Healthy Runner Podcast

If you're training for a marathon, this episode could save you months of frustration and help you reach the starting line healthy and ready to perform your best. Joining me for his fourth appearance on the Healthy Runner Podcast is marathon coach Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Strength Running, USATF-certified coach, and 2:39 marathoner. Together, we answer some of the biggest questions marathon run...

Grab your FREE Ultimate Marathon Training Guide to Master Your Marathon Feeling Strong!  Last week, I did something I never thought I would do. I stepped off the course at mile 13.1 of the Buffalo Marathon and recorded my first ever DNF. After completing seven marathons, I finally had a race that didn't go according to plan. But here's the crazy part... Just six days later, I found myself standing...

Do you feel like every run needs to be hard in order to get faster? If so… that might be exactly why you're stuck. In this episode, I'm joined by run coach Carolyn Coffin to tackle one of the biggest myths in running: That you need to suffer through every workout to see results. We break down why "party pace" is that conversational, enjoyable effort isn't just for beginners… it's actually one of t...

[Download] The IT Band Fix for Runners  Struggling with IT band pain while running and wondering if you should stop… or push through? In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what you should do if you're dealing with IT band syndrome as a runner. Because here's the truth most runners don't hear: 👉🏼 You do NOT always need to stop running. But you DO need to know how to adjust your training the...

Most runners think once you hit 50… your best running years are behind you. It's time to slow down. Run less. Lower expectations. But what if that's completely wrong? In this episode, I sit down with RRCA Certified Running Coach and Spark Healthy Runner coach, Colleen Masse , who started marathon training at 50… and has since completed 22 marathons, including all six World Marathon Majors (Berlin,...

[Download] Half Marathon Training Kickstart Kit: Start Strong and Stay Injury Free!   Still feeling sore, tired, and beat up after your runs? It's probably not your training… It's your recovery. Most runners think recovery means stretching or foam rolling… But real recovery is what allows your body to adapt, get stronger, and stay injury free. 👉🏼 Training is the stimulus 👉🏼 Recovery is where a...

If you're a female runner and lately running feels harder than it used to, you're not alone. More fatigue. Slower pace. Longer recovery. Sleep disruption. Changes in body composition. For many women, these shifts begin during perimenopause , a stage that can start earlier than most runners realize. The problem is that most training plans never account for these hormonal changes, leaving many runne...

[Download] The Ultimate Achilles Guide for Runners   If you've been told the only way to fix Achilles tendonitis is to stop running… this episode might completely change how you think about healing. One of the biggest myths in the running world is that you can't run with Achilles pain. But in most cases, total rest doesn't build a stronger tendon, it actually reduces its load tolerance and keeps y...

[Download] Half Marathon Training Kickstart Kit: Start Strong and Stay Injury Free! What's the real goal of half marathon training? It's not pace. It's not mileage. It's preventing breakdown. Because if you're injured heading into race day… you won't hit your goals. In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti breaks down why strength training is the most misunderstood and most powerful tool in half marathon...

[Download] The Ultimate Recovery Guide for Runners Does your hip pain disappear with rest… only to return a few miles into your next run? You are not alone. In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti sits down with physical therapist, run coach, and hip specialist Dr. Sarah from Legacy Rehab and Performance to break down why hip pain is so common in women runners and why traditional advice like rest and st...

Most runners go into RunDisney Marathon Weekend just hoping to survive it. In this episode, I share how I completed the 2026 Dopey Challenge , four races totaling 48.6 miles and finished feeling strong, durable, and pain free. This is not just a race recap. It is a breakdown of the exact training, fueling, recovery, and race strategy decisions that allowed my body to handle four consecutive race d...

Join The Half Marathon Follow-Through Formula (FREE 4-Day Challenge) If you've trained for a half marathon before but didn't follow through, this episode will change how you think about training. In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Dr. Duane Scotti breaks down the real reason half marathon training falls apart for so many runners (it has nothing to do with motivation or discipline).  Mo...

Download the Ultimate Marathon Race Ready Guide Here! Preparing for RunDisney Marathon Weekend or taking on the Dopey Challenge?  Dr. Duane Scotti breaks down the 7 race week essentials that every Disney runner must know from how to taper the right way, to what to eat each day, to the weather, packing, and logistics that make RunDisney so unique. Learn how to avoid the common mistakes that drain e...

