutrition affects fat metabolism and aerobic development. Attia's questions push the conversation into territory most running podcasts don't reach. This episode is particularly useful for athletes who want to understand the research before committing to the method.
Find it at peterattiamd.com or search "The Drive Peter Attia" in your app.
Get Over Yourself (Brad Kearns)
Brad Kearns is a former professional triathlete and longtime collaborator with Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint). He's been vocal about low heart rate training and has covered MAF concepts repeatedly across his catalog.
The podcast covers ancestral health, endurance sports, and performance longevity. The MAF-adjacent content is woven throughout rather than concentrated in specific episodes, but Kearns has a nuanced take on applying Maffetone's principles to modern athletes with busy lives and accumulated stress.
Standout episode:
Dr. Phil Maffetone: Avoiding The Ills Of Modern Society (September 2019) Kearns and Maffetone discuss fat-burning for athletes, how overtraining manifests in ways that aren't always obvious, and the broader health implications of ignoring aerobic development. Also worth exploring: any episode where Kearns covers heart rate variability, fat adaptation, or aerobic base building.
Find it by searching "Get Over Yourself Brad Kearns" in your podcast app.
How to Use These Podcasts as Part of Your Training
The natural pairing is obvious: listen during your MAF runs. Long aerobic runs at conversation pace are the perfect window for educational listening. You're not in a high-intensity state, your mind is available, and the content reinforces what you're doing in real time.
A few practical suggestions:
Start with fundamentals. If you're new to MAF, begin with Extramilest Episode #3 and Trail Runner Nation EP 625 before anything else. Get the core logic clear before you start adjusting or second-guessing.
Use the harder months as a reason to go deep. The first few months of MAF training are typically the most difficult psychologically. Your pace slows, progress feels invisible. Use that time to build understanding. The more you understand the mechanism, the easier it is to trust the process. Episodes like Extramilest #35 and ATC 294 are specifically useful here.
Revisit as your fitness changes. The Maffetone episodes on adjustments and advanced application (Extramilest #39, Endurance Planet's 180 formula adjustment episode) become more relevant once you've been training for six months or more.
For context on when to expect changes in your training, see how long MAF training takes to show results. And if you're sorting out the difference between Zone 2 and MAF, this comparison of Zone 2 vs MAF training covers it directly.
To calculate your own MAF heart rate, use the MAF calculator.
FAQ
Which podcast is best for someone just starting MAF training?
Start with The Extramilest Show. Floris Gierman has structured the most accessible and consistent archive of MAF-specific content, and Episode #3 with Dr. Maffetone is the best single starting point. Trail Runner Nation's EP 571 on base building is a close second for a practical framework.
Are there podcast episodes with Dr. Phil Maffetone himself?
Yes, several. The best are: Extramilest #3 and #39, Trail Runner Nation EP 571, 625, and 752, Endurance Planet's 180 formula adjustment episode, and The Drive Episode 144 with Peter Attia. Each covers the method from a slightly different angle, and listening to more than one is worth the time.
Can I listen to podcasts during MAF runs?
Yes. MAF runs are the ideal listening environment. You're working at a conversational intensity, your heart rate is controlled, and long aerobic sessions give you 60-90+ minutes of uninterrupted listening time. Just make sure you're not letting audio distraction push your heart rate up. Stay consistent with your monitoring.
What if my MAF pace is too slow to run outside in busy areas?
A number of athletes in the Extramilest and Endurance Planet episodes address this directly. Running at a very slow pace outdoors can feel awkward socially, but the physics don't care. Treadmills solve the problem entirely and let you control pace and heart rate without external variables. Many athletes start their MAF base phase on a treadmill for this reason.
The podcasts above represent hundreds of hours of thinking from the people who've done the most work building and refining the MAF approach. The method is simple in principle but takes consistent application to see the results. Let these conversations be part of that process.