RunnersConnect Run to the Top Podcast

Martinus Evans’ doctor told him that he needed to lose weight, but also that he couldn’t run. Martinus felt otherwise. He said he was going to start training for a marathon. The rest is history.  Over the past few years, Martinus wrote a book called the “Slow AF Run Club”, has built an impressive like-minded running community that supports non-traditional runners in larger bodies and has appeared...

It takes a lot of hard work and talent to become a professional runner or coach but even the best of us make mistakes. In this episode, our expert team from RunnersConnect are sharing their biggest running mistakes so you can learn to avoid making the same ones. Training for a big goal can be overwhelming but RunnersConnect is built on the idea of community and of bringing runners together to lear...

Are you feeling the burnout from your runs? Ready to harness effective strategies for enduring creativity and commitment to your running?  Lately, I’ve been feeling and thinking all of this and that’s what inspired me to reach out to Mike Schnaidt, a seasoned designer and marathon runner whose recent book, “Creative Endurance” outlines a series of ideas and methods you can deploy to reignite or ke...

With budgets tight around the holidays, Coach Michael shares 5 of his best tips to help you save on your running.  You’ll learn how to… Make your own gels Save on your running shoes Meal prep that actually works Find and save on races Train smarter on a budget. Connect, Comment, Community Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each m...

Nutritional supplementation can play an important role in any runner’s lifestyle, but it’s oftentimes hard to separate fact from fiction when determining what to use, why to use it, and how much you should be taking. Here to make sense of some of our questions in this space is David Block from Previnex. From his career-long exposure to the supplement and wellness spaces, David shares insights on h...

Welcome to a special edition of the Run to the Top podcast where we’re turning the tables and hearing from athletes like you who are accomplishing incredible things with their running! We’re calling it RC spotlight and today’s episode is all about a runner with an incredible story defying age and expectations.  His name is Kumar Rao and competing in the 70+ age category, he’s been smashing records...

Without a doubt, in some ways, it’s getting increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction in the health, nutrition, and supplementation spaces. But there are reputable resources out there for folks like us to turn to and we’re featuring one of them on the show today.  Sol Orwell is the founder of Examine.com, a powerful resource on the internet for evidence-based nutrition and supplements i...

If you just finished a goal race you might be thinking what the heck do I do now? Well, let’s talk about the plan between the plan. In a previous episode we aired two weeks ago, coach Michael gave us 5 great ways you can maximize your training between races. Now that you know “WHY” your training in this period is so important, we’re going to build on those lessons with “HOW” to train so you can ma...

One of the more controversial topics in running (other than the debate over footwear choices) is the importance of flexibility. Coaches, experts, and runners disagree over the role flexibility plays in preventing injury or boosting performance and how to improve it.  However, part of this disagreement lies in a misunderstanding of what defines flexibility and stretching. So, on today’s show we’re...

Running is very inclusive and just about anybody can participate with not much more than a decent pair of running shoes. This doesn’t mean that we all have the same experience though and today’s show will be all about special considerations for female athletes. In this episode, coaches Andie and Hayley do an amazing job of breaking down how female athletes can perform their best. Whatever your age...

For many runners, increasing their mileage is a goal that’s difficult to do when gearing up for a race due to the need to focus on workouts and all that goes into proper race specific training. Thus, the time between races is an awesome opportunity to work on increasing your mileage. Today, we’re joined by Ryan Warrenburg, one of the coaches at On Zap Endurance, an elite marathon group based in No...

Don’t let your hard earned fitness go to waste! Coach Michael gives you 5 ways to approach your training between races so you start your next training cycle even stronger than before. Running Fitness Bootcamps - runnersconnect.net/FOCUS/ Connect, Comment, Community Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month! Runners Connect Wi...

The importance of proper nutrition during intense periods of training can’t be overlooked.  While most runners spend most of their time focusing on their workouts, recovering from these hard efforts is often more important than the training itself.  The best way to do this is by supplying your body with the correct nutrients at the correct times before, during and after your training. And this all...

