The Strength Running Podcast

Heather Caplan is a Registered Dietitian, certified running coach, and host of the RD Real Talk Podcast. She's also the former Head of Nutrition and Coaching at tech startup Spright, Inc. She's also worked in corporate wellness coaching and public health nutrition counseling. Her work has been featured in national media such as Runner's World, The Washington Post, Women's Running, Outside Online, and others. Heather is on the podcast today to answer YOUR nutrition questions: Are superfoods legit? What's her hot take on fasting and the vegan diet? How much meat is too much? Can nutrition play a role in injury prevention? And more! This is a very wide-ranging discussion based on your answers to my Twitter question here. If you like this format of podcast, we have two more you can download here!

Running uphill (against gravity) stresses your body in a unique way that you can't mimic on flat land. That stress results in some fantastic adaptations and benefits: There's less impact running uphill so it's easier on your joints and connective tissues Hills "force" you to run with better form, reinforcing a more efficient stride Running up steep grades builds power more safely than running fast on flat terrain Hills provide the most specific strength work runners could ask for Hill workouts build strength, speed, endurance, VO2 Max, and every other metric runners care about! While hill sessions aren't too race-specific (unless you're training for an entirely uphill race), they have a valuable place in any training program. This episode discusses these benefits, when hills should be incorporated into your season, my 3 favorite types of hill workouts, and the type of runner who will benefit most from hills.

In reality, we have to make time and shuffle our schedules to accommodate all of our responsibilities: Kids and family Work and professional obligations Social events Sleep? Maybe? It's no easy feat to train well, work, have a family, and find some free time to read or have fun. I remember back to one of the most challenging times of my life: the year after college when I had a 75-minute commute and a 9-hour work day. That meant I was running 80-85 miles per week at 5:30am in the dark, in the freezing winter of Massachusetts. I had no time to do anything besides work, run, and ensure I slept 8 hours a night. Now that I have a family, that's not a possibility. Hard decisions have to be made... To help with those tough decisions, I want to introduce you to Keira D'Amato. She was a 4-time All-American at American University in Washington, DC, specializing in events ranging from the 5k to cross country. After college, she worked for years as the marketing director for Potomac River Running and today she's the "running realtor" for the northern Virginia and DC areas. But she never quit running. Just last month, she won the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Washington, DC. Keira is running after the Olympic Trials marathon standard of 2:45 - and she's close with her 2:47 PR! Oh, and she's married with two kids... In this conversation, we discuss: the many roles she's had in the running industry what she's learned about runners from being so involved in the sport her marathon progression from nearly 4 hours to 2:47 (!!) how her current training has gone and her strategy to get the OTQ how she manages to train at an elite level with a job and a family

Tyler Andrews was a competitive Division III runner - but certainly not a multiple All-American or other kind of standout performer. But that never stopped him from chasing big goals. After graduating from Tufts University, Tyler kept training and improving. He's since qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials and currently holds the world record for the fastest half marathon ever run on a treadmill (63:38). Now he has his sights set on another world record: the 50K ultramarathon distance. And this Friday, he'll be making that WR attempt in California at the Santa Barbara Easter Relays. After 125 laps on the track, we'll know if he was ready to topple the 30-year record of 2:43:38. In this far-ranging conversation, Tyler and I discuss a host of issues: The geeky nitty gritty of his training - most at 9,000+ feet altitude in Quito, Ecuador His pacing and fueling approach for a track 50k More philosophically, why is he attempting to break this record? And a lot more...

It's no easy feat to run a marathon under three hours. It's faster than the fastest Boston Qualifying time of 3:05 (for young men) and according to one analysis, only 4% of men and just 1% of women achieve this level of performance. An article from LiveStrong notes that: "the nonprofit organization RunTri used the times of 230,251 finishers in 25 races to determine that in the 2011-2012 marathon season the average time for any person, regardless of gender or age, was 4 hours, 24 minutes and 0 seconds." I'm not familiar with either of these sources so we should be careful with the results. Let's take them with a big grain of salt. But still, they underscore the general idea that a sub-3 marathon is really hard! And especially for women, who weren't born with many of the biological "tools" that aid performance (higher muscle mass, more testosterone, etc.). So this coaching call was particularly exciting for me. Lindsey has a 3:14 personal best but that wasn't under ideal conditions – in other words, she knows a lot of improvement is possible. In this conversation, we discuss her training background, past race performances, and the training upgrades required to make her sub-3 marathon dream a reality.

Henry Wynne has an unusual origin story: he's a former lacrosse player who had no interest in running but his parents encouraged him to stick with the sport in high school. Fast forward about 10 years later and today, he's an elite middle-distance athlete sponsored by Brooks. A former runner for the University of Virginia, he's had several notable accomplishments over the years: 2016 Indoor NCAA Mile - Champion 2016 Outdoor NCAA Mile - 3rd 4 x All-American School Record Holder, 1500m His personal best in the mile is 3:55 (from less than two weeks ago!) - and he's going to let you in on how he prepares to race. Resources helpful for milers and other middle-distance runners: Increase muscle tension to race faster How to lift for explosivity Train your top end running speed How to run hill sprints Lift for speed and power

I had the pleasure of getting to know Maggie last fall when she modeled the exercises for our new strength training program. We spent a few hours at a weight lifting gym called Barbell Strategy in Boulder, CO. Maggie and Addie Bracy (2x Mountain Runner of the Year) demonstrated 40+ exercises and we had a videographer to capture all of the magic. During her time at the University of Arizona, she won the PAC-10 Steeplechase Championship (she'll also tell you that she's twice won her beer in weight!). Her PR for the steeple - one of my absolute favorites - is 10:03 or the equivalent of about 10:45-10:50 for 2-miles (with 30-inch barriers and water jumps). It's quite impressive. Now, Maggie trains under elite coach Brad Hudson. Brad, as I'm sure you know at this point, is the author of my favorite book on running - Run Faster: How to be Your Own Best Coach From the 5k to the Marathon. If you don't own this book, go buy it. You won't regret it. Back to Maggie: just last month she got on the podium at the Arizona RnR Hlaf Marathon, running 1:17:20 for third place. And I'm thrilled she's on the podcast to talk about her running and the benefits of strength training she has personally experienced.

