The Strength Running Podcast

Why did American Record holder Zach Bitter fail at his goal of besting his own 100-mile record? Was it his new embrace of high carb fueling instead of his tradition low-carb approach?

In this episode, former WR holder and current AR holder Zach Bitter joins us to discuss how he navigates failure, what led to his DNF at his recent 100-mile record attempt, his experiments with fueling and carbs, and a lot more.

Don't miss Zach's amazing podcast, Human Performance Outliers or his website ZachBitter.com. You can also listen to him in 2024's Endurance...

Do you want to improve and race faster in 2026? I want to help you do exactly that!

In this episode, coach Jason Fitzgerald is sharing his most impactful training interventions for dramatic running improvement. We're discussing:

If you haven't yet, follow or subscribe to the podcast!

After resisting most supplements for the better part of my life, I'm cautiously changing my tune. I'm now a Masters runner and in my personal life, I'm optimizing for longevity...

Dan Cleather is a strength and conditioning coach, professor at St. Mary's University, and author of The Practice of Change: The Art & Science of Training.

So, what exactly is "training?" Is it different than "exercise?"

In this episode, we discuss what training specifically is, what it's not, and what it's attempting to do. Once you understand that we're after change in our bodies, we can better structure training to reach our goals.

Visit Dan's website or follow him on Instagram here.

Please support the show by supporting our partners!

Jonah Rosner is an applied sport scientist who spent 10 years working with athletes and teams from all major American professional team sports, particularly the National Football League.

He's a certified running coach and strength and conditioning specialist and he previously partnered with Nike to run the Nike Running Performance Lab in New York City. You can sign up for his Marathon Science newsletter here.

Jonah was also the sport scientist on hand during a fitness retreat I attended last year where I had my VO2 Max measured. Jonah administered the test, which you can watch...

Elisabeth Scott is a USATF, RRCA, and UESCA certified running coach and the host of the enormously popular Running Explained Podcast.

She and Jason are answering questions from Jason's Instagram about:

Elisabeth is an authentic and powerful force in the running community and I hope you use her startegic advice in your training.

We are supported by 2Before, a powerful sports supplement...

Floris Gierman is a 2:44 marathoner, cofounder of Path Projects, 100-mile ultramarathon finisher, and author of the new book Running Breakthroughs.

He's done something rare: interview the world's best runners (like Eliud Kipchoge, Courtney Dauwalter, and Killian Jornet) and put all the best lessons, insights, and wisdom into his new book. You'll learn what keeps the most competitive runners going, how they train, and their best advice to excel. Pick up your copy here.

I wanted to know:

How did we transition from a society with no "sports" or competition, to one where they're ubiquitous?

Learn the history of the fitness industry: how weightlifting and running emerged, early versions of equipment, how people trained 200+ years ago, and more. Dr. Conor Heffernan explores the main themes from his book, When Fitness Went Global.

If you like history and training, you're going to love this episode!

Thank you 2Before!

We are supported by 2Before, a powerful sports supplement made from New Zealand Blackcurrant berries designed to increase endurance, manage inflammation, support i...

Listen in on a Team Strength Running coaching call, where Jason takes questions from the community about training, long runs, workout strategy, and more. 

To join one of these calls, join the team here. 

We discuss: 

Thank you for listening and supporting the podcast!

Thank You Lever!

I'm excited to partner with Lever - a bodyweight support system that helps you run further or faster with less effort...

Brodie Sharpe is a physiotherapist, the host of the Run Smarter Podcast, and author of Run Smarter.

As a Physical therapist who specializes in endurance runners, Brodie Sharpe takes a holistic approach to injury prevention. He helps runners learn how to correct mistakes and work with their bodies to get healthy. Brodie emphasizes the importance of looking at training as well as your lifestyle around it, since every aspect of what you do impacts how you feel and perform.

This episode focuses on how to learn from a running injury:

how to figure...

Dr. Matthew Silver is a physical therapist, author, and owner of Alpha Project Phyzio and Performance in Maryland. His book Built to Run is now available.

While he set his college's 8k record and made the all-conference team, injuries prematurely ended Matt's career, sparking his interest in physical therapy.

In today's conversation, we're talking about the different types of strength training that exist, their benefits and drawbacks, and how to integrate them into your training. It's important to recognize that not all strength training is the same. We're going to discuss traditional strength training, isometrics...

Nick Thompson has been running and racing for 35 years. He's the 40-44 age group American record holder in the 50k with a 3:04 finish time (that's 5:56 per mile for 31 miles), and was previously the world's top ranked runner in his age group in the 50-mile.

He's now the CEO of the Atlantic Magazine and his new book is now available: The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports.

You'll hear:

Dr. John Rusin is a physical therapist and trainer who's worked with nearly every professional sports league as well as Olympic athletes. His new book, Pain-Free Performance, is now available.

Our conversation focuses on movement, coordination, and building efficiency. We discuss:

We should not consider strength training to be "cross-training" - it's just part of the normal training process. Learn how to incorporate...

