Nathan Carlson

The Runners Zone

Health EN ↓ 87 episodes

Welcome to the Runners Zone Podcast hosted by Nathan Carlson and Chris Johnson. Lend us your ear as we We interview world leaders in endurance sports, discuss optimizing performance for runnings and help provide practical solutions to common running problems. We also discuss life as niche-practice business owners treating and training runners.

Author

Nathan Carlson

Category

Health

Podcast website

runnerszone.libsyn.com

Latest episode

Jun 29, 2026

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Episodes

Episode 62: Starting a Running Business 14.11.2023

In today's episode, Chris and Nathan dive into how to start your own running business. They cover their mistakes and failures in starting out, navigating social media, how to grow local relationships, and how to develop your unique voice.  Chris and Nathan are excited to launch our 2024 Long Run Mastermind, designed to help you build a business you love. Check out the link below to learn more and...

Episode 61: A Practical Guide to Bone Stress Injuries 27.10.2023

In today's episode, Chris and Nathan discuss how we got into teaching continuing education and the need for seasonality in training and life. Then Chris puts Nathan on the hot seat to answer common questions about BSIs. Be sure to check out the studies they site below.   LIFTMOR Study Robling Studies Hart Studies Surgical vs Conservative Mgmt papers Femoral Shaft Concepts Paper  

Episode 60: The Flavors of Patella Tendinopathy 18.08.2023

Welcome back to the Runners Zone Podcast! In this episode Chris and Nathan break down the fundamentals of patella tendinopathy. They discuss key considerations around subjective testing, objective examination, exercise prescription, return to run progression, and strength training considerations. They break down three case studies on how these cases can present very differently. Bones, Tendons, We...

Episode 59: How Do You Measure Professional Progress? 01.08.2023

Hey and welcome back to The Runners Zone Podcast. I'm Nathan Carlson. Today, Chris and I discussed how we measure professional progress. We discuss how this has evolved from new grads to business owners.   Chris and I will be bringing BTWW to Nashville, Tennessess at Wolfe Pt this Septemeber 30th-October 1st. We are pumped to share how we approach managing running related injuries from tendon rela...

Episode 58: Developing Running Plans for Patients and Clients 14.07.2023

In today's episode, Chris and I discuss how we approach designing running plans for our patients getting back to training and competition and how we coach athletes for performance and longevity. We discuss practical case examples and the need for open/honest communication, how to balancing work and life with training. Finally, we discuss how we approach running returning from bone and tendon injur...

Episode 57: You Graduated PT School...Now What? 30.05.2023

In today's episode, Chris and I explain how to navigate your PT career as a new grad. We cover the mentors and experiences that have shaped our professional careers and try to pull out some key ideas for new grads just starting their careers. If you have enjoyed The Runners Zone Podcast, we'd love it if you gave us a review and shared it with a friend! 

Episode 56: Luke Nelson on The Calf Muscle Complex 09.03.2023

In this episode, Nathan and Chris sat down with chiropractor Luke Nelson. Luke has 20 years of experience working with runners and endurance athletes and has a particular interest in the calf muscle complex. He breaks how to assess calf and foot strength and how that . He also speaks to the importance of how to apply that data to the unique patient in front of you. To learn more about Luke, be sur...

Episode 55: Myths, Meniscus Tears, & Managing Knee Pain 21.02.2023

In this episode, Chris and Nathan break down intra-articular pain. They cover runners dealing with Meniscus tears, cartilage damage, and ligament injuries breaking down the essentials to a quality examination. The dissect important misconceptions about what to do and not do with these injuries.   Envelope of Function Presence of Abnormal Findings in 230 Asymptomatic Knees Knee Arthroscopy Versus C...

Episode 54: Getting a Grip on Your Hip - Pain, Pathology, & Programming 07.02.2023

In this episode, Chris and Nathan dive into everything you need to know about your hip and running. They cover how they've changed their views on the runner's hip, managing hip pain, key assessments to understand, programming principles to improve hip strength. Be sure to check out the show resources and articles below! Nathan's Youtube Chris Newsletter How to Rehab a Sacral Stress Fracture Spokan...

Episode 53: Maybe Runners Shouldn't Lift? 12.01.2023

Hey welcome back to the RZ podcast. On this episode, Chris and Nathan dive into why some runners shouldn't lift weights. Be sure to check out the references and useful links from the podcast below! Strength and Conditioning for Runners https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Conditioning-Endurance-Running-Blagrove/dp/1847979874 Effects of Strength Training on Running Performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.ni...

Episode 52: Handling Complex Stress Fractures 24.10.2022

In this epsiode, Nathan and Chris break down the current state of injuries and triathlong, expected timelines for racing after a stress fracture, and how "life loads" are often more important than "training loads".  RunWell is a website to help runners run with more confidence and less pain by providing actionable guides, timeless training plans, and always-available support from expert coaches an...