Dimity is the cofounder of Another Mother Runner - one of the largest communities you'll find for women runners. Besides the blog, the AMR ecosystem includes a helluva lot: The Another Mother Runner podcast AMR retreats Run Like a Mother Train Like a Mother Tales From Yet Another Mother Runner The AMR store I'm publishing this episode as an excerpt from Team Strength Running (if you're not sure what that is, sign up here and I'll give you all the details next week). Dimity is on the Strength Running podcast today to talk about the many issues that are more unique to women. As you can imagine, I'm not the best person to address this topic. As a man, there are a lot of things I'm simply not aware of or privy to in the sport of running. It's not just women's issues; I bring in outside experts on everything that's outside of my wheelhouse: Running through pregnancy Sports psychology and "mental training" The physiology of lifting weights And I'm thrilled to introduce you to Another Mother Runner and the great work they're doing for the running community.

Two years ago, I was interviewed for an event called The Running Summit. I spoke about wide-ranging topics: How I started running My injury prevention philosophy The biggest areas of improvement for runners Strength training do's and don'ts Warm-ups and cross-training My favorite aspects of coaching How running "scales" My favorite running authors The two principles of sound form you must remember Who benefits from getting a coach? How to build your mileage more safely than the 10% rule Why 'Run Less, Run Faster' fails as a training methodology and a lot more! As you can see, we went DEEP on running and touched on nearly every important element of sound training. This is an audio recording of our interview where you'll be able to glean insights from my experience as a runner, coach, and a coached athlete.

You might recognize Jesse as the dude who races in Aviators (there's never an inappropriate time for Aviators). He was an All-American and school record holder at track and field powerhouse Stanford University. After graduating with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering, Jesse started a company and got an MBA before going pro in triathlon in 2011. You might say that Jesse likes to stay busy. Today, he's the CEO of Picky Bars - a company he cofounded with his wife Lauren Fleshman - and an elite triathlete who's a 2x Ironman Champion. After reading a fascinating article in Triathlete Magazine last year, I reached out to Jesse to learn more about his nutrition philosophy and approach to fueling for such a grueling sport. As the CEO and cofounder of a company that helps athletes fuel their workouts, a pro triathlete, and a highly educated guy, Jesse has interesting perspectives about the nuances of eating 6,00 calories per day. Does he follow any type of formal "diet?" How does his nutrition change throughout the season and year? Is he a calorie counter, scorer, or macronutrient calculator? How "perfect" does he try to be with his nutrition? Jesse joined me on the Strength Running podcast to talk about these issues and a lot more. I hope you'll listen.

I've fielded hundreds of lifting questions from runners who all want to know, "How do I lift the right way?" It's a great question. In fact, it's THE question! Knowing how to lift properly will: Save you a lot of wasted time Give you the actual results you want Reduce your injury risk But without knowing WHY runners should lift then it's impossible to answer HOW runners should lift. Do runners need to build strength? Or power? Or neuromuscular coordination? When is the right time to work on each skill? Also: Can kettlebell work be added into a lifting program for runners? If so, how? Are CrossFit or other HIIT sessions appropriate? If so, when? Should trail runners lift the same way as road runners? Clearly, this is a complex topic! Thankfully, we're featuring a top strength coach on the podcast to answer all of your questions about lifting for runners. You'll recognize Randy Hauer as the strength coach behind the programming of High Performance Lifting - our step-by-step lifting program for runners. Randy has over 30 years of strength and conditioning experience in a wide variety of disciplines and training styles: Olympic Weightlifting Sports performance coaching Personal training CrossFit Kettlebell training He uses insights from these experiences to develop world-class programming for pro runners in Boulder, Colorado. He works directly with some of Brad Hudson's Hudson Elite team members. In High Performance Lifting, Randy brings runners through a comprehensive 16-week strength program that periodizes strength training so runners will get strong, powerful, and (most importantly) faster. And today he's answering the most common questions we've received over the last few weeks: HIIT / CrossFit training for runners When you should lift (Before or after running? Off days? Hard days?) Soreness from lifting weights Trail runners and lifting Mobility and movement fluency Is HPL just for "fast" runners? Is it right for older runners 50+? What about high school aged kids?

Cross-training is supplemental exercise that can be helpful to your running, like cycling. But just like form drills, strides, or dynamic flexibility exercises, I consider strength training to be an integral part of how to train distance runners. If you're not strength training, then you're not training. Running by itself only gets you so far. It's a fairly one-dimensional form of exercise, after all. If you look at how pro runners train (hell, even high school runners), you'll see a lot of "other things" in their training: Form drills Plyometrics Bodyweight strength workouts Mobility Barefoot work Skill-based strength exercises (like Olympic lifts) Dynamic flexibility routines Whoever said runners just ran?! All of this extra training makes you stronger, more efficient, and flexible with higher levels of coordination. In other words, you become a better athlete. Because you're not a runner – you're an athlete that specializes in running. I wanted to dive into the topic of strength training in more detail so you know what to do – and how to do it – to become a faster and less injury-prone runner.

