The Women's Running Lab

In this episode, host Alison focuses on a personal story rather than running. She shares the story of her daughter, Charlotte Grace, who was diagnosed with Trisomy 13, a rare genetic condition often labeled "incompatible with life." Despite grim medical expectations, Charlotte was born full-term, lived for six days, and defied many statistics. Alison discusses the lack of support and out...

 This episode begins with host Alison introducing the Women's Running Lab, emphasizing the importance of understanding running science and applying it effectively. She challenges the misconception that aging limits achievement, sharing stories from runners in their 40s, 50s, and beyond who continue to set personal records. She highlights how aging presents opportunities to train more strategi...

In this episode, Alison focuses on the importance of patience and consistency in running to prevent injuries and improve performance. She explains that impatience, rather than biomechanics or strength training alone, is the primary predictor of injuries, as rushing progress often leads to overuse injuries. She discusses how factors such as athletic identity, perfectionism, life stress, and poor co...

In this episode, Alison reflects on her personal growth as a runner over the years. She compares her early running experiences to her current approach, focusing on aspects like pacing, breathing, fueling, and strength training. Alison discusses how she used to run with little variety in pace and now intentionally varies her speeds for improved performance, along with using nasal breathing for bett...

In this episode, Alison shares her recent experience racing a half marathon and discusses the importance of setting realistic training goals. She reflects on how she trained for this race, including overcoming challenges like a sprained ankle and illness during the final weeks of training. Alison emphasizes the value of building a strong base over time and encourages listeners to consider longer t...

In this episode, Alison discusses the benefits of strength training for runners. Strength training, when done correctly, can enhance running economy and improve the body's ability to manage ground reaction forces. However, it's important to avoid overloading the body with too much intensity or volume too soon, as this can hinder performance. The episode also explores how to balance stren...

In this episode, Alison discusses her experience with neck and back pain during long runs and speed work while training for a half marathon. She explains how poor posture, like hunching over and forward head posture, contributes to these pains. Alison shares the strategies she used to address these issues, including breathwork exercises like hooklying breathing and diaphragmatic breathing, along w...

In this episode, Alison discusses strategies to improve running efficiency by developing a "springy" stride. She highlights research showing how simple exercises like jump roping or pogos can improve running economy by training the lower limbs to act like springs, especially through the Achilles. Alison goes on to explain how to further enhance springiness by incorporating hip extension,...

In this episode, Alison discusses the importance of strength training for runners, focusing on the lower body movements like hinging, squatting, and lunging. She emphasizes that running is a three-dimensional motion, not just a forward movement, and that exercises like squats and deadlifts should train the body in multiple planes of motion (sagittal, frontal, and transverse). She explains that mov...

In this episode, Alison discusses the importance of glute activation for runners, emphasizing the need for proper glute engagement through lengthening, not just squeezing or external rotation. She critiques common exercises like hip thrusts and clamshells for missing the essential step of finding length in the glutes, which is crucial for effective running mechanics. Alison introduces her free, re...

In this episode, Alison discusses IT band issues in runners, emphasizing that these problems are often caused by strength and stability imbalances rather than tightness in the IT band itself. She explains that foam rolling and stretching, while helpful in the short term, do not provide long-term relief. The key to addressing IT band issues is learning to load through the glutes and achieving prope...

In this episode, Alison explains that impatience and under-fueling are two key predictors of injury that she frequently observes in runners. She emphasizes the importance of being patient in the training process and fueling properly for performance and recovery. She shares her own struggles with fueling, particularly as a coach who recognizes the impact of under-fueling, and mentions a recent stud...

In this episode, Alison discusses the importance of addressing muscle tightness not just through stretching or foam rolling, but by improving strength, stability, and position. She explains that tightness, such as in the hip flexors or calves, is often a result of poor body alignment and insufficient strength in certain muscles, like the hamstrings. Alison emphasizes that optimizing pelvic positio...

In this episode, host Alison explores the role of rib mobility in enhancing running performance by improving breathing efficiency, core engagement, and rotation. Proper rib movement optimizes diaphragm use, reduces strain on accessory muscles, and supports better posture and force management. Efficient rib and torso rotation also improve energy transfer and running mechanics. Alison shares practic...

In this episode, Alison discusses the importance of rest during strength training for runners, emphasizing that strength training should focus on force production and proper recovery rather than speed. She encourages runners to see strength training as a tool to improve running efficiency, sharing how her own struggles with running led her to appreciate strength training. She introduces essential...

In this episode, host Alison Marie discusses the biomechanics of uphill and downhill running. She highlights the physical challenges of uphill running, such as increased demand on the hip flexors and Achilles, and emphasizes the importance of strength training, particularly for hip flexors, pelvis position, and Achilles tolerance. On the other hand, she outlines the difficulties of downhill runnin...

In this episode, Alison discusses the importance of body autonomy and how it relates to both running and broader societal issues. She shares her perspective on coaching, emphasizing the value of understanding the "why" behind training and how it empowers women to become caretakers of their own bodies. Drawing on personal anecdotes and quotes from her Women's Running Academy, Alison...

In this episode, Alison discusses the importance of an effective warm-up, emphasizing dynamic movements that increase blood flow, improve neuromuscular coordination, and enhance joint range of motion. She explains how her Fast and Free warm-up program, a downloadable resource of plug-and-play warm-ups, integrates five key running skills, such as stack alignment and rotation, to help runners improv...

In this episode Alison dives into the critical role of hip strength in running, challenging the common belief that tight hips need more stretching rather than strengthening. She explains how efficient biomechanics, particularly during the stance phase of running, are essential for minimizing energy loss and preventing pain or injury. By focusing on the phases of loading, stabilizing, and propellin...

In this episode, host Alison Marie discusses the concept of cadence in running and its impact on performance and injury risk. She explains that while the commonly recommended 180 steps per minute works for elite athletes, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution for all runners. Cadence should vary based on pace and individual characteristics, and a lower cadence can lead to overstriding and inc...

In this episode Alison explores the importance of pelvic floor function for runners and outlines seven core principles from her Pelvic Floor Fundamentals course. She begins by sharing a personal story that underscores the emotional and physical demands on mothers, linking it to her own journey of rediscovery through running. She then explains how a "responsive" pelvic floor can prevent c...

In this episode, Alison explores the concept of Zone 2 training, emphasizing its physiological benefits for runners, such as improved cardiovascular efficiency and metabolic flexibility. She provides a systematic approach for integrating Zone 2 into training. The reality is, Zone 2 running is supposed to be easy but at first it can feel anything but. The main advice you get when you feel like you...

In this episode, Alison explains the importance of incorporating three key running paces into a training plan: easy, tempo, and track. The easy pace, making up the majority of training, helps build cardiovascular efficiency. Tempo runs, around 10K pace, improve muscle efficiency, while track workouts at mile pace or VO2 max pace improve power. She emphasizes the need for intentional pacing and usi...

In this episode Alison explores the role of strength training in enhancing both running performance and longevity. She emphasizes the importance of lifting heavy weights with fewer reps to build muscle and bone density, which running alone cannot achieve, especially as we age. For runners balancing strength and running, she advises focusing on quality over quantity, prioritizing strength in the of...

In this episode, Alison shares some of her running journey and how it continues to shape the way she coaches. From starting at an early age with her mom, to becoming obsessed in her 20s after, to struggling to find her way back postpartum, and running through grief after the loss of her daughter, each experience shaped the way she coaches. That last part is a big reason why she now integrates both...