292. How to Control Intensity and Get in the Right Mindset Before a Big Race
Release Date: 03/23/2023
The Strength Running Podcast
Bestselling author and acclaimed exercise science journalist Alex Hutchinson is back on the podcast! He is a regular columnist for Outside magazine writing the 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 has the potential to...
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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 . Resources from the show: (case study) Don't forget to hit the follow button and subscribe to the Strength Running Podcast! Thank you Previnex! 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...
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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...
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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 . 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 set kids up for success. We also chat about practical...
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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. 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...
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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 to get this right! Joining me is mental skills coach and psychologist Carrie Jackson. She is...
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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, , addresses this topic. He's also authored 30+ other endurance books, including some of my favorites: (with Brad Hudson) In this episode, we talk about...
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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 have to occur as Master’s runners if we...
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Coach Elisabeth Scott hosts the enormously popular 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 ! Thank you Gut & Green! Previnex’s new 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 backed by clinical data and...
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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 to dial in your training and make 2025 your best year yet. We discuss: ...
info_outlineWhen race day arrives, having the right mindset can be the deciding factor in your success. This week’s guest on the podcast knows the importance of mindset, and has worked with athletes on the world’s biggest stages. Dr. Nicole Detling received her BA in psychology and sports science from Ohio Wesleyan University, her MS in sport psychology from Ithaca College, and her PhD in sport psychology at the University of Utah. She is a certified mental performance consultant and coauthor of the book “Don’t Leave Your Mind Behind.”
While we have glimpsed what the human body is capable of with extraordinary feats like a sub-2 hour marathon, opportunity for continued success comes from harnessing the power of our mind. In our conversation, Nicole and I discuss how to approach intensity and make mindset training part of your pre-race preparation.
She makes mental training practical and accessible, and will help you learn:
- How pre-race intensity levels vary for different types of races
- Ways to discover your optimal energy state
- How elite athletes approach mental training
- Strategies to get yourself up and calm yourself down before a race
- Exercises that can help prepare you for race day visualization
- How “Plan Z” preparation can help prevent you from ever having to use it
- The minimum effective dose of visualization for race day preparation
This is a fascinating discussion that will benefit runners of every level, and can help your approach to other challenging areas in your life. Enjoy!
Links & Resources from the Show:
- Learn more about HeadStrong Consulting
- Follow Nicole on Twitter and Instagram
- Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn
- Sign up for our free mindset series
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 Athletic Greens!
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