John Davis holds a PhD in Biomechanics, coaches elite marathoners, and is the author of Modern Training and Physiology for Middle and Long Distance Runners.

His newest book is a masterclass on marathon preparation: Marathon Excellence for Everyone. It includes new research on training theory, elite-level training plans, and guidance for every type of aspiring marathoner.

Today, we discuss physiological resilience:

Chris Napier is the author of Science of Running, a professor of physical therapy, practicing physiotherapist, 2:33 marathoner, and medal winner at the Canadian Track & Field Championships in 1996 and 1997.

He is also a scientific advisor to Avelo, the world's smartest running shoe (I'm also an advisor!).

Today's focus is on super shoes and how they affect your running form:

Megan Flanagan is a former collegiate athlete and writer for Outside Magazine, a certified running coach and personal trainer, and a Spartan Elite podium athlete. She has a bachelor's in Psychology & Nutrition, a master's in Public Health, and has finished four 100-mile races. Megan is a multi-faceted athlete and works with a variety of runners in her coaching practice.

In this conversation, we're bringing our combined experiences with cross-training to you:

Scott Johnston is one of the top coaches in the world, especially in mountain and high alpine sports. He's worked with Killian Jornet and recently coached both winners of the most prestigious trail race on Earth, UTMB (Tom Evans & Ruth Croft).

He's also author of one of my favorite training books, Training for the Uphill Athlete and founder of the Evoke Endurance coaching group.

This conversation focuses on fatigue resistance: 

Scott's wi...

Sara Hall has been competing at the highest level for nearly 30 years. She was the 2000 high school national cross country champion before earning 7-time All-America honors at Stanford University.

Not only has she won 10 US National Championship titles, but she's the only American to win national titles in both the mile and the marathon. Her incredible range is also demonstrated by her gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in the steeplechase, while also being the second fastest American female marathoner with a time of 2:20:32.

She was previously on the podcast when I interviewed 5 elite...

Coach Sean Brosnan turned around a struggling Newbury Park high school cross country team that hadn't qualified for a State Championship in 25 years. Soon, they had won three consecutive National Championships. How did he do it?

Sean shares the psychological and physical strategies he used to instill belief, develop fitness, and build the bond between teammates. His all-in, often unorthodox approach, raised eyebrows but undeniably got incredible results.

Himself a distinguished endurance runner, Sean was a collegiate All-American in both cross country and track and holds a personal best of 3:44.33 in the 1500m. He's now...

What are the most effective recovery strategies for runners?

In this episode, Jason distills his 15+ years of coaching and 27 years of running experience into the most important lessons about the recovery process. Hindsight is 20/20!

For more on recovery, download our free Little Black Book of Recovery & Prevention and you'll hear advice from 9 elite athletes including Dathan Ritzenhein, Amelia Boone, and more.

Thank you for listening and subscribing to the Strength Running Podcast!

After resisting most supplements for the better part of my life, I'm cautiously changing my tune...

Phil Batterson is a competitive runner, former running coach, and the founder of Critical Oxygen. Phil has a PhD in human bioenergetics and a love for all sorts of endurance sports, from rowing to track and field and ultras. His goal with Critical Oxygen is to teach athletes and coaches how to optimize their physiology to maximize endurance performance.

This episode is important and is a repost of episode 330 from 2023.

Phil breaks down some of the complex physiology behind the three different thresholds to make it more accessible, as well as providing practical ways to...

Dan joins us on the podcast today: a runner who recently improved his marathon from 3:38 to 3:08.

In this conversation, Dan shares what he did to improve by a massive 30 minutes over 26.2 miles. But what if he wants to keep going? What if Dan wants to run another 30 minutes faster and start flirting with a sub-2:40 marathon?

We'll cover what training changes need to happen to break 3 and run a much more competitive marathon finish time.

Thanks to Dan for coming on the podcast and sharing his story!

More resources:

Andrea (Annie) Rodenfels is a 7x All-American in the steeplechase and 5,000m, national champion, Drake Relays 3,000m steeplechase champion, and 2x Olympic Trials qualifier.

Annie is also one of the few pro runners to come from a Division III school. In this episode, we discuss her path to going pro:

When you get a new smart watch, heart rate monitor, or other type of wearable, do you know how it will help your running, specifically?

Dr. Peter Tierney is a health and performance researcher, consultant, and coach who's worked with many professional sports organizations across Europe. He joins us today to discuss the science behind wearable tech.

We discuss:

Runners are heat training more often with saunas, hot tubs, and hot weather runs. How much do we need to realize the full benefits of heat training? What are the best options and how do we structure it into our training?

In this episode, coach Jason Fitzgerald shares how to think about heat training from duration to frequency to type of heat training.

Resources: 

Thanks Boulderthon!

Boulderthon is a top 10 race in America according to USA Today and one of the be...

