Let's talk about METABOLISM! No, running doesn't "break" your metabolism; no, your metabolism doesn't screech to a halt once you turn 40. Metabolism and nutrition researcher Dr. Stephanie Compton, PhD, RD, joins the show to discuss metabolism and its impact on our bodies. It's not just about burning calories; it also includes the biochemical processes that build and break down substances in our bodies. Learn about different macronutrient substrates and how our bodies ca...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 8
LET'S DIVE INTO THE HALF MARATHON! This episode with Coach Elisabeth delves into half marathon training: uncover the secrets to conquering this popular race distance, armed with insights that focus on optimal performance. From building your aerobic endurance foundation to mastering targeted workouts like lactate threshold sessions, elevate your performance to new heights and set the stage for a fabulous half marathon journey! We cover the art of pacing, steering clear of race pace obsession,...
Feb 22, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Let's run MORE!! Why? In this episode with Coach Elisabeth, we talk about how to increase running volume effectively and the importance of finding the right balance between volume and frequency, and the relationship between volume and speed. Practical tips for adding volume to your training week include adding another day of running and distributing volume increases throughout the week, plus the importance of easy effort running and the limitations of the 10% rule. She also highlights the va...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Eating to support your running can feel really overwhelming when you're ALSO being a partner, parent, employee, friend - ALL of the things you also are in your busy life! Sports dietitian Alex Larson, RD (@alexlarsonnutrition) and Coach Elisabeth cover topics such as post-workout breakfasts for busy mornings, easy fueling before and after workouts, simple ways to add carbs and other foods, tips for athletes with unpredictable schedules, understanding hunger and fullness cues, nutrition for t...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Have you ever had a big goal race go SO CATASTROPHICALLY SIDEWAYS that you're plummeted into an existential crisis afterwards? Yeah, us too! In this episode with Dr. Victoria Sekely (@trainsmartunstrong) we discuss the pressure of setting goals, the impact of race disappointments, and the influence of others' opinions. PLUS, we talk about the challenges faced by women in running and the importance of living with uncertainty and being able to pivot. The conversation includes personal expe...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 4
FOOTSTRIKE is often a hot topic among runners... but should it be? Does where you land matter? If so, WHY? Physical therapist & founder of Learn2Run Dr. Matt Minard, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT, CSCS, Cert. MDT, returns to the show for a deep dive into all things foostrike! -What is footstrike? -What footstrike can and can't tell you -Why you might be thinking about footstrike all wrong -Heel striking vs midfoot or forefoot striking -Footstrike form cues: helpful or harmful? -What about sprinter...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) describes a syndrome of poor health and declining athletic performance that happens when athletes do not get enough fuel through food to support the energy demands of their daily lives and training. RED-S can and does affect athletes of any gender and ability level. Melissa Lodge, PhD(c) is an elite runner and researcher studying RED-S in endurance athletes, and she joins the show to talk about RED-S and her work! What is RED-S? The history of RED-S &a...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Welcome to 2024! In this first episode of the year, Coach Elisabeth breaks down what makes an "elite" runner elite: their genetics, training, and more! -What is "elite"? A tiered framework for understanding athletic performance -Genetic predispositions: maybe they're born with it! -Why it's not just about good genes -The training: how much? What type? -And more!
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 1
ANOTHER YEAR DOWN! What did I learn this year? What have I been reflecting on the most? From RED-S recovery to carbon plated shoes, to abolishing the binary of "rehab" vs. strength training, to why welcoming runners of ALL paces into our community is important (and why I want YOU to stop being ashamed of your paces), it's time for another year-end reflection! Thank you for making 2023 the best year yet of The Running Explained Podcast! With love, gratitude, and all the miles, Coach Elisabeth
Dec 28, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 47
Are you derailed by performance anxiety? Are you pinning your self-worth & whether your training cycle was "worth it" on if you PR'd or not? Dr. Leah Avery, DPT, joins the show today to talk about her experience in healing from debilitating performance anxiety and her relationship with athletic performance. Leah was a D1 All-American swimmer and competed at the Olympic Trials, but her relationship with sport and performance was anything but healthy; when she started running dur...
Dec 21, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 46
Taking objective stock of your training cycle - what did you attempt to do, what actually happened, and how did it feel - can be an incredibly useful exercise so that you can learn what worked, what didn't... and ID any mistakes that were made! Coach Elisabeth walks you through training cycle analysis in this episode that will encourage you to... 1) Objectively look at what you set out to do vs what actually happened 2) Identify patterns & learn lessons 3) Understand what is and is outsi...