I'm doing something a little different today in that I'd like to share with you what I think are the best gift ideas for runners this year. Now as a running coach, my focus is on improvement so I'm only going to recommend things that are going to help you improve. That's why I won't be suggesting sweatshirts, socks, shoes, or anything like that. Those are "nice to haves" but what's in this episode are gifts that will help you get to the next level. I also want to be completely transparent on three things: #1 - If you follow any of the links that I mention or use the discount codes, then Strength Running is going to get a small kickback. It won't cost you anything extra but it does help support the podcast so I can keep churning out episodes. Ok #2. I'm only promoting products where I can give you a discount. The holidays can be a financially challenging time so I'm trying to hook you up with discounted and helpful running products. FInally #3, I own, trust completely, or use myself all of these products and services. I will never promote something that I don't believe in because life is too short not to be able to sleep at night. Enjoy this episode and have a great holiday season!

I invited Nick to share as much detail as possible about his marathon training, race strategy, and post-race recovery so you can understand how an elite marathoner tackles the race. Just recent he posted on Instagram: To run your best, you have to put in the work, know your body, and keep reminding yourself that you can do it. Train both your mind and body. And today, you'll hear what "the work" means to a professional marathoner. You'll learn: How many weeks Nick prepares for the marathon Why his marathon training includes no cross-training How he structures his taper and recovery after the race His preferred marathon fuel The types of long runs necessary to race 26.2 miles This episode goes deep into marathon training - the nuts and bolts and nitty gritty details of how an elite marathoner trains and races 26.2 miles. Note that our conversation is just an excerpt from the full interview available to Team Strength Running members. I encourage you to learn more about the team here (we're opening soon!).

Depending on whether you started running today or last year, today's podcast will clarify the most high-impact training available to you. Because certain training strategies and workouts are either too easy for some runners - or too difficult. Like Goldilocks, it's important to plan training that's "just right." And new runners are at an interesting time in their running careers. There's so much potential and improvements will come quickly as long as runners stay healthy and focused. So first, don't get injured! Next, run consistently! If you're healthy and running consistently, now you can take "the next step" and start focusing on bigger goals. Jenny Hadfield has been helping runners accomplish their wildest goals for over two decades with a regular column in Runner's World and her promotion of adventure travel around the world. She's a best-selling author with titles like Running for Mortals and Marathoning for Mortals and has been called "THE coach of this generation." Even though started running later in life, she's become quite the endurance athlete with race finishes around the world: The Boston Marathon Mark Burnett's Eco-Challenge The Antarctica Marathon The Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Challenge With her coaching and running experience, we teamed up to help new runners with 0 - 18 months of running experience get their training started on the right foot. Is that you? Don't miss this new episode of the Strength Running podcast.

If you can replicate the principles (not necessarily the exact workouts, mileage, etc.) that lead to personal bests then you can keep improving and setting personal bests. The alternative is hitting a performance plateau. Stagnating. Running the same times over and over again... And nobody wants that! After working with a lot of runners for the better part of a decade, I've come to understand that there are three areas that most contribute to declining performances. In this episode, we go over all three of those issues, simple fixes, and more strategies to help your speed keep increasing!

The best runners know when to get help and work together. If you're a Lone Wolf, some things are inevitable: Have a question? Prepare to spend hours going down the Google rabbit hole... Feeling unmotivated? Sorry, you're on your own. Not sure how to break through your plateau? Time to "try everything!" But the runners who get the support, guidance, and camaraderie they need always seem to reach their goals. Which one are you? Today, my friend Mario Fraioli is joining me on the podcast to help me answer your toughest questions and give you the support needed to reach new levels of performance. Mario and I competed against each other in college (he always beat me) while he was at Stonehill and I was at Connecticut College. After graduation, he dove headfirst into the running industry. Some of his notable achievements: Author of The Official Rock 'n Roll Guide to Marathon & Half Marathon Training Senior Editor, Competitor Magazine Founding Coach of Ekiden Coaching Owner of personal bests ranging from 4:09 in the mile to 2:28 in the marathon Coach to the 2012 Costa Rican Men's Olympic Marathon Team Today, his main project is The Morning Shakeout, a weekly newsletter of commentary and thoughts on running, culture, writing, and media. Despite his coaching, writing, and training duties, Mario made time to help members of the Strength Running community with their running questions.

For a lot of runners, what started as a way to get in shape or lose a few pounds turns into a lifelong passion. Soon, you're going on running retreats and flying across the country to run a marathon. What did we do with all of our free time before running?! Alas, not every runner gets to experience a lifetime of running bliss. Some of us over train, burn out, or get so injured that we simply give up. But I will not let that happen to you! Instead, let's learn from lifelong competitors who are still running after decades of workouts, long runs, and races. These are athletes that have discovered the secret to unlocking a lifetime of racing, trail runs, and workouts (in other words... a lifetime of FUN!). And Jonathan Beverly interviewed 50 of them to help you run for decades. In his new book Run Strong, Stay Hungry: 9 Keys to Staying in the Race, Jonathan Beverly discusses the universal principles that promote lifelong running. He spoke with 50 "lifetime competitors" like: Deena Kastor (American Record holder in the marathon and half-marathon) Bill Rodgers (4x winner of the Boston Marathon) Joan Benoit Samuelson (former marathon World Record holder) But more importantly, he interviewed a lot of normal runners! Not just Olympians or previous Boston Marathon winners - but average runners who don't have elite genetics. That's why this podcast episode is so important: it's what works for all runners - not just the best runners.