Dr. Philip Skiba is a physician, performance consultant for the Breaking 2 project, coach to dozens of world class athletes, and author of Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes.

Phil is a world-class expert on running physiology and how to race faster. His groundbreaking research into Critical Power, Critical Speed, and the "W Prime" model of fatigue help the best runners in the world plan their training. And the best coaches seek him out for guidance.

In this conversation, we discuss: 

Keira D'Amato holds the American record in the 10-mile and is the former half-marathon and marathon American record holder. Her new book, Don't Call it a Comeback, is now available for preorder.

She was a 4x All-American at American University in both Cross Country and Track but took about a decade off from running seriously in her 20's and 30's. Keira joined us on the podcast in 2018 to discuss her comeback to running. Now, she's back to discuss what that comeback looked like and how she made it happen.

Keira and Jason discuss:

Colleen Quigley is a 2016 Olympian, steeplechaser, and former model. She accepted a full scholarship to Florida State University, where she became a nine-time NCAA All-American and a 2015 NCAA Champion in the 3000-meter steeplechase.

Colleen went on to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, finishing 8th in the 3000-meter steeplechase. She is also a current world record-holder in the 4x1500-meter relay, set in 2020.

In this episode, we discuss Colleen's:

Podcaster and coach Lindsey Hein recently hosted Jason on her podcast, I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein. The conversation was wide-ranging and touched on a variety of topics so it had to be shared again!

Lindsey asks Jason about:

You can also read more about Jason & Strength Running here.

Boulderthon is a top 10 race in America according to USA Today and...

Pete Pfitzinger is a RRCA hall of famer, top American at two Olympic Marathons, and legendary coach and author most known for his book Advanced Marathoning (the 4th edition is now available for preorder!).

He's the top American at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Marathons, a 2-time winner of the San Francisco Marathon, 3rd place finisher at the 1987 NYC Marathon, and a coach with 30+ years of experience.

He's on the podcast today to discuss marathon training:

Strength training is such a valuable tool for building speed, power, efficiency, strength, and injury resilience, that this episode needed to be republished! It originally aired in March 2022.

Andy Galpin, PhD has been an assistant professor at California State University Fullerton for more than a decade. He formerly won a Division 3 national football championship while earning his exercise science degree at Linfield College. He then got his Master's in Human Movement Sciences and his PhD in human bioenergetics. He serves on many advisory boards in the area of human performance, wrote the 2017 book Unplugged, and is a...

Continuous Glucose Monitors - or CGM's - tell you how much glucose is in your body in real-time. But can they be helpful for runners?

As the carb revolution continues and we understand the importance of high-carb fueling for endurance performance, the next logical question to ask is: Well, what's the optimal level of glucose? Is there a range that's most beneficial?

Coach Hunter Allen joins us to discuss how to train effectively with a CGM. He is a USA Cycling Level I coach, founder of the Peaks Coaching Group, cofounder of TrainingPeaks Software, and...

A breakthrough race is intoxicating. Running a big Personal Best is a clear sign that you're training well, thriving, and on the right track.

But what happens next?

What happens after you run a big PR and your season comes to an end? How do you keep the momentum going, while still respecting recovery and your need for down-time? 

This episode is a repost of a conversation on the Elevate Your Running podcast with coach Sara Manderscheid. We talk about:

Do nasal strips actually help you breathe better? What about detox diets or organic food - are they worth it?

In this episode, Dr. Nick Tiller shares the evidence behind a variety of health and wellness trends and ideas, including:

Dr. Nick Tiller is a research associate at the Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, an acclaimed writer, and author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science which was named one of Book Authority's "Best Sports Science Books of All Time." He is an...

Creatine is now one of the most hyped supplements with promises of faster recovery, leaner muscle gain, and even increased strength and power.

But should distance runners consider adding it to their routine? Is it worth the benefits while considering its drawbacks.

Brady Holmer is a physiologist, 2:24 marathoner, and author of the Physiologically Speaking and Run Long, Run Healthy newsletters (the latter was previously authored by legend Amby Burfoot). He joins us to discuss:

My client Brandon has had an amazing few years: he resolved several imbalances, improved his stride, healed ITBS, ran PR's in 4 major race distances, and also set a few training mileage PR's .... wow!

In this episode, he explains how he turned his running around and got faster, healthier, and able to train even more.

A big part was his embrace of strength training with our High Performance Lifting program. For other options, see all of our Training Programs.

We discuss:

Dr. Victoria Sekely is a physical therapist, certified strength & conditioning specialist, and certified running coach. She is one of the brightest, most nuanced thinkers in the running space.

In this episode, we answer YOUR questions about strength training!

I am so impressed with Victoria that...

Bestselling author and acclaimed exercise science journalist Alex Hutchinson is back on the podcast!

He is a regular columnist for Outside magazine writing the Sweat Science column and has contributed to publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker.

He's a former member of the Canadian national team, holds a PhD in physics from the University of Cambridge, a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University, and conducted post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency.

