The Running Explained Podcast

Let's dive into VO2max! In this episode, Coach Elisabeth unravels the intricacies of VO2Max, its measurement, and its significance in endurance performance. How much do you ACTUALLY need to focus on VO2max? What VO2max measures, and the variations in ranges observed across different populations, spanning from beginners to elite athletes. The challenges associated with accurately assessing VO2M...

Your fitness isn't as fragile as you think it is!! Fitness loss is not as quick or significant as many people fear, and taking a few days or week off has essentially no impact on your fitness. And while detraining is a natural part of the training process and can be beneficial in certain contexts, taking long weeks or months off will definitely result in a detraining effect... but what does th...

My guest this week is Dr. Kate Bochnewetch, and we are delving into the world of running and training while living with a chronic illness. Drawing from her own journey coping with chronic migraines, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and POTS, Kate sharess valuable insights into being a runner with chronic illness and how to navigate a "new normal" in goal-setting and training management. We explor...

Let's talk about METABOLISM! No, running doesn't "break" your metabolism; no, your metabolism doesn't screech to a halt once you turn 40. Metabolism and nutrition researcher Dr. Stephanie Compton, PhD, RD, joins the show to discuss metabolism and its impact on our bodies. It's not just about burning calories; it also includes the biochemical processes that build and break...

LET'S DIVE INTO THE HALF MARATHON! This episode with Coach Elisabeth delves into half marathon training: uncover the secrets to conquering this popular race distance, armed with insights that focus on optimal performance. From building your aerobic endurance foundation to mastering targeted workouts like lactate threshold sessions, elevate your performance to new heights and set the stage for...

Let's run MORE!! Why? In this episode with Coach Elisabeth, we talk about how to increase running volume effectively and the importance of finding the right balance between volume and frequency, and the relationship between volume and speed. Practical tips for adding volume to your training week include adding another day of running and distributing volume increases throughout the week, plus t...

Eating to support your running can feel really overwhelming when you're ALSO being a partner, parent, employee, friend - ALL of the things you also are in your busy life! Sports dietitian Alex Larson, RD (@alexlarsonnutrition) and Coach Elisabeth cover topics such as post-workout breakfasts for busy mornings, easy fueling before and after workouts, simple ways to add carbs and other foods, tip...

Have you ever had a big goal race go SO CATASTROPHICALLY SIDEWAYS that you're plummeted into an existential crisis afterwards? Yeah, us too! In this episode with Dr. Victoria Sekely (@trainsmartunstrong) we discuss the pressure of setting goals, the impact of race disappointments, and the influence of others' opinions. PLUS, we talk about the challenges faced by women in running and the im...

FOOTSTRIKE is often a hot topic among runners... but should it be? Does where you land matter? If so, WHY? Physical therapist & founder of Learn2Run Dr. Matt Minard, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT, CSCS, Cert. MDT, returns to the show for a deep dive into all things foostrike! -What is footstrike? -What footstrike can and can't tell you -Why you might be thinking about footstrike all wrong -Heel stri...

Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) describes a syndrome of poor health and declining athletic performance that happens when athletes do not get enough fuel through food to support the energy demands of their daily lives and training. RED-S can and does affect athletes of any gender and ability level. Melissa Lodge, PhD(c) is an elite runner and researcher studying RED-S in endurance athle...

Welcome to 2024! In this first episode of the year, Coach Elisabeth breaks down what makes an "elite" runner elite: their genetics, training, and more! -What is "elite"? A tiered framework for understanding athletic performance -Genetic predispositions: maybe they're born with it! -Why it's not just about good genes -The training: how much? What type? -And more!

ANOTHER YEAR DOWN! What did I learn this year? What have I been reflecting on the most? From RED-S recovery to carbon plated shoes, to abolishing the binary of "rehab" vs. strength training, to why welcoming runners of ALL paces into our community is important (and why I want YOU to stop being ashamed of your paces), it's time for another year-end reflection! Thank you for making 2023 the best yea...

Are you derailed by performance anxiety? Are you pinning your self-worth & whether your training cycle was "worth it" on if you PR'd or not? Dr. Leah Avery, DPT, joins the show today to talk about her experience in healing from debilitating performance anxiety and her relationship with athletic performance. Leah was a D1 All-American swimmer and competed at the Olympic Trials, bu...

