The Knighton Runs Podcast

Do you have big running goals? Staying consistent long-term is the key to becoming your best. You've got to progressively challenge yourself month after month while being adamant about avoiding injury while training and racing. How do you find the perfect balance between working hard and recovering enough so that you consistently move towards your goals? On this week's episode of The Knigh...

Not every day is going to be sunshine and rainbows.  Some days you will wake up in the dark, it will be cold and snowing outside, and your training plan says "go do a track workout."  What do you do? If you want to get better, you've got to embrace the challenge . ---     Get a Free Copy of my book, "Run Faster Marathons: The Proven Path to PR" at https://www.knightonruns.com/b...

Are you thinking of running your first marathon? I firmly believe that every able-bodied person can run a marathon. But I don't want you to "just finish" a marathon... I want you to enjoy it and do your best! Marathon training isn't as intuitive as you might think. There are so many factors that are going to affect how to best prepare for your first marathon. Who you are, your experience level, yo...

When you continually challenge yourself and do the work that you love, the person you are today is vastly wiser and more experienced than the person you were just a few years ago. I certainly feel this way when it comes to how I coach my athletes. On this week's episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, I chat with my friend and fellow running coach Jessie Gruca about the biggest lessons we've learned...

You're running day after day, putting in the miles, getting in the workouts, but despite all of that your everyday easy run pace just isn't getting faster! How do you know if your training is working? In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, Coach Chris teaches four signs of increasing fitness that are not pace related and explains why your easy run pace is simply not a good indicator of incr...

Have you ever wondered if champions are born or made? This week, my wife Erica and I led our high school track and field team to an undefeated dual meet season and the title of Division Champions. This is actually the second year in a row we have won this title, something our school has not achieved in 30 years. What makes a champion? From day one of practice, we worked hard to establish a winning...

Let's kick off 2023 by talking about the most important thing in the world... your health! What constitutes a healthy and supportive diet for distance runners? What vitamins and minerals should you pay the most attention to for long-term health and optimal performance? If you want to become the best runner you can be in 2023, you must prioritize proper nutrition. Links mentioned in the show: Blog...

In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, Coach Chris shares the importance of staying active throughout the holiday season, challenges you to get outside every day during this time, and gives an update on his spring racing schedule and what he is doing differently to get faster in 2023. Links mentioned in the show: Our Next Team Race! Super Sunday 5K/5M. Sign up and join the team "KNIGHTON LI...

In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, Coach Chris outlines how you can learn from what worked and what didn't this past year, and build upon it in 2023. It's time to plan out your perfect spring marathon season and get started training! Links mentioned in the show: Holiday Gift Guide: https://knightonruns.com/the-2022-knighton-runs-holiday-gift-guide-for-runners/ Plan The Perfect Spring Ra...

In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, Coach Chris answers listener questions on mastering the marathon taper. He explains the philosophy of the six phases of marathon training, with a focus on base building. Whether your goal race is just a couple of weeks away or you are just getting started with marathon training, this episode will teach you how to best mentally and physically prepare fo...

In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, Coach Chris shares how to best warm up for your Turkey Trot 5K to ensure you run your best race, answers your treadmill running questions, and gives details on how you can join us at the next Knighton Runs team race! Links mentioned in the show: https://knightonruns.com/warm-up https://www.facebook.com/groups/runfastermarathons https://knightonruns.com...

In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, Coach Chris walks you through an exercise that will give you the opportunity to grade yourself on five different attributes of your running. Which of the five are you best at? Which are you bad at? Where do you need to focus to become your best? Get a free copy of my book, "Run Faster Marathons: The Proven Path to PR" at https://www.knightonruns.com Jo...

In this Q&A, Coach Chris answers your questions on... 1. The Best Pacing Method for the Half Marathon (and Marathon) 2. Sequencing of Workouts during Marathon Training (Speed vs Endurance) 3. Optimizing Workout Lengths when NOT Following a Training Plan Precisely 4. I also announce MY next marathon and why I chose to sign up for it! Join The Knighton Runs Training Group to submit your question...

