311. Do THIS After Every Race (Most Runners Skip It!) - Post Race Reflection
Release Date: 10/16/2026
Healthy Runner Podcast
๐ FREE Post Race Reflection Worksheet โ Your finish time tells you how fast you ran. Your reflection tells you how you can GROW! After finishing my 9th marathon at Wineglass, just 2 minutes shy of my PR, I discovered something powerful. Even though I missed my traditional marathon PR, I actually ran an AGE-GRADED PR at 46! And it reminded me why EVERY runner should take the time to reflect after a race. In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, I'm walking you through 5 post race reflection questions to help you celebrate your wins, learn from your challenges, and become a stronger,...
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FREE Marathon Training Guide: Train Smarter & Race Strong โ You can be in the best shape of your life and still miss your marathon goal if you donโt execute properly on race day. So how do you take months of training and turn that fitness into your best possible marathon? In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, I sit down with 2:19 marathoner, running coach, and writer Peter Bromka to break down how to race your marathon for peak performance. Peter shares lessons from years of racing, coaching, studying, and writing about the marathon. He also includes why this distance is so...
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FREE Marathon Training Guide: Train Smarter & Race Strong โ Are you a few weeks away from your half marathon or marathon and suddenly wondering if youโre running too little? Welcome to the taper crazies! After months of long runs, speed workouts, and strength training, reducing your training before race day can feel completely backwards. You may start wondering if youโre losing fitness, whether you should squeeze in one more long run, or why your legs suddenly feel heavy. But hereโs the key: You donโt get faster during your taper by squeezing in more fitness. You get faster by...
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Are you carb loading correctly before your marathon, or could your nutrition strategy be setting you up to hit the dreaded wall at mile 20? If you think carb loading means eating a giant bowl of pasta the night before your race, you're not alone! But proper marathon carb loading involves much more than one big meal. In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Dr. Duane Scotti sits down with registered dietitian and endurance sports nutrition expert from our team to break down exactly how to carb load before a marathon or half marathon. You'll learn when to start carb loading, what foods...
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What happens when your hamstring, IT band, or Achilles starts hurting in the middle of marathon training? Do you really need to stop running completely? Not necessarily! In Episode 307 of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Iโm sharing an insightful conversation I had with Carolyn Coffin from the Inspired Soles Podcast about 3 of the most common injuries that can derail marathon training and what you can actually do about them without automatically giving up running. We take a deep dive into: ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ Proximal hamstring tendinopathy: Why stretching that nagging pain near your sit bone may...
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Training for RunDisney? and learn how to train for the entire Disney experienceโฆnot just the miles ๐ฐ๐ Are you training for Disney Marathon Weekend like you would for any other marathon? That could be one of the biggest mistakes you make. Disney Marathon Weekend isn't just about covering 26.2 miles. Between the early wake-ups, standing in corrals, walking through the parks, Florida weather, and for Goofy and Dopey runnersโฆ racing on back-to-back days, your body has to handle much more than the mileage on your training plan! In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, Iโm...
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Have you ever wondered if you can keep running (not just through this season) but for the rest of your life? If you're over 40 and you've started questioning whether your body can keep up, this episode is for you. Joining me today is Jon Levitt, host of the popular For The Long Run podcast, where he's spent years interviewing some of the world's best runners, coaches, sports scientists, and researchers to answer one big question: What does it actually take to achieve sustainable excellence? Through conversations reaching more than 850,000 runners every month, Jon has uncovered the common...
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Training for RunDisney? and learn how to train for the entire Disney experienceโฆnot just the miles ๐ฐ๐ Disney Marathon Weekend isn't just a marathonโฆ it's one of the most unique endurance events you'll ever train for. Between miles on unforgiving concrete, long days walking through the parks, early morning wake-ups, and for many runners, back-to-back races like Goofy and Dopey, your body needs more than just a running plan. It needs a strength plan. In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti, running physical therapist, running coach, and two-time Dopey finisher, shares the exact 20-week...