Last August, we witnessed the most electrifying track race in history at the World Championships: the women's 3,000m Steeplechase. Before this race, no American woman had ever won a medal in the steeple at the World Championships. Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs changed that with an historic 1-2 finish, decimating a field that included the current World Record holder and Olympic Champion. This was also the first time any Americans had taken home both gold and silver at the World Champions or the Olympics in a race longer than 400m since the 1912 Olympics. Both Emma and Courtney also ran faster than the existing American Record. NBC Sports called the race "shocking." Sports Illustrated described Courtney's effort "certainly one of the biggest surprises of the world championships." And ESPN boldly proclaimed that this was one of the best races in the history of running. I'll paraphrase ESPN: Before this race, Courtney' fastest steeplechase time was 9:19. She beat that time by an enormous 15 seconds to win silver in 9:03.77. That's like scoring a hat trick in a World Cup soccer game after totaling only three goals all season. No American had won a world title in steeplechase since 1952. No U.S. women had ever finished 1-2 in any world championship distance race. Track nerds -- why isn't there such a thing as a football nerd? -- are calling this the most thrilling race of the 2017 World Championships, and one of the greatest moments in American distance running history. You sports fans can just call it amazing. Like a football game where -- nah, forget that. After a race like this, nobody cares about football. A 15-second improvement? Over a race that's less than two miles long? INSANITY! That kind of PR puts Courtney in the record books. She's now the 8th fastest woman to ever run the steeplechase. Today you're going to hear directly from Courtney about this historic race.

But we almost never discuss the failures of the world's best runners. What does it feel like to never achieve your biggest goal throughout your entire career? How does an elite keep perspective? Do they ever think about quitting? Most importantly... how do elites bounce back from setbacks? Do they have a different mindset than us normal runners? What enables them to continue training at high levels for years? How do they overcome a bad workout, long run, or race? These are the questions that I couldn't get out of my head. So I interviewed six pro runners to get their hot take on failure: Alexi Pappas - Olympian, Greek national record holder, and star of Tracktown Mike Wardian - racing phenom, world record holder, and nicest guy ever Brandy Erholtz - Pikes Peak Ascent champ, US Mountain Running team member Nick Symmonds - 2x Olympian and the CEO of Run Gum Devon Yanko - 2017 winner of the Leadville Trail 100, multiple national champion Travis Macy - ultra runner and author of The Ultra Mindset They're the stars of Episode 39 of the Strength Running podcast. I think you're going to love this episode. We talk about their own personal failures, how they bounced back, and whether their approach to failure has changed over time.

Meet Devon Yanko. On August 19, 2017 she won the Leadville Trail 100 - a race where 9,200 feet altitude is the lowest you'll experience on the course. She finished in 20:46:29, averaging 12:28 per mile - a half hour ahead of her nearest competitor. With nearly 16,000 feet of elevation change through Colorado's gnarliest mountain terrain, the course is so difficult that in most years, less than half of the field finishes the race. Having run in similar places, I can vouch for how strenuous this terrain can be (even for experienced runners). With precious air at a costly premium, the steep grades and uneven footing make traversing these trails a form of slow-motion torture. Going uphill burns the lungs after just a few steps. Each muscle contraction seems to draw double the amount of oxygen to fuel their movements. Running downhill isn't much better. The rocky terrain is a nightmare for those with weak ankles. Try running fast on a technical downhill trail after running for 3+ hours (in the dark, no less). It's terrifying. To win Leadville is like single-handedly winning the World Series or the Superbowl. Leadville is one of the top ultramarathons in the world. Winning it is a career-defining moment for trail runners. But for Devon, it's just one more race on her long list of achievements: 3 time member of the USATF 100k National Team including 2009 Gold Medal winning team in Belgium 2007 RRCA Marathon National Champion 2010 50 mile road National Champion 2012 Olympic Trials marathoner (PR of 2:38:55) 2011 100k National Champion Set Fastest Known Time on the Grand Canyon R2R2R trail with Krissy Moehl in April 2011 3rd place at the Two Oceans Marathon (56k) 5th in Comrades Marathon (89k, as well as first novice and first American) Ran the 3rd fastest trail 100 miler ever for a North American running 14:52 at the 2015 Javelina 100 Not to be outdone, she's also the owner of M. H. Bread and Butter bakery in San Anselmo, CA with her husband. Strength Running readers will also be familiar with Devon - she joined eight other elite athletes in sharing her best injury prevention and recovery advice for The Little Black Book of Prevention & Recovery (it's free - download it now). You're going to love my conversation with Devon - but not just because she's one of the best long distance runners in the world. She's also hilarious.

Alexi's talents extend far beyond the track and screen. She's been a... columnist for Women's Running Magazine improvisational comedy performer in Los Angeles author of a one-act play As you can see, Alexi has done a lot more than just running. That's why, in this interview, we don't talk much about running. I didn't ask her what it was like being a multiple All-American for Dartmouth College. Or how it felt to set the Greek Record at the Rio Olympics of 31:36 in the 10,000m. Instead, we talk about what it's like to pursue so many goals, what she's reading, and how she differentiates between her creative pursuits and being an elite athlete. This conversation will show you how to pursue many goals and interests (while still prioritizing what's most important to you). Alexi is a boundless source of quotables and wisdom that I found refreshing. I hope you enjoy this episode. And please, don't criticize my Haiku poem at the end of the show. I'm not a poet!

You might know David from drdavidgeier.com where he simplifies the complex area of sports medicine. David's most notably an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina. He was Director of MUSC Sports Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina for eights years and is currently the Communications Council Chair for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Board of Directors. Major media have featured his advice in interviews from The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC News, The Atlantic, Forbes, and many others. Check out David's new book, That's Gotta Hurt! The Injuries That Changed Sports Forever. As you can see, I was quite excited to chat with him about the best injury prevention practices for younger athletes. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

In Episode 33, I introduced you to Joel Runyon who recently ran an ultramarathon on every continent - and raised a staggering $190,000 in the process. Today, we're diving deeper into the obstacles he faced, lessons learned, and what he'd change if he were to do it all over again. In part two of our conversation, Joel opens up about the obstacles he faced while attempting to finish the 777 Project. They included injuries, unrelated lawsuits, brutal trail races in the mountains of Thailand, and the normal logistical nightmares of running races all over the world. Of course, Joel didn't quit. It didn't matter that he had to take 6 months off to rehabilitate a peroneal tendon injury. He didn't care that every race - and the travel that went along with it - was self-funded. Nor was it even an option to quit during a race (how's that for commitment?). More important than the mindset that allowed Joel to leapfrog these obstacles is the impact and lessons learned from the 777 Project. We cover all that and more in today's episode of the Strength Running Podcast.