We're exploring the frontier: what Alex is most excited about from the latest research that...

Hear Jason getting interviewed about fundamental training: the most important elements of any training plan, why you should focus on middle distances, the remaining 1% of things to focus on, why the term "full marathon" should be banished, and more.

This is a repost of an episode of the Inspired Soles Podcast.

Resources from the show:

Don't forget to hit the follow button and subscribe to the Strength Running Podcast!

After resisting...

Jackie Gaughan is one of the fastest marathoners in the United States.

She's a Boston-based, Saucony sponsored athlete who ran for the University of Notre Dame where she earned All-conference honors in both cross country and track. She qualified for the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials at Berlin, where she was the second American finisher. She holds a personal best of 2:24:40 in the marathon and 1:10:01 in the half marathon.

Jackie's also a full-time financial analyst for Goldman Sachs, often working 50-60 hours a week. How does she run more than 100 miles per week, with hard workouts...

Our diet and fueling habits are setting important examples for our kids. Are we doing it right?

Joining me is coach Michele Pettinger. She's a Level 2 certified coach through the Road Runners' Club of America, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition through the ISSA, and she's the author of the new book The Young Runner's Guide to Nutrition.

We discuss how young runners should be fueling and approaching nutrition (which during the teen years is a formative time period). It's critical we get the basics of sound nutrition habits right early so that we can...

150 years ago, electricity was added to mechanical products to make them better. It ushered in the era of the automobile and was described as the Second Industrial Revolution.

We're now experiencing a second revolution: adding intelligence to common products to make them better. And this intelligence is coming for your running shoes.

Avelo is pioneering the world's first truly smart running shoe: one that measures motion over time, so you can determine how your body experiences impact and how your form degrades as you fatigue.

This is game-changing: imagine knowing when you've over-extended...

No runner wants to get injured. But the worst part of an injury is often the mental side of it, not the physical!

Sure, you can go to the PT or self-treat your injury. That will help you physically heal.

But what about your loss of identity when you can't run? What about the loss of a future goal? How will you respond to feeling like you lost your community?

Perhaps more importantly, your mental outlook will affect how you treat your injury and the level of success of that treatment. We have...

Bestselling author, running coach, nutritionist, and 2:39 marathoner Matt Fitzgerald is back on the podcast!

Today, we're answering the big question: How do you master the sport of running?

We're not talking about getting fast or turning pro. Instead, we're talking about mastering the craft of running: becoming process-oriented and in-tune with yourself so that you can achieve your potential in the sport.

Matt's new book, Chasing Mastery, addresses this topic. He's also authored 30+ other endurance books, including some of my favorites: 

In thi...

Running gets harder as we get older. Being a master's runner makes it harder to focus on health, speed, and improvement.

But with a sound approach, we can thrive in our 40's, 50's, and beyond.

Joining us is Coach Michael McGrane, who has been in the running industry for more than 40 years. Currently the head coach of the Norwich University Cross Country team, he's won "Coach of the Year" awards, holds a 2:30 marathon PR, and is currently training for his 24th Boston Marathon.

We're going to discuss the physical and psychological changes that...

Coach Elisabeth Scott hosts the enormously popular Running Explained podcast and joins us today to answer your running questions!

We'll be answering questions about warmups and cool-downs, strides, tempo workouts, core routines, how to taper effectively, and when to schedule strength training.

Want to get your questions answered by Jason during our live Coaching Call? Join Team Strength Running!

Thank you Gut & Green!

Previnex's new Gut & Green Superfoods powder is my new go-to. It has organic barley and oat grass, alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, kale and broccoli… and that's it. Their ingredients are...

Melanie is a 40-year old runner who had some success in her 20's but is now ready to make a comeback. How can she do it?

In this behind-the-scenes coaching call, Jason helps Melanie with her training and goals as she re-commits herself to running after years focusing on weightlifting. 

Melanie is a member of Team Strength Running, our group coaching program that gives you a team of your peers, ongoing coaching guidance from me, a library of training plans and other resources gear discounts, and more. Join our team at strengthrunning.com/join/ to d...

You start feeling pain in your Achilles tendon– should you still go for an easy run?

Dr. Duane Scotti, DPT, PhD, OCS is a running physical therapist, Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist, run coach, host of the Healthy Runner podcast, and founder of Spark Healthy Runner.

We talk about:

Take these recovery strategies from a pro to recover faster and feel better from run to run.

Brendan "BJ" Cole is an Australian Olympic 400m hurdler, massage therapist, and sprint and strength coach.

We talk about:

Team Strength Running combines coaching with community to help runners work toward all sorts of goals.

Team member Brian came on the show to share about his running journey and goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

I gave him some steps to take to make his dream a reality, and thought you'd also benefit from hearing a recording of a live coaching call.

We talk about:

There's a lot of confusing info on the internet when it comes to building endurance.

