Marathon Training Academy

In this episode we speak with Alistair Crompton, a trail guide with Run the Alps, about his latest adventures and what it’s like to run in the Swiss Alps. Plus, Coach Angie shares tips on training for an ultramarathon. Links Mentioned in This Episode Switzerland Running Retreat with Angie, Trevor, and Run the Alps. The Drury Hotels -they have free breakfast and free food and drinks in the evening -something they call the 5:30 kick back. They have more than 150 locations in 26 states. Use our link to save 10% on your stay. AG1 -It’s the perfect time to start a new healthy habit and AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You’ll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box. 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. Speak with a Running Coach about one-on-one coaching or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. Alistair Crompton is a mountain running & trekking guide, yoga teacher, and vegan chef based in Chamonix, France. He is originally from the UK when he’s not running he enjoys skiing and paragliding. Alistair will be one of our guides this year on our Running Retreat in Switzerland with @RunTheAlps

In this episode we share tips for achieving your running goals in 2025! Plus, we take a look at what fellow runners (and listeners to the podcast) have planned this year. Good news! You don’t have to figure it out on your own. Get the expert training and accountability you need to be a faster, stronger, runner. Let’s talk about your biggest challenges and see how we can elevate your training. Speak with a coach. Mentioned in This Episode MetPro -Become Your Best Self with their Proven Weight Loss strategies. You can take a free assessment and speak with a Metabolic Expert. Get $500 off their concierge coaching as a lister to the podcast. AG1 -It’s the perfect time to start a new healthy habit and AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You’ll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box. Book – Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger Speak with a Running Coach about one-on-one coaching or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan.

In this episode we look back on the biggest running news, stories, and records in 2024 . . . the historic, the tragic, the inspirational, and the bizarre. We got it all! Links Mentioned in This Episode Take our Audience Survey! We are always looking for ways to improve the MTA Podcast and better serve our listeners. Speak with a Running Coach about one-on-one coaching or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. AG1 -is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You’ll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2 AND 5 free travel packs in your first box. UCAN Energy -Try their Edge gels for FREE! all you pay is the cost of shipping. You can also get 20% off anything in their store with the code MTA. The Drury Hotels -they have free breakfast and free food and drinks in the evening -something they call the 5:30 kick back. They have more than 150 locations in 26 states. Use our link to save 10% on your stay.

