The Strength Running Podcast

This week’s podcast features a coaching call with a runner named Bradford. After a year of fast racing, Bradford had a taste of success and is looking to make continued improvement as a new master’s runner. Having recently turned 40, Bradford set some challenging but realistic goals for the year ahead: run a sub-3 marathon and qualify to run Boston in 2024. Bradford lives in Washington, DC and often runs several workouts each week with a local club of competitive athletes. While these structured workout sessions have enabled him to achieve fast times in the 5k and half marathon, Bradford is wondering how best to juggle all the elements of training for his first marathon. Bradford and I talk about his past and current training and plan for how he can achieve his goals in the years ahead. While he is doing a lot of things right, we discuss ways he can make continued progress, including: How to alter his current schedule of workouts The importance of race selection when setting a challenging goal Why more mileage is so key to his marathon goal Using tuneup races to evaluate his fitness How to fit strength training into a busy schedule Often we think about what we're doing wrong in training. This is a fun discussion on how to keep improving when you're already on the right track. Enjoy! Join Team Strength Running to be able to come on the podcast for these coaching calls! Don't miss our other coaching call episodes: How to Escape a Running Rut How to Fix Knee Pain Running And Lifting: How Elizabeth Does Both As A Sub-3 Marathoner Links & Resources from the Show: Learn more about running your fastest marathon as a master Engineering a marathon PR as master’s runner See how High Performance Lifting can benefit your running Run coaching to help you set new PRs Thank You InsideTracker! We’re sponsored by InsideTracker, a company that’s been around for more than 10 years to help you optimize your health, longevity, and performance. To live your healthiest, longest life possible, you need to understand what’s going on inside your body. People age at different speeds. And generic, annual blood work doesn’t properly evaluate your biological age. But InsideTracker does. InsideTracker is a truly personalized nutrition and performance system, designed to extend your health span and slow down the aging process. Created by leading scientists in aging, genetics, and biometrics, InsideTracker analyzes your blood, DNA, and fitness tracking data to identify where you’re optimized—and where you’re not. With InsideTracker, you get a daily Action Plan with personalized guidance on the right exercise, nutrition, and supplementation for your body. Add InnerAge 2.0 to any plan to calculate your true biological age, and see how you’re aging from the inside out. For a limited time, get 20% off the entire InsideTracker store! Thank You Athletic Greens! Thank you to our sponsor, Athletic Greens! They are a health and wellness company that makes AG1. This is a category-leading greens mix that has 75 vitamins and minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants, and adaptogens. One scoop per day is what I’ve been doing to help me fill in any nutrition gaps in my diet. It also provide a nice boost of energy and focus throughout the day. With all 3 of my kids in school, I know I need to support my immune system or else I’m getting sick and can’t train. I also love that AG1 has changed over the last decade. Athletic Greens has made 53 improvements to the formula based on the latest research to make these nutrients more absorbable. For our listeners, they are offering a year's worth of free Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs of AG1 with your first purchase. You can sign up for single shipment or for a monthly drop - the choice is yours. Check out Athletic Greens to redeem your offer today.

29 Des 20221h 1min

Grayson Murphy is a five-time Division 1 All-American, the 2019 World Mountain Running Champion, and the 2019 and 2021 US Mountain Running Champion. In addition to her racing success, Grayson is working on her Masters of Sustainable Natural Resources at Oregon State University. She also has her own small business selling a self-designed training log and planner. Catch her contribution to Episode 160: 5 Of The World’s Fastest Women On Injury Prevention & Recovery! Grayson and I discuss her year of injuries, and she shares how she has handled them both mentally and physically. Her openness about dealing with injury is a tremendous resource for all levels of runners. Some topics we touch on include: Her sequence of injuries, from her plantar fascia to her hip How cross-training both hindered and helped her recovery process The importance self-assessment along with professional help How a written training journal can help with injury prevention and recovery What she learned about recognizing different types of pain How she is beginning to trust her body again post-injury Grayson’s thoughtfulness and self-reflection on her recovery process will help any runner, whether injured or not! Links & Resources from the Show: Visit Grayson’s website Follow Grayson on Instagram Learn more about Grayson Read about Grayson’s cross training adventures Let me help you prevent injuries! Thank You InsideTracker! This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training. Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes. I’ve gotten several Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet.  Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology.  Get yours today! Thank you Elemental Labs! A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping. Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium. There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

22 Des 202253min

What exatly is the "off-season?" In this episode, coach Jason Fitzgerald discusses the often-confusing off-season and why it's really a combination of time off and the early base phase of training.  You'll learn how to plan that time off, what the early weeks of base training should look like, and the goals of base training.  More resources: Base Training 101 Training Programs How to build a bigger base Thank You InsideTracker! This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training. Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes. I’ve gotten several Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet.  Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology. I scheduled another Ultimate test for myself soon and it’ll be interesting to compare with the test I got in February. Get yours today! Thank You Athletic Greens! Thank you to our sponsor, Athletic Greens! They are a health and wellness company that makes AG1. This is a category-leading greens mix that has 75 vitamins and minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants, and adaptogens. One scoop per day is what I’ve been doing to help me fill in any nutrition gaps in my diet. It also provide a nice boost of energy and focus throughout the day. With all 3 of my kids in school, I know I need to support my immune system or else I’m getting sick and can’t train. I also love that AG1 has changed over the last decade. Athletic Greens has made 53 improvements to the formula based on the latest research to make these nutrients more absorbable. For our listeners, they are offering a year’s worth of free Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs of AG1 with your first purchase. You can sign up for single shipment or for a monthly drop – the choice is yours. Check out Athletic Greens to redeem your offer today.