Join the waitlist for Healthy Runner Academy Here!   If you have ever trained perfectly… only to fall short of your goal on race day… this episode is for you. I am breaking down my Philadelphia Marathon, the lessons that cost me a PR and the wins that set me up to come back even stronger.   Inside, you will learn: • The exact moment my race slipped away • How I managed pacing, fueling, and hydrati...

Should you run or walk with a weighted vest to get stronger or faster? Or is it just another social media fitness fad that can lead to injury? In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti sits down with Coach Cat from the Spark Healthy Runner team to break down the science behind weighted vest training for runners.  Together, they uncover what fitness influencers often get wrong and explain when (and how) a...

[Download] the Ultimate Guide to Mastering Your Marathon Feeling Strong Are you unintentionally sabotaging your marathon with fueling mistakes? You're not alone. Most runners over 40 struggle with energy crashes, GI issues, cramping, or bonking — and it has nothing to do with fitness and everything to do with fueling. In this episode, I'm joined by sports nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and s...

[Download] The Ultimate Marathon Guide to Master Your NYC Marathon Feeling Strong! Are you running the TCS New York City Marathon this year? Whether it's your first 26.2 or your fifth, this episode is your complete survival guide to race day — from the ferry ride to the finish line in Central Park! Coach Whitney LaCombe from the Spark Healthy Runner coaching team joins Dr. Duane Scotti to break do...

Want to keep running strong for decades — without dealing with the same nagging injuries? In this powerful conversation, I sat down with Coach Sara Manderscheid on the Elevate Your Running Podcast to talk all about how to make running a lifelong pursuit. We dive deep into: - How to adapt your training as you age so you can stay strong and confident in every season of life - Why strength and plyome...

Do you find yourself running the same loop over and over… and getting bored? In this episode, Coach Duane sits down with coach Lufeng Zou from our Spark Healthy Runner team to uncover the secret to keeping running exciting, purposeful, and fun through smart route planning.   You'll learn the 3 types of running routes every runner needs: - Routine Runs — familiar loops that make recovery days stres...

[Download] The Ultimate Marathon Guide to Master Your Marathon Feeling Strong! Back-to-back world majors — Chicago and NYC — just three weeks apart. How can you train, recover, and show up strong for both without breaking down? In this episode, I sit down with returning guest Rhonda Hunt — run coach, personal trainer, lululemon ambassador, Hyrox coach, and expert in the physiology of menopause. Rh...

[Download] 6-Step Plan to Grow in Your Running Journey  Most runners skip one of the simplest, fastest ways to get quicker, smoother, and more injury-resistant — strides. In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Dr. Duane Scotti breaks down everything you need to know about strides — the most underrated tool in your running toolbox.  Whether you're chasing a marathon PR, training for your fi...

[Download] The Ultimate Recovery Guide for Runners Are you over 40 and feeling like recovery takes longer than it used to? Struggling with lingering aches, slower bounce-backs, or training fatigue that just won't quit? You're not alone — and you don't have to settle for feeling "past your prime." In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Dr. Duane Scotti is joined by Coach Sara Manderscheid,...

[Download] The Ultimate Achilles Guide for Runners   Still dealing with stubborn Achilles pain — even after trying rest, PT, or all the "right" exercises? You're not alone… and chances are, you might be making one of the most common mistakes that's actually stopping your tendon from healing. In this special Q&A episode, Dr. Duane Scotti answers your most asked questions about insertional vs. mid-p...

Ever felt like you did everything right in your training — strength work, recovery, stretching, sleep — and still got injured? You're not alone… and it's not your fault. In this powerful episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Victoria Sekely — a fellow running physical therapist and coach — to unpack the real truth about running injuries that social media often leaves out. We div...

Become a member of Healthy Runner Academy here! Tired of stretching, foam rolling, or buying new shoes — only to still end up injured? In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti pulls back the curtain on the real system that helps adult runners stay strong, consistent, and injury-free. You'll learn the exact 5-stage framework used inside the Healthy Runner Program to prevent injuries before they start — so...