In this episode Angie and Trevor share their favorite books from 2024 (both running and non-running related). This Episode is Sponsored by . . . Joint Health Plus! -Protect your joint cartilage from breakdown. Use code MTA for 15% off your first order. Sports Tours International, a company that’s taken runners and spectators to the most popular races around the world for 50 years. AG1 -the ultimate daily all-in-one health drink with 75 proven vitamins, minerals and whole food-sourced ingredients. Get a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. Work with a Running Coach in 2025 or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. The Book Episode: Our Top Reads in 2024 Angie read a total of 201 books in 2024 (59 fiction and 142 non fiction; ebook= 3, audio= 115, hardcopy= 92). Authors We Interviewed on the Podcast In addition to reading these books we spoke with the authors! Dr. Michael Greger, author of the book ‘How Not to Age -The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older’ Dave Proctor, author of the book ‘Untethered: The Comeback Story of One of the Longest Fastest Runs in History’ Dr. Matthew Silver, author of the book ‘Built to Run -The Runner’s Guide to Fixing Common Injuries, Resolving Pain, and Optimizing Running Performance Now and For Life’ Doug Mayer, founder of Run the Alps and author of ‘Run the Alps Switzerland: 30 Must-Do Trail Runs’ and ‘The Race that Changed Running’. Alden Mills, former Navy SEAL, entrepreneur and author of the book ‘Unstoppable Mindset -How to Use What You Have to Get What you Want’ Marc Pollina, author of the ‘The Boston Marathon Handbook -An Insider’s Guide to Training for and Succeeding in the Ultimate Road Race’ Tina Muir, co-author of the book ‘Becoming a Sustainable Runner -A Guide to Running for Life, Community, and Planet’ Angie’s Top 10 Non-Fiction Reads 1. Outlive- The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia, M.D. This book explores the factors that affect longevity and aging. It covers a range of topics, including: Healthspan- the amount of time a person spends in good health. Medicine 3.0- making a shift from reactive to proactive medicine that focuses on prevention. The four horsemen- the four major chronic diseases that are vital to prevent for ultimate health span. They are heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Exercise- the most potent tool for enhancing health span. He recommends building strength and stamina to help combat the decline that comes with aging. Sleep- poor sleep can trigger a number of negative consequences including insulin resistance, cognitive decline, and mental health issues.  Diet- he recommends avoiding fads diets and instead following either a Keto or Mediterranean diet.  Emotional health- poor emotional health issues is one of the biggest roadblocks to longevity. Attia’s approach is to focus on maintaining healthspan rather than just longevity. 2. How to Stay Married- The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told by Harrison Scott Key This memoir covers tough subject matter in a humorous manner. This is the author’s journey to reconcile with his wife after discovering she is having an affair with a family friend. It details his struggles to understand the betrayal, navigate the complexities of their relationship, and ultimately fight to save his marriage through a series of absurd and often darkly comical situations. I think that anyone who is married or has been married will relate because of the challenges of relationships. 3. It.Goes.So.Fast: The Year of No Do-Overs by Mary Louise Kelly This is an honest and compelling memoir that grapples with the choices we make surrounding time and relationships. I think it really resonated with me because my kids are growing up so fast (our middle son is a senior and just turned 18). 4. Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope by Nicolas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wu Dunn The authors are journalists who chronicle the individual impact of the American approach to poverty and offers prescriptions for how the United States can adopt a more human approach to those who are struggling with deprivation, addiction, and despair. 5. The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver, M.D. This book provides a comprehensive guide to navigating perimenopause and menopause. It offers science-backed information on all aspects of the experience, including physical changes, psychological impacts, treatment options, with a focus on addressing the often-overlooked symptoms and highlighting the need for more open discussion about menopause and its effects on women’s health. It particularly emphasizes the importance of understanding the biology behind declining estrogen levels and how to manage associated issues like hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and bone density loss. This book came at a helpful time for me as I was struggling with multiple symptoms of perimenopause and researching options. 6. How to Know a Person by David Brooks This book explores the concept of deeply seeing and understanding others, arguing that by actively paying attention to a person’s story, experiences, and perspectives, we can foster meaningful connections and combat societal fragmentation. This comes about by truly acknowledging and valuing individuals beyond superficial interactions. This book is a guide on how to engage with others with empathy and genuine curiosity to build deeper relationships. 7. Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner This book explores the emotion of awe through a combination of research, personal anecdotes, and cultural observations. He defines awe as the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends one’s current understanding of the world. The author offers a framework for cultivating awe in everyday life arguing that brief doses of awe can help with stress, relationships, reasoning, the immune system, and the heart. Keltner believes that awe is a vital force in human life and that it’s what spurs cooperation, community formation, and cultural creation. 8. Built to Move by Kelly and Juliet Starrett The authors provide practical ways to improve your body’s health, mobility and extend your life. The book includes quick and simple assessments to gauge progress and what needs improvement. Built to Move is a collection of 10 simple tests and practices you can use to instantly improve your mobility, fitness, breathing, eating, and sleeping and increase your freedom and overall quality of life. 9. Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg This is a guide to connecting more genuinely and efficiently with other people thanks to identifying three kinds of recurring conversations, and then aligning with others to help everyone feel heard, validated, and get what they want. 1) Practical Conversations: focused on solving problems, making plans, or discussing concrete details about a situation. 2) Emotional Conversations: center around expressing feelings, validating emotions, and showing empathy. 3) Social Conversations: explore how people relate to each other, their shared identities, and their sense of belonging. One of my favorite quotes from the book says, “The right conversation, at the right moment can change anything.” 10. Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter This book explores how our brains are wired to constantly seek more, even when we have enough, due to an evolutionary adaptation to scarcity, leading to behaviors like overconsumption and dissatisfaction. The book aims to help readers understand this “scarcity loop” and develop strategies to break free from it by making conscious choices and re-framing their mindset towards abundance. Honorable Mentions (non-fiction) The Gift of Adversity by Norman E Rosenthal The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory by Tim Alberta   Imagine Heaven by John Burke The Creative Act by Rick Rubin The In-Between by Hadley Vlahos Rethinking Life by Shane Claiborne The Psychology of Money by Morgan House The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt The Situation Room by George Stephanopoulos Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger Still Possible by David Whyte Somehow by Anne Lamont Women in White Coats by Olivia Campbell Angie’s Top 5 Fiction Reads 1. River of Stars by Guy Gavviel Kay is a philosophical romance set in the Song Dynasty that follows the stories of two main characters, Ren Daiyan and Lin Shan, and the complex political and personal dynamics of the Kitai empire. The author paints a very vivid world. 2. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi tells the story of seven generations of a family split in two. One side remains in Africa while the other is brought to America on a slave ship. The novel begins from the perspective of two sisters who are unaware of each other, yet their lives are largely similar until a twist of fate intervenes. 3. The Women by Kristin Hannah is a historical fiction novel about a young woman who joins the Army Nurse Corps and serves in Vietnam during the 1960s. 4. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss tells the story of Kvothe, a young man with extraordinary magical abilities, as he recounts his life story. The narrative is framed around his quest to discover the “Name of the Wind,” a powerful magical concept that could grant him ultimate control over the element of wind. Warning before you start– this book is over 700 pages long and the second book in the series is 1,100 pages. 5. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver is a novel that tells the story of three intertwined love stories that take place in a small town in Appalachia during a single summer. The story is set against the backdrop of the Virginia mountains and is full of ecological concepts and biological facts. Trevor’s Top Reads in 2024 Here are Trev’s top picks mentioned on the podcast . . . Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl Untethered: The Comeback Story of One of The Longest Fastest Runs In History by Dave Proctor Unstoppable Mindset by Alden Mills Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari. The Shortest History of Japan by Lesley Downer The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Japanese Culture -by Roger J Davies THANKS FOR READING!