Dec 07, 2023•56 min•Season 3Ep. 45
Can you get FASTER by running LESS?? This is NOT your clickbaity "smash a marathon PR by only doing 3 runs a week"-style low volume training; coach and elite mountain runner Kim Nedeau is here to talk about how to excel as an endurance runner in a low run volume/high training volume framework. -What is "low run volume/high training volume" training? -Who this training framework is best for -Manipulating training intensity distribution with lower running volume and higher cros...
Nov 23, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 44
Is there anything worse than needing an emergency bathroom stop on a run... except for needing TWO? What about when our poor gut health interferes with our ability to absorb important micronutrients or tolerate the fuel we need to power our long runs and races? Sports dietitian Kylee Van Horn, RD (@flynutrition3) is here to talk all about gut health for runners! Including... What IS "good gut health" in general and how can we support it? Our gut microbiome Can changes in our gut health...
Nov 16, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 43
Post-race recovery starts AS SOON AS YOU CROSS THE FINISH LINE! What do you need to do to set yourself up for post-race recovery success? This episode is sponsored by Previnex! Try the probiotic that Coach Elisabeth takes daily for her own gut health, and save 15% using code RUNEXP on your first order from Previnex.com ! -The very first things to focus on after crossing the finish line -Refueling and hydrating in the hours after your race -Muscle glycogen depletion and resynthesis -WHY racin...
Nov 09, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 42
How can taking time OFF make you a better, faster, more resilient runner? Coach Toni Kengor, co-founder of Relentless Runners, joins the show to talk ALL THINGS OFF-SEASON! -Why you need them -WHEN to take them -What an off-season is (& is not) -How to handle feelings of anxiety around "running less" -The basics of training adaptation and supercompensation -How to be a runner AND a _______ -"But what if I take a week off and then just never run again?" -And more! Toni Ken...
Nov 02, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 41
Forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims, MSc, PhD joins the show today for a wide-ranging conversation about fueling, hydration, and optimizing performance for female endurance athletes! In this episode, we cover... Getting past focusing on weight loss and body recomposition as "the magic solution" The issues with intermittent fasting for female athletes What about utilizing low carbohydrate diets to force an increase in using fatty a...
Oct 26, 2023•53 min•Season 3Ep. 40
YOUR KNEES AND RUNNING, PART TWO with Dr. Lauren LaPierre, DPT (@thepersonalizedrunningdoc). Thought we'd covered it all last season? Nope! -No, running still isn't bad for your knees -How is it that we sometimes experience whole-joint soreness in the knees? -Risk factors for knee injuries -Isometric exercises to address knee pain -Stabilization of the knee joint: understanding the role of the adductors -How to harness the power of eccentric exercises to improve your running -Is it OK to...
Oct 19, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 39
BONES! Literally what holds us upright. So what do we runners need to know about our bones, bone health, and bone stress injuries? Dr. Steph Mundt, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS (@stephmundt.dpt) joins the show today to teach us about... What are our bones made of and how do they get stronger? Who is at higher risk of bone stress injuries? What is "good bone health" and how can we work towards it? Understanding bone mineralization and bone density How to read a DEXA scan for runners Consideration...
Oct 12, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 38
Owwwww my hips hurt! Hip pain in runners is not uncommon, and physical therapist Dr. Sarah Louie joins the show to talk about hips, running, and what you need to know to "bulletproof" your hips as a runner! -What are some misunderstandings runners have about hip injuries? -The form and function of how our hips work -Why you need more than clamshells to bulletproof your hips -Ruling out bone stress injuries -Injuries from morphology differences -Strength training that WORKS for stronger...
Oct 05, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 37
Comparison is the thief of joy... so why do we spend SO much time & energy comparing ourselves to others? To other runners, to other versions of ourselves. Coach Nick Klastava is here this week to help us understand WHY breaking free from the comparison trap is actually one of the best things you can do as a runner, why copying another runner's training isn't very helpful, why paces aren't the be-all-end-all, and what we can all learn from the best of the best. Nick Klastava has ...
