From poor tune-up races to switching up nutrition, pro runners face the same lessons more casual runners do. Laura Thweatt is a 2:25 marathoner, professional runner for Saucony, and former US cross country champion. She placed 5th in the 10k at the 2016 Olympic Trials and 5th in the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. We talk about: The emotions before a goal race and working with a sports psychologist during a taper Using a training journal to calm pre-race nerves and boost confidence Injury manageme...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 374•Transcript available on Metacast Do super shoes give runners who use them an unfair advantage? Do they make it impossible to compare modern finish times with earlier performances? Sabrina Little is a trail and ultra runner, formerly a professional runner for HOKA. She has won 5 national titles and a World silver medal, she previously held American records in the 24-hour and 200K, and she was 2013 USATF Ultrarunner of the Year. Sabrina earned her doctorate in Philosophy and teaches ethics at Christopher Newport University. We ta...
Oct 17, 2024•45 min•Ep 373•Transcript available on Metacast Want to run faster with fewer injuries? Take a look at your gait. Jessica Wulke is a dual board-certified specialist physical therapist in orthopedics and sports. She has extensive experience treating professional athletes and continues to treat athletes in the NFL and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Jessica was the leading gait analysis and running injury therapist at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation. We talk about: The basics of gait analysis for runners Common issues that gai...
Oct 10, 2024•57 min•Ep 372•Transcript available on Metacast How much attention do you need to give to your weight as a runner? Dr. Spencer Nadolsky is an obesity and lipid specialist physician who’s helped thousands of patients across the US. After competing on a college track team in the horrible early 2000’s culture of “lighter is better,” I wanted to bring a medical expert onto the podcast to discuss weight loss in a responsible way. We talk about: The balance between fueling for performance and the potential need for weight loss Assessing whether wei...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr•Ep 371•Transcript available on Metacast Hoping to improve your marathon performance this fall? Sara Manderscheid is a running coach and podcaster living in Boulder, CO. Sara fell in love with the marathon training process after BQ'ing in her 2019 marathon debut. This fall, she's attempting to get as close to the 3 hour barrier as possible in the marathon. Sara's been a guest on the podcast twice before and returns to take your marathon specific running questions. We collected your Instagram and Twitter questions and answer them togeth...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr•Ep 370•Transcript available on Metacast When’s the last time you got bloodwork done? Stevie Lyn Smith is a Registered Dietitian on a mission to educate and coach athletes on how to fuel their goals without sacrificing health and happiness. As a board certified specialist in sports nutrition, Stevie Lyn has helped hundreds of athletes fuel to improve performance, energy levels, and recovery– without feeling guilt or restriction. In this episode, we talk about: Using bloodwork as a tool for performance and overall health How bloodwork c...
Sep 19, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep 369•Transcript available on Metacast Many runners called The Leadville Trail 100 Run's near-20 year record "unbeatable." David Roche raised the bar with an astonishing 2024 performance. David Roche is an elite trail runner and running coach. He's a two-time USATF trail national champion, the 2014 Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year, and former Mountain Runner of the Year. As of August 2024, David is also the new course record holder of the Leadville 100 Mile Endurance Run, finishing in 15:26:34. In this episode, we talk about: How D...
Sep 12, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep 368•Transcript available on Metacast Imagine a running festival combined with a retreat plus a race thrown in there: That's Jesse Itzler's Runningman. Jesse Itzler is the founder of Runningman and All Day Running Co., a serial entrepreneur, an author, an endurance sports enthusiast, and a 100-mile ultra marathoner. In this episode, we talk about: Translating running's discipline and consistency into other areas of life Sharing the values of health and wellness with children Jesse's approach to long-term running planning Finding the...
Sep 05, 2024•46 min•Ep 367•Transcript available on Metacast How do we develop new runners, young runners, and master's runners, into great runners? Paul Greer is a professor of Health and Exercise Science at San Diego City College, coach of the San Diego Track Club, and the 2016 and 2024 Team USA Men’s Junior Cross Country coach. With about 40 years of coaching experience, Paul has a lot of wisdom to share for runners from youth to master's levels. His athletes include hundreds of Boston qualifiers, several top age-group competitors, and a handful of Oly...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr•Ep 366•Transcript available on Metacast Ever catch yourself complaining about how much you paid to sign up for a race? Here's the inside story. Phil Dumontet is a 2:42 marathoner, the founder of Boulderthon, and the CEO of race management and timing company Brooksee. Personally, I believe Brooksee's timing technology is going to revolutionize road racing in the future. In this episode, we talk about: The day-to-day of a racing management company CEO: managing races, training teams, and building partnerships Race marketing and differen...
