RunnersConnect Run to the Top Podcast

Today we are talking to Ed Whitlock, who is 85 and still breaking running records.   Ed began his running career when he was 14. He continued running when he went to University, but took a break from running after he injured his achilles. Ed started running again when he was 40, breaking all sorts of running records up until today.   Some of the topics that you’ll hear about include:  

Hiring a coach to help train can get expensive, but today we are going to hear from Dirk Friel, the Founder and CEO of TrainingPeaks about why it’s a good idea to consider a coach.  Or, If you are an experienced runner and thinking about becoming a coach, Dirk has some great advice for you. Some of the topics that you’ll hear about include: Dirk’s background growing up with fitness. Dirks journey...

Today we are talking to a couple who have grown up together in their running careers.  They met in college, dated long-distance, got married, and are now the parents of two young children. This is in addition to having thriving running careers and keeping up with their coaching and their blog. Stephanie and Ben Bruce are the guests today, and this is a fantastic show for parents and non-parents al...

Matt Long is the author of  The Long Run . Some of you may already know his story: In short, he was hit by a bus, spent six weeks in a medically induced coma in the ICU, and was told that he would be lucky to walk with a cane.  Matt was extremely determined and never gave up when it came to getting back on his feet and back into his regular life.  [...]

Do you ever feel like you are holding yourself back? If so, you’re not alone! No matter how good a runner you are, it’s likely that you spend a lot of time convincing yourself that you’re not as good as you actually are. This is part of human nature. Today’s guest gives us some pointers on overcoming mental obstacles and getting ourselves to where we want and need to be in our running and in other...

Do you know how to properly fuel your body before, during and after a workout? As an athlete, you are probably aware of the importance of eating well, but do you know what that entails? Maybe you have trouble because you don’t like to cook, but at the same time, you don’t like to rely too heavily on packaged foods. Since your health is tied to what you eat, this is something that you need to know...

There’s one topic that many female runners will need to consider at some point during their running careers, and that is pregnancy. Whether planned or unplanned, pregnancy can absolutely have a huge effect on your training and workouts. Many doctors will support a woman who is planning to run throughout her pregnancy (as long as it is safe for her in particular, of course!), so taking a nine-month...

On the Run to the Top podcast, I try to vary the types ofguests that we have. Today, I’m excited to be interviewing a professionalrunner. Phoebe Wright has a lot of accolades, but first and foremost, she’sdown to earth and simply wonderful to talk (and to listen) to. You’re sure toenjoy today’s episode. Phoebe is a Nike athlete and a five-time NCAA champion. Sheis currently training for the Olympi...

Do you ever struggle with exhaustion?  Whether you’re running or just going through the activities of daily life, there might be some issues that you’re dealing with that can make you feel “not quite right”. 

You already know the physical benefits of running, and if you run, you also know that there are countless emotional and mental benefits. From boosting creativity and productivity, to fostering a sense of organization, taking up running, particularly distance running, can impact your life profoundly. Today’s guest, Dr. Jason Karp, holds many running accolades, including having been the youngest col...

Although running is an individual sport, do you sometimes wish you had the camaraderie of a team?  Michael Horvath, today’s guest, founded Strava, an online community for runners and other athletes. Through tracking, Strava is able to help you connect to other athletes and also compiles some interesting data, such as what time of day people tend to run and which cities have the most active or fast...

After a career in international journalism, Chris, who is fascinated by the human body, wrote Born to Run , an international bestseller that is being made into a movie starring Matthew McConaughey.  His most recent book, Natural Born Heroes , is a national bestseller. Chris is a fascinating speaker, and I’m sure you will love every minute of today’s episode.   Some of the topics that we cover incl...

We are talking to Ted Jaleta, aworld-class masters runner and former Ethiopian refugee who is now a citizen ofCanada. Ted is now a motivational speaker, a Hall of Fame athlete, and a formerwinner of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal. He has carried the Olympic torch and hasreceived an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. In short, his story of how heovercame leaving a war-torn country on his own is inspiration...

