Marathon Training Academy

In this episode we speak with three runners from Team Abbott — a community of runners who have faced serious health challenges but didn’t let those challenges define them! About Our Guests Elizabeth Pehota (Boston, MA): Three days out from running the 2022 Berlin Marathon, Elizabeth Pehota experienced a feeling of pins and needles in her hands, feet and thighs, and an unnatural resistance while running. Soon after, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. As someone who shares her daily life on social media, Elizabeth, @healthy_cheers on Instagram, only recently opened up about her diagnosis, but has already formed relationships with other MS patients around the world. Elizabeth is an Abbott World Marathon Major Six Star Finisher and received her seventh star in Sydney. Ed Barnes (Douglas, MA): Ed was born with a congenital heart condition and at age 15 he started to experience frequent dizziness – to the point of nearly passing out – leading him to undergo open heart surgery to receive an Abbott artificial aortic heart valve. This year, after completing the Boston Marathon, Ed became the first person with an artificial heart valve to finish all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors.   Mary Tawney Suarez (Fullerton, CA): Just before the pandemic, Mary started experiencing seizures and was diagnosed with Epilepsy and a brain cyst. One year later, she started experiencing back pain and numbness in her legs, which was revealed to be the degeneration of the cerebral and lower part of her spine. Despite these obstacles, Mary has continued running, and just finished the Berlin Marathon. Links Mentioned in This Episode Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA running Coach. MetPro.co -For the first time ever, MetPro is offering MTA listeners a full 30-day experience for just $95 with absolutely no strings attached! See what it’s like working with your own metabolic coach. Limited to the first 30 people. AG1 Next Gen has new flavors: new flavors: Citrus, Tropical, and Berry. Get a free Welcome Kit with your first order which includes 5 AG1 Travel Packs, a shaker bottle, metal canister, and a bottle of AG Vitamin D3+K2. The Virginia Credit Union River City Half -March 7 in Richmond, Virginia. Drury Hotels -Get 10% off your stay with our link or use the code RN2025. Team Abbott -a community of runners, many of whom have overcome health challenges, who are committed to inspiring others through their running journeys. To submit your story for a chance to join Team Abbott, visit abbott.com/marathons.

Coach Erin Smith, an RRCA certified running coach and seasoned ultra runner, joins Coach Angie Spencer to tackle listener Q&A. They discuss tips for successfully running two marathons in the fall, including recovery strategies and goal-setting. The duo dives into effective training methods like Fartlek runs and hill simulations for flat areas. They also offer insights on preventing and recovering from common injuries such as hip pain and IT band issues. Plus, discover ways to reignite motivation after a marathon with innovative strategies!

Discover how marathon training parallels the classic Hero's Journey, where overcoming obstacles leads to personal growth and transformation. Explore the emotional highs and lows runners face, highlighting the camaraderie that builds along the way. Learn the art of goal setting and the profound sense of achievement that comes from completing a marathon. Hear stories of mentorship and the life lessons that emerge from this rewarding yet challenging pursuit. It's an inspiring journey that turns each runner into a hero!

Keira D’Amato, author of 'Don't Call It a Comeback' and American record holder in the 10-mile run, shares her inspiring journey from sidelined athlete to marathon champion at 37. She discusses rediscovering her love for running after motherhood, embracing the joy over chasing personal records, and the importance of strategic quitting for growth. Keira highlights the camaraderie among female runners and the emotional experience of writing her memoir, aiming to inspire others through her story of resilience and passion.

Christina Henderson, Director of The Running Event and recognized as one of the “25 Women to Watch” in the running industry, shares her insights on the booming running culture. She highlights key trends like localism, sustainability, and the rise of digital integration in retail. The discussion dives into the post-pandemic transformation of running, its impact on mental health, and the growing appeal of trail running. Christina also emphasizes the importance of community connection and proper running shoe fitting for newcomers.

In this episode we speak with Renee McGregor -sports dietitian and author of the book, ‘Fuel for Thought: A Practical Guide to Fueling for Your Adventures’. Renee McGregor is a leading sports dietitian, specialising in Eating Disorders, REDs, The Female Athlete, Athlete Health and Performance. She’s worked with athletes across the globe, including supporting Olympic (London, 2012), Paralympic (Rio, 2016) and Commonwealth (Queensland, 2018) teams. We want to give listeners a head’s up that we will be talking about eating disorders and REDs during this episode. What is REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) The basis of REDs is low energy availability, or insufficient energy in the body to allow for the work that the individual wants to do. Low energy availability comes with a cost to our sport but also is costly to all the biological processes in our body, including the brain, heart, lungs, hormonal, and digestive systems. When low energy availability is combined with under recovery (training and general life stresses can all contribute to this) it throws the body into REDs. Some people can have unintentional or accidental REDs where the person doesn’t understand how much energy is required to maintain their biological functions and the training load. On the other hand, intentional REDs is a conscious decision to restrict intake or overtrain and usually involves some aspects of disordered eating and/or exercise dependency. Sponsor Links Run Coaching. Work with a MTA running Coach. Shokz– the industry leader and pioneer in open-ear headphone technology. Use code MTA for $10 off! MetPro.co -For the first time ever, MetPro is offering MTA listeners a full 30-day experience for just $95 with absolutely no strings attached! See what it’s like working with your own metabolic coach. Limited to the first 30 people. AG1 Next Gen has new flavors: new flavors: Citrus, Tropical, and Berry. Get a free Welcome Kit with your first order which includes 5 AG1 Travel Packs, a shaker bottle, metal canister, and a bottle of AG Vitamin D3+K2. Fuel for Thought -book by Renee McGregor

