RunnersConnect Run to the Top Podcast

If you’ve ever contemplated running an ultra race or trail run, than you’re going to love this week’s Run to the Top podcast. On this week’s show, we’re interviewing ultra and trail runner Sage Canaday. Sage has an incredible running resume. He is a 2:16 marathoner, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, American Record holder at the Mt. Washington Road Race, and was the 2012 USA Mountain Running Champ…phew! Talk about learning from one of the best! Here’s a brief summary of some of the great nuggets of wisdom we got from this interview: How Sage transitioned from “traditional” races and training to trail/ultra running and how you can do the same if you have the same goal in 2013. The importance of logistical preparation for trail events. How to select the right shoes, train to the demands of the course, and fuel properly. The key workouts and long runs that help Sage know he’s fit and ready to run fast. Sage’s take on fueling, pacing, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. As always, let us know in the comments section if there were any questions we missed or if you have follow-ups. Even better, if you want to ask your own questions to our future guests, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We will post opportunities for questions as soon as we schedule the interview.

Don’t Let Winter Get The Best of You: How Antionio Vega Won The US Half Marathon Championships Running All His Workouts on the Treadmill In 2010, Minnesota experienced one of it’s coldest, snowiest and iciest winters in recent memory. However, for elite runner Antonio Vega, there were still races to be run in warmer parts of the country. So, what did he do? Antonio logged 90 percent of his 120 miles per week on the dreadmill treadmill. Yes, that is 100-110 miles per week of running on the treadmill! The result? A 2-minute half marathon PR (1:01:54) at the 2010 US Championships, where he bested the fastest half marathoners in the US to capture his first US Championship. I couldn’t think of anyone better to help answer your questions about treadmill running and Antonio didn’t disappoint. Here’s a brief recap of what we discussed: How he handled speed work, like having to stop and start for intervals, especially since Antonio’s HM pace is close to 4:40 per mile. The tricks and strategies he used to combat the boredom. Spoiler alert, Antiono hates the treadmill and, just like training, there is no “secret” that makes it easy for him. Antonio is just a dedicated, tough runner! His favorite treadmill workout and what workouts he finds easier on the treadmill compared to outside. How Antonio and his coach utilized inclines to help hit the efforts they needed and to make sure he didn’t get caught in the “set it and forget it” trap treadmill training can often cause. Even if you hate treadmill running as much as I do (I can count the number of miles I’ve run on a treadmill on one hand), you’ll learn a ton from this interview. Let us know in the comments section if there were any questions we missed or if you have follow-ups. Even better, if you want to ask your own questions to our future guests, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We will post opportunities for questions as soon as we schedule the interview.

http://runnersconnect.net/running-interviews/multiple-marathon-training-chuck-engle/ Our mission with Run to the Top is to help you learn from the best in the biz and give you actionable advice you can use to transform your running right now. Today’s guest is the epitome of that goal. If you’re attempting to run multiple marathons or half marathons in the same weekend (The Goofy Challenge for example) or you’ve scheduled two marathons relatively close together – for the challenge or maybe for redemption after the first didn’t go right – how do you best accomplish this task? To help you answer that question, we’re interviewing the master of running multiple marathons, Chuck Engle. Chuck doesn’t just run a lot of marathons; he runs a lot of marathons well. Chuck has won a total of 148 marathons. And these aren’t podunk marathons with a few hundred runners. His average finishing time is a staggering 2:44. He’s also won a marathon in all 50 states – the first person to ever do so. If you’re running marathons close together, I can’t think of a better person to learn from. In this interview, Chuck talks about: What to do immediately after you finish your first marathon to ensure you recover as quickly as you possibly can. What training looks like if your marathon is the following week and what training looks like if your next marathon is 5-6 weeks away. He breaks down some of the exact workouts he does and why. How he uses heart rate to not only control his training and racing efforts, but how he monitors is resting heart rate after the first race to help tell him identify when he’s ready to run harder again. How to structure your training in your build-up so you’re as prepared as possible to race back-to-back marathons. This is an absolute must watch or listen if you plan to run two marathons close together or if circumstances ever force you race a back-up marathon. Even better, Chuck is such a helpful guy that he is going to be available to answer questions in the comments section. So, take a listen and let us know if we missed anything.

