225. Planning a 5k PR: A New Behind-the-Scenes Coaching Call with Coach Chris Robinson

This week's episode tackles a variety of questions about the training process, including off-season planning, the concept of sandwiching, addressing cramps and side stitches, and more! Drawing from Instagram and Twitter, Jason is directly answering your specific questions. We're going to discuss the "sandwiching" concept, side stitches, optimal cadence, off-season training, muscle cramps, and more. Thank you to the athletes who submitted their questions. If you want to contribute in the future, make sure you connect with Jason on Instagram and Twitter. Here's where you can find some of the questions I tackle on this episode: 3:03 - How should training plans vary for a road vs. a trail event? 6:25 - How often should you "sandwich" your runs with strength training? (hint: every run!) 13:48 - What you should do if the weather impacts your long run? 19:36 - How do volume and intensity fit into your running workload? 26:30 - What inexpensive options are effective if you're trying to do more strength training? 35:54 - What should an off-season look like to avoid losing too much fitness? Enjoy this week's questions and answer session! To get even more personal support from Jason, join Team Strength Running for live coaching sessions, a group of runners to support you, 30+ training plans, and more! Thank You Athletic Greens! Thank you to our newest 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.

13 Jan 202246min

Stephanie Howe is a heavy hitter from the ultra-endurance world who holds a PhD in Nutrition and Exercise Science. As an elite trail and mountain runner, Stephanie has won the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run and holds the course records for the Bandera 100k and Lake Sonoma 50 miler. Stephanie's doctoral dissertation focused on the influence of exercise intensity on appetite in endurance-trained women. She is passionate about helping people learn how to fuel for competition and long-term health, and currently coaches runners and provides nutritional counseling. Stephanie answers a variety of questions from Strength Running listeners on training and race nutrition, along with some of the controversial fad diets and nutrition strategies: The ins and outs of marathon fueling - is it ever too late in the race to fuel? How to use different types of fuels at various stages of longer races A "pyramid" plan for ultra fueling Should you still carb load before races? How to simplify good nutrition for a busy family with mix and match meals The benefits of using a nutritionist Her take on the Keto diet, intermittent fasting, the carnivore diet, and bonk runs Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Stephanie on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Visit Stephanie's website Check out Strength Running's Nutrition for Runners program Sign up for more free nutrition Q&A! 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. They just released their first new flavor of 2021, their most requested flavor, watermelon salt. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

6 Jan 202259min

Recovering from injuries is challenging when they keep you away from running for days or weeks. But injuries that linger for years require a special type of perspective and perseverance. This week's podcast guest received the kind of news you hope never to receive from a doctor - that you might never run again. Connor Meakin had been an elite athlete long before he took up ultrarunning. He was a member of the Canadian Men's National Field Hockey Team for four years before completing a road marathon. He quickly discovered his love for the mountains and trails and seemed to have found his calling, winning multiple races in 2014. What began as a bad ankle sprain in 2014 quickly devolved into a much more serious injury. Connor tried to continue running and racing but the injury worsened and created new issues with his foot. Soon, a radiologist told Connor he had one of the worst injuries he had ever seen. The doctor recommended he take up cycling and told him that he might never run again, especially in any sort of competitive fashion. In the face of this grim news, most athletes would give up hope. But 5 years later, he's back to winning races! Connor discusses a number of the strategies that did contribute to his recovery, including Facing the reality of the severity of his injury Finally resting Cross-training Gait retraining Digging into scientific research on rehabilitating injuries Physical therapy Whether you're struggling physically or mentally with an injury, or just trying to avoid them altogether, you'll find something in Connor's journey that you can relate to. Links & Resources from the Show: Connect with Connor on Linked In Visit Connor's business online Follow Connor on Instagram and on Facebook Prevent injuries that keep you sidelined from running Discover strategies for recovery and injury prevention from 9 elite athletes Thank You Athletic Greens! Thank you to our newest 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.