Drew has been so helpful to me in the course of my journey as an elite, and he has some great insight on topics such as running form and strength training. Drew started training in 1999, and he helps people from athletes to “weekend warriors” move more efficiently and feel their best. He creates individualized training plans based on client needs. In today’s podcast, you’ll hear about topics such...

On today’s podcast, I’m speaking with Steve Kamb, founder of Nerd Fitness and author of  Level Up Your Life . Steve helps people change their lifestyles by making and sticking to small changes over a period of time. Steve is one of the most brilliant and creative minds in the fitness industry. Rather than focusing on people who are highly motivated to work out, Steve tends to appeal to those for w...

Today’s episode features Ellie Greenwood, one of the best ultrarunners in the world. Her crowning achievement has been to win theComrades Marathon in 2014, and she had a long and winding road up to that point. Ellie is not a stranger to setbacks, as she spent much of 2013 recuperating from a string of injuries, but she’s been able to take it one step at a time to achieve her goals and extend her r...

On today’s episode of Runner’s Connect, I’m speaking with Dr. Inigo San Millan, the Director of Exercise Physiology at the University of Colorado and a professional speaker on the topics of sports medicine, metabolic disorders and other types of health and performance issues.   Today, weare discussing exercise and carbohydrates. Nowadays, so many of our health, weight and performance issues are bl...

David Alley was the first person to both cycle and run around the edge of Australia. I know listeners will appreciate hearing about David’s multi-year journey to train and re-train his body for cycling and running great distances. They will also have the opportunity to hear David’s reasons for raising money for Depression awareness and why that may be such an important issue for runners, in partic...

All your injury related questions answered. From how to know which injuries to run through to how to handle the emotional frustration of missing out, today’s episode features a return guest who you all seemed to enjoy in his previous appearance. Physical Therapist, Brad Beer, returns to discuss injuries, rehab, and listening to your pain. This was a great opportunity to sit down with Brad and chat...

If you’ve been listening for a while, then you know there’s someone very specific I’ve been working on bringing to the show: Meb Keflezighi. I love hearing his stories, and it seems like everyone always has something positive to say about him. Today was no exception — I had the pleasure of speaking with his longtime coach and mentor, Bob Larsen. He has coached at almost every level of the sport, a...

We’re joined by Stephanie Marie Howe, thanks to the recommendation of our friend ( and previous guest), Lauren Fleshman.  Stephanie has a PhD in Nutrition and has used running as her focus of her research along the years. She has many published papers, and has presented many times over the years about nutrition and how to fuel for runners. As for her athletic achievements, he won Western States in...

Thank you for joining us for Episode 100!  Hopefully by this point you know that this podcast is a product of RunnersConnect.  We give you blog posts with the information you really need to succeed, and our primary goal is coaching in a community setting. This week I’m joined by CEO and founder of RunnersConnect, Jeff Gaudette.   We kick off today’s episode by discussing Jeff’s life story. His str...

Does anyone remember what happened at the end of the Boston Marathon last year? Not the winners of the race, but I think most runners in America will know what I’m talking about. Do you know what Meb Keflezighi did as he crossed the finish line? He held a surprised Elite runners hand as they ran across. That wonderful woman’s name is Hilary Dionne, and she is our special guest today! Not only did...

Running is risky, and injuries are common.  I don’t know about you, but I immediately go into a mad panic trying to figure out what I’ve done wrong. We usually jump to the conclusion that we must have done something in the last few days to cause it. Did you ever consider that the other 23 hours of your day that you’re not running may actually be what’s affecting you? My guest today might just chan...

Today we’re talking to the founders of Black Girls RUN! ,Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks-Rocha. You know how the running community seems alot more inclusive than it used to be? I think a big part of that is because ofthese ladies’ effort and what they’ve achieved through BGR. Initially they met while pledging to the same sorority incollege. They weren’t runners at the time, but they became interested...