Episode 51: Greg Lehman 15.09.2022

In this episode, Chris sat down with Greg Lehman. Greg is a chiropractor and physiotherapist based out of Canada. Greg is extensively published in the literature on manual therapy and exercise biomechanics. In his clinical and teaching roles, he blends the fields of biomechanics, pain science, and psychology to help active individuals with injury management and prevention.   They dive into how to...

Episode 50: Coach Chris Gannon 25.08.2022

In this episode, Nathan sat down with Creighton Cross Country and Track Coach Chris Gannon. Coach Gannon talks about navigating collegiate running, the recruiting process, how to coach athletes that have to compete for nine months a year, what success looks like, and how we can be better advocates for our athlete's mental health and well-being. If you have enjoyed the Runners Zone Podcast, Chris J...

Episode 49: Having Difficult Conversations 27.07.2022

In this episode, Nathan and Chris discuss the need to have difficult conversations with patients and athletes. They explore the college recruiting process, navigating challenging coaching and life situations, and discuss how to set patients up for long-term success. 

Episode 48: Dr. Michelle Barrack 08.07.2022

Dr. Michelle Barrack is a registered dietitian and associate professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at California State University at Long Beach. She is the President of the Athlete Triad Coalition and a world-renowned researcher on the topics of the Male and Female Athlete Triad, bone density in endurance athletes, and youth endurance sports. To learn more about Dr. Barrack be sure to follow her on...

Episode 47: Linda Steinhardt 10.06.2022

Linda Steinhardt is a registered dietitian based out of Denver Colorado.  In this episode, Linda talks about her research on athletes' perception of body comp testing and the negative experiences that are quite common. Linda also shares her thoughts on what we can do to better utilize testing with athletes without jeopardizing their mental and physical health. To learn more about Linda, be sure to...

Episode 46: How We Approach Social Media 27.04.2022

In this episode, Chris and Nathan discuss their history and current approach to social media. They cover the challenges young clinicians and entrepreneurs face and some tips for navigating the social media landscape.  Thanks for listening!

Episode 45: Todd Hargrove 01.04.2022

In this episode, Chris sat down with Todd Hargrove. Todd is a Feldenkrais practitioner and author of A Guide to Better Movement and Playing with Movement. Todd discusses determining good vs. bad movement, the role anatomy plays in how we move, encouraging movement and variability during development, and how pain impacts how we move. Check out Todd's writing on Substack and pick up a copy of his bo...

Episode 44: Culture, Coaches, and Negative Positivity 25.02.2022

Nathan and Chris discuss the recent podcast with Anna Mae Flynn. They touch on how positive feedback can be detrimental, the crucial role of team culture on collegiate runners' experience, the challenges college coaches face, and how positive messages can make us feel worse. 

Episode 43: Michaela Parisi 10.02.2022

Today, I chat with runner, educator, coach, and PhD student Michaela Parisi. We go through her early days of running, her experience with an eating disorder, navigating post-collegiate marathon training, and how her experiences shape how she coaches high school runners and swimmers. Michaela shares her nuanced opinion of perfectionism and social media and a bunch of other topics. Be sure to check...

Episode 42: Anna Mae Flynn 24.01.2022

In this episode, Nathan sat down with Anna Mae Flynn. Anna Mae is a professional trail runner and coach based out of California. She discusses her experience developing as a runner, navigating the challenges of college running, and how training in a negative environment negative training environment influences how she coaches. To learn more about Anna Mae, check out her website and social media ac...

Episode 41: Tom O'Brien 03.01.2022

Tom O'Brien is a director, writer, and acting coach. He discusses growth, creativity, running as an escape, being in your body versus your mind, and the importance of visualization. Check out Tom's website below! Instagram: instagram.com/tomobriencoach Website: https://tom-obrien.ck.page Course: https://tom-obrien.com/acting-and-performance-coaching-digital-course/  

Episode 40: Adversity, Communication, & Sherpas 20.12.2021

Hey and welcome back to the Runners Zone Podcast. In this episode, Chris and I recap a lot of the themes from our last episode with Lindsey Plass. We discuss the challenges of being a rehab professional and having difficulties managing your own pain, the need for having "sherpas" in your life, and how easily we can positively or negatively impact others with the messages we send. High School Guide...

Episode 39: Lindsey Plass 02.12.2021

In this episode, Chris sat down with Lindsey Plass. Lindsey is an expert in all things related to the hip. They discuss her struggle with a labral tear and FAI as an athlete. They also go over her work with patients dealing with hip pain. 

Episode 38 (Books, Boston, + Independence) 23.11.2021

In this first episode of The Runners Zone, "Lend us Your E.A.R.", Chris and Nathan discuss their current book recommendations, returning to the Boston Marathon, and creating independence with injured endurance athletes. 

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