Aug 22, 2024•1 hr•Ep 365•Transcript available on Metacast Kick back for a less structured conversation with my friend Jonathan Levitt, focusing on the big and small real-life issues affecting runners. Jon is a runner, cyclist, and host of For The Long Run Podcast. I like to joke that Jon is the Mayor of Boulder because of his ridiculous network of every single runner who lives within 100 miles. We share a lot of miles on the Boulder trails together and have great, rambling conversations about the running industry and our personal training, like this on...
Aug 15, 2024•53 min•Ep 364•Transcript available on Metacast In today's running culture, people can't stop talking about Zone 2 running. But what about Zone 3? John Davis is an author, running coach, former collegiate runner, and an expert in human performance with a focus on biomechanics. He ran at Carleton College before getting a PhD in biomechanics at Indiana University's School of Public Health, focusing on running injuries. In this episode, we talk about: The underutilized value of Zone 3 running Why zones aren't as clear as many people make them ou...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 363•Transcript available on Metacast Most runners have heard of plyometrics, but are they using these exercises effectively to prevent injury and boost performance? Dr. Gaby Go is a Doctorate of Physical Therapy who ran Division 1 Track and Field for the University of Maryland, College Park, and who qualified for the Boston Marathon in her debut marathon. Today, Gaby’s sharing a lot of knowledge around plyometrics for runners with us. In this episode, Gaby and I talk about: The basics of plyos: what they are, who they're for, and w...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr•Ep 362•Transcript available on Metacast Have we put Zone 2 running on an undeserved pedestal? A recent episode with Brady Holmer dug into Zone 2 as it relates to heat training. One listener named Nadine emailed me some great questions to follow up on the Zone 2 conversation. Like many of you, easy running has gotten confusing for Nadine because of so much of the advice on the internet to never go faster than Zone 2 and the value of very slow running. But Nadine was feeling better at slightly faster paces! I figured it'd be more helpfu...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep 361•Transcript available on Metacast Hoping to get faster at the marathon and reach a personal best? So is Nick Jordan, a member of Team Strength Running. Nick joined this coaching program in order to most effectively use his time and effort to get the best possible chance of reaching a marathon personal best. We talked about what he can do in the remaining months to stack the deck in his favor. Team Strength Running is a program that includes ongoing coaching directly from me, access to a team of other runners just like you, a lib...
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep 360•Transcript available on Metacast Sugar cravings, salt content, underfueling, post-race beers… Runners get a lot of conflicting nutrition information, so we’re asking your questions to a registered dietitian! Alex Larson is a Minnesota-based registered dietitian and Ironman triathlete who’s worked with thousands of athletes in more than fifteen countries. I get a lot of questions from endurance runners about nutrition, so we collected your questions for Alex to answer. In this episode, Alex answers these running nutrition questi...
Jul 11, 2024•58 min•Ep 359•Transcript available on Metacast Whether you love the mile or you want to continue running into your 40's or beyond, you'll be inspired by this Masters runner. Mario Fraioli is a Bay Area-based running coach who works with a number of Olympic Trials-level marathoners, top ultrarunners, and competitive age-group athletes. He’s one of the most competitive Master’s runners in the USA, having run the 2023 Boston Marathon in 2:34 and with his recent 3rd place finisher at the 2024 National Masters Road Mile. In this episode, Mario an...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Ep 358•Transcript available on Metacast As a runner, it's almost guaranteed that somebody has told you, "Running is bad for your knees!" Spoiler alert: It's not. Dr. Howard Luks has the education and experience to prove it. Howard spent more than 20 years as the Chief of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at New York Medical College, specializing in athlete care. As a board certified orthopedic surgeon, he focuses on a variety of joints but focuses on knee health. In this episode, Howard and I talk about: Squats for knee health: form and...
Jun 27, 2024•46 min•Ep 357•Transcript available on Metacast Brady Holmer knows a lot about running and a lot about science: a perfect combo for a conversation on the show. Brady is a lifelong endurance athlete who competed in cross country and track at the collegiate level. He currently works as a science writer and researcher, holding a Master’s degree in human performance. He also recently ran his PR in the marathon: a 2:37. In this episode, Brady and I talk about: The flexibility of heart rate zones and their impact on training adaptations Physiology ...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep 356•Transcript available on Metacast Chris Bennett is the Nike Running Global Head Coach and Senior Director Nike Global Running. Translation: Chris is an absolute powerhouse of a coach and runner. I got to chat with Chris about his role at Nike, how runners approach the sport from a variety of angles, what often prevents us from achieving our goals, his message to every runner in the world if he had the opportunity to speak to the global running population, and so much more. In this episode, Chris and I talk about: The multifacete...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep 355•Transcript available on Metacast Brooke Torres is an ultra runner who couldn’t understand why running shoes were so uncomfortable. So, she started a running shoe company to fix that problem. Hilma Running Shoes makes shoes specifically for the needs of women’s feet, which are uniquely shaped and not just a smaller version of men’s feet (since as you'll hear, that doesn't work). In this episode, Brooke and I talk about: Women's foot shape and its impact on running shoe design How poor-fit shoes can lead to injury and discomfort ...
