RunnersConnect Run to the Top Podcast

After only running consistently for a couple of years, newly minted Doctor in Cognitive Science, Lauren Curley ran her first ever full marathon in a brisk 2:57:58. Lauren started running to relieve stress during her doctorate program in college and her running career took off from there competing in ultra racing, trail racing, and obstacle racing. In addition to a great first marathon time, Lauren...

Erin Taylor believes that yoga can save your body from injury and understands the importance of this to runners. Yoga has changed her ability as an athlete and she started a company called Jasyoga to offer yoga in a functional, fun format for runners to remain healthy and injury free. Erin says  “Do some yoga today. Anything is better than nothing. Do two minutes, do thirty seconds, do something f...

Alex shares the science and the mysteries of endurance, a subject near and dear to all runners. From short sprints to ultra-marathons, endurance plays a crucial role and today we find out what it is and how to extend it. Alex covered Nike’s Breaking 2 project in 2017 where elite marathoner Eliud Kipchoge attempted a sub-2 hour marathon, albeit in fabricated and controlled conditions. Kipchoge came...

Katie Zaferes - #1 Triathlete What does it take to be ranked the #1 International Triathlon Union triathlete in the world? In this episode we talk with Katie Zaferes, 2016 Olympic triathlon participant for Team USA and currently competing professionally in triathlons around the world as the top ranked triathlete. Katie shares with us her athletic background from running cross-country in High Schoo...

You love running, right? Today’s episode is about ROWING and how the two fit together. Today we get some advice from an expert on how to add something new to our training regimen that might make a huge difference in our overall training. Caley Crawford, shares details on how to improve your running with rowing. We all know that cross training can be extremely beneficial. But, just like running, it...

Can doing yoga make us better runners? Yoga practice has been around for thousands of years yet, there are still questions about its benefits and usefulness for runners who inevitably would rather be running than doing much of anything else with our training time.  Today we have Lindsay Junk, marathoner, triathlete, and president of YogaSix to share her thoughts and offer some specific yoga poses...

This episode will give you new insight on improving your running performance and reducing injuries. Matt Phillips is a Running Injury & Performance specialist based in Sussex, England. As a writer for numerous publications and websites, he is a popular speaker at national & international conferences, and has his own bi-monthly podcast called 'RunChatLive' helping runners, coaches and therapists cl...

HILLS! For many of us this word terrifies us because they’re hard, they’re uncomfortable, and we may not even know how to run them correctly. Up hill, downhill, hills for interval training and speed work, trail running with hills, it’s all part of the running experience. Yet, how many of us know how to use hills effectively and to our optimal benefit to improve our running? In this episode Dylan d...

Kate reached a do or die moment, her senior year of college, a moment where she either made a drastic change or let her spirit wither away. The 2 words that kept repeating were CHANGE and RUN. So with the need to feel powerful and the thrill to seek adventure and new roads, she signed up for a 50-mile race… her first ever running race with only 3 cold Chicago months to take her non-running self ac...

In this week’s episode, Austin Martinez, Director of Education at StretchLab describes the 7 Essential Stretches for runners and why we need to include flexibility and strength workouts in addition to just running miles for injury prevention and optimum performance as a runner. These stretches focus on the following areas of our bodies: Feet, Lower Legs, Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Spine, Core, and...

What do zombies and ultra marathons have to do with each other? We find out in this week’s episode where we talk with Undead Ultra book author and ultra runner, Camille Piccott, as we honor Zombie Awareness month in May. We discuss Camille’s 3 zombie books with ultra running heroes: Dawn Patrol , Undead Ultra , and Dorm Life . We are in for a fun and provocative discussion of the merits of ultra-r...

Hemp, marijuana, CBD, THC... How are they related and can they help runners? Are they even legal? Can CBD alleviate pain and inflammation? What is the science behind it? Are our bodies actually pre-wired for this? There is a lot of chatter about CBD supplements, but what is actually known?   Our guest today is Caleb Simpson from Hemp Daddy’s Therapeutics. Caleb will give us the facts and fill in t...

