The Women's Running Lab

In this episode, Alison explains that pelvic floor health is about far more than Kegels—it’s about how the pelvic floor integrates with the rib cage, pelvis, hips, and feet to manage pressure and transfer force during running. Through her four-point Pelvic Floor Audit (stack and pressure management, posterior length, hip rotation, and foot rotation), she shows how limitations in rib mobility, pelv...

In this episode, Alison challenges the taboo around pelvic floor health and argues that it should be understood as a vital part of movement and performance—not just something discussed when problems arise. She explains that the pelvic floor works dynamically with the core and diaphragm to manage force during running, contributing to efficiency and resilience. Rather than relying on generic Kegels...

Running isn’t just about miles and mechanics—it’s about the total stress your body is carrying. In this episode, Alison introduces the “threat bucket” analogy to explain how training load, life stress, nervous system state, and biomechanics all interact to shape performance, recovery, and injury risk. Through real client stories, she shows why pain and setbacks aren’t usually caused by one thing—a...

In this episode, Alison explains how runners can transition from returning to running into a simple, effective polarized training approach. She outlines four key run types—easy, tempo, track, and long runs—using clear analogies to explain their distinct physiological benefits and emphasizes the 80/20 rule to avoid the ineffective “gray zone.” She provides practical guidance on structuring training...

In this episode, Alison returns to the podcast after a long break to share a year that went from big running PRs to a sidelining knee injury, a full-time return to teaching, and a much-needed reset. She reflects on stepping away from performance pressure and social media, finding more balance, and easing back into running with a healthier mindset. The heart of the episode is a clear, doable guide...

In this episode of the Women’s Running Lab podcast, host Alison introduces a “runner’s hierarchy of needs,” modeled after Maslow’s pyramid, to explain how athletes can progress toward their full potential. She emphasizes that true success begins with a self-care version of base training for runners—focusing on consistency, recovery, sleep, fueling, and nutrition—before layering in smart volume man...

In this episode, Alison challenges the idea that more stretching is always the answer and instead highlights the value of carefully chosen mobility exercises for runners. She explains that hypermobile athletes often develop chronic tightness by gripping in areas like the feet, glutes, or pelvic floor, and that true relief comes from balancing stiffness, stability, and mobility. By building “good t...

In this 50th episode of The Women’s Running Lab podcast, host Alison celebrates the milestone by sharing ten key lessons she wishes runners knew about their bodies, all centered on the idea that the body works as an integrated system rather than isolated parts. She discusses topics such as the pelvic floor’s crucial role in running, the misconception of “over-pronation,” why tight hips and hamstri...

This episode of The Women’s Running Lab explores how to approach running while pregnant with both flexibility and strategy. Host Alison and guest Martina discuss managing the “athlete brain,” using run-walk intervals, and knowing when to pause without seeing it as failure, since rest often sets up a stronger postpartum return. They highlight strength training as essential for supporting pelvic flo...

In this episode, host Alison Marie discusses how to strengthen the pelvic floor for running by explaining how pelvic floor health connects to posture, breathing, hip rotation, and foot mechanics. She emphasizes that a responsive pelvic floor is not about constant Kegels but about finding length, mobility, and natural activation through internal rotation, pronation, and dynamic movement. By combini...

This episode explores how training, performance, and recovery are deeply influenced by the nervous system and our ability to manage stress. Stress from both life and workouts can overload the body, so balancing intentional training stress with effective recovery is essential. The host highlights breath work as a key tool for nervous system health, introducing CO2 tolerance testing and breathing ex...

In this episode, Alison shares how a knee injury at camp inspired her to discuss shifting from the traditional RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to the more modern PEACE & LOVE approach for recovery from injury. While RICE can help in the acute stage by reducing swelling and pain, it doesn’t address the need for movement and tissue loading. PEACE focuses on the early days post-in...

This episode offers a comprehensive guide to returning to running postpartum, outlining six key strategies to rebuild strength, movement quality, and impact readiness after pregnancy. Host Alison explains how physical changes like pelvic tilt, rib flare, and altered hip mobility affect running mechanics, and emphasizes the importance of restoring core and pelvic floor connection, improving rib and...

This episode explores the journey of running postpartum, with Alison sharing her personal struggles with incontinence, pain, and a premature return to running. Emphasizing that recovery is highly individual, she outlines a thoughtful, phased approach focused on rebuilding pelvic floor strength, core connection, and overall stability before gradually returning to running with a structured milestone...

In this episode, host Alison dives into the science and strategy behind building running performance “from the ground up”—both literally and figuratively. She explains how consistent, progressive training lays the foundation for long-term gains, while strength, coordination, and tendon health help the body store and transform energy through ground reaction forces. By breaking down key movement ski...

In this episode, Alison dives into the importance of squats for runners, highlighting how this foundational movement improves force production, coordination, and running mechanics. She explains that effective squatting—particularly through the often-overlooked mid-range—requires proper foot pronation, hip internal rotation, and a stacked body position. By mastering these elements, runners can enha...

In this episode, host Alison Marie emphasizes the importance of stepping back from constant racing to focus on intentional base building as a critical foundation for long-term running progress. She explains that frequent racing can lead to excessive stress, inadequate recovery, and stalled development, while consistent base phases—focused on easy running, gradual mileage increases, and foundationa...

In this episode, Alison reflects on her recent half marathon success—finishing in 1:42:17 and winning her age group—achieved through a year of patient, low-volume running, strength training, and consistent fueling. She introduces the Women’s Running Academy, a holistic training plan for women runners that emphasizes sustainable progress through tailored strength and running programs, education on...

In this episode, Alison discusses the trend of walking backward on a treadmill at an incline to strengthen knees and reduce pain. While she acknowledges that this exercise may offer short-term benefits, such as improving foot mechanics and providing a novel stimulus to the quads, she emphasizes that it should be part of a broader strength training routine for lasting results. Alison critiques the...

In this episode, host Alison explores the popular advice for midlife women—especially runners—to “lift heavy” and breaks down the science and strategy behind it. She explains that while lifting heavy can support muscle retention, bone density, metabolic health, and running performance during perimenopause and menopause, the real key is lifting to failure for maximum muscle fiber recruitment. Aliso...

In this episode, host Alison introduces the Women's Running Lab and the mission of the Women's Running Academy , explaining why her coaching is tailored specifically for women. She emphasizes that effective training must consider not only female-specific biomechanics—such as pelvic shape, muscle mass, and connective tissue laxity—but also physiological factors like the menstrual cycle, p...

 In this episode of the Women's Running Lab podcast, host Alison Marie dives deep into the role of strength training for runners across different race distances. She explains why strength training is essential not just for performance, but also for long-term health, especially for female athletes. Alison shares how to adjust your strength training strategy based on your race goals and trainin...

In this episode, Alison discusses the benefits of strength training for runners, including improved running economy, injury resilience, and long-term bone and connective tissue health. She outlines six common mistakes runners make with strength training, such as prioritizing volume over intensity, doing too much too soon, chasing soreness and sweat, lacking consistency, constantly changing exercis...

In this episode, Alison introduces the concept of understanding running from both a physiological and practical perspective, using her own recent personal experiences as a foundation. She shares a story about a painful injury she sustained while commemorating her late daughter’s birthday, which kept her from running and pushed her back into therapy. This experience led her to reflect on how runner...

In this episode, Alison explores the biomechanics of running, focusing on gait analysis and form cues. She emphasizes that runners shouldn't try to consciously alter their running mechanics mid-run, as the body cannot process adjustments quickly enough and doing so can create more issues. Instead, she uses gait analysis to inform strength training and warm-up drills that help improve stride e...