To help you shatter your perception of what's possible, discover the training necessary to run 100 miles, and inspire you to chase your next stretch goal, I've invited Magdalena Boulet onto the podcast to talk about her performance at this year's Western States Endurance Run. One of the biggest names in the world of ultramarathons, Magda Boulet has an impressive list of credentials: 1st - 2002 and 2003 Pittsburgh Marathon 1st - 2002 San Francisco Marathon 1st - 2006 Orange County Marathon 2nd - 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon 1st - 2015 Western States Endurance Run 5th - 2016 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc 2nd - 2017 Western States Endurance Run She prepares methodically for challenging races, leaving no stone unturned as she strives to compete with the fastest endurance runners on the planet. This unique "testing mindset" helped her identify potential injury warnings before this year's Western States, vaulting her onto the podium. Using a blood analytics service called Inside Tracker, she identified biomarkers outside of her optimal zones - and then went to work fixing them through diet and lifestyle changes. She's on the podcast today to talk more about: What it takes to train for 100 milers Are they so different from marathons...? Her personal fueling approach for ultra marathons Pre- and post-race blood testing goals How her blood test results impacted her recovery Enjoy!

Joel smashes through goals normally considered impossible. Recently, he completed an ambitious project to run 7 ultramarathons on 7 continents for charity to build 7 schools in developing countries. He succeeded - raising over $190,000. The 777 Project brought him to: Thailand Antarctica Australia Patagonia South Africa Finland and Chicago! Joel's philanthropic quest brought him around the world to extreme locations and terrain that nearly broke him. But his persistence led to the constructions of seven schools through Pencils of Promise, a charity where 100% of donations go toward its mission of school construction, scholarships, and trains teachers. Joel is on the podcast to talk about what it takes to run a series of ultramarathons in rapid succession, in varying climates, on very different terrain, all over the world. What are the travel logistics like for such an audacious project? How do you train for so many different races? What kind of gear is necessary to race in Antarctica? We cover that - and a lot more - on today's show.

Jonathan Beverly was the editor-in-chief of Running Times for 15 years. He's run nearly 30 marathons and hundreds of road and trail races around the world. He's also coached with the New York Road Runners Club, taught several college running classes, and has coached junior and high school track and cross country since 2003. Jonathan's new book quickly became one of my favorites. Your Best Stride: How to Optimize Your Natural Running Form to Run Easier, Farther, and Faster – with Fewer Injuries is a holistic look at how to run with better form. He does not promote a certain brand of form (like Chi or POSE). He won't make you run on your forefoot (that's a big no-no). And he isn't even gung-ho about "cues" that make you run slightly differently. Instead, the goal is to bring you back to when you were 10 years old. Remember back then? If not, just know that you ran with a lot better form back then. Jonathan is on the podcast today to discuss how to reclaim your youthful, smooth, powerful stride.

Tina is a professional distance runner, Great Britain Olympic hopeful, and 11-time All-America Track and Field/Cross Country athlete for Ferris State University. She's run in two British Olympic Trials, finishing 3rd in the 10k in 2012 and 5th in the Marathon in 2016. Her personal bests, as you can imagine, are out of this world: 5k - 16:08 10k - 33:24 Half Marathon - 1:13 Marathon - 2:36 Earlier this year, Tina made a stunning announcement that she was taking a hiatus as a pro runner. She's recovering from amenorrhea (she didn't have a period for 9 years) and is hoping to start a family soon. But she realized that she just didn't enjoy her running anymore. Every run was a struggle. She dreaded upcoming workouts and just wasn't excited about training anymore. I consider this to be an unspoken problem in the running community. Amid calls for consistency, putting in the work, and training "no matter what" there lies a deeper issue: once you've done that, when is it ok to stop? Tina is on the SR Podcast today to talk about her journey and give hope to runners everywhere whose hearts just aren't set on hard training anymore. This is an honest, real, and personal conversation that I hope you enjoy.

I invited Simon Marshall, PhD and his wife Lesley Patterson to talk about practical strategies for building confidence, reducing pre-race anxiety, and managing fears. Their new book The Brave Athlete is a handbook for the athlete's brain, showing you how to: Resist the urge to quit Embrace difficulty Respond positively to setbacks Build confidence and self-belief Cope better with stress and anxiety This husband and wife team is quite the duo. Simon is former professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of San Diego and a professor of sport and exercise psychology at San Diego State University. Currently, he's the performance psychologist for BMC Racing - a World Tour professional cycling team. His wife Lesley Patterson is a dominant triathlete, having won three world off-road triathlon champions and an Ironman Triathlon. A professional mountain biker, she's also a former national champion in cross country. And I think all of us get how important our brain is to our running. How many times have you been halfway through a long run and dreaded every step? How many races have you wished in hindsight that you had sucked it up and ran harder instead of settling? It's happened to me more times than I can count. And it happens to world-class athletes (like Lesley, which we talk about) all the time, too. This podcast will show you how to turn your brain into an asset, rather than a liability.