Humorous Running Lessons Learned from Author Bob Schwartz In this session of Run to the Top (Yes, I finally named the podcast – and stole the name from the great Arthur Lydiard) we interview author Bob Schwartz. Bob is the author of two fantastic books, I Run Therefore I am Nuts and I Run Therefore I am STILLNuts. While they are primarily a collection of humorous essays and short stories about the craziness, obsession, and often whacky things runners will do to get their run in or record a new PR. However, in addition to being entertaining, it’s clear Bob has many lessons to teach the running community. From how to relax about your training and racing to the lessons learned when coming back from injury. Bob shares his wisdom and teaches like a good teacher should – without you even knowing it. Here is a brief preview of some of the great nuggets of knowledge Bob shared in this week’s episode: Dealing with injuries – Bob shares some of the lessons he’s learned about the perils of running through injuries, returning to training too soon, and the value of being patient and cautious with injuries. Training to race – “You can’t expect to do something on race day you haven’t done in training.” For those that struggle with maintaining pace, starting too quickly, or not fading the second half of a race, you’ll learn the reason for your inability to execute is your lack of practice in training. We’re all experiments of one – After reading countless articles about ways to “perfect” training, Bob tried to implement all the advice he’d learn. The result? He spent from sun up to sun down stretching, strength training, running and recovering. While that’s an extreme, Bob did learn the lesson about finding those things that worked for him and ditching those that didn’t. If you’ve struggled with how to fit everything in, you’ll enjoy this part of the interview. It’s always better to have run than not – On those cold, miserable morning or after the hectic days at work, when you struggle with whether you want to get out the door, always remember: “It always feels better after you run and you never regret it.” Prepare for a great interview, some great stories, and a lot of lessons learned!

In today’s interview, we’re going to debunk many of the marathon training myths prevalent in traditional marathon training plans.

How do you establish a healthy diet that allows you to fuel for performance, enjoy food, and maintain a healthy weight? In this interview, we chat with registered dietician and 15:19 5k runner Emily Brown about how she approaches fueling in her own training as well as how she advises clients on how to establish and maintain a healthy diet. In addition to being a registered dietician and an elite runner, Emily is pursuing her Master’s degree in Public Health to help better bridge the gap between sports nutrition and general health.

Why Running Slower on Your Easy Days Helps You Run Faster and Keeps You Injury-free

In this podcast, we interview Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, widely considered to be one of the leading experts on how and why to incorporate and transition to minimalist running.

What do you do when you experience significant injury after injury, so much so that surgery no longer helps and most doctors tell you it’s time to hang up the running shoes? You hang up your shoes and try natural running, of course. In 2000, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella did just that. After suffering for years from arthritis in his toes, Mark was told by his doctors to stop his running. However, Mark couldn’t give up on his passion, so he began to research and scientifically explore how natural running shoes could help save his career. What Dr. Mark found was nothing short of remarkable. By running barefoot and in natural running shoes he was able to run pain-free and injury-free for the first time in years. In this podcast, we interview Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and find out exactly what he did, why it worked, and how you can do the same. Dr. Cucuzzella is widely considered to be one of the leading experts on how and why to incorporate and transition to minimalist running. Mark is a Professor of Family Medicine at West Virginia University School of Medicine. His marathon best is 2:24 and has run under 2:40 for a marathon 24 of the last 25 years, with 22 of these years being run under 2:35. He won the 2011 Air Force Marathon in 2:38, a week shy of his 45th birthday. He attributes much of this longevity to good running form and minimalist principles. And that’s what he’s here to teach you today. If you’ve been thinking about how, or if you should, transition to natural running shoes, you’ve got to listen to this interview.

