The Strength Running Podcast

How do we develop new runners, young runners, and master's runners, into great runners? Paul Greer is a professor of Health and Exercise Science at San Diego City College, coach of the San Diego Track Club, and the 2016 and 2024 Team USA Men's Junior Cross Country coach. With about 40 years of coaching experience, Paul has a lot of wisdom to share for runners from youth to master's levels. His ath...

Ever catch yourself complaining about how much you paid to sign up for a race? Here's the inside story. Phil Dumontet is a 2:42 marathoner, the founder of Boulderthon, and the CEO of race management and timing company Brooksee. Personally, I believe Brooksee's timing technology is going to revolutionize road racing in the future. In this episode, we talk about: The day-to-day of a racing managemen...

Kick back for a less structured conversation with my friend Jonathan Levitt, focusing on the big and small real-life issues affecting runners. Jon is a runner, cyclist, and host of For The Long Run Podcast. I like to joke that Jon is the Mayor of Boulder because of his ridiculous network of every single runner who lives within 100 miles. We share a lot of miles on the Boulder trails together and h...

In today's running culture, people can't stop talking about Zone 2 running. But what about Zone 3? John Davis is an author, running coach, former collegiate runner, and an expert in human performance with a focus on biomechanics. He ran at Carleton College before getting a PhD in biomechanics at Indiana University's School of Public Health, focusing on running injuries. In this episode, we talk ab...

Most runners have heard of plyometrics, but are they using these exercises effectively to prevent injury and boost performance? Dr. Gaby Go is a Doctorate of Physical Therapy who ran Division 1 Track and Field for the University of Maryland, College Park, and who qualified for the Boston Marathon in her debut marathon. Today, Gaby's sharing a lot of knowledge around plyometrics for runners with us...

Have we put Zone 2 running on an undeserved pedestal? A recent episode with Brady Holmer dug into Zone 2 as it relates to heat training. One listener named Nadine emailed me some great questions to follow up on the Zone 2 conversation. Like many of you, easy running has gotten confusing for Nadine because of so much of the advice on the internet to never go faster than Zone 2 and the value of very...

Hoping to get faster at the marathon and reach a personal best? So is Nick Jordan, a member of Team Strength Running. Nick joined this coaching program in order to most effectively use his time and effort to get the best possible chance of reaching a marathon personal best. We talked about what he can do in the remaining months to stack the deck in his favor. Team Strength Running is a program tha...

Sugar cravings, salt content, underfueling, post-race beers… Runners get a lot of conflicting nutrition information, so we're asking your questions to a registered dietitian! Alex Larson is a Minnesota-based registered dietitian and Ironman triathlete who's worked with thousands of athletes in more than fifteen countries. I get a lot of questions from endurance runners about nutrition, so we colle...

Whether you love the mile or you want to continue running into your 40's or beyond, you'll be inspired by this Masters runner. Mario Fraioli is a Bay Area-based running coach who works with a number of Olympic Trials-level marathoners, top ultrarunners, and competitive age-group athletes. He's one of the most competitive Master's runners in the USA, having run the 2023 Boston Marathon in 2:34 and...

As a runner, it's almost guaranteed that somebody has told you, "Running is bad for your knees!" Spoiler alert: It's not. Dr. Howard Luks has the education and experience to prove it. Howard spent more than 20 years as the Chief of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at New York Medical College, specializing in athlete care. As a board certified orthopedic surgeon, he focuses on a variety of joints bu...

Brady Holmer knows a lot about running and a lot about science: a perfect combo for a conversation on the show. Brady is a lifelong endurance athlete who competed in cross country and track at the collegiate level. He currently works as a science writer and researcher, holding a Master's degree in human performance. He also recently ran his PR in the marathon: a 2:37. In this episode, Brady and I...

Chris Bennett is the Nike Running Global Head Coach and Senior Director Nike Global Running. Translation: Chris is an absolute powerhouse of a coach and runner. I got to chat with Chris about his role at Nike, how runners approach the sport from a variety of angles, what often prevents us from achieving our goals, his message to every runner in the world if he had the opportunity to speak to the g...

Brooke Torres is an ultra runner who couldn't understand why running shoes were so uncomfortable. So, she started a running shoe company to fix that problem. Hilma Running Shoes makes shoes specifically for the needs of women's feet, which are uniquely shaped and not just a smaller version of men's feet (since as you'll hear, that doesn't work). In this episode, Brooke and I talk about: Women's fo...

