Many runners think of the climbs as the toughest part of a hilly race. Uphills send your heart rate soaring and slow even the strongest runners to a grind, while descents offer a chance to catch your breath and let gravity do some of the work. But David Roche, ultramarathoner and coach to New York City Marathon women’s runner-up Jess McClain, says those easier-feeling downhills can come at a cost later in the race.

And Roche knows the importance of late-race performance, which is why he integrates strategies into his training to fight fatigue through long distances.

Take McClain’s finish in New York City as an example: She outkicked reigning champ Hellen Obiri just feet from the finish line to take second place by mere seconds, clocking 2:24:42 and becoming the first American woman to reach the podium in NYC since 2018.

Roche’s fatigue-fighting tactics take him even farther in his own races.…