How to Integrate Strength Training Into Your Running Schedule

Why is it important that you include strength training, warm-ups, and other ancillary work into your training schedule as a runner? In this interview, we’re going to pick the brain of expert running coach and man behind the scenes at strengthrunning.com, Jason Fitzgerald. Jason has helped countless runners successfully incorporate strength training into their training schedule to become healthier, faster, and more consistent runners, and he’s on our show today to teach you everything he knows. Jason is going to tell you why strength training and ancillary work is so important and how you can successfully integrate it into your training in just a few minutes a day, without a gym, whether you’re a beginner or advanced runner. Here are the actionable highlights from the interview: 1. Pay attention to the little things Jason was a successful runner in college, but after developing a severe case of IT band syndrome after his marathon debut, Jason realized he needed to focus on strengthening, dynamic flexibility, and taking care of the little things in order to run injury-free, be more consistent, and continue to PR. Take Action: Running occurs in a one dimensional plan (front to back), and developing athleticism and flexibility in all range of movements, especially the hips, is essential to staying injury-free and developing as an overall athlete. 2. How to add strength training on a tight schedule We would all love to have unlimited time to run and train, but that isn’t the reality for most runners. With only a few minutes here and there, many runners just assume they don’t have time to do 30-40 minutes of strength training or get to the gym, which Jason thinks is a mistake and a misconception. Take Action: Jason argues that you only need ten minutes before and after each run to get in a quality strength training and flexibility routine that can significantly improve your athleticism and keep you injury-free. During the interview, Jason outlines his exact weekly routine and how he structures his strength routine for maximum results on short time. 3. The value of strength routines like cross fit and P90X Many runners wonder if incorporating fitness routines, such as cross fit and P90X will help them avoid injury or run faster. It can be hard to dig through the marketing hype and accurately apply the training principles to running if you’re not an exercise physiologist or a trainer. Take Action: Think about your specific goal. Jason explains in-depth the value of these types of routines, how they work, and why they might not be the best idea for runners. He discusses the intensity of these programs interfering with recovery or the ability to complete running specific workouts and how training for a goal race should have a progressive plan. Also, Jason discusses how he did work with one runner who wanted to train for a marathon and do cross fit workouts at the same time and outlines how he combined the two. 4. Strength work and adaptations for minimalist running For runners thinking about or in the process of moving to a minimalist training shoe, strengthening the small muscles in the lower legs and feet is critical to staying injury-free and adapting quickly. Take Action: Jason outlines how he approaches minimalist running and how he incorporates it into his training to strengthen his feet and lower legs without sacrificing. Jason’s philosophy is to start with strides and running workouts barefoot or in racing flats. This is an awesome interview, especially if you’ve been wanting to incorporate strength training into your running schedule, but you weren’t sure how, when, or why. View full written transcript and watch youtube video at: http://runnersconnect.net/running-interviews/jason-fitzgerald-strength-running/

How do you juggle being a parent, training hard, and adapting on the fly to be the best runner you can be? In this interview, we’re going to get inside the head of Amanda Loudin, better known as MissZippy from her popular blog MissZippy1.com. Amanda is a running coach, mother, writer, and an all-around expert when it comes to balancing and adapting training Amanda is going to tell you exactly how she approaches the balance between being a parent and getting the most from your training, how to build-up your training if you’re thinking of going minimalist, and how to properly balance and plan training. Here are the actionable highlights from the interview: 1. Transitioning to minimalism running Lots of runners are thinking about, or currently trying, to transition to running barefoot or with shoes with less heel height. However, progressing to this type of running too fast often leads to its own set of injuries. Take Action: Amanda suggests starting with a transition shoe with a 4mm heel drop and letting your body slowly adapt. Run just a few minutes or a mile in minimalist shoes and then switch back for the rest of your run to develop a feel for forefoot striking and to progress without injury. 2. Balancing training hard with being a parent Anyone who trains and has a family knows it can be a difficult balance between optimal training and feeling like you can be a good parent. Finding that balance is the key to being happy and making progress in your own training. Take Action: Amanda creates her schedule to be extra flexible to allow for the occasional interruption on short notice. Amanda also talks about the importance of staying positive when you do need to adjust for a missed workout. 3. Teach yourself to be more patient One of the most difficult words in the vocabulary of a runner is patience. Progressing slowly, listening to your body, and realizing changes come slow is critical to long-term success. Take Action: Amanda discusses how her ability to stay patient after running her first marathon lead to continued and consistent success. Likewise, her dedication to a slow build-up to minimalist running has allowed her to train injury-free for years. This is an awesome interview, especially if you’re a parent struggling with how to balance your training or you’re interested in minimalist running. Get ready for some specific and actionable lessons you can apply to your training today!

