226. 2 x Olympian Nick Willis on What it Takes to Run a Sub-4 Mile for 19 Years Straight
Release Date: 12/16/2021
Modern Ultra Training: How Ultramarathons Are Evolving with 4x Leadville Winner Ian Sharman
The Strength Running Podcast
Ian Sharman is a 2x USATF 100-mile Trail Champion, 4x winner of the Leadville Trail 100, and author of the new book . He's one of the most recognizable names in the world of ultrarunning. He’s won more than 50 marathons out of over 250 he's run, ran a 2:21 marathon at age 43, holds the fastest time in a trail 100-mile race by a Brit (12h44m), and holds the record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (69h49m). In this conversation, we discussed what's changed and what remains fundamental for ultramarathon training (fueling, mileage, workouts, terrain, durability, and more). Resources...
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How to Raise Your ‘Speed Ceiling,’ Mileage Building, & Warm-up Strategy Q&A
The Strength Running Podcast
This is a sneak peak into our coaching calls! Our group meets regularly to discuss training, ask strategy questions, get coaching guidance, and figure out exactly how to achieve our biggest goals. If you'd like to join these calls, ! You'll also get access to the broader community, opportunities to come on the podcast, our training plan library, and a lot more. Like the show? Support our sponsors! Thank you Altra! New customers can ge 10% off your entire order with code jason10 . I’ve been wearing Altra shoes for years - I absolutely love the roomy toe box that leaves extra room for my feet...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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_outlineNick 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!
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