30 Dec 202149min

Geoff Burns, PhD helps us understand the changes in regulations in running footwear, as the industry figures out how to handle the performance impact of carbon-plated "super shoes." His understanding of the technology, from both a personal and professional perspective, is uniquely informative. Geoff has competed at the highest levels of ultrarunning and was the 2016 US national champion at 100km, where he ran 6:30. He competed at the collegiate level for the University of Michigan, and went on to represent the USA over the 50km and 100km distances, and finished 5th at both the 2016 and 2018 IAU 100km World Championships. Geoff also has degrees in biomedical engineering and kinesiology with a PhD from the University of Michigan. His research focuses on running, physiology, biomechanics, and sport performance. This week's podcast delves into the science of super shoes, including what has made them such a useful tool for both elite and amateur runners and how you can use them to your own benefit. The episode is unique because all the questions that Geoff answers came directly from Jason's Twitter community. We discuss: What types of runners will benefit most from these types of shoes? At what distances are super shoes most beneficial? Can (and should?) you still use an insert in shoes with carbon plates? Do shoes with carbon plates increase your injury risk? How should these types of shoes be used? Every day? For racing only? Or something in between? What is the longevity of these shoes? What is the future of this technology? How will these super shoes become even better? Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Geoff on Twitter and Instagram Visit Geoff's website Read Geoff's discussion on the pros and cons of thicker shoes Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we're making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker's patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you're running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you're ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount. 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. They just released their first new flavor of 2021, their most requested flavor, watermelon salt. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

23 Dec 20211h 19min

Nick Willis exemplifies longevity not only in the competitive world of elite running, but even more so in an event that typically favors young, powerful runners. He is the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the 1500m. Nick's PR of 3:29 established him as one of the fastest 1500m runners in history. Nick also holds a unique record of being the most consistent miler in history. For the past 19 consecutive years, he has run a sub-4 minute mile. On January 1st at midnight, he'll be attempting his 20th year of sub-4 miles at the Armory in New York City. In the podcast, we discuss many of the factors that have contributed to Nick's success, including: The importance of who you surround yourself with Putting in the focused work when it counts How he focuses on injury prevention Using less conventional cross-training as an outlet Learning to respect your body and know what it can and cannot do, especially as you get older A willingness to be patient and show up when it matters Using strength as a primary resource when it comes to healing Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram Watch Nick prepare for his 20th sub-4 miler Check out Nick on Facebook Get stronger and avoid injury Join a team to support your own running Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we're making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker's patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you're running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you're ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount.

16 Dec 202145min

Sam Burke is the founder of Runner's Tribe, one of Australia's largest running media sites. Recently he jumped into the competitive running shoe industry as the founder of Tarkine, a new startup shoe company for endurance runners. Runner's Tribe began in 2008 and has grown into a home for an enormous array of running-related information, including news, product reviews, podcasts, articles, and training diaries from elite runners. Sam's new company, Tarkine, is focused on making an environmentally responsible running shoe that reduces its ecological footprint in all stages of the shoemaking process. Links & Resources from the Show: Check out the Tarkine website Tarkine on Facebook Visit the Runners Tribe website Contribute to the Tarkine Kickstarter Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we're making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker's patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you're running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you're ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount. Thank You Athletic Greens! Thank you to our newest 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.

2 Dec 202144min

Jimmy Picard is a doctor of physical therapy in Salt Lake City. He emphasizes the importance of taking an active role in the recovery process, rather than leaving your recovery in the hands of others. With his physical therapy expertise working with endurance athletes, his history as a former cross-country runner at the College of William and Mary, and his experience as a Cat 2 cyclist, Jimmy has unique and valuable insights into effective injury rehab for runners. When it comes to healing yourself, Jimmy believes in the science behind the active components of injury rehab - including physical therapy exercises and strength training - where you are the driving force behind the process. In the podcast, Jimmy also discusses how your outlook and planning for recovery can make all the difference, including: Taking a holistic approach to recovery Avoiding catastrophic thinking How to manage the 2 buckets of recovery: calming down and building back up Avoiding extremes in the recovery process: why shutting it down and pushing through an injury are both ineffective For more on staying healthy, get Strength Running's best advice here. Whether you're injured or not, you're bound to learn a lot from this comprehensive discussion about injury rehabilitation! Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram Connect with Jimmy on Linked In Visit Jimmy's website: Redefine Physical Therapy and Performance Want to prevent injuries from happening? Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we're making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker's patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you're running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you're ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount. 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. They just released their first new flavor of 2021, their most requested flavor, watermelon salt. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

25 Nov 20211h 7min