What can one of America’s best marathoners teach you about how to train and prepare to run your best marathon? The short answer—absolutely everything! In this interview, we’re going to pick the brain of 2:14 marathoner Nate Jenkins. Nate is the epitome of what a runner can do with hard work and intelligent training. A good but not stellar runner in college, Coach Nate focused his training post-collegiately and patiently ascended to one of the top runners in the United States. In 2007, Nate finished 7th at the US Olympic Trials with a time 2:14:56 in a field that is widely considered the best field of American runners ever assembled. Nate is going to share how he learned to stop burning himself out and getting injured, adapted the training of famous coaches to crush his first marathon, the lessons he’s learned coaching non-elite runners, and the mistakes he’s made to prevent you from repeating them. Here are the actionable highlights from the interview: 1. Consistency over months is more important than one or two big weeks of training. Nate was infamous for having one or two awesome weeks of training and then spending the next month injured. In his own words: “I couldn’t resist touching the stove to see if it was still hot.” It wasn’t until Nate finally started working with a coach who convinced him to be patient with his training that he started to see meteoric improvements. Take Action: Month after month of consistent training and mileage is better in the long-term than two or three weeks of hard training and then getting injured. Don’t be afraid to start slow, take down weeks when needed, and be patient with your training. 2. Marathon workouts don’t always go perfectly. The first time Nate trained for a marathon, he struggled to hit the very difficult workouts. While it was disconcerting at first, he adjusted the recovery and was able to race well during his build-up and record a four-minute half marathon PR and debut at 2:15 for the marathon while his time in the half marathon when he started the training cycle was only 1:07:30. Take Action: Nate cautions marathoners to not get too worried if they struggle during their marathon training. If you’re building the fatigue from workout to workout, you sometimes cross the line and get a little too tired. Don’t let this fatigue shake your confidence. As Nate says, “I’ve never had a marathon cycle where I hit every single workout.” 3. Keep everything positive. “You’re as good as your greatest day, even if you haven’t had it yet.” Don’t focus on the bad days; shake them off, learn a lesson, and put it behind you. Making this mental shift helped Nate overcome the fear of the daunting paces he was trying to hit and develop the confidence to race against the best runners in the world. Take Action: Keep everything positive. Never say anything bad when talking about an upcoming race, keep your notes in your training log positive, and “fake it until you make it” in regards to confidence. 4. Teach your body to burn more fat while running at marathon pace. Nate believes that teaching your body how to burn a greater percentage of fat as a fuel source is one of the most critical aspects of running a great marathon. Nate covers exactly how many calories your body will burn, why you can’t put it all back in with energy gels or Gatorade, and what workouts to run to improve your efficiency and ability to burn fat. Take Action: You need to teach your body to burn less glycogen and more fat. Simply running long and slow does not accomplish this task as efficiently as specific long runs and workouts designed to target this system. One workout Nate mentions is the alternating tempo, which teaches your body to conserve glycogen by burning more fat. 5. Don’t forget about core strength and speed development work. Nate feels he left his best marathon times behind him because he didn’t focus on the little things li

