The Strength Running Podcast

For a lot of runners, what started as a way to get in shape or lose a few pounds turns into a lifelong passion. Soon, you're going on running retreats and flying across the country to run a marathon. What did we do with all of our free time before running?! Alas, not every runner gets to experience a lifetime of running bliss. Some of us over train, burn out, or get so injured that we simply give...

Last August, we witnessed the most electrifying track race in history at the World Championships: the women's 3,000m Steeplechase. Before this race, no American woman had  ever  won a medal in the steeple at the World Championships. Emma Coburn  and  Courtney Frerichs  changed that with an historic 1-2 finish, decimating a field that included the current World Record holder and Olympic Champion. T...

But we almost never discuss the  failures  of the world's best runners. What does it feel like to never achieve your biggest goal throughout your entire career? How does an elite keep perspective? Do they ever think about quitting? Most importantly... how do elites bounce back from setbacks? Do they have a different mindset than us normal runners? What enables them to continue training at high lev...

Meet Devon Yanko . On August 19, 2017 she won the  Leadville Trail 100  - a race where 9,200 feet altitude is the  lowest  you'll experience on the course. She finished in 20:46:29, averaging 12:28 per mile - a half hour ahead of her nearest competitor. With nearly 16,000 feet of elevation change through Colorado's gnarliest mountain terrain, the course is so difficult that in most years, less tha...

Alexi's talents extend far beyond the track and screen. She's been a... columnist for Women's Running Magazine improvisational comedy performer in Los Angeles author of a one-act play As you can see, Alexi has done a lot more than just running. That's why, in this interview, we don't talk much about running. I didn't ask her what it was like being a multiple All-American for Dartmouth College. Or...

You might know David from  drdavidgeier.com  where he simplifies the complex area of sports medicine. David's most notably an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina. He was Director of MUSC Sports Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina for eights years and is currently the Communications Council Chair for the American Orthopaedic Society for S...

In Episode 33, I introduced you to  Joel Runyon  who recently ran an ultramarathon on every continent - and raised a staggering $190,000 in the process. Today, we're diving deeper into the obstacles he faced, lessons learned, and what he'd change if he were to do it all over again. In part two of our conversation, Joel opens up about the obstacles he faced while attempting to finish the 777 Projec...

To help you shatter your perception of what's possible, discover the training necessary to run 100 miles, and inspire you to chase your next stretch goal, I've invited Magdalena Boulet onto the podcast to talk about her performance at this year's Western States Endurance Run. One of the biggest names in the world of ultramarathons, Magda Boulet has an impressive list of credentials: 1st - 2002 and...

Joel smashes through goals normally considered impossible.  Recently, he completed an ambitious project to run 7 ultramarathons on 7 continents for charity to build 7 schools in developing countries. He succeeded  - raising over $190,000. The 777 Project brought him to: Thailand Antarctica Australia Patagonia South Africa Finland and Chicago! Joel's philanthropic quest brought him around the world...

Jonathan Beverly was the editor-in-chief of  Running Times  for 15 years. He's run nearly 30 marathons and hundreds of road and trail races around the world. He's also coached with the New York Road Runners Club, taught several college running classes, and has coached junior and high school track and cross country since 2003. Jonathan's new book quickly became one of my favorites.  Your Best Strid...

Tina is a professional distance runner, Great Britain Olympic hopeful, and 11-time All-America Track and Field/Cross Country athlete for Ferris State University. She's run in two British Olympic Trials, finishing 3rd in the 10k in 2012 and 5th in the Marathon in 2016. Her personal bests, as you can imagine, are out of this world: 5k - 16:08 10k - 33:24 Half Marathon - 1:13 Marathon - 2:36 Earlier...

I invited Simon Marshall, PhD and his wife Lesley Patterson to talk about practical strategies for building confidence, reducing pre-race anxiety, and managing fears. Their new book  The Brave Athlete   is a handbook for the athlete's brain, showing you how to: Resist the urge to quit Embrace difficulty Respond positively to setbacks Build confidence and self-belief Cope better with stress and anx...