Let's get you the knowledge you need to set you up for a strong, injury-free year. Listen to get answers to these questions:

Get your fill of running news, exciting gear, and race thoughts on another Unfiltered episode with Jon Levitt!

Jon is a sub-3 marathoner, cyclist, and podcast host from Boston now living in Boulder. He hosts For The Long Run Podcast, aimed at understanding what keeps runners running long, strong, and motivated.

We talk about:

Are the injury prevention tools you're using truly helping, or are they a waste of time?

Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards, PT, DPT, OCS, is a board-certified orthopedic specialist, author, and renowned running medicine physical therapist with over 15 years of experience in orthopedics and sports medicine.

As the owner of Precision Performance and Physical Therapy in Atlanta, GA, and founder of Fast Bananas RUNsource, she is dedicated to helping runners—from recreational athletes to Olympians—prevent injuries, recover effectively, and achieve peak performance.

We talk about:

What can endurance runners learn from sprinting about running form, technique, and mechanics?

Stuart McMillan is an Olympic Sprint Coach who's coached more than 70 Olympians over 9 Olympic Games and over 30 medals won.

As the CEO of ALTIS, an elite training environment and global leader of education in sport performance, Stu's an absolute legend in the world of elite sprint performance.

We talk about:

Whether or not you've tried ketones yourself yet, you should hear the fascinating research and predictions from an expert.

Michael Brandt is the founder and CEO of Ketone-IQ. He's also a 2:42 marathoner, triathlete, and former professor at the Academy of Art in San Francisco.

We talk about:

Runners often struggle with mindset blocks, so let's tackle them together.

Ian Sharman is the founder of Sharman Ultra Coaching, a team of elite running coaches. He ran his personal best marathon of 2:21 at age 43, and a half marathon PR of 1:03 at age 44. Ian's won over 50 marathon+ races with at least one win every year for 19 (and counting) consecutive years.

Ian also holds the fastest time in a trail 100-mile race by a Brit at 12h44m, boasts the record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (69h49m), has won the US...

Combining coaching with community can make a massive difference in training happily and healthily.

Enter: the Team Strength Running coaching program.

This podcast episode is a recording of a 2024 Team Strength Running Coach's Chat where I dig into these questions:

What age is too old to start strength training? (Spoiler alert: You're never too old.)

Dr. Karl Knopf is an author and college professor who has been involved in the health and fitness of older adults and people with disabilities for more than 40 years.

Over the decades, he's worked in almost every aspect of the industry, from personal training and therapy to consultation.

We talk about:

This could be the most important skill set for any runner to develop.

Dr. Lara Pence is a licensed clinical psychologist and MBA specializing in elite and professional athlete development to optimize wellness and performance both in sport and in life. She works with a wide range of athletes, from NFL players to trail running champions and from PGA tour members to Olympic medalists.

Lara is the founder of The Coaches Collective, a program that teaches ambitious sport coaches how to coach from a whole-person, psychologically grounded perspective.

...

There's a lot of nutrition misinformation out there for runners, and many of us would be better off being less strict about our fuel.

Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom are co-hosts of the podcast Your Diet Sucks.

Kylee is the founder and owner of the sports nutrition business Flynutrition, which helps runners, triathletes, cyclists, and skiers to learn not only the "why" but the "how" behind fueling for performance.

Zoë is an ultrarunner with top finishes at the Rio Del Lago, Run Rabbit, and Leadville 100's. As...

How much protein do you actually need, and how should you get it?

Claire Shorenstein (MS, RD, CSSD) is a board-certified sports dietitian with over a decade of experience working with teenage and adult athletes from the recreational to elite level.

Claire is a longtime distance runner herself and hosts The Eat for Endurance Podcast.

We talk about:

Wish you could ask a coach about injury risk, building back fitness after illness, common training errors, and more?

I collected popular running questions from our YouTube community and am answering these questions:

What drives us as humans to push our physical and mental limits in endurance events?

Michael Crawley is a 2:20 marathoner, professor of anthropology at Durham University, and author of the new book To the Limit: The Meaning of Endurance From Mexico to the Himalayas.

We talk about:

Send this episode to your...

It's a common misconception that the Norwegian Method is just running double threshold workouts.

Brad Culp is a sports journalist, endurance athlete, and author of the fascinating new book, Norwegian Method: The Culture, Science, and Humans Behind the Groundbreaking Approach to Elite Endurance Performance.

We dug into Brad's knowledge of the training principles behind the Norwegian Method: lactate threshold, lactate testing, a focus on low intensity and high volume, heat training, altitude, and more.

We talk about:

If you had the chance, would you sign up to run 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 different continents?

Becs Gentry is a popular One Peloton instructor, the 4th place finisher at the 2021 UK Olympic Trials, a former Nike Run Club Coach, and a 2:32:01 marathoner.

She's getting ready to start the Great World Race on November 15, 2024.

We talk about:

"Tissue tolerance" might be a hard term for the average runner to define. But it could also be how you prevent your next big running injury.