In this Q&A, Coach Chris answers your questions on... 1. Warming Up for Your Marathon,  2. Taper Week Diet Choices + Proper Carbohydrate Loading 3. Focusing Your Winter Training 4. Finding Mental Toughness in Races Join The Knighton Runs Training Group to submit your questions for my weekly Live Q&A's. Sign up now at https://www.patreon.com/knightonruns --- Get a Free Copy of my book,...

Kristy Baumann is a Registered Dietitian who helps runners learn how to fuel properly to support their training and have a healthy relationship with food. She is on a mission to spread the message that restricting food and following fad diets is not the answer. Having a positive relationship with food is the foundation of fueling well as a runner. In this episode, we discuss the importance of deve...

While there are many different ways to train, there are a bunch of "running rules" that are widely held as gospel. Concepts like following strict-polarized training (i.e., take your easy days easy and your hard days hard) and the utmost importance of the long run for marathoners are widely promoted as "the right way to train" to train.  Are these dogmas 100% true? Or is the best way to train...

What rules have you put in place to support your running? In this episode, Coach Chris shares the 10 Running Rules to Live By from his book Run Faster Marathons: The Proven Path to PR. ** Start Training like an Athlete! ** Looking for Proven Training Plans & Community Support? Join The Knighton Runs Training Group here . Get My Book - Run Faster Marathons: The Proven Path to PR Interested in b...

What can adult marathon runners learn from the experiences of high school cross country and track & field team training?  Good high school training programs put a large focus on learning the skills of efficient running movement patterns, performing supplemental exercises to support your running, competing as a team sport vs running as an individual sport, progressing from short to long ev...

When was the last time you ran a mile? Have you ever trained to race a mile? If there's one thing I think that marathoners don't do enough of, it's actually running FAST. If you want to get faster at the marathon, listen to this. ** Start Training like an Athlete! ** Looking for Proven Training Plans & Community Support? Join The Knighton Runs Training Group here . Order a copy of my new book,...

It took me three years of hard work, but earlier this year I released my first book - Run Faster Marathons: The Proven Path to PR. In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, I read to you the introduction of the book and let you know how you can enter to win a copy of the paperback edition while learning how to become a faster runner along the way! ** Start Training like an Athlete! **  Lo...

When the going gets tough, do it for others. It took me years to figure out how important making running about more than just yourself truly is. In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, I share my story of how running the Boston Marathon in honor of my mom helped me overcome the wall and run the best race of my life. I also tell the stories of three of my athletes who are fundraising for impo...

The month of June and throughout the summer is the perfect time for marathoners to focus on getting faster in preparation for their fall marathon. In this episode, Coach Chris talks about The Six Phases of Marathon Training and why you should be doing speed work NOW while you are still three to five months away from your next big marathon. ** Start Training like an Athlete! ** Looking for Proven T...

Some days we thrive, while other days we just survive! In today's episode, I interview Ciara Carter, host of the Run Thrive Survive Podcast. Ciara is a behavioral coach who works with runners and other athletes to overcome mental roadblocks while also helping them excel in their lives and careers. What we get into: * Ciara's story and why she started Run Thrive Survive * Finding your unique balanc...

One of the biggest mistakes runners make is running at the same pace every single day. Athletes know that every run has a purpose and you need to shift through different gears throughout the week and even within the same run to improve. In this episode of The Knighton Runs Podcast, Coach Chris teaches about the runner's gearbox and how running at-top end speeds, tempo speeds, marathon pace, easy p...

Implementing the concept of High / Low Training is key to improving as an athlete over time. In this episode, Coach Chris teaches how to build out your training week with workouts, recovery runs, and long runs to find the optimal level of balance and enjoyment that you'll need to reach your running goals. This is the second episode in a series on the essential concepts of marathon training. ** Cli...