What we put into our bodies has a profound impact on our ability to train effectively. In short, if you care about you running, you  have to  care about your eating habits. And I've brought a Registered Dietitian on the SR Podcast to help. Over the last few weeks, I've surveyed the Strength Running Twitter and Facebook communities about dieting, weight loss, nutrition, and race fueling. I collecte...

Usually, I fire off answers as fast as I can. Whether that's on Facebook or Twitter , I try to be as responsive as possible. But sometimes, life gets in the way. I simply don't have the time to answer all of your questions - especially when a single SR email goes out to about 80,000 runners... That does not, however, mean I'm not paying attention. In fact, I often save your running questions to ge...

I met Ian in August, 2016 one day before the Leadville Trail 100. We got coffee with a friend of ours and then watched a Beer Mile (it took place on the road behind us in the above picture). Ian officiated – starting the race and cheering on runners as they raced and chugged beers. Two days later, Ian crossed the finish line of the Leadville Trail 100 in first place – his third victory. He's no sl...

I invited Tom Foreman on the podcast to philosophize about running, goals, and racing throughout life. You might recognize Tom as an emmy-award winning journalist at CNN. He's reported on wars, natural disasters, and political skirmishes across 20 countries. He's also quite the runner. Author of  My Year of Running Dangerously ,  Tom has a handful of marathons and ultramarathons under his belt and...

Is it surprising that I don't think strength workouts are cross-training? Rather, strength work is just part of your training as a runner. Cross-training is supplemental exercise that can be helpful to your running, like cycling. But just like form drills, strides, or dynamic flexibility exercises, I consider strength training to be an integral part of how to train distance runners. If you're not...

You might recall George from episode 6 of the Strength Running podcast. We talked about a lot: What's the ideal length long run during marathon training? And half marathon training? Should you keep running marathons if your ultimate goal is to run a faster marathon? If your long runs are already 15+, what types of LR's should you focus on during a marathon season? How long should you run at tempo...

It's not every day that you meet somebody with so many varied interests. And when you do, pay attention. Their insights and mental models are light years ahead of the average person. Simon Donato is one of these "Renaissance Men." His many accomplishments include: A PhD in Geology from McMaster University and a Masters in Paleontology from Western University Credit as the creator and host of the t...

Boston is unlike any marathon in the world. It first started in 1897 with a whopping 18 runners. In 2011, nearly 27,000 runners ran the race on "Marathon Monday," also known as Patriot's Day in Massachusetts. In one of the most famous stories, Kathrine Switzer finished Boston as the first woman with a race number in 1967. She registered as "K.V. Switzer" to avoid detection since women were not all...

Nate is the cofounder of The Run Experience. And he doesn't just have a USA Track & Field coaching certification. He's also completed continuing education courses in: USA Triathlon CrossFit CrossFit Mobility CrossFit Endurance Carol Paoli's Free Style connections Like me, he recognizes that injury prevention and athleticism are what make faster, healthier runners. And in this conversation, we dive...

Diet is more important than most runners realize - and the effects of poor eating habits can derail anybody's running: If you don't eat enough, you're more prone to running injuries and won't run as quickly during races or workouts If you eat too much, you'll gain weight and running economy will suffer A sub-par diet results in poor recovery (and could result in weight gain, too) A sub-par diet al...

Ritz has more career highlights than there are spectators at the Boston Marathon (ok maybe not but still!): 3x Olympian at the 10,000m and marathon distances Former US Record holder in the 5,000m (12:56.27) 3rd fastest American marathon time in history (2:07:47) Three-time USA Cross Country Champion Two-time Foot Locker National high-school Cross Country Champion Half-marathon PR of 60:00 (2nd bes...

James doesn't look like the "typical" runner - he's 6'6" and 250 pounds. A former professional rugby player, James has a degree in Sport Rehabilitation and is fully insured member of the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT). He's the founder of Kinetic-Revolution and has an ongoing fascination with the functional biomechanics of running (in other words, how you move wh...

In this short episode, Jason shares a letter from a runner named Colleen. She experienced self-doubt and was afraid of failure before a race. But with a positive mindset and a few inspiring lessons, Colleen successfully finished her race. In this letter, Colleen shares her journey. And I hope you find it motivating as you push through with your training.