Phil Batterson, PhD, is a former competitive runner with a background in human bioenergetics.

As the founder of Critical Oxygen, he gives athletes and coaches knowledge, testing, and coaching to optimize their physiology and maximize endurance performance.

We talk about:

You might give carb loading a quick thought in your taper, but are you actually looking at the current science to make it effective?

Jonah Rosner is an applied sport scientist who spent the past 10 years working with athletes and teams from all major American Professional Team sports.

Jonah is a running coach and a certified strength and conditioning specialist who uses the latest sport science technology to individualize running programs. Jonah was also the sport scientist on hand during a recent fitness retreat where I had my VO2 Max measured.

We talk...

From poor tune-up races to switching up nutrition, pro runners face the same lessons more casual runners do.

Laura Thweatt is a 2:25 marathoner, professional runner for Saucony, and former US cross country champion.

She placed 5th in the 10k at the 2016 Olympic Trials and 5th in the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials.

We talk about:

Do super shoes give runners who use them an unfair advantage? Do they make it impossible to compare modern finish times with earlier performances?

Sabrina Little is a trail and ultra runner, formerly a professional runner for HOKA. She has won 5 national titles and a World silver medal, she previously held American records in the 24-hour and 200K, and she was 2013 USATF Ultrarunner of the Year.

Sabrina earned her doctorate in Philosophy and teaches ethics at Christopher Newport University.

We talk about:

Want to run faster with fewer injuries? Take a look at your gait.

Jessica Wulke is a dual board-certified specialist physical therapist in orthopedics and sports. She has extensive experience treating professional athletes and continues to treat athletes in the NFL and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

Jessica was the leading gait analysis and running injury therapist at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation.

We talk about:

How much attention do you need to give to your weight as a runner?

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky is an obesity and lipid specialist physician who's helped thousands of patients across the US.

After competing on a college track team in the horrible early 2000's culture of "lighter is better," I wanted to bring a medical expert onto the podcast to discuss weight loss in a responsible way.

We talk about:

Hoping to improve your marathon performance this fall?

Sara Manderscheid is a running coach and podcaster living in Boulder, CO.

Sara fell in love with the marathon training process after BQ'ing in her 2019 marathon debut. This fall, she's attempting to get as close to the 3 hour barrier as possible in the marathon.

Sara's been a guest on the podcast twice before and returns to take your marathon specific running questions.

We collected your Instagram and Twitter questions and answer them together, including:

When's the last time you got bloodwork done?

Stevie Lyn Smith is a Registered Dietitian on a mission to educate and coach athletes on how to fuel their goals without sacrificing health and happiness.

As a board certified specialist in sports nutrition, Stevie Lyn has helped hundreds of athletes fuel to improve performance, energy levels, and recovery– without feeling guilt or restriction.

In this episode, we talk about:

Many runners called The Leadville Trail 100 Run's near-20 year record "unbeatable." David Roche raised the bar with an astonishing 2024 performance.

David Roche is an elite trail runner and running coach. He's a two-time USATF trail national champion, the 2014 Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year, and former Mountain Runner of the Year.

As of August 2024, David is also the new course record holder of the Leadville 100 Mile Endurance Run, finishing in 15:26:34.

In this episode, we talk about:

How David blends consistency with fun in his training

The recovery routine that...

Imagine a running festival combined with a retreat plus a race thrown in there: That's Jesse Itzler's Runningman.

Jesse Itzler is the founder of Runningman and All Day Running Co., a serial entrepreneur, an author, an endurance sports enthusiast, and a 100-mile ultra marathoner.

In this episode, we talk about:

Translating running's discipline and consistency into other areas of life

Sharing the values of health and wellness with children

Jesse's approach to long-term running planning

Finding the sweet spot of having a plan while being flexible

How do we develop new runners, young runners, and master's runners, into great runners?

Paul Greer is a professor of Health and Exercise Science at San Diego City College, coach of the San Diego Track Club, and the 2016 and 2024 Team USA Men's Junior Cross Country coach.

With about 40 years of coaching experience, Paul has a lot of wisdom to share for runners from youth to master's levels. His athletes include hundreds of Boston qualifiers, several top age-group competitors, and a handful of Olympic qualifiers.

In this episode, we talk about:

Ever catch yourself complaining about how much you paid to sign up for a race? Here's the inside story.

Phil Dumontet is a 2:42 marathoner, the founder of Boulderthon, and the CEO of race management and timing company Brooksee.

Personally, I believe Brooksee's timing technology is going to revolutionize road racing in the future.

In this episode, we talk about:

The day-to-day of a racing management company CEO: managing races, training teams, and building partnerships

Race marketing and differentiation, with a look at Portland and Boulderthon's strategies

Race...

Kick back for a less structured conversation with my friend Jonathan Levitt, focusing on the big and small real-life issues affecting runners.