In this episode we talk about how you as a long distance runner can let your mind wander as your body keeps moving forward mile after glorious mile! How to ‘put your legs on autopilot’. Links Mentioned in This Episode Work with a Running Coach in 2025 or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. MetPro Nutrition Coaching -speak with a Metabolic Expert about your goals and get actionable steps toward fueling for performance, losing weight, adding muscle, or changing your body composition. Get $500 off their concierge coaching. Sports Tours International, a company that’s taken runners and spectators to the most popular races around the world for 50 years. Saysky High Performance Running Wear -Use code MTA15 to get 15% off running tights, shorts, tops, singlets, jackets, vests, sports bras and anything across their entire product line worldwide.

Trevor and Angie here just popping into your podcast feed to make an important announcement! Next July we are running the Eiger Ultra Trail in Switzerland and are inviting any listener to the podcast who is interested in joining us there! The Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB is so popular that is already sold out, but we have access to race bibs through our partner Run The Alps. The epic course has unrivaled mountain scenery on highly runnable trails. There’s a distance for every level for those who want to try a European trail race. The race offers a 16k, 35k, 51k, and 101k. We are doing this race as part of a 9 day running retreat that starts on July 12th, 2025. Spots are limited so please email us if you are interested. See this page for all the details. Let’s run!

In this episode we speak with MTA Coach Athena and her client Melanie Toelcke who ran through the Grand Canyon from rim-to-rim-to-rim. This is a challenging 48 mile point-to-point run, in 100 degree temps, through one of the greatest natural wonders of the world! Links Mentioned in This Episode Speak with a Running Coach about one-on-one coaching or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. Run the Eiger Ultra Trail with Angie and Trevor in 2025! Visit this page to read how you can join us in a Switzerland next summer for an unforgettable running adventure. UCAN Energy -Try their Edge gels for FREE! all you pay is the cost of shipping. You can also get 20% off anything in their store with the code MTA. AG1 -get the Black Friday offer for all of November! Every week of November, AG1 will be running a special Black Friday offer for a free gift with your first subscription, in addition to the Welcome Kit with Vitamin D3+K2. The Drury Hotels -they have free breakfast and free food and drinks in the evening -something they call the 5:30 kick back. They have more than 150 locations in 26 states. Use our link to save 10% on your stay. AirDoctor the air purifier that filters out 99.99% of dangerous contaminants so your lungs don’t have to. This includes allergens, pollen, pet dander, dust mites, mold spores and even bacteria and viruses.
 Promo code MTA and you’ll receive UP TO $300 off air purifiers!

