218. Well-Being Expert Brad Stulberg on Sustainable, High Performance Running

I first met Peter at the US Trail Running Conference in Estes Park, CO. We sat together at lunch, had a great conversation, and I'm excited to bring his perspectives to the Strength Running Podcast. Peter is on the podcast today to discuss a wide-ranging set of issues that affect runners: What counts as "trail running" (especially if you live in a city) How you can get involved with trail maintenance in your area Plogging and how we can leave spaces better than we found them His favorite type of race The ATRA trail race calendar Show Links & Resources: The ATRA "Find a Trail" tool Strength Running's Trail Running Resource Page Follow Peter on Instagram Trail maintenance opportunities How to become a competitive trail runner (with pro Abby Levene) How Anna Mae Flynn trains for trail ultras Please be sure to say hi to Peter on social media and thank him for coming on the podcast! Also, a big thank you is in order for SteadyMD for sponsoring this episode of the podcast! Learn more about their medical services for runners and how you can benefit from a physician who understands runners. No wait times, no copays, no office visits. Just a doctor who understands runners who's always available for you 24/7.

9 Des 201938min

This coaching call is with a runner named Dena about training and goal setting as a Master's Athlete. She's about to turn 41, she's running well, but she wants to make sure that she continues to do so as a Master's runner. And there's no doubt that when you start getting older, running starts getting harder. Recovery is slower, adaptation takes longer, injury risks are higher, and we all experience declines in reaction time, muscle mass, VO2 Max, and so many other factors that affect our running. In this conversation with Dena, we're talking about the training updates that Master's Runners can make to stall the aging process, continue to improve, and reduce their injury risk. We also discuss goal setting and how Dena can continue to keep things interesting as she runs far into her 40's. You'll notice that I spent a fair amount of time encouraging Dena to train for shorter races and to lift weights. Both of these goals are similar in that they are strength and power oriented - precisely the skills that we must word harder to preserve as we get older. In fact, you can see a big case study on a runner named David at strengthrunning.com/david/, who at age 73 (!), recovered from a major injury and qualified for the Boston Marathon, by focusing on his strength and power. If I could have every runner over the age of 40 practice two simple things, it would be speedwork and weightlifting. Not just for the strength and speed, but just as much for the hormonal benefits of both. These activities provide a big hit of testosterone and growth hormone, helping spur adaptations, muscle growth, and recovery. Exactly what older runners need. I encourage you to visit our website at strengthrunning.com/strength/ and learn more about the incredible benefits of weightlifting for runners, get some example exercises and other case studies, and see how your running can be transformed with a focus on strength and power. And of course, our email courses are always free.

2 Des 201919min

Abby Levene is relatively new to the ultramarathon distance but has been racing for most of her life. She competed for the University of Colorado at Boulder as a grad student and has a background in the 5k and 10k. But as it happens so frequently to Colorado residents, the mountains came calling. In just the last few years, Abby has made a name for herself as an Adidas sponsored trail runner. And just about two weeks ago, Abby placed 5th at the renowned North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championships in her first 50-mile race ever. Talk about a debut! In this conversation, we discuss: How track prepared her for long trail races, How her love for trail running began in Boulder, CO What her transition was like from the track to the trails The mindset shifts that are necessary as you start trail running Her advice for aspiring trail runners Show Links & Resources: Follow Abby on Instagram and Strava Trail Running Resources Abby's sponsor Adidas Abby is a genuine pleasure to hang out with and her joy for the sport of running is practically tangible. I hope you enjoy this conversation and if so, an honest review on Apple Music means a lot! Our sponsor for this episode is Inside Tracker. I've been a big fan of Inside Tracker for years because of their science-backed, evidence-based system of helping runners avoid burnout, overtraining, and injury through their blood testing service. Take a selfie from the inside and go to insidetracker.com, use code strengthrunning to save 10% on any test at checkout, and discover if you have any deficiencies that are impacting your running.

25 Nov 201953min

"Fast Kate" Grace is one of the United States' most decorated and accomplished middle-distance runners. She's an Olympian, Olympic Trials champion, and a runner-up at outdoor nationals in the 1500m. She was also our guest on Episode 97 of the podcast. Kate is a Nike-sponsored athlete, a member of the Bowerman Track Club, and a 4:22 miler. She joins us on the podcast to discuss how an elite runner like herself plans an entire season from start to finish. We're discussing: Overall length of the season, tune-up race scheduling and strategy, and planning Her support team of coaches, experts, and clinicians that makes it all possible Linear vs. nonlinear periodization and the progress of her workouts But she's not the only guest on the podcast today! You'll also be hearing from my old friend and former teammate, Jake Tuber. Jake is the mastermind behind Endeavorun, a new coaching program that gives regular runners like us the "pro athlete experience" with: A kickoff retreat in Tracktown USA at the University of Oregon Coaching and custom training for every registrant A team of PT's, dietitians, and elite runners (like Kate Grace) to keep your running on track VIP race experience and ongoing support - just like the pros It's a coach, running camp, strength programming, fan experience with pro runners, training program, and nutritionist rolled into one program.  The running community has not seen a program this comprehensive; it virtually defies definition and I'm excited to be a part of it next year. Code JASON will also save you 15% on the registration fee and gets you a free pairs of shoes of your choice! Please also take the Endeavorun survey to help us create the best program possible.