15 Des 202224min

Any athlete who seeks to perform at their best knows the importance of mental training. Whether it’s a tough workout, a local 5k, or competing on the world stage at the Olympics, having confidence in your abilities will help you get the most out of yourself. Greg Chertok has over a decade of experience creating mental training programs for a wide range of athletes. He's worked with youth athletes as well as professionals, including Olympians, NCAA and Super Bowl champions, and Stanley Cup players. As a performance and mental skills consultant, Greg is an expert at helping others build sport-specific confidence. Greg and I discuss many aspects of developing confidence that will benefit your running, including: What does it mean to be confident in an athletic setting? Is confidence innate or can it be changed? Common confidence traps and how to avoid them What can we learn from professionals when it comes to building confidence? What are the disadvantages of being both under- and over-confident? How does confidence impact us outside of competition? Links & Resources from the Show: Learn more about Greg’s work Work on your own mental skills with our free mindset email course Take our mindset course! Thank You InsideTracker! This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training. Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes. I’ve gotten several Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet.  Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology. I scheduled another Ultimate test for myself soon and it’ll be interesting to compare with the test I got in February. Get yours today! Thank you Elemental Labs! A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping. Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium. There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

8 Des 202253min

If you haven’t thought much about power as it relates to your running, you’re not alone. As runners, power isn’t something that we often consider in our training.  To help us understand power, we have David Roche with us today. David Roche is an elite trail runner, author, and running coach. He is a two-time USATF trail national champion and the 2014 Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year. David publishes regularly in Trail Runner Magazine and wrote the book, The Happy Runner, with his wife Megan. Although the subject of power and mechanical output may sound daunting, never fear! David breaks down the concepts in a way that makes it understandable, approachable, and easy to apply to your running year-round. We discuss: The definition of power and mechanical output, both in theory and in practicality for runners Why power is a bigger limiter for non-elite athletes How most benefits of developing power come from very short work intervals Why maintaining power is your key to longevity in the sport The success of the Norwegian system using power development Five way to consistently improve your own power David is insightful and enthusiastic when it comes to discussing the technical aspects of running. You're bound to learn something new to apply to your own training! Thank You InsideTracker! This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training. Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes. I’ve gotten several Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet.  Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology. I scheduled another Ultimate test for myself soon and it’ll be interesting to compare with the test I got in February. Get yours today! Thank You Athletic Greens! Thank you to our sponsor, Athletic Greens! They are a health and wellness company that makes AG1. This is a category-leading greens mix that has 75 vitamins and minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants, and adaptogens. One scoop per day is what I’ve been doing to help me fill in any nutrition gaps in my diet. It also provide a nice boost of energy and focus throughout the day. With all 3 of my kids in school, I know I need to support my immune system or else I’m getting sick and can’t train. I also love that AG1 has changed over the last decade. Athletic Greens has made 53 improvements to the formula based on the latest research to make these nutrients more absorbable. For our listeners, they are offering a year's worth of free Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs of AG1 with your first purchase. You can sign up for single shipment or for a monthly drop - the choice is yours. Check out Athletic Greens to redeem your offer today.