Runners are often divided on whether they prefer the solitude of running alone or the sense of community that comes with running in a group. Whatever your preference, most of us have found ourselves needing to head out the door alone at some point. Maybe you’ve had to sneak in a quick run before your next meeting or maybe you couldn’t find someone at the same pace for a workout. Luckily, there are...

Join us on this episode as we delve into the remarkable journey of Fitz Koehler, a renowned race announcer for iconic events like the Los Angeles Marathon and Big Sur Marathon, fitness instructor, and author. Discover how her boundless energy and enthusiasm engages runners of all ages and backgrounds, making their times in this sport an unforgettable experience. Specifically, listen in to learn ab...

Nailing your workouts and getting consistent mileage is key to improving as a runner, but in order to absorb this training and avoid injury you need to make sure you’re prioritizing recovery.  The period between runs is when your muscles and tissues can repair themselves so that you’re ready for your next session  Recovery is a broad topic that includes anything from complete rest to stretching an...

On this episode of the Run To The Top Podcast we are talking with Andrejs Birjukovs, a certified coach and multisport athlete whose latest book, “The Resilient Athlete”, ultimately argues that the true source of strength for any athlete who values performance and improvement isn’t talent, or commitment, or experience - it’s resilience.  Under the umbrella of this appreciation for resilient running...

While conventional wisdom suggests runners may peak as early as in their 20s, many amateur and elite runners alike are running their best well into their 30s, 40s, and beyond.  Some of these high-performing athletes may not even start running until later in life but manage to perform at incredible levels.  These athletes are proof that you can find success at any age and today’s show is going to e...

"Long Run To Glory" chronicles the remarkable morning of August 5, 1984, when four legendary marathoners, Joan Benoit, Grete Waitz, Ingrid Kristiansen, and Rosa Mota, converged for the historic Women's Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles.  These women had already shattered records and dominated the running scene for half a decade, revolutionizing the sport in the process. Their journeys, rivalries, an...

Running can be an isolating sport. It can also be a sport where we just barely get by with what we are doing.  In an effort to bring our athletes together and hold each other accountable while also creating new and lasting habits, we started a series of monthly challenges.  We focused on attainable challenges that focused more on feeling the benefits than being perfect. No better way to make a hab...

How should your diet change when injured? Do you eat less to offset training less? Do you eat more to give your body extra nutrients to aid in the recovery process? What about antiinflammatory foods - do they help or hinder? And are there any supplements that can help?  In today’s episode, we’re bringing you a never published episode we recorded with the late professor Kevin Tipton.  Kevin was a S...

The fall racing season is an exciting time for runners but if you’ve been training hard for a race, it can be tough to regain your motivation and excitement for the sport. In a phenomenon known as the post-race blues, runners can often find themselves feeling lost or even depressed in the days and weeks after racing.  In today’s show, we’re shedding some light on this condition that affects runner...

In this episode of Run To The Top, MetPro Founder and Transformation Specialist Angelo Poli returns to talk about: the importance of metabolic profiling for runners why we all respond differently to diet and exercise the reasoning behind compatibility profiles for working with a nutrition coach baseline nutritional testing to understand why our bodies handle certain meal prepping and meal plans be...

Runners can get pretty competitive when it comes to race day, so it’s no surprise that many runners also tend to have strong opinions about what helps to race faster. Today’s show is bringing back a familiar format with another edition of underrated or overrated; this time focusing on racing topics. If you’re new to this format, our panel will be given a series of popular topics and tell you why t...

There’s always a lot of interesting research being done in the field of exercise physiology.  Here to translate some of the takeaways from the latest research specifically around energy expenditure and fueling strategies for endurance athletes is Patrick Davitt, a Professor of Exercise Physiology at Saint Joseph’s University who specializes in energy metabolism and fitness testing with various pop...