Jon is a runner, cyclist, and host of For The Long Run Podcast. I like to joke that Jon is the Mayor of Boulder because of his ridiculous network of every single runner who lives within 100 miles. We share a lot of miles on the Boulder trails together and have great, rambling conversations about the running industry and our personal training, like this one.

In this episode, we talk about:

New...

In today's running culture, people can't stop talking about Zone 2 running. But what about Zone 3?

John Davis is an author, running coach, former collegiate runner, and an expert in human performance with a focus on biomechanics.

He ran at Carleton College before getting a PhD in biomechanics at Indiana University's School of Public Health, focusing on running injuries.

In this episode, we talk about:

The underutilized value of Zone 3 running

Why zones aren't as clear as many people make them out to be

Lactate threshold and steady-state...

Most runners have heard of plyometrics, but are they using these exercises effectively to prevent injury and boost performance?

Dr. Gaby Go is a Doctorate of Physical Therapy who ran Division 1 Track and Field for the University of Maryland, College Park, and who qualified for the Boston Marathon in her debut marathon.

Today, Gaby's sharing a lot of knowledge around plyometrics for runners with us.

In this episode, Gaby and I talk about:

Have we put Zone 2 running on an undeserved pedestal?

A recent episode with Brady Holmer dug into Zone 2 as it relates to heat training.

One listener named Nadine emailed me some great questions to follow up on the Zone 2 conversation.

Like many of you, easy running has gotten confusing for Nadine because of so much of the advice on the internet to never go faster than Zone 2 and the value of very slow running. But Nadine was feeling better at slightly faster paces!

I figured it'd be more helpful to record...

Hoping to get faster at the marathon and reach a personal best?

So is Nick Jordan, a member of Team Strength Running.

Nick joined this coaching program in order to most effectively use his time and effort to get the best possible chance of reaching a marathon personal best.

We talked about what he can do in the remaining months to stack the deck in his favor.

Team Strength Running is a program that includes ongoing coaching directly from me, access to a team of other runners just like you, a...

Sugar cravings, salt content, underfueling, post-race beers… Runners get a lot of conflicting nutrition information, so we're asking your questions to a registered dietitian!

Alex Larson is a Minnesota-based registered dietitian and Ironman triathlete who's worked with thousands of athletes in more than fifteen countries. I get a lot of questions from endurance runners about nutrition, so we collected your questions for Alex to answer.

In this episode, Alex answers these running nutrition questions:

Whether you love the mile or you want to continue running into your 40's or beyond, you'll be inspired by this Masters runner.

Mario Fraioli is a Bay Area-based running coach who works with a number of Olympic Trials-level marathoners, top ultrarunners, and competitive age-group athletes.

He's one of the most competitive Master's runners in the USA, having run the 2023 Boston Marathon in 2:34 and with his recent 3rd place finisher at the 2024 National Masters Road Mile.

In this episode, Mario and I talk about:

As a runner, it's almost guaranteed that somebody has told you, "Running is bad for your knees!"

Spoiler alert: It's not. Dr. Howard Luks has the education and experience to prove it.

Howard spent more than 20 years as the Chief of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at New York Medical College, specializing in athlete care.

As a board certified orthopedic surgeon, he focuses on a variety of joints but focuses on knee health.

In this episode, Howard and I talk about:

Brady Holmer knows a lot about running and a lot about science: a perfect combo for a conversation on the show.

Brady is a lifelong endurance athlete who competed in cross country and track at the collegiate level. He currently works as a science writer and researcher, holding a Master's degree in human performance. He also recently ran his PR in the marathon: a 2:37.

In this episode, Brady and I talk about:

Chris Bennett is the Nike Running Global Head Coach and Senior Director Nike Global Running. Translation: Chris is an absolute powerhouse of a coach and runner.

I got to chat with Chris about his role at Nike, how runners approach the sport from a variety of angles, what often prevents us from achieving our goals, his message to every runner in the world if he had the opportunity to speak to the global running population, and so much more.

In this episode, Chris and I talk about:

Brooke Torres is an ultra runner who couldn't understand why running shoes were so uncomfortable. So, she started a running shoe company to fix that problem.

Hilma Running Shoes makes shoes specifically for the needs of women's feet, which are uniquely shaped and not just a smaller version of men's feet (since as you'll hear, that doesn't work).

In this episode, Brooke and I talk about:

Sally McRae is known worldwide for her mental fortitude and ability to push through extreme discomfort.

As a professional mountain and ultra runner for Nike, Sally is a two-time Top 10 Western States finisher, the Badwater 135 Champion, Tarawera 100 Champion, Mozart 100 Champion and Moab 240 Champion. Sally is also an author, podcast host, business owner, and a strength and running coach.

In this episode, Sally and I talk about:

We're switching it up a bit this week so you can listen to the episode of The Drop where I was the guest!

The Drop is hosted by Thomas Neuberger, Meaghan Murray, and Robbie Reddinger. Robbie wasn't on this episode, but I had a great time chatting with Thomas and Meaghan and thought you'd enjoy a listen.