18 Nov 20191h 8min

Pro ultramarathoner and trail runner Abby Hall joins us to discuss transitioning to longer distances after being a middle-distance athlete, when she thinks it's a good idea to drop out of a race, what surprised her most when she started competing in long trail races, and what she considers her biggest failure. Abby has placed in the top 10 at races like UTMB CCC, Lake Sonoma, and North Face 50 Mile Championships. She's a global athlete for adidas and is also sponsored by Ultimate Direction, LEKI, Unived, and CTS. Our sponsor for this episode is SteadyMD. SteadyMD pairs you with a primary care doctor, online who's available via phone, text, or video for all of your needs. And not just any doctor, but a fellow runner who understands the training process and can easily order you blood work, referrals for specialists, and more. Go to steadymd.com/strengthrunning to learn more and reserve your spot. Don't miss Episode 113 of the podcast where Jason asked Abby as well as two other pro runners how they fuel for different types of runs, races, and what might change if the distance of their race was a lot shorter.

11 Nov 201945min

I first became aware of Max King in 2014 when he won the World Warrior Dash Championship. I realized - after winning my own Warrior Dash in 2012 - that runners are often the best OCR competitors. Before I first interviewed Max, I studied his career and was absolutely amazed by his accomplishments in virtually every discipline there is in the sport of running: Trail races Ultramarathons Cross country 3,000m steeplechase on the track Road marathons Obstacle course races Mountain running If it involves mostly running, Max King is a dominant athlete. And he's not just a finisher - or even a medalist. He's often the ultimate victor, having won world Warrior Dash and mountain running championships and trail and ultramarathon national championships. He's even dabbled in triathlon and adventure races. That's a major reason I asked Max to contribute to our Little Black Book of Recovery & Prevention (9 pro runners shared their favorite injury prevention advice). I wanted to know how such a versatile athlete stayed healthy and prevented injuries. But today, we're discussing something different: how Max King trains.

4 Nov 201954min

Anna Mae is actually a recent entry into the world of ultramarathons. She debuted at the 2015 Way Too Cool 50k - only to have her finish time qualify as a top-10 all-time performance. Today, her sponsors include: HOKA ONE ONE Suunto Honey Stinger She's the current course record holder (and 2019 winner) of the Speedgoat 50 Miler. You can usually find her exploring trails and mountains near her home in Marble, Colorado. Anna Mae joins me on the Strength Running Podcast to discuss her training. Specifically, we talk about: The (big) role cross-training plays in her ultramarathon preparation How she mitigates and takes advantage of altitude What a typical, heavy training day looks like for her Her average weekly mileage and vertical gain How she recovers after a 100 miler vs. a 50k ultra Injury prevention strategies for ultra runners (and the rest of us!) Please support our sponsor Inside Tracker (code strengthrunning saves 10% on any test) who help athletes determine if they have any overtraining problems, hormonal imbalances, or vitamin deficiencies. These problems could lead to reduced performance or injury so learn what's wrong so you can take action to improve.

30 Okt 201958min

Today you're going to hear from three Ultramarathoners on how they fuel for races, what their post long run fueling looks like, and how things might be different if they were training for shorter races. It's helpful to study ultramarathoners when it comes to fueling, even if you have no interest in running ultra distances, because it's here that fueling becomes virtually as important as the training itself. It doesn't matter how fit you are if you don't fuel well as an ultra runner... We're doing this today because we're celebrating the relaunch of our fueling program Finish Strong. I've added new material, updated our fueling schedules, included more expert interviews, and there's now an extra discount for Tailwind Nutrition. You can see all the details of Finish Strong here. Abby Hall placed 8th at CCC earlier this year (which is known as UTMB's sister race). Anna Mae Flynn won the Speedgoat 50k this year and Abby Levene placed 9th at this year's Way Too Cool 50k. I'm going to ask all three of these athletes the same 3 questions: How do you fuel during an ultramarathon? Give us an overview of what that looks like. When you finish a long run, what does your post-run fueling look like? How would you fuel different for workouts and long runs if you were training for a shorter event like, say a 10k?

23 Okt 201918min