RunnersConnect Run to the Top Podcast

We’re doing something a little different today on Run To The Top and we hope you find it helpful. One of our athletes, Wayne Jimenez, recently DNF’d a marathon at mile 16 and was not sure why. He has completed marathons and half-Iron Mans, but just over halfway through this race he could not keep going and he’s eager to get back in a marathon ASAP since he still feels pretty strong from all his tr...

We’ve long known the biggest barriers in running are those we create in our own heads, but according to Alex Hutchinson and the latest research, there are ways we can bypass these barriers to push farther and faster. A National Magazine Award-winning journalist, Alex’s work revolves mostly around the science of endurance, and there’s a pretty good chance you’ve read some of his stuff. He contribut...

If an airplane wing is too rigid, the plane will crash, and according to author and marathoner Duncan Larkin, the same is true for us runners. When we adhere too closely to our training plans or even, as Duncan says, the tenets of his own books, we don’t leave room for two crucial details: one, that each of our bodies is different and possesses its own unique ebb and flow and two, we’re just plain...

The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club.   The second rule of Fight Club? You know how it goes.   Lucky for us, the opposite is true for the founders of November Project, a fitness movement popularly known as the “Fight Club” of running clubs for its intense workouts, free membership, and tribe mentality.     Following their days rowing crew for Northeastern University in...

While most of us know we need to do strength work to truly see results, according to Jay Dicharry, this is a waste of time without also practicing movement and mobility. One of America’s leading physical therapists and author of Anatomy for Runners , Jay established his reputation as an expert in biomechanical analysis as Director of the University of Virginia’s SPEED Clinic. Today, athletes from...

As we enter the bell lap for 2017, I wanted to do something a little special for this week’s episode. Just as it’s good to reflect back on a season and extract all the learning moments, I wanted to reflect back on the best lessons from Run to the Top this year, and to do that I asked for your help. Today’s show will include Run to the Top’s greatest hits of 2017 as chosen by our very own listeners...

If you ever have thoughts and feelings you wish you didn’t, there’s a good chance you’re human.   But there are ways to put a stop to those thoughts and feelings, and that’s where Dr. Simon Marshall comes in.   A competitive triathlete and world-renowned sport psychology expert, Dr. Marshall helps endurance athletes train their brains to become happier and more mentally resilient.   Dr. Marshall i...

He’s back! World renowned dietitian and exercise physiologist Bob Seebohar joins us again to delve deeper into the growing research surrounding his two concepts of metabolic efficiency training (MET) and nutrition periodization. If you listened to Bob’s last interview with us, you know that together these concepts  increase the body's ability to use fat as fuel during exercise and thus optimize bo...

Our guest this week is an incredible guitar player, amazing singer song-writer, and the best audio editor you could ask for, and I’m not just saying all that because he’ll be reading this while he edits the show. :)   If you haven’t already guessed, this week’s guest is none other than Run to the Top editor, Jeremy Noessel.   In addition to playing in 3 bands in the Rhode Island / Connecticut / Ma...

Michael Hammond is a graduate of Virginia Tech where he competed in cross country and track, earning two ACC titles and four NCAA All-American honors. His individual efforts led his team to four ACC team championships: one in cross country, two in indoor track, and one in outdoor track. On this episode, Michael shares his perspective on, well… perspective. Most runners are goal-focused, which is u...

Telling people that you run marathons usually prompts some dumbfounded expressions, but tell them you run ultras and, let’s face it, they’ll probably think you’re nuts. But that’s just a day in the life for Georgia native, Nathan Maxwell.   Like a lot of runners, Nathan started running to get in shape. He did a few 5K’s and then decided to try his hand at the half marathon. That was in 2012.   Sin...

The world's best are gritty. The world's best are clear on their purpose. The world's best become a master of their thoughts. The world's best know themselves to master yourself. The world's best dominate the controllables. The world's best own the moment. The world's best choose empowering emotions. The world's best own who they are. The world's best live and let go. The world's best choose their...