What we put into our bodies has a profound impact on our ability to train effectively. In short, if you care about you running, you have to care about your eating habits. And I've brought a Registered Dietitian on the SR Podcast to help. Over the last few weeks, I've surveyed the Strength Running Twitter and Facebook communities about dieting, weight loss, nutrition, and race fueling. I collected about a dozen of the best questions and got my friend Anne Mauney to help me answer them for you. Anne worked with me to create one of SR's flagship programs, Nutrition for Runners. She's one of the busiest RD's I know with a private practice in Washington, DC and a popular lifestyle blog. She also gives healthy eating presentations and workshops to organizations like Whole Foods. Her work has been featured in Glamour, Self, The Washington Post, and Fitness Magazine. When she's not helping athletes improve their diets, she's usually running around DC or tackling yet another half marathon. There are also two more Q&A podcasts that we did together - download them here for free. On this episode, we cover a lot of questions: What foods fight inflammation? What foods increase iron levels? Is it ok to drink alcohol while you're training for a race? What's an optimal pre-marathon fueling strategy? Are carbs from bread or pasta "better" than those from starchy vegetables? What are your favorite healthy snack ideas? Enjoy!

Usually, I fire off answers as fast as I can. Whether that's on Facebook or Twitter, I try to be as responsive as possible. But sometimes, life gets in the way. I simply don't have the time to answer all of your questions - especially when a single SR email goes out to about 80,000 runners... That does not, however, mean I'm not paying attention. In fact, I often save your running questions to get to them later. And that's exactly what we're doing today. Joining me as the SR Podcast's first co-host is my friend, fellow coach, and ultra runner Doug Hay. Fresh off his sub-15hr run at the Ultra Run of Champions (snagging him a sweet belt buckle!), Doug is helping us get to the bottom of some of your toughest questions. Let's dive in.

I met Ian in August, 2016 one day before the Leadville Trail 100. We got coffee with a friend of ours and then watched a Beer Mile (it took place on the road behind us in the above picture). Ian officiated – starting the race and cheering on runners as they raced and chugged beers. Two days later, Ian crossed the finish line of the Leadville Trail 100 in first place – his third victory. He's no slouch in the world of ultra running. In fact, he's one of the best ultramarathoners in the world: 3 x winner (and course record holder) of the Rocky Raccoon 100 3 x winner of the Leadville Trail 100 Completed about 200 ultras and 100+ marathons (!) Record Holder – Grand Slam of Ultrarunning 7 x silver medalist at the Comrades Marathon And over the last year, I've been fortunate to work with Ian on a few different projects: He contributed a training case study that highlighted his toughest workouts before Leadville. And he shared his best injury advice in the Little Black Book of Prevention & Recovery. Now he's back to talk about running an 11+ minute personal best at the Mt. Charleston Marathon. But it's not all training geekery. Did you know Ian has run dozens of marathons in costumes? In fact, he's run a 2:40 marathon as Spider Man! This is going to be fun 🙂

I invited Tom Foreman on the podcast to philosophize about running, goals, and racing throughout life. You might recognize Tom as an emmy-award winning journalist at CNN. He's reported on wars, natural disasters, and political skirmishes across 20 countries. He's also quite the runner. Author of My Year of Running Dangerously, Tom has a handful of marathons and ultramarathons under his belt and is chasing a BQ soon at the Cincinnati Marathon. More than anything, Tom has a unique perspective on what running means at various stages of life. Speaking with Tom is always a treat so I hope you enjoy this conversation. I think it will bring you new appreciation for running!

Is it surprising that I don't think strength workouts are cross-training? Rather, strength work is just part of your training as a runner. Cross-training is supplemental exercise that can be helpful to your running, like cycling. But just like form drills, strides, or dynamic flexibility exercises, I consider strength training to be an integral part of how to train distance runners. If you're not strength training, then you're not training. And to help you get things right in the weight room, I invited top strength and conditioning coach Tony Gentilcore on the Strength Running podcast to talk about: What are the benefits of strength training? Do runners need to lift differently than other athletes? How do you strength train without a gym membership? What are the most common mistakes in the weight room? Do women need to lift differently or tweak their programs? What are the "little things" for weight lifters? Cofounder of Cressey Sports Performance, Tony now owns his own gym outside of Boston and trains top-level athletes and everyone else. A frequent contributor to major fitness and media outlets like T-Nation, Women's Health, and The Boston Herald, Tony also runs a popular strength training blog. Tony made my job easy as podcast host because he has a great sense of humor and can make exercise science seem easy. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I did speaking with Tony. Even if you're comfortable in the gym, you won't want to miss this episode.

You might recall George from episode 6 of the Strength Running podcast. We talked about a lot: What's the ideal length long run during marathon training? And half marathon training? Should you keep running marathons if your ultimate goal is to run a faster marathon? If your long runs are already 15+, what types of LR's should you focus on during a marathon season? How long should you run at tempo pace during training? What is the optimal marathon pacing strategy? George wanted help planning for a PR attempt at the half marathon. Episode 6 was a "behind the scenes" coaching call where we strategized on how he could make it happen. Now, he's back on the podcast to see if my ideas actually worked! For a long time, George's episode was the most downloaded show because folks loved listening "over my shoulder" as we strategized. And I think you'll enjoy this show just as much.

It's not every day that you meet somebody with so many varied interests. And when you do, pay attention. Their insights and mental models are light years ahead of the average person. Simon Donato is one of these "Renaissance Men." His many accomplishments include: A PhD in Geology from McMaster University and a Masters in Paleontology from Western University Credit as the creator and host of the television show Boundless chronicling his pursuit of adventure and ultra-endurance Creator of both Stoked Oats and Adventure Science Finishes at the world's toughest races, including 220km of stand-up paddle boarding to running 250km across the Sahara Desert He's on the podcast today to help us find more adventure in our life. I think runners are uniquely suited to be adventurers because of our endurance, appetite for suffering, and thirst for new experiences. This episode is an excerpt from an interview included in Team Strength Running - affordable coaching with teammates, proven training, me as your coach, and team perks like discounts and other bonuses. If you'd like to learn more about the team, sign up at http://strengthrunning.com/tsr/ (we're opening soon!).