Jun 06, 2024•50 min•Ep 354•Transcript available on Metacast Sally McRae is known worldwide for her mental fortitude and ability to push through extreme discomfort. As a professional mountain and ultra runner for Nike, Sally is a two-time Top 10 Western States finisher, the Badwater 135 Champion, Tarawera 100 Champion, Mozart 100 Champion and Moab 240 Champion. Sally is also an author, podcast host, business owner, and a strength and running coach. In this episode, Sally and I talk about: The pros of using a treadmill for distance training The whole body ...
May 30, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep 353•Transcript available on Metacast We're switching it up a bit this week so you can listen to the episode of The Drop where I was the guest! The Drop is hosted by Thomas Neuberger, Meaghan Murray, and Robbie Reddinger. Robbie wasn’t on this episode, but I had a great time chatting with Thomas and Meaghan and thought you'd enjoy a listen. We talked about: Preventing injury while high mileage training with proper warm-ups and cool downs Problem-solving in running: motivation, plateaus, and improving performance How training for a m...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 352•Transcript available on Metacast As a hybrid athlete, Eric Hinman has experienced both extremes of ultra endurance and anaerobic power. Based in Denver, Eric is a 5x Ironman, serial entrepreneur, and brand builder. At 43 years old, Eric's currently training for the Leadville 100-mile Mountain Bike Race, which he trains for every year. He’s also attempting to qualify for the 2024 CrossFit Games. He spent years before then training for long course triathlons. In this episode, Eric and I talk about: Moving to Colorado for better w...
May 16, 2024•55 min•Ep 351•Transcript available on Metacast Get a sneak peak into what we do every month in our Team Strength Running coaching program. During these live calls, I'm on live video, taking any and all questions from the team's members. It's an opportunity for runners in the program to ask me anything about the many factors of strong, healthy running. Members get guidance on sticky running questions, problem solve training issues, and get the action steps they need to keep moving forward. If you’d like to attend our next live coach’s chat, y...
May 09, 2024•36 min•Ep 350•Transcript available on Metacast When runners get hurt, it’s often a tissue health problem, like a tendon injury. Jay Dicharry is a physical therapist, author, entrepreneur, and faculty member at Oregon State University who knows a lot about tissue health for runners. He’s written some of my favorite books on running performance and injury prevention, including “Anatomy for Runners” and “Running Rewired.” Jay also hosts workshops for physical therapists. In this episode, Jay and I talk about: New research on tissue remodeling a...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep 349•Transcript available on Metacast Runners ask all the time: How should I fit strength training into my endurance goals, and how can I get as strong as possible with limited time? Holly Martin is a personal fitness trainer and run coach based in Nashville, TN who specializes in time-efficient circuit training and individually tailored run programs. Holly comes from a diverse background of professional ballet, ultramarathon running, and 10 years of experience in CrossFit. She’s finished many ultra marathons, including two 100 mile...
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr•Ep 348•Transcript available on Metacast The running world gets to watch in awe as elites set new records and perform incredible feats. But it’s not all rainbows and unicorns for these athletes. World record holders face injuries and challenges, too. Charlie Lawrence set the record in the 50-mile distance in 2023, clocking in at 4:48:21. That’s an unbelievable average of 5:46 per mile. Charlie also ran his marathon personal record of 2:16 while qualifying for the US Olympic Trials Marathon for the second time. In this episode, Charlie ...
Apr 18, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep 347•Transcript available on Metacast The midstance phase of a running stride is a crucial element of running form, but many runners are ignoring it. If you have weaknesses, imbalances, or poor movement patterns, this is the part of the gait cycle that will show it. Chris Johnson, DPT is a Seattle-based physical therapist, performance coach, entrepreneur, and multiple time Kona IRONMAN qualifier who shares how midstance affects your running performance and how you can improve it. In this episode, Chris and I talk about: Midstance im...
Apr 11, 2024•55 min•Ep 346•Transcript available on Metacast If you're starting to wonder whether your running form is helping or hurting your performance, we’re sharing two important tests that can help you better conceptualize how your body moves through space. Dr. Matthew Silver is a doctor of physical therapy, coach, cross country athlete, founder of Alpha Project Phyzio and Performance in Maryland, and author of the book "Built to Run." We spend a lot of time on foot strike, the problems associated with over-striding, and the many solutions for resol...
Apr 04, 2024•50 min•Ep 345•Transcript available on Metacast