Sep 28, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 36
Many distance runners look at the 5k as no big deal; "it's only 3.1 miles!", you say! Well, Jason Fitzgerald of Strength Running is here to explain why running a fast 5k is one of the hardest skills you can master as a runner... AND how to do it! Why is the 5k a race that requires such skill on behalf of the runner? Learning how to pace yourself like a pro The biggest mistakes in racing a 5k What training should look like & why you still need that long run Strategy for a truly ...
Sep 21, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 35
Running Explained Coach and 25x marathoner Jessie Gruca joins the show to talk about MARATHON TRAINING! Hear from Coach Jessie on the evolution on her marathon knowledge, what's been the most impactful changes for her (especially as a post-partum runner), and how she approaches coaching her own marathoners! -The biggest marathon training mistakes most runners make -Should we try to PR every single time we run a marathon? -The importance of fueling and hydration -Novice marathoners vs gain ex...
Sep 14, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 34
Our miniseries on triathlon continues with Sports Dietitian Natalie Robertello, MS, RD, CSSD, CDN of BeFueled Sports Nutrition to educate us on the FOUNDATIONS of fueling for multisport events, i.e. triathlon! The basics of multisport fueling How do your daily nutrition needs change as training volume increases? Understanding your hydration needs Planning your multisport nutrition plan Sport fuel vs. "whole" food fueling Liquid carbs: how and when? 60-90 g/hr vs 90+ g/hr in training an...
Sep 07, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 33
Let's answer some questions! In this episode, Coach Elisabeth answers 4 running related questions: What’s the deal with these menthol gels? Are they going to help me in the heat? The recommendations for running (or not running) when you’re sick and how to deal with the “back to school” season of constant sickness Dealing with severe race anxiety Can men get RED-S/have Low Energy Availability too? STUDIES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: PMID: 33248439 PMID: 36458132 PMID: 37571316 PMID: 37052052...
Aug 31, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 32
What is toxic fitness culture? It's attitudes and beliefs in the "fitness" space (yes, including running) that promote unrealistic and unhealthy approaches towards exercise and fitness, and unfortunately, sometimes these things show up in the endurance running space as well. Running Explained Coach and Personal Trainer Amanda Katz joins the show to talk ALL about it! -Toxic fitness culture in the wild -Toxic fitness culture in endurance running -Is more always better? -Learning how...
Aug 24, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 31
What does it mean to have a sustainable approach to running? What does exploring the relationship between environmental sustainability and running look like? Co-authors of the new book "Becoming A Sustainable Runner" Tina Muir and Zoë Rom are here today to talk about it! -"Sustainability" in the context of training -Creating ways we can have a sustainable, i.e. "lifelong" enjoyment of running -Environmental sustainability and the impact that climate change is having on our sport -Are there larg...
Aug 10, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 30
Are you interested in delving into the world of triathlon as a runner? What do you need to know? Coach Danielle Hirt (@runwithcoachd) is here to talk about all the things you need to know to get started in triathlon as a runner! -Overview of triathlon as a sport -Different triathlon distances -Where should a runner start when they want to make the transition into tri? -Biggest differences between training for a marathon/half standalone vs in a triathlon -Training intensity distribution in triath...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 29
WHY AM I GETTING SLOWER? As coaches, this is a common question we we get, and Coach Amanda Brooks (@runtothefinish) and Coach Laura Norris, MS (@lauranorrisrunning), co-hosts of the Tread Lightly Podcast, are here to talk about it! -When an athlete comes to you and says "help, I'm getting slower", what are the first things that come into your mind about what you want to know about the athlete? -Detraining/time-off impacting fitness -Supercompensation negative trends due to life str...
Jul 27, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Let's learn all about our calves nd Achilles tendons and how important they are for running! Sports Chiropractor Luke Nelson (@sportschiroluke) joins the show today to teach us all about our calves! -The structure of our calves: what are the key muscles? - What role do our calves play when we run? -Common calf-related issues runners face: tightness, muscle cramps, etc -The Achilles tendon and what it does -Common Achilles-related injuries -What can runners do to help make our calves as stron...
Jul 20, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 27
What is pain? No, not the suffering we experience in a race or hard workout, but ACTUAL pain? Physical therapist Dr. Megan Waples, PT, DPT of @perfectstridept joins the show today to talk to us about pain! What is pain? Is pain always a bad thing? The difference between the "pain of racing" vs injury-related pain Is where you feel pain always where the issue is? Is inflammation always bad? Considering RICE for injury management Acute injury vs overuse injury vs chronic injury Chronic p...
Jul 13, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 26