Boston is unlike any marathon in the world. It first started in 1897 with a whopping 18 runners. In 2011, nearly 27,000 runners ran the race on "Marathon Monday," also known as Patriot's Day in Massachusetts. In one of the most famous stories, Kathrine Switzer finished Boston as the first woman with a race number in 1967. She registered as "K.V. Switzer" to avoid detection since women were not allowed to run at that time. When officials found out she was running, they tried to physically eject her from the race. Luckily another runner body checked the official to the ground and she was able to keep running. Her historical finish proved that women could run marathons and sparked a women's running revolution. Race officials eventually recognized the female race winners from before they were officially allowed to compete in 1972. After Bill "Boston Billy" Rodgers, a Boston legend, won the race four times in trademark style in the 1980's, the race has become one of the most competitive marathons in the world. With a prize purse approaching $1 million in 2011, the best marathoners in the world show up to give it their all. Showcasing the extreme competitiveness of Boston, in 2011 Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai overtook early leader Ryan Hall and crushed the last 10k to finish in a mind-blowingly fast time of 2:03:02. Yes, you read that right: the world's fastest time is an average 4:41 mile pace over 26.2 miles. In this podcast, Jason shares some words of wisdom before you line up in Hopkinton to race the world's most prestigious marathon.

Nate is the cofounder of The Run Experience. And he doesn't just have a USA Track & Field coaching certification. He's also completed continuing education courses in: USA Triathlon CrossFit CrossFit Mobility CrossFit Endurance Carol Paoli's Free Style connections Like me, he recognizes that injury prevention and athleticism are what make faster, healthier runners. And in this conversation, we dive deeper into mobility work for runners and how to implement a daily mobilization routine into your schedule. Plus, the differences between mobility and flexibility. You'll notice that Nate has quite the background in CrossFit. While I've gone off on CrossFit in the past, we acknowledge the helpful parts of this sport that runners can use to design smarter training. If you're injury-prone or looking for ways to level up your training, you don't want to miss this episode.

Diet is more important than most runners realize - and the effects of poor eating habits can derail anybody's running: If you don't eat enough, you're more prone to running injuries and won't run as quickly during races or workouts If you eat too much, you'll gain weight and running economy will suffer A sub-par diet results in poor recovery (and could result in weight gain, too) A sub-par diet also causes low energy levels outside of running But if you dial in your nutrition then performances will improve, recovery will be faster, and you'll just feel better. And I think every runner would benefit from that. To help optimize our dietary choices and approach to fueling, I invited author Matt Fitzgerald onto the podcast today. Over the last several years, Matt has been investigating the eating habits of professional endurance athletes around the world. And his findings are powerful. World-Class runners in the United Sates, top swimmers in Australia, and champion triathletes in South Africa all have one thing in common: their diet. There's overwhelming evidence from around the world - and indeed, from every type of endurance sport - that the best runners in the world all eat the same way. Matt calls this approach The Endurance Diet and outlines five foundational habits that shape how elite runners fuel their training. And on the podcast, we outline each of these habits and how you can apply them to your life. Enjoy!

Ritz has more career highlights than there are spectators at the Boston Marathon (ok maybe not but still!): 3x Olympian at the 10,000m and marathon distances Former US Record holder in the 5,000m (12:56.27) 3rd fastest American marathon time in history (2:07:47) Three-time USA Cross Country Champion Two-time Foot Locker National high-school Cross Country Champion Half-marathon PR of 60:00 (2nd best HM time in US history) A Generation UCAN-sponsored athlete, he is now preparing to run the River Bank Run 25k this May. I kicked off the episode with an embarrassing story - one I debated sharing but I thought it was funny. Enjoy! On more serious topics, we chat about: His injury prevention approach that's helped him rebound after so injuries (stress fractures, hernias, Achilles problems, and more) His favorite confidence-building workout His go-to meal after a marathon Eating pop-tarts the night before racing a marathon How his training has changed since turning pro I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dathan Ritzenhein!

James doesn't look like the "typical" runner - he's 6'6" and 250 pounds. A former professional rugby player, James has a degree in Sport Rehabilitation and is fully insured member of the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT). He's the founder of Kinetic-Revolution and has an ongoing fascination with the functional biomechanics of running (in other words, how you move while running). In this far-reaching discussion, we talk about quite a few issues: Should overweight runners be more worried about injury? Is gaining weight more important for injury risk than being consistently overweight? Does training for weight loss differ than training for a race? How? Enjoy my conversation with James (and don't miss the announcement at the end of the show!).

In this short episode, Jason shares a letter from a runner named Colleen. She experienced self-doubt and was afraid of failure before a race. But with a positive mindset and a few inspiring lessons, Colleen successfully finished her race. In this letter, Colleen shares her journey. And I hope you find it motivating as you push through with your training.

Long runs, weekly mileage, and faster workouts are all important - but they won't help you improve if you don't prioritize a healthy lifestyle. Without proper nutrition, you won't have as much energy to tackle your training. Without enough sleep, recovery will be sub-par and some of your hard work will be wasted. Without reducing stress, the risk of over-training and injury increases (and you'll rarely feel good). So it makes sense to give yourself every advantage and set yourself up for success, especially if you're gearing up for a big race or attempt at a personal best. When you get these "little things" (which are not so little) right, it makes training much easier to accomplish. After all, success in running depends on the lifestyle that surrounds the training. So I invited No Meat Athlete founder Matt Frazier on the podcast. In just the last few years, Matt has implemented a staggering number of changes to his life: He adopted a vegetarian diet - and then vegan No Meat Athlete was born and quickly became a world-wide movement He improved his marathon from 4:53 to 3:09 to qualify for Boston Not wanting to settle, he started running ultras - including a 100-miler He's given up oil and experimented with other habits like journaling, meditation, and fruitarianism If you've ever tried to start a new healthy habit, you know how difficult this can be on top of your other obligations like work and family. And I wanted to know how to make all of these "little things" easier to implement in your life. Because if you're not sleeping well, eating right, and eliminating stress the other 23 hours of the day, then running a longer distance or racing a Personal Best is going to be that much more difficult to achieve.