Author, coach, and nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald started running at the age of eleven when he completed the last mile of the 1983 Boston Marathon with his father (who had run the whole thing) and his two brothers.   By that time Matt was already a writer (specifically a comedic poet), having declared his intention to pursue a career in writing at the ripe age of nine.   He never changed his mind.  ...

When you think of dietitians, you probably think of, well, diets.   It’s right there in the name, and most dietitians are devoted to helping people follow regulated diets that will, in theory, make them healthier.     Heather Caplan isn’t like most dietitians.   The certified running coach and host of the RD Real Talk podcast believes diets are nothing but counterproductive and that “diet culture”...

Running isn’t always forgiving. Between injuries, mental ruts, and the curve balls life sometimes throws at us, finding long term success and remaining engaged in the sport can be incredibly difficult, and that’s why Jonathan Beverly’s new book is one every runner needs to read. The book is called Run Strong, Stay Hungry , and it reveals the habits and mentalities of more than 50 veteran runners w...

Now known as the “Acupuncturist for Skeptics”, Sarah Hammer Stevens wasn’t always a believer in this alternative therapy. A longtime runner, Sarah was training for the Portland Marathon a few years ago when she sustained a knee injury that threatened to sideline her just weeks before the race. Desperate to recover as quickly as possible, Sarah tried everything. She consulted both her primary care...

Okay, well at least occasionally :) That’s what marathoner and writer Duncan Larkin argues in his book Run Simple: A Minimalist Approach to Fitness and Well-Being . Duncan, who also writes for Outside Magazine, Competitor Magazine, Runner's World, ESPN, and Running Times, believes the best way to maximize running’s mental and physical benefits is to get back to the basics. While the book is full o...

In 2009, Kelly Roberts was thrown into the deep end when she suddenly lost her younger brother, Scott. Struggling to cope during this emotionally draining time, Kelly gained over 70 pounds by the end of the year, by which point she decided it was time for her to find a healthy way to work out her grief. That’s when she found running. 8 years later, the sport has become invaluable to Kelly, and she...

One of the biggest advantages of running is that you don’t need a whole lot of equipment to do it.   But because we rely so heavily on the little equipment we do need, most of us would rather go for another run than try to choose between the wide array of activity trackers, GPS watches, and power meters available to us within the ever-growing sport tech market.   That’s where Ray Maker’s tech revi...

Contrary to popular belief, losing or even maintaining weight while training for a marathon can be incredibly difficult. Many marathoners either find they can’t quite achieve the weight loss they want, or, on the flipside, they’re able to lose weight, but at the cost of performance. It’s a hard balance to strike, but with the latest research it’s becoming much easier. The research in question revo...

If you’ve ever been out running by yourself and felt a little unsafe, you’ve likely either had to change your route or cut the run short to head to a more secure environment.   This fear is one many runners know well, and that’s why runners David and Ellen Caren decided it was time to invent something that could offer peace of mind and keep runners safe.   Run Angel is the first personal safety wr...

We know that’s a sensational title, but hear us out. A study published by RunRepeat.com, an independent review aggregator for running shoes, analyzed 34,680,750 race results over the course of 21 years to conclude that American runners are steadily getting slower across distances from the 5K up to the marathon. We know what you’re probably thinking: with Olympians like Galen Rupp and Molly Huddle...

When it comes to running, some days are great, some are mediocre, and some are, well, horrendous. The same is true for runners of all skill level, and this volatility is not only what makes running one of the most mentally challenging sports out there but also one of the most rewarding. If you know how to leap the mental barriers. That’s why in this episode we’re speaking with runner, counselor, a...

Our very own community manager at RunnersConnect, Tony Pallotta, recently joined the RunnersConnect team after owning and operating a specialty running store in Boston for twelve years. Leaving one running mecca for another, Tony now lives in Denver, CO where he continues working as a personal coach as well as training for his next big ultramarathon. He has raced everything from the 400 on the tra...

President of the International Association of Women Runners, Bennett Cohen is a renowned coach for women over 40 and has helped women into their late 70s reach new personal bests. Plagued by his own nagging injuries, Bennett conducted research on how to train smarter and use strength training. As a result, he was able to get back into full training incredibly quickly, as you’ll hear, and he has be...