Ryan Hall - Run The Mile You’re In Olympic athlete and American record holder in the half marathon Ryan Hall hasn’t always loved running. In his new book, Run the Mile You’re In: Finding God in Every Step , Ryan reveals how he got his unlikely start in running, both the “why” and the secret to the success of his 20-year athletic career. He encourages others to run their own races with confidence.

For many of us, the Boston Marathon is not just a Bucket List race, but a Bucket List goal altogether. While we’re excited to see what the elite field can do in one of the most famous running events, thousands of non-elite runners will also be putting their bodies and their minds to the test next Monday. Scott Mattingly, 60, is one such runner. Born and raised in Catonsville, Maryland, Scott will...

Who will win at the Boston Marathon in 2019? Coach Ben Rosario offers a few thoughts on the overall field and his own contenders from the Hoka Team NAZ Elite in Flagstaff, Arizona.  Ben has been just about everything in the running industry; elite athlete, special events director for a big city marathon, running store owner, marketing director, elite athlete coordinator and of course…coach. His nu...

We choose different running shoes for terrain, weather, price, ability, etc. In the second of this 2 part series we are talking with Derek Wun, running shoe expert in California as we continue our search into the best running shoes of 2019.  Derek will add to what started with Ross Martinson, from Philadelphia Runner Stores last week with his California based choices of the best running shoes of t...

Shoes. As individual as… well, feet. In this episode’s conversation, we discuss training and racing shoes for both road and trail, what the unique features are as well as their (approximate) weights and price points. If your favorite  shoes have started to lose some life, this will give you some ideas you can take to your local running store to find your next running sole-mate. In the history of r...

Tom Fowler, president of Polar USA shares his thoughts on the future of wearables and how the data they provide will help the connected athlete improve their performance. Tom has vast expertise and engaging stories about fitness as a former professional triathlete, and via business experience with Intel, Recon Instruments and Cervelo Cycles plus a world handle on what runners want and need from te...

Two medical doctors, who are also avid runners and personally advocate for the fat burning way of eating that creates ketosis, speak to host Stephanie Kay Atwood about fat loss and increased performance as a runner. We’re talking with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and Art Zemach, who have both interviewed on this podcast before. This is an informative and interesting topic for many of you, presented from pr...

Bob Babbitt highlights 5 outstanding athletes who have overcome horrifying disasters, danger, and difficulties to continue as runners and competitors. You’ll be hearing about Meb Keflezighi, possibly America's greatest marathoner of all time and his epic story originating in fleeing with his family from Africa; you’ll hear about endurance runner Johan Otter who was attacked by a grizzly bear, Dane...

Staying on Top of Your Running Game -  It’s a struggle to get there and, often, even more of a challenge to stay where you want to be with your running. Peyton Hoyal will share coaching tips on how he brings his clients to their best and helps them stay there.  We’ll also talk about the importance of a community of runners to support you. Whether it’s an actual team, a few good buddies, or a runni...

Shin Splints. ITB Syndrome. Patellofemoral Syndrome. The dreaded Plantar Fasciitis…   With even the slightest of niggles, we often keep ourselves up at night assuming we are developing any, or maybe even ALL of these injuries. But what are they exactly? And, as importantly, what aren’t they? How are they really caused and how does our perception of pain influence our recovery and rehab?  

Having struggled with Hashimoto's disease, Maria Aparis embarked on a journey that led her to understand the connection between gut health, autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s and natural healing techniques. Maria healed herself using ancient kundalini yogic science, all-natural plant allies and quantum energy mindset.

Dr. Ruth Parker and Dr. Carmen Patrick Mohan share their insight as primary care physicians to help athletes achieve their health and fitness goals. While focusing on women, they also offer practical tips and strategies for all genders, ages and levels of runners to become more fit and healthy.  

Some of us are lucky if we are able to run 5 days a week. Others even more fortunate may have been able to put together a streak of months or maybe even a couple years. Streaks are hard to maintain because so many things can get in the way; injuries, life, extreme weather… On today’s episode we interview Scott Ludwig who has run every day since November of 1978. Now that’s a lot of miles and a lot...