In this episode we speak with Tara Dower who set the fastest know time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail by running an average of 54 miles per day for 40 days! Links Mentioned in This Episode Sports Tours International, a company that’s taken runners and spectators to the most popular races around the world for 50 years. Joint Health Plus! -Protect your joint cartilage from breakdown during runs. Use code MTA for 15% off your first order. AquaTru -receive 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier with code “MTA“ at checkout. Speak with a Running Coach about one-on-one coaching or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. Tara Dower is an Altra Elite Athlete based in Virginia, who recently completed the 2,197.4 (3,535 kilometres) mile Appalachian Trail in a record setting 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes. That’s 13 hours faster than the record set in 2018 by Belgian runner Karel Sabbe. Prior to Dower’s breakthrough, only 10 people had ever managed to traverse the AT in 50 days or less. Find Tara on Youtube at Tara Treks. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail — commonly known as the Appalachian Trail or simply “the A.T.” — is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, that travels through fourteen states along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian Mountain Range.

In this episode we speak with Academy member and coaching client, Kofo Obasanjo-Blackshire, about the ups and downs of training for a personal best in the marathon. Kofo started running to lose baby weight after her second pregnancy. Through consistency and patience she has dropped her marathon time from 4:40 to 3:53. Kofo Obasanjo-Blackshire was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and lives in the United Kingdom with her husband and two sons. She holds a PhD from King’s College London. Her father Olusegun Obasanjo was the president of Nigeria from 1999-2007. She has completed 16 marathons and trains with MTA Coach Nicole. Links Mentioned in This Episode Speak with a Running Coach about one-on-one coaching or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. Run the Alps with Angie and Trevor in 2025! Visit this page to read how you can join us in a Switzerland next summer for an unforgettable running adventure. AG1 -get the Black Friday offer for all of November! Every week of November, AG1 will be running a special Black Friday offer for a free gift with your first subscription, in addition to the Welcome Kit with Vitamin D3+K2. MetPro Nutrition Coaching -speak with a Metabolic Expert about your goals and get actionable steps toward fueling for performance, losing weight, adding muscle, or changing your body composition. Get $500 off their concierge coaching. Saysky High Performance Running Wear -Use code MTA15 to get 15% off running tights, shorts, tops, singlets, jackets, vests, sports bras and anything across their entire product line worldwide.

In this episode we bring you to the Košice Marathon in Slovakia -Europe’s Oldest Marathon. Plus, Coach Angie shares tips on how to train to beat course cut-offs. The Košice Marathon started in 1924 after Vojtech Bukovsky visited the Olympic Games in Paris. A few weeks later he organized the first Košice Marathon on October 28th 1924, one hundred years ago! Sponsor Links Joint Health Plus! -Protect your joint cartilage from breakdown during runs. Use code MTA for 15% off your first order. UCAN Energy -Try their Edge gels for FREE! all you pay is the cost of shipping. You can also get 20% off anything in their store with the code MTA. Saysky High Performance Running Wear -Use code MTA15 to get 15% off running tights, shorts, tops, singlets, jackets, vests, sports bras and anything across their entire product line worldwide. The Richmond Marathon -Meet Trevor and be a part of America’s Friendliest Marathon November 16th! Join our 3-mile shakeout run on Friday, November 15, at 11 a.m. in downtown Richmond highlighting the finish area for the Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon and the T Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge Come to the post-race meet-up at Hardwood Brewery, offering a chance for runners to connect and celebrate their accomplishments together. Be sure to email us! Speak with a Running Coach about one-on-one coaching or join the Academy and use a MTA training plan. with Andrej Aleksiev at the race expo