We talked about:

As a hybrid athlete, Eric Hinman has experienced both extremes of ultra endurance and anaerobic power.

Based in Denver, Eric is a 5x Ironman, serial entrepreneur, and brand builder. At 43 years old, Eric's currently training for the Leadville 100-mile Mountain Bike Race, which he trains for every year. He's also attempting to qualify for the 2024 CrossFit Games. He spent years before then training for long course triathlons.

In this episode, Eric and I talk about:

Get a sneak peak into what we do every month in our Team Strength Running coaching program. During these live calls, I'm on live video, taking any and all questions from the team's members.

It's an opportunity for runners in the program to ask me anything about the many factors of strong, healthy running. Members get guidance on sticky running questions, problem solve training issues, and get the action steps they need to keep moving forward.

If you'd like to attend our next live coach's chat, you're invited to join the team. We have members...

When runners get hurt, it's often a tissue health problem, like a tendon injury.

Jay Dicharry is a physical therapist, author, entrepreneur, and faculty member at Oregon State University who knows a lot about tissue health for runners. He's written some of my favorite books on running performance and injury prevention, including "Anatomy for Runners" and "Running Rewired." Jay also hosts workshops for physical therapists.

In this episode, Jay and I talk about:

Runners ask all the time: How should I fit strength training into my endurance goals, and how can I get as strong as possible with limited time?

Holly Martin is a personal fitness trainer and run coach based in Nashville, TN who specializes in time-efficient circuit training and individually tailored run programs. Holly comes from a diverse background of professional ballet, ultramarathon running, and 10 years of experience in CrossFit. She's finished many ultra marathons, including two 100 milers.

In this episode, Holly and I talk about:

The running world gets to watch in awe as elites set new records and perform incredible feats. But it's not all rainbows and unicorns for these athletes. World record holders face injuries and challenges, too.

Charlie Lawrence set the record in the 50-mile distance in 2023, clocking in at 4:48:21. That's an unbelievable average of 5:46 per mile. Charlie also ran his marathon personal record of 2:16 while qualifying for the US Olympic Trials Marathon for the second time.

In this episode, Charlie and I talk about:

The midstance phase of a running stride is a crucial element of running form, but many runners are ignoring it. If you have weaknesses, imbalances, or poor movement patterns, this is the part of the gait cycle that will show it.

Chris Johnson, DPT is a Seattle-based physical therapist, performance coach, entrepreneur, and multiple time Kona IRONMAN qualifier who shares how midstance affects your running performance and how you can improve it.

In this episode, Chris and I talk about:

Midstance importance in running mechanics and injury prevention

The impact midstance...

If you're starting to wonder whether your running form is helping or hurting your performance, we're sharing two important tests that can help you better conceptualize how your body moves through space.

Dr. Matthew Silver is a doctor of physical therapy, coach, cross country athlete, founder of Alpha Project Phyzio and Performance in Maryland, and author of the book "Built to Run."

We spend a lot of time on foot strike, the problems associated with over-striding, and the many solutions for resolving this form error.

In this episode, Matthew and I talk about:<...

What makes the biggest impact when it comes to recovery strategies and tools for runners?

Dr. Peter Tierney is a health and performance researcher, consultant, and coach who's worked with many professional sports organizations to help athletes recover effectively from exercise.

Peter's "Big 5" recovery strategies are science-backed and possible for runners to add to their training and lifestyle.

In this episode, Peter and I talk about:

Thomas Neuberger has probably worn more pairs of shoes than anybody else over the last 15 years (with maybe the exception of Runner's World Director of Product Testing and Runner-in-Chief, Jeff Dengate).

Thomas' deep experience in the running shoe industry gives him an unparalleled perspective on the evolution of shoes, why some features are no longer available, and the future of running shoes.

In this episode, Thomas and I talk about:

The 2009 origin story of Believe in the Run, a top shoe review company in the United States

What it's like to...

Trail running doesn't always mean running an ultramarathon. From trail 5ks to marathons, there's a growing interest in middle distance trail events. Andy Wacker is making this space a more vibrant and welcoming community for runners.

Andy Wacker is a professional runner who excels on the track, road, and trail. He is the 2019 world Mountain Running Champ, 2016 US Trail Half Marathon Champ, 2015 US Trail 50k Champion, and a two-time NCAA XC All-American.

Andy seeks longevity in the sport and embraces a seasonal training approach to keep him running strong across different distances and disciplines.

The Boston Marathon is quickly approaching! Whether you're racing Boston this spring or have it in your sights as a long term goal, this episode will help you learn all the ins and outs of this iconic event.

Today's guest on the podcast will be headed to Boston for the 19th time! Marc Pollina has run 26 marathons and has been a fixture at Boston as both a charity runner and a sub-3 hour qualifier.

Marc's new book, The Boston Marathon Handbook, offers an incredibly thorough look at the Boston Marathon, whether you're trying to qualify...