How does a runner go from running go from a Division II walk on to 4th place at the Olympic Trials and battle back from the disappointment of missing the World Championships due to injury? That’s the story of 2:12:34 marathoner Trent Briney. In this interview, you’ll hear how Trent persevered through 2 years of hard training and mediocre results to finally find the missing mental piece that allowed him to breakthrough and finish 4th place at the 2004 Olympic Trials with more than an 8-minute PR. You’ll also learn how Trent overcame the disappointment of a severe Achilles injury that left him at home, on the couch, watching his teammates run in two of the biggest marathons in the world. Races that he should have been a part of: the Olympics and the World Championships. Trent is going to tell you exactly how he flipped the mental switch and he unveils the secret to training! Here are the actionable highlights from the interview: 1. Don’t put limits on what you think you can accomplish Trent was a walk-on at a Division II school, but while his friends were out partying, Trent was learning the sport, running twice per day, and eventually finished just one second behind Olympian Michael Aish by his senior year. Take Action: Don’t be afraid to take chances with your training and push yourself. Pay attention to the little things, believe in yourself when no one else will, and focus on giving your best effort every training session and every race. 2. Sometimes improvements don’t come right away Trent was determined to qualify for the US Championships on the track. He needed to drop his PR by a mere 15 seconds to do so. However, despite upping his mileage, running stellar workouts, and giving it everything he could for 2 whole years, he wasn’t able to do so. Then, he learned to relax, changed his mindset, and proceeded to run near his PR 10k pace for 26.2 miles. When people ask Trent what his secret was, he tells them it's simple: the two years of hard work and mileage I put in when no one was watching. Take Action: Don’t get frustrated or give up if you’ve recently upped your training and aren’t seeing big results yet. Sometimes, it takes years for training to “kick” in, but when it does, you’ll run like you have a rocket pack strapped to your back. Fight the urge to give up! 3. Be happy One of the biggest turning points for Trent was when he learned that to train well, he had to be happy. Once he learned to stop thinking negative, dwelling on people and events that were not in his control, and focusing on himself he made the huge jump in fitness he was trying so hard to achieve. Take Action: Running requires sacrifices. Whether it be time from your family, fatigue, or less fun activities. If you’re not happy with what you’re giving up, running well will be difficult. Also, learn to turn negatives into positives and let go of the people and things in your life that are causing you stress. 4. Adapting your training as you get older After years of running high mileage and being in a perpetual state of tiredness, Trent has learned to listen to his body more and use the accumulation of mileage over the years so he can train more specifically and with more purpose. Take Action: As you get older and more experienced as a runner, you can afford to take a few extra easy days or off days because your body has built up the aerobic engine. Learn to listen to your body more as you get older. This is an awesome interview, especially if you have doubts about how far you can take your own running. Get ready for some specific and actionable lessons you can apply to your training today!

How does a runner go from running a 19-minute 5k to running the same pace (6:10 per mile) for an entire marathon at the Olympic Trials just two years later? That’s the story of 2:41 marathoner Meagan Nedlo. In this interview, we’re going to get inside the head of a runner who overcame the mental constraints of meteoric improvements and the questions about just how far she could take her running. You’ll learn how she overcame the adversity of bad races along the way and how she balances a full-time work schedule and travel schedule that has her on the road almost 20 days per month. Meagan is going to tell you exactly how she did it and teach you how you can apply the lessons she learned along the way to your running. Here are the actionable highlights from the interview: 1. Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith in your training Meagan was training on her own with pretty good success when she decided to start working with a coach to see what she could do. This decision lead to her competing in college at the age of 26, winning multiple All-American titles, and completely changing her mindset about what she thought was possible. Take Action: Don’t be afraid to take chances with your training and push yourself. Find a local running group with runners who are faster than you and join in off the back or take the next step and give yourself the resources and chance to succeed. 2. Even huge improvements come in small steps While Meagan eventually found herself running her 5k pace for a full marathon, the process didn’t happen overnight. She took very small steps each season she ran and remained patient and positive, even when things didn’t go perfect. Take Action: It’s perfectly fine to set big, over-reaching goals, but remember that reaching them should come in small, bite-sized chunks. Trying to drop 30 minutes off your marathon time to qualify for Boston doesn’t have to happen all in one training segment. 3. Don’t let setbacks stop you Meagan lined up everything perfectly to qualify for the Olympic Trials at the 2011 Houston Marathon. She had special drinks, great training, good weather and tons of family support, but she ended up dropping out after falling way off pace. Luckily, she mentally rebounded and qualified in less than ideal conditions just two weeks later. Take Action: Not everything is going to go your way in every race. Sometimes you have everything perfectly lined up and your body or the weather don’t cooperate. Don’t let it mentally defeat you, use the bad race as motivation to do even better next time. 4. Don’t make excuses Meagan works a full-time job, runs 100+ miles per week, and travels some 20 days per month for work. She never lets this get in the way of her training and is quick to adapt when things don’t go perfect, and she’ll tell you how she approaches it mentally. Take Action: When you want to take your running to that next level, you have to make the sacrifices. Don’t let excuses get in the way of your goals. This is an awesome interview, especially if you have doubts about how far you can take your own running. Get ready for some specific and actionable lessons you can apply to your training today!