1 Des 20221h 7min

What exactly is stability and how does it impact our running? Stability allows us to transform strength into speed. The good news is that building stability doesn’t require hours of strenuous workouts - most of what we need can be accomplished in a few short sessions. This week’s podcast guest has a Masters of Physical Therapy and is a board certified sports clinical specialist. Jay Dicharry is an author, innovator and coach who has built an international reputation as an expert in biomechanical analysis. Jay has written 2 books many runners may be familiar with: Anatomy for Runners and Running Rewired. Jay is also the inventor of the MOBO board, a tool that helps you build stability in multiple planes of motion. The board is unique in how it teaches you to drive your big toe into the ground - an essential concept in creating a more stable foundation for your running. Use code STRENGTHRUN10 to save 10% on your MOBO Board! In our discussion, Jay and I focus on the importance of stability and how to build it in your running and daily life. We address: How injury is more impacted by stability than strength What it means to “drive the big toe” into the ground Why stability is the foundation of training (& why you can’t fire a cannon from a canoe!) How a lack of balance and stability can impact us as we age The importance of varying your footwear Why and how to implement stability-focused workouts into your routine Jay's expertise and ability to translate complex concepts into actionable advice is sure to benefit your running,  Enjoy! Links & Resources from the Show: Learn more about the MOBO board (Code STRENGTHRUN10 saves 10%) Visit Jay's website Follow Jay on Instagram Visit Jay on Linked in and YouTube Listen to our previous discussion on pain free running Thank you MOBO Board! Invented by renowned physical therapist Jay Dicharry, MOBO helps you stabilize your stance with an innovative rocker board that’s set up on two fins. The design effectively forces you to drive your big toe into the bboard to improve your stability. I was pretty arrogant going into my first session on the MOBO Board. How hard can it be to balance, right? Well, I was humbled pretty quickly! Even if you’re a good runner, better balance, stability, and proprioception is going to help you have a more powerful stride and prevent more running injuries. You’ll learn how to improve the efficiency of the kinetic chain from your hip to your big toe. Because as Jay likes to say, it’s not just how strong you are, but how well you use that strength. Save 10% with code STRENGTHRUN10 at checkout at moboboard.com. Thank you Elemental Labs! A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping. Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium. There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

24 Nov 202256min

This week’s episode is with ultra endurance athlete Travis Macy. It was originally published on his podcast, The Travis Macy Show. Travis interviews me on a wide variety of topics, including training and strength work, running after COVID, and how I developed Strength Running, one step at a time. We also talk about: My background and development of my lifelong love for running The value of running both roads and trails How fueling options have changed for the better Why strength training only gets more important with age My gradual approach to developing a multi-faceted online business Why you should never, ever say “full” marathon Travis is always a pleasure to talk to and I hope you enjoy our conversation! Links & Resources from the Show: Learn more about Travis Follow Travis on Instagram Listen to the Travis Macy Show Podcast Read my past interviews with Travis on finding adventure and signs of overtraining Let me help you with your running! Read Travis' new book A Mile at a Time Thank You InsideTracker! This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training. Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes. I’ve gotten several Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet.  Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology. I scheduled another Ultimate test for myself soon and it’ll be interesting to compare with the test I got in February. Get yours today! Thank You Athletic Greens! Thank you to our sponsor, Athletic Greens! They are a health and wellness company that makes AG1. This is a category-leading greens mix that has 75 vitamins and minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants, and adaptogens. One scoop per day is what I’ve been doing to help me fill in any nutrition gaps in my diet. It also provide a nice boost of energy and focus throughout the day. With all 3 of my kids in school, I know I need to support my immune system or else I’m getting sick and can’t train. I also love that AG1 has changed over the last decade. Athletic Greens has made 53 improvements to the formula based on the latest research to make these nutrients more absorbable. For our listeners, they are offering a year's worth of free Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs of AG1 with your first purchase. You can sign up for single shipment or for a monthly drop - the choice is yours. Check out Athletic Greens to redeem your offer today.

17 Nov 20221h 10min

Whether it's illness, injury, or stale training, most runners have found themselves stuck in a rut at times. Learn the best way to assess your running and start making progress again with this one-on-one coaching call. This week’s episode features a coaching call with Ivan, a Team Strength Running member. Ivan was a runner in high school and came back to the sport after over a decade away. Ivan had a successful buildup to a strong half marathon last year, but has struggled with his running after some recent setbacks. Like many of us, Ivan's bout with COVID earlier in the year made for a slower than expected return to training.  He has struggled with finding the right volume and intensity in training to both feel good and make progress. Our discussion focuses on putting all the pieces together - looking at his past and present running - to help him get back on track and feel positive again. Ivan and I talk about the factors that impact his training, including: All the things Ivan has been doing right with his training Why more time off requires a longer base phase The importance of pacing training runs correctly What Ivan's training history says about his racing potential Why lower mileage is the right plan to focus on for now Ivan's long term goals for 2023 and beyond This is a conversation everyone can relate to. I hope you enjoy my coaching call with Ivan! Thank You InsideTracker! This episode is brought to you by InsideTracker, one of the most reputable blood testing companies in the world. They were founded in 2009 by aging, genetics, and biometrics scientists to help you analyze your body’s data and get a firm idea of how well you’re responding to training. Understanding your body’s biomarkers, from stress hormones to testosterone to Vitamin D, can help you figure out if you’re over-training, under-training, optimally training, or if you have a health issue that might be affecting your running. But the best part is that they give you personalized optimal ranges for each of these biomarkers and a host of ways to improve these markers through diet, lifestyle, or exercise changes. I’ve gotten several Ultimate tests from them and the process is simple, easy, and very eye-opening if you haven’t done a deep dive on your biomarkers yet.  Of all the investments you can make in your running, this one is like getting a detailed checkup or regularly scheduled maintenance for your internal physiology. I scheduled another Ultimate test for myself soon and it’ll be interesting to compare with the test I got in February. Thank you Elemental Labs! A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping. Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium. There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

10 Nov 20221h 5min