Dr. Mike Young is the Director of Research and Performance at North Carolina-based Athletic Lab. A Lead Instructor for both USA Track & Field and USA Weightlifting, he also works with elite athletes and has consulted with the MLS, MLB, NFL, PGA, and NHL. He has degrees in exercise physiology, coaching science, and biomechanics – not to mention his prowess publishing multiple peer-reviewed journal articles. Mike has coached seven national champions in Track & Field and at four Division I NCAA programs. He's on the Strength Running Podcast today to talk about how distance runners can benefit from speed development – from specific workouts to other ways of getting faster (it's not all sprint work).

Claire Shorenstein is no stranger to running long: she's a Boston Marathon-qualifying runner, frequent triathlete, and multiple ultra marathon finisher. Perhaps more importantly, she's a Registered Dietitian and New York State Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist with a Master's degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. A certified Road Runner's Club of America running coach, she works at several private practices to counsel athletes and non-athletes on their nutrition goals. Her specialties include weight loss, sports nutrition, chronic disease prevention and management, and pre- and post-natal nutrition. Read more about Claire on her website, Eat for Endurance. She is also very pregnant as of now! In this episode of the Strength Running Podcast, we discuss how pregnancy will change your approach to running, nutrition, and exercise in general. Please enjoy!

Current research shows that strengthening the small stabilizing muscles around the arch and plantar fascia can improve ankle stability and balance - but it's often neglected. So I invited Matt Ferguson, the founder of AFX, on the Strength Running podcast to discuss several topics around foot strength: How to build strength in these oft-neglected muscles Mistakes to avoid and myths that can derail your progress The value of being a "cautious minimalist" How to choose shoes that are right for you personally We also dive into the history of running shoes and why they look very different today than they did 40 years ago. Enjoy!

Bart Yasso is a legend in the running community. And as the "Mayor of Running" and Chief Running Officer at Runner's World, he's one of the most recognizable faces in the sport. If you don't yet know Bart, here's a short list of what he's been up to over the last 30 years: Competed in more than 1,000 races during his 30+ career at Runner's World Successfully finished the 56-mile Comrades Marathon, the Mt. Kilimanjaro Marathon, and the Badwater Ultramarathon Has run races on all 7 continents (yes, even Antarctica) Inducted into the Running USA Hall of Champions Inventor of the "Yasso 800's" marathon predictor workout Winner of the 1987 U.S. National Biathlon Long Course Championship 1998 winner of the Smoky Mountain Marathon 2:39 marathon PR (like me!) Has cycled twice across the country by himself with no support He's also the author of My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon. In 2014, I had the pleasure of meeting Bart at the Runner's World Half Marathon and Festival (recap here) where he shared the running stories that have shaped his life. In particular, how the Comrades Marathon brought South Africa, a country weighed down by the horror of Apartheid, closer together. And how his favorite running memory is drinking coffee by the Trevi Fountain with his mom during the Rome Marathon. More importantly, Bart spoke about the people that make the sport of running so incredible. Meeting other runners is what keeps him going – and he meets a lot of people flying to 45 races every year!

This episode of the Strength Running podcast is brought to you by... YOU! Coach Jason Fitzgerald answers 7 of your biggest questions about running consistently, improving your trail running skills, motivation, and how many miles you should start with when you first begin running. For beginner runners or those who are just getting back into running after a long layoff from injury or simply taking a break, how you tackle your training is really important. For more beginner-oriented training advice, sign up at http://strengthrunning.com/new and you'll also get the bonus encore podcast that answers even more of your burning questions!

Dr. Justin Ross is a Denver health psychologist who focuses on sports and performance psychology among other specialties like stress reduction and pain management. He's also a triathlete, Boston-qualifying marathoner, and a founder of Mind Body Health, a Denver-area integrative health psychology and counseling center. And we talk about a lot: everything from managing anxiety before a race to practical strategies for both increasing and decreasing arousal around key performances. But we also get into behavioral change - in other words, how do you change specific behaviors (like waking up earlier) that make running a lot easier? Finally, I share a lot of my own running stories and we play a good game of role-reversal where he interviews me about my inner self-talk and why in the world we chanted "Grimace" before high school cross country races. The reason is not entirely legal but you'll have to hear that story yourself...

Lara has a background in adventure racing and 24-hour team mountain biking. She also loves the trails, so splits and finish times aren't usually that important. Lara decided to cut through the noise and join Team Strength Running where she could follow proven training programs, have a team to support her, and get all of her questions answered by a running coach. She recognized that runners sometimes need a little extra nudge to accomplish a challenging goal: One night I read an article about habit-making and how one's intrinsic motivation is finite. That's why it's so important to have an external motivator to form good habits. My lightbulb went on and I joined Team SR that evening. If I was going to take my training seriously, I had to realize that I AM an athlete and there will be days where my intrinsic motivation won't be enough and that's when I can rely on my team. Lara had been making steady progress when she suddenly faced an enormous setback: Three months before her 50k she tore a ligament in her ankle and was unable to run. She was devastated. Her doctor didn't think she would be able to race, but Lara remained positive and with focused physical therapy and smart adjustments to her training, she got healthy and fit enough to run her race. Lara's perseverance paid off, and against challenging odds she was able to make it to the starting line healthy. In this call, we dive deeper into her bacckground and training history to help her continue to improve.