In this episode we speak with Kitty Robinson, a listener to the podcast who shares what it’s like to keep running through pregnancy, raising a large family, and surviving both brain and heart surgery. Kitty exemplifies the saying, “You can do hard things”! She’s author of two books: ‘Sometimes Courage’ and ‘The Runaway Housewives of the Appalachian Trail’. Links Mentioned in This Episode Shokz– the industry leader and pioneer in open-ear headphone technology. Use code MTA for a discount! IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000.. AG1 Next Gen -get a FREE bottle of AG D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, AND 5 of the upgraded AG1 travel packs with your first order. Run the London Marathon in 2026 with Sports Tours International USA. They have guaranteed bibs!

In this episode we bring you to the Swiss Alps as we run from village to village with listeners to the MTA podcast. Plus we recap the legendary Eiger Ultra Trail race, which is part of the UTMB World Series. *Special thanks to James and Susie Jin, Brad Rudler, Marcia Salovitz, Ryan Shea, Bekah Shininger, Robin Walters, Liz Sur, Marcia Mathison, Candis Ubiles, Mindy McCune, Kate Mattern, Alistair Crompton, Marion Giro, and Run the Alps! Links Mentioned in This Episode Run Coaching. Work with a MTA running Coach. COROS Watches will help you train according to heart rate. Use code MTA and get an additional free watch band with your purchase! Just pick the band you want, add it to your cart, and use code MTA. Joint Health Plus by Previnex -prevention is the best medicine and you need to protect your joint cartilage from breakdown. Use code MTA for 15% off your first order! UCAN -get the Trial Sample Pack for free with our link, just pay shipping! The Richmond Marathon on November 15, 2024 -America’s Friendliest Marathon!

In this episode we speak with Joe De Sena an accomplished athlete, leader, and founder and CEO of Spartan. His goal is to get 100 million people off the couch. His new book is called, Extreme Balance: Paradoxical Principles That Make You a Champion. Life will throw many obstacles in your path, learn how an “unfixed mindset” can truly elevate your game. Links Mentioned in This Episode Shokz– the industry leader and pioneer in open-ear headphone technology. Use code MTA for a discount! IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000.. AG1 Next Gen -get a FREE bottle of AG D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, AND 5 of the upgraded AG1 travel packs with your first order. Run the London Marathon in 2026 with Sports Tours International USA. They have guaranteed bibs! The Richmond Marathon on November 15, 2024 -America’s Friendliest Marathon! Extreme Balance -book by Joe De Sena, Ben Askren, and David Sacks, Ph.D.

We have another international running adventure planed this year and you are invited. We are going to Ireland to run the Dublin Marathon on October 26th 2025. Do you want to go? We have 6 spots left. Please email us or sign up with this link. Enter code MTA at checkout. Dates: Friday October 24th to Tuesday October 28th 2025 (3 night or 4 night options) The Dublin Marathon is the fourth largest marathon in Europe and requires a lottery or charity entry. The lottery has ended but worry not, we have guaranteed race entries through our sponsor Sports Tours International. The course is relatively flat course with a 7 hour cut-off. It passes through many of Dublin’s famous 18th century Georgian streets and the beautiful Phoenix Park, Europe’s largest urban park. The race crosses the city, north and south of the river Liffey. What is included: Guaranteed race bibs for up to 2 runners 3-4 nights accommodation at the 4 star Hyatt Centric The Liberties Hotel Daily complementary breakfast Welcome reception Friday evening Shakeout run Saturday morning and escorted trip to the expo. MTA meet-up later that day Post-race party for all guests The Jamison Extension The next day, for those who want to stay an extra night, we are visiting the Jamison Distillery where the famous Jameson whiskey is made for a cask draw and tasting. We will have a guided tour of their warehouse and hear all about our ‘Grain to Glass’ process. Then we plan to visit a famous pub or two like the Temple Bar Pub.   Spots are limited, so please email us if you are interested or sign up on the Sports Tours website with this link: https://sportstoursinternational.com/event/irish-life-dublin-marathon/ Enter code MTA at checkout to get notified about special events and meetups with Trevor and Angie in Dublin! Cheers!