116. Trail Ultramarathoner Abby Hall on When to DNF, Failure, and Going All In
Release Date: 11/11/2019
How to Achieve a Breakthrough: Jason Coach’s RUNegade’s Host to a Sub-4 Marathon
The Strength Running Podcast
Todd Marentette is the co-host of the RUNegade Podcast - and he partnered with Jason to help him with a breakthrough. For years, Todd has run almost the same time in the marathon: just over four hours. He's given Jason full control of his training and 10 months of runway to do the impossible: break his plateau, run a massive PR, and change how he thinks about training. This episode originally aired on the RUNegade Podcast (, ). We discuss: The importance of cycles and dividing time into distinct seasons Varying your training focus to achieve maximum progress Race-specific work vs....
info_outline
Building Faster Runners: Dickinson Coach Don Nichter Shares 40+ Years of Coaching Wisdom
The Strength Running Podcast
Don Nichter is the head cross country coach at , where he's built their men's and women's programs into consistent national-level contenders. His teams have claimed 24 Centennial Conference championships across cross country and track and field and he has been named Mideast Regional Coach of the Year seven times and was voted the men’s Centennial Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year twice. During his 40+ years with Dickinson, he has coached 39 All-Americans. Today, he shares what he's learned and how you can apply those lessons to your own running. Coach Nichter and Jason chat...
info_outline
Zone 2 Running Best Practices, Surprises, and Myths with Alyssa Olenick, PhD
The Strength Running Podcast
Alyssa Olenick is an exercise phyisology PhD, ultramarathoner, hybrid athlete, and weightlifter. She's been featured in Time, Nike, Women's Health - and pretty much every major media outlet and podcast that exists. She's also one of my favorite communicators about training theory and physiology. Today, she's helping us decipher : How to grow Z2 fitness (hint: don't just run in Z2!) The timeline of Zone 2 improvement Why Z2 is not a "cage" How heart rate at this effort is impacted by heat a lot more! Resources & Extras: (video) Thank you Previnex! Get yourself 15% off your first...
info_outline
2:11 Marathoner Charlie Sweeney on Mega Mileage: How He Runs 145 Mile Weeks
The Strength Running Podcast
Charlie Sweeney is chasing the dream... by running up to 145 miles per week. This volume is not for the faint of heart (or most of us mere mortals...). But we can learn a lot from elite athletes who are training at top mileage levels. In this episode you will learn: How Charlie makes time for running twice per day with a full-time job His progression of mileage over the years that got him to 145 mpw The benefits he expects to receive from this level of mileage The importance of going all-in on what you can control Charlie's recovery strategies for running such high volume For more on...
info_outline
Plyometrics: How to Start the Easy Way, with 5x National Champ Eoin Everard
The Strength Running Podcast
Eoin Everard is a physiotherapist with a PhD in Biomechanics. He’s also a sub-4 minute miler, a sub-14 minute 5k runner, and a five-time Irish National Champion in the 1500 and 3000m. He also hosts the and is the cofounder of the . Today's conversation focuses on plyometrics: How can your average runner even get started with plyometrics Why you do NOT need advanced depth drops and other types of plyos The non-plyometric types of training that give you benefits just like plyos What types of shoes and surfaces to wear for plyometrics A lot more! Plyos demand strength so before you...
info_outline
Body Positions, Cues, and Cadence: The Ultimate Running Form Episode with Paul Mackinnon (repost)
The Strength Running Podcast
Running form has often focused on concepts like cadence and footstrike to create change and improve efficiency. But a “top down” approach - focusing on the arms, torso, and - is an innovative and accessible way to become a stronger, healthier runner. Paul Mackinnon is a former semi-pro hockey player who has become an expert on gait retraining. He's is from Melbourne, Australia and has worked with many high level athletes over the years to improve their running form. My discussion with Paul is a masterclass on form. Despite this being a complex topic, his ideas are easy to grasp...
info_outline
Good vs. Great: Ranking VO2 Max, Threshold, & Economy with Brady Holmer
The Strength Running Podcast
has a Master's degree in Human Performance, writes the incredibly popular , and has recently run a 2:24 marathon. He also trains unconventionally: gone are the 100-mile weeks and in place of them are moderate mileage weeks (60-80) with 10+ hours of cycling. In this episode, we rank the core 3 performance metrics of VO2 Max, Lactate Threshold, and Running Economy and discuss how they interact with physiological resiliency, how they can be improved, and which one is the most important. Extra Resources: (one of our most popular episodes with Brady!) Thank you Previnex! Get...
info_outline
Fueling Do’s & Don’ts (Carbs, Protein, & Supplements) with Stevie Lyn Smith, RD
The Strength Running Podcast
Stevie Lyn Smith is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, a Registered Dietitian, and an 11x Ironman competitor with an 11:35 PR. Today, we're exploring the most recent advances in sports nutrition for fueling: How many carbs are now recommended per hour of hard running? What about workouts or long runs? Is "proteinmaxxing" valuable for runners? What are its potential drawbacks? How much dehydration is acceptable before a decrease in performance is inevitable? Should every runner consider sodium bicarb for better performances? A lot more... A big thanks to Stevie for her...
info_outline
Training Myths & Best Practices with 2:09 Marathoner Thomas Nobbs
The Strength Running Podcast
Thomas Nobbs is a running coach with 10+ years of experience and newly minted 2:09 marathoner - making him Canada's 4th fastest marathoner ever! He joins us to discuss training myths and best practices: Training "myths" and overblown ideas Trends in the running community When it’s a good idea / bad idea to model elite runners The most impactful levers to pull for marathon improvement for 3-4 hour marathoners GIve Tom a follow or on ! Thank you Previnex! Get yourself 15% off your first purchase . Previnex is a unique supplement company - one that I trust because they do things...
info_outline
How a Psychotherapist Coaches Elite Runners: Brant Stachel on Pro Mindset Training
The Strength Running Podcast
Brant Stachel is a tour de force: he's a massage therapist, coach to elite marathoners, published author of , licensed psychotherapist, and former professional triathlete. Incredible. Coach Stachel's athlete Tom Nobbs just became Canada's 4th fastest marathoner with his 2:09 finish. Today, we discuss: How Nobbs ran 2:09 off entirely treadmill training Can you separate mindset training from physical training? His favorite tools for building mental toughness Is running therapy?! Don't miss these related resources: Follow Brant on or Learn Thanks Boulderthon! is a...
info_outlinePro ultramarathoner and trail runner Abby Hall joins us to discuss transitioning to longer distances after being a middle-distance athlete, when she thinks it’s a good idea to drop out of a race, what surprised her most when she started competing in long trail races, and what she considers her biggest failure.
Abby has placed in the top 10 at races like UTMB CCC, Lake Sonoma, and North Face 50 Mile Championships. She's a global athlete for adidas and is also sponsored by Ultimate Direction, LEKI, Unived, and CTS.
Our sponsor for this episode is SteadyMD. SteadyMD pairs you with a primary care doctor, online who’s available via phone, text, or video for all of your needs. And not just any doctor, but a fellow runner who understands the training process and can easily order you blood work, referrals for specialists, and more. Go to steadymd.com/strengthrunning to learn more and reserve your spot.
Don't miss Episode 113 of the podcast where Jason asked Abby as well as two other pro runners how they fuel for different types of runs, races, and what might change if the distance of their race was a lot shorter.