Taking objective stock of your training cycle - what did you attempt to do, what actually happened, and how did it feel - can be an incredibly useful exercise so that you can learn what worked, what didn't... and ID any mistakes that were made! Coach Elisabeth walks you through training cycle analysis in this episode that will encourage you to... 1) Objectively look at what you set out to do v...

Can you get FASTER by running LESS?? This is NOT your clickbaity "smash a marathon PR by only doing 3 runs a week"-style low volume training; coach and elite mountain runner Kim Nedeau is here to talk about how to excel as an endurance runner in a low run volume/high training volume framework. -What is "low run volume/high training volume" training? -Who this training framework...

Is there anything worse than needing an emergency bathroom stop on a run... except for needing TWO? What about when our poor gut health interferes with our ability to absorb important micronutrients or tolerate the fuel we need to power our long runs and races? Sports dietitian Kylee Van Horn, RD (@flynutrition3) is here to talk all about gut health for runners! Including... What IS "good gut...

Post-race recovery starts AS SOON AS YOU CROSS THE FINISH LINE! What do you need to do to set yourself up for post-race recovery success? This episode is sponsored by Previnex! Try the probiotic that Coach Elisabeth takes daily for her own gut health, and save 15% using code RUNEXP on your first order from ⁠ Previnex.com ⁠ ! -The very first things to focus on after crossing the finish line -Refuel...

How can taking time OFF make you a better, faster, more resilient runner? Coach Toni Kengor, co-founder of Relentless Runners, joins the show to talk ALL THINGS OFF-SEASON! -Why you need them -WHEN to take them -What an off-season is (& is not) -How to handle feelings of anxiety around "running less" -The basics of training adaptation and supercompensation -How to be a runner AND a _...

Forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims, MSc, PhD joins the show today for a wide-ranging conversation about fueling, hydration, and optimizing performance for female endurance athletes! In this episode, we cover... Getting past focusing on weight loss and body recomposition as "the magic solution" The issues with intermittent fasting f...

YOUR KNEES AND RUNNING, PART TWO with Dr. Lauren LaPierre, DPT (@thepersonalizedrunningdoc). Thought we'd covered it all last season? Nope! -No, running still isn't bad for your knees -How is it that we sometimes experience whole-joint soreness in the knees? -Risk factors for knee injuries -Isometric exercises to address knee pain -Stabilization of the knee joint: understanding the role of...

BONES! Literally what holds us upright. So what do we runners need to know about our bones, bone health, and bone stress injuries? Dr. Steph Mundt, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS (@stephmundt.dpt) joins the show today to teach us about... What are our bones made of and how do they get stronger? Who is at higher risk of bone stress injuries? What is "good bone health" and how can we work towards it?...

Owwwww my hips hurt! Hip pain in runners is not uncommon, and physical therapist Dr. Sarah Louie joins the show to talk about hips, running, and what you need to know to "bulletproof" your hips as a runner! -What are some misunderstandings runners have about hip injuries? -The form and function of how our hips work -Why you need more than clamshells to bulletproof your hips -Ruling out b...

Comparison is the thief of joy... so why do we spend SO much time & energy comparing ourselves to others? To other runners, to other versions of ourselves. Coach Nick Klastava is here this week to help us understand WHY breaking free from the comparison trap is actually one of the best things you can do as a runner, why copying another runner's training isn't very helpful, why paces ar...

Many distance runners look at the 5k as no big deal; "it's only 3.1 miles!", you say! Well, Jason Fitzgerald of Strength Running is here to explain why running a fast 5k is one of the hardest skills you can master as a runner... AND how to do it! Why is the 5k a race that requires such skill on behalf of the runner? Learning how to pace yourself like a pro The biggest mistakes in rac...

Running Explained Coach and 25x marathoner Jessie Gruca joins the show to talk about MARATHON TRAINING! Hear from Coach Jessie on the evolution on her marathon knowledge, what's been the most impactful changes for her (especially as a post-partum runner), and how she approaches coaching her own marathoners! -The biggest marathon training mistakes most runners make -Should we try to PR every si...