Sally McRae is known worldwide for her mental fortitude and ability to push through extreme discomfort. As a professional mountain and ultra runner for Nike, Sally is a two-time Top 10 Western States finisher, the Badwater 135 Champion, Tarawera 100 Champion, Mozart 100 Champion and Moab 240 Champion. Sally is also an author, podcast host, business owner, and a strength and running coach. In this...

We're switching it up a bit this week so you can listen to the episode of The Drop where I was the guest! The Drop is hosted by Thomas Neuberger, Meaghan Murray, and Robbie Reddinger. Robbie wasn't on this episode, but I had a great time chatting with Thomas and Meaghan and thought you'd enjoy a listen. We talked about: Preventing injury while high mileage training with proper warm-ups and cool do...

As a hybrid athlete, Eric Hinman has experienced both extremes of ultra endurance and anaerobic power. Based in Denver, Eric is a 5x Ironman, serial entrepreneur, and brand builder. At 43 years old, Eric's currently training for the Leadville 100-mile Mountain Bike Race, which he trains for every year. He's also attempting to qualify for the 2024 CrossFit Games. He spent years before then training...

Get a sneak peak into what we do every month in our Team Strength Running coaching program. During these live calls, I'm on live video, taking any and all questions from the team's members. It's an opportunity for runners in the program to ask me anything about the many factors of strong, healthy running. Members get guidance on sticky running questions, problem solve training issues, and get the...

When runners get hurt, it's often a tissue health problem, like a tendon injury. Jay Dicharry is a physical therapist, author, entrepreneur, and faculty member at Oregon State University who knows a lot about tissue health for runners. He's written some of my favorite books on running performance and injury prevention, including "Anatomy for Runners" and "Running Rewired." Jay also hosts workshops...

Runners ask all the time: How should I fit strength training into my endurance goals, and how can I get as strong as possible with limited time? Holly Martin is a personal fitness trainer and run coach based in Nashville, TN who specializes in time-efficient circuit training and individually tailored run programs. Holly comes from a diverse background of professional ballet, ultramarathon running,...

The running world gets to watch in awe as elites set new records and perform incredible feats. But it's not all rainbows and unicorns for these athletes. World record holders face injuries and challenges, too. Charlie Lawrence set the record in the 50-mile distance in 2023, clocking in at 4:48:21. That's an unbelievable average of 5:46 per mile. Charlie also ran his marathon personal record of 2:1...

The midstance phase of a running stride is a crucial element of running form, but many runners are ignoring it. If you have weaknesses, imbalances, or poor movement patterns, this is the part of the gait cycle that will show it. Chris Johnson, DPT is a Seattle-based physical therapist, performance coach, entrepreneur, and multiple time Kona IRONMAN qualifier who shares how midstance affects your r...

If you're starting to wonder whether your running form is helping or hurting your performance, we're sharing two important tests that can help you better conceptualize how your body moves through space. Dr. Matthew Silver is a doctor of physical therapy, coach, cross country athlete, founder of Alpha Project Phyzio and Performance in Maryland, and author of the book "Built to Run." We spend a lot...

What makes the biggest impact when it comes to recovery strategies and tools for runners?  Dr. Peter Tierney is a health and performance researcher, consultant, and coach who's worked with many professional sports organizations to help athletes recover effectively from exercise. Peter's "Big 5" recovery strategies are science-backed and possible for runners to add to their training and lifestyle....

Thomas Neuberger has probably worn more pairs of shoes than anybody else over the last 15 years (with maybe the exception of Runner's World Director of Product Testing and Runner-in-Chief, Jeff Dengate). Thomas' deep experience in the running shoe industry gives him an unparalleled perspective on the evolution of shoes, why some features are no longer available, and the future of running shoes. In...

Trail running doesn't always mean running an ultramarathon. From trail 5ks to marathons, there's a growing interest in middle distance trail events. Andy Wacker is making this space a more vibrant and welcoming community for runners. Andy Wacker is a professional runner who excels on the track, road, and trail. He is the 2019 world Mountain Running Champ, 2016 US Trail Half Marathon Champ, 2015 US...