RunnersConnect Run to the Top Podcast

On today’s episode we interview Lena Zentgraf, assistant race director for the Oakland Run Fest. Held in March each year for the past 10 years the Oakland Run Fest offers a marathon, a half marathon, a 5K, a relay, and a combo race that includes the 5K and half marathon.

In 2019 our first episode was full of success stories and inspiration for our listening audience. However, we did not have a female perspective, so today’s episode will focus on Bethany Rutledge. Bethany is an endurance coach, writer, small business owner, who regularly contributes to triathlon and endurance sports publications such as Triathlete Magazine, Women’s Running, and more. A self-describ...

Goodbye, 2018; Hello, 2019 As we enter into a New Year, we take time to reflect on some running success stories close to home, even if they’re half a world away. ‘Close to home’ because our guests today all are part of the RunnersConnect family. Today we hear from our podcast editor, three of our coached athletes, and our founder, Jeff Gaudette. Jeremy Noessel began running in the spring of 2017 a...

Unheralded runner Austin Brogan ran down Matt Llano in the final 200 meters of the 2018 US Marathon Championship. Hear how he clawed his way back over the last few miles and the story of those suspenseful final meters. Plus, learn about the training that has allowed Austin to PR from the mile to the marathon.

There is often a stigma attached to the run walk method, but when used correctly it can be amazing for beginners and experienced runners alike. In today's episode we chat with the pioneer of the run-walk method, Jeff Galloway. We will get answers to many of the common questions about run-walking and even discuss proper run/walk etiquette during the race. This is another of those episodes that you...

Using data collected on running injuries from researchers around the world, Dr. Reed Ferber is on the cutting edge of what causes and can help prevent running injuries. In today's episode we discuss how wearable technology can predict fatigue-related injuries, how deviation from a training plan leads to injuries, and what specific muscle weaknesses is likely to lead to injury.  

How do you push through those inevitable thoughts during a race or tough workout that tell you to slow down or that "it's just too quick"? On today's show we interview Gary Dudney, author of the Mindful Runner, about the techniques we can use to deal with pain when racing, push past it, and eliminate that doubt we all have. This is a great episode if you've ever wanted to learn how to develop a to...

Holly Zimmermann , mother of 4 and ultramarathoner shares her experiences with training, planning, and gear for some of the most extreme ultramarathons in the world. Even if you're not into extreme races, her experiences are truly incredible and inspiring.

In this episode we interview scientist and journalist Gretchen Lidicker about the research behind natural supplements such as magnesium, CBD oil, and more. If you're interested in natural supplements and learning how they may help your running, this is a must listen!

Have you considered trying a triathlon? Maybe you just started training for one and are now realizing it's more than just adding a swim and bike ride to your run. If so, this week’s guest is going to be a game changer. Mikael Eriksson, coach, podcaster and triathlete and he is going to break everything down for you with some actionable and amazingly helpful steps to help you transition to your fir...

Mark Gainey - Social Media For Runners This week we hear from Mark Gainey, co-founder and Chairman of Strava, the social network for athletes. Founded in 2009, millions of athletes worldwide have joined Strava for the ability to track and share their fitness activities as a community whether they are running, cycling, hiking, racing, skiing, swimming or just working out.   Mark is a runner, cyclis...

In this episode, we chat with well-known and highly acclaimed scientist, doctor and author Professor Tim Noakes. We learn is a Low Carb, High Fat diet can be beneficial for athletes. We also discuss the controversy and challenges athletes face when trying to eat low carb and high fat. This episode is quite dense with nutritional information, historical information and may put some of our deepest h...

Earlier this month, Sarah Crouch was the first American female finisher at the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:32:37, which was also a PR, and 6th place overall. In this episode, she shares some of her training secrets and nutrition strategies for the marathon!  

In today's episode, here from Trail Running Film Festival, founder James Varner discusses how his films help inspire and motivate trail runners. Plus, learn how you can catch some of these amazing stories when they're in a town near you.

Pease Brothers - Creating Impact Beyond the Finish Line On October 13th, 2018, brothers Kyle and Brent Pease will compete in the grueling Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kona, Hawaii consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 miles of cycling capped with a full 26.2 mile marathon. And they will be competing as a wheelchair assisted team.

William Pullen, is spreading the message that movement is medicine for mind, body and soul.  He is the author of the book: Running with Mindfulness: Dynamic Running Therapy (DRT) to Improve Low-mood, Anxiety, Stress, and Depression , which offers solutions to many of the issues people are currently experiencing.  

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella recently wrote  Run for Your Life: How to Run, Walk, and Move Without Pain or Injury and Achieve a Sense of Well-Being and Joy.   This book addresses many of the common questions runners have about gear, motivation, running form, injury prevention and more.

Claire Bartholic - The Planted Runner This week, we hear from 2:58 marathoner, multiple BQ-er, Masters Athlete and RunnersConnect Coach, Claire Bartholic. You may recognize her voice from the “Extra Kick Podcast” from RunnersConnect, and in this episode we learn even more about how she uses s plant based diet to train her best.

For regular runners to children, to elite competitors, RRCA is behind the scenes making running accessible to all of us at all stages of our running lives. RRCA provides support to over 40 programs through grants, serving over 23,000 children around the US via school-based running programs as well as offering two levels of coaching certification to help runners achieve their goals and much more.  

Allen Curanno ran his first 50k in 2010 and has since run several 50k’s, the North Face 50-miler in Marin, the Miwok 100k, the Wasatch Front 100 mile and Tahoe Rim Trail 100 mile trail races. He has also run the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, and for a while had the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the East Bay Skyline Trail. He enjoys the competitive and social aspect of trail races, but what really...

Sally Edwards is a running pioneer who has carried the fitness torch since the early 70's.  The 70's was the beginning of her career as an exceptional athlete and an astute business woman, dedicated always to the credo that fitness is a way of life. From Western States to the Olympic Trials, to snowshoeing 24 hours continuously in Alaska, and many more accomplishments as a business woman and extre...

Being Vegan isn’t just a diet, it’s a lifestyle. But is a vegan diet sufficient for athletes? Well, just ask Ultra-Marathoner Rich Roll, Marathoner Scott Jurek and our own coach, Claire Bartholic and I’m sure you’ll get 3 emphatic replies of YES.

Michael Jordan. Phil Mickelson. Michael Phelps. Meb Keflezighi. Even the greatest athletes have coaches. Or rather, ESPECIALLY the greatest athletes have coaches. Will working with a coach transform you into an elite runner? Well… not necessarily. But will working with a coach increase your performance greater than going it alone? Absolutely.  

Strength Training. We all could benefit from it. But who has time for it? What if you’re still fairly new to fitness or running and don’t want to invest in hundreds of dollars of equipment? What if you don’t like the idea of going to a gym and ‘performing’ exercises for the whole world to see? Enter Krista Stryker, creator of 12-Minute Athlete, a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout reg...

One of, if not THE, best way to improve your running AND prevent running injuries is by implementing strength training into your training program. But where do you start? How should you start? This week’s episode features RunnersConnect founder, Jeff Gaudette. Jeff has been a runner for 25 years with personal times of 2:22  in the marathon and 28:45 in the 10k. Recently, Jeff has been focusing on...