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Have you been stretching your IT band every dayโฆ yet the pain on the outside of your knee keeps coming back? Here's the truth that surprises most runners: you can't actually stretch your IT band. In this episode, Dr. Duane Scotti, running physical therapist, running coach, and 8x marathoner, explains why the traditional "IT band stretch" isn't solving your problem and why it may even be keeping you stuck in the injury cycle. You'll learn why IT band syndrome isn't caused by a "tight IT band," what's really driving that sharp pain on the outside of your knee, and the three evidence-based...
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If you're training for a marathon, this episode could save you months of frustration and help you reach the starting line healthy and ready to perform your best. Joining me for his fourth appearance on the Healthy Runner Podcast is marathon coach Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Strength Running, USATF-certified coach, and 2:39 marathoner. Together, we answer some of the biggest questions marathon runners have, including: โ Why runners hit the wall around mile 20 โ The marathon workouts that actually matter (and the ones you can stop stressing about) โ How to structure your long runs for...
info_outline๐ FREE Post Race Reflection Worksheet โ Download Here
Your finish time tells you how fast you ran. Your reflection tells you how you can GROW!
After finishing my 9th marathon at Wineglass, just 2 minutes shy of my PR, I discovered something powerful. Even though I missed my traditional marathon PR, I actually ran an AGE-GRADED PR at 46!
And it reminded me why EVERY runner should take the time to reflect after a race.
In this episode of the Healthy Runner Podcast, I'm walking you through 5 post race reflection questions to help you celebrate your wins, learn from your challenges, and become a stronger, healthier, and more confident runner.
You'll learn:
โ Why reflecting after a race is just as important as preparing for one
โ How to identify what went well during your training and on race day
โ What my biggest Wineglass Marathon mistake taught me about race strategy
โ Why life stress, sleep, and recovery matter when evaluating your performance
โ How I used mental toughness strategies to push through miles 19โ26
โ Why missing a traditional PR doesn't mean you didn't improve
โ How to turn lessons from your last race into a better training plan for your next one
Whether you just completed your first 5K, half marathon, or marathon, these five questions will help you look beyond your finish time and recognize how much you've grown as a runner.
You cannot fail if you LEARN! ๐ช๐ผ
๐ FREE Post Race Reflection Worksheet
Don't just listen to these questions. Take 10 minutes to answer them yourself!
Download my FREE Post Race Reflection Worksheet, taken directly from Stage 5 of our Healthy Runner Academy Success Path.
๐๐ผ https://learn.sparkhealthyrunner.com/reflection
๐ช๐ผ Ready to Become a Stronger, Healthier Runner?
If your race reflection reveals that you need more consistency, better strength training, or a smarter approach to your running, we're here to help!
Find the level of support thatโs right for you:
Healthy Runner Academy: Build your running foundation with structured strength training, running education, and a supportive community.
1:1 Healthy Runner Coaching: Get an individualized running and strength training plan, ongoing feedback, and personalized guidance to help you work toward your next running goal.
๐ง Listen Next
Episode 253: How to Strengthen Your Body for Better Running
Learn how to build a stronger foundation during your base-building period between races.
Remember, Healthy Runnersโฆ
You cannot fail if you LEARN!
Keep running strong!
Grab your FREE Marathon Training Guide Here!
A big thanks to CEP for your support for this episode!
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Shop CEP Running or enter code LRL-NYC-15 at checkout.
Offer ends November 16, 2026, at 3:00AM EST. Limit one use per customer. Cannot be combined with other discounts.
๐๐ผ New here?
Iโm Dr. Duane Scotti, former physical therapy professor turned full-time running coach, running physical therapist, and 9x marathoner ๐
I help everyday runners stop nagging injuries, get stronger, and finally feel confident in their training by blending rehab-level expertise with performance training.
If you found this helpful, make sure to follow the Healthy Runner Podcast and share this episode with a runner who needs to hear it.
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