Today we're doing something a little different with a panel of running experts. We are discussing a variety of topics, everything from training-related questions to the not-so-serious ones.  Endeavorun created a unique experience for a group of runner enthusiasts. We got to spend a few days together in Boulder, CO at a retreat focusing on all things running. One of our highlight events was a panel discussion that you're about to hear. We sat down with Olympian Kate Grace, 2:19 marathoner Peter Bromka, author Matt Fitzgerald, registered dietitian Lydia Nader, and myself for a live Q&A. Our questions included: You are at a bar and you overhear someone talking about running. They say something that causes you to correct them. What did they say? Your bucket list race What is something about running that you are an expert in and is largely misunderstood? Doing the live Q&A with a group of running experts from all different backgrounds made for a lively conversation. We talked about pacing, track standards, goal races, and recovery. Hear the full episode below and follow along with Jonathan Levitt’s podcast For the Long Run and Matt Fitzgerald’s The 80/20 Endurance Podcast for parts 2 and 3 of the conversation. Links & Resources from the Show: Follow the experts: Kate Grace on Instagram Peter Bromka on Instagram Matt Fitzgerald on Twitter Lydia Nader on Instagram Upcoming Endeavorun retreat in Austin Join our online community of runners Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we’re making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker’s patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you’re running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount.

Abdi Abdirahman is a 5-time Olympian and the oldest American runner to qualify for the Olympics. He is the oldest male to podium at the NYC Marathon, and USATF’s master’s record holder in the marathon. Abdi is also a 4-time USATF champ in the 10k and a 5-time road racing champion at distances from 10 miles to the marathon. In other words, he’s one of the best runners ever to represent the United States. He's also found the time to become a new author. I'm thrilled he's written his first book to get an even deeper inside look into his mind.  Check it out here: Abdi's World: The Black Cactus on Life, Running, and Fun Today's conversation gives a glimpse of his laid back, lighthearted personality that contributes to Abdi's amazing longevity in the sport. We explore topics of: Balance between training and life outside of running Changes that Abdi has seen over the years When to be serious and when to relax How running "strength" evolves over time Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Abdi on Twitter and Instagram Read more about Abdi at the Tokyo Olympics Get his new book Abdi's World: The Black Cactus on Life, Running, and Fun Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we’re making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker’s patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you’re running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount. Thank You PATH Projects! PATH Projects continues to be a great supporter of this podcast! I’m grateful for their partnership and want to share more about their products that I’ve been loving because they so durable and comfortable. PATH Projects is an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel. That means there is no retail markup, making their products quite affordable. In particular, I’ve just started wearing their 3” Sykes shorts and they’re a little different from the 5” Sykes shorts (you can see those in action here). The material is thinner and lighter, which is perfect in a performance short, and they’re obviously shorter. I’m not sure if my wife thinks they’re too scandalous or loves them, but I’m wearing them constantly. PATH uses new technical fabrics, like the Japanese fiber called Toray Primeflex, to create award-winning apparel for endurance athletes. In fact, their Brim shorts and Tahoe base liner won Runner’s World’s 2018 Gear of the Year award. And the Pyrinees hoodie was named one of the best six sweatshirts for running in the cold by Gear Patrol. You know you’ll be wearing the best when you select PATH Projects!

Professor Phil Hayes is a senior lecturer at Northumbria University where he spent 14 years as the leader of the Applied Sport and Exercise Science Program. He researches muscle strength and how it affects running performance, form, and injury risk. Phil is a UK Athletics Level 4 running coach and has experience coaching kids, adults, and world-class athletes. His new book, The Science and Practice of Middle and Long Distance Running, weaves together sports science and the art of coaching runners. Today's conversation is a highlight of those principles and an exploration of how they can be applied. We cover many topics from how to structure a training plan to outdated approaches. We talk about: Significant of a training log and which metrics to pay attention to Periodization and progression over time Dynamic warm-ups versus priming activities New frontiers of running such as fatigue resistance Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we’re making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker’s patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you’re running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount.

Addie Bracy is an expert in mental training for the athlete. She excels on the road, on the track, and on the trails and mountains. She’s a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, author of Mental Training for Ultrarunning, and has consulted with elite athletes in swimming, softball, basketball, track, and running. Addie is a contributor to our Strength Running community as well. You may recognize her from the lifting demonstrations in our flagship weightlifting program High Performance Lifting. Today's episode is about becoming a more mentally fit athlete. Addie shares her view of sports psychology and how it can be leveraged by everyone: Problems with idealizing a race How we can better prepare for races Non-physical skills that will help runners Differences between stress and pressure Common triggers for runners Visualizations that help This is just a small snippet of the actionable steps that Addie provides. Hear more in this podcast and check out her book for additional information. Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Addie on Instagram and Twitter Check out her website at Strive Mental Performance Read about how Addie gets things done Find a CMPC in your area Learn more about training your mind Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we’re making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker’s patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you’re running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount. Thank You PATH Projects! PATH Projects continues to be a great supporter of this podcast! I’m grateful for their partnership and want to share more about their products that I’ve been loving because they so durable and comfortable. PATH Projects is an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel. That means there is no retail markup, making their products quite affordable. In particular, I’ve just started wearing their 3” Sykes shorts and they’re a little different from the 5” Sykes shorts (you can see those in action here). The material is thinner and lighter, which is perfect in a performance short, and they’re obviously shorter. I’m not sure if my wife thinks they’re too scandalous or loves them, but I’m wearing them constantly. PATH uses new technical fabrics, like the Japanese fiber called Toray Primeflex, to create award-winning apparel for endurance athletes. In fact, their Brim shorts and Tahoe base liner won Runner’s World’s 2018 Gear of the Year award. And the Pyrinees hoodie was named one of the best six sweatshirts for running in the cold by Gear Patrol. You know you’ll be wearing the best when you select PATH Projects!

Colleen Quigley, one of the most dominant steeplechasers in American history, has represented the US at the World Championships and Olympics, won the 2019 indoor mile national championships, and she’s hungrier than ever to get back to training and top form. In this episode, we’re discussing her months long foot injury and what she’s doing to properly diagnose it, treat it, and get back to top form. Colleen is tough as nails, honest, vulnerable, and so positive about her comeback. I know that will rub off on you, too. You can hear her top injury prevention tips (along with 4 other world-class runners) in Episode 160 here. And don't miss 9 pro athletes' best recovery advice here. Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it’s essential that we’re making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker’s patented system will transform your body’s data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you’re running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I’ve had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount.

Ryan Wooderson owns Long Run Physiotherapy & Performance in Denver, Colorado and has spent nearly a decade helping athletes get healthy and stay healthy. He is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and completed his orthopedic residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He’s an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and his practice focuses on injury prevention and helping athletes perform. In this episode, we explore further details about: Variability in perceived exertion during workouts Prioritizing restorative in the morning hours Improving the quality of your sleep with environmental factors How to do naps the right way Anyone can benefit from better sleep and I hope this episode will provide you with ideas on how to do just that. Links & Resources from the Show: Connect with Ryan on Instagram and Facebook Learn more on his website Free advice from elite runners on recovery Thank You InsideTracker! Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we’re making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it. InsideTracker is the ultra-personalized nutrition platform that analyzes your blood and DNA biomarkers along with your lifestyle habits to help you optimize your body and reach your goals. InsideTracker’s patented system will transform your body's data into knowledge, insights, and a customized action plan of science-backed recommendations. The data can help you determine whether you’re running too much, not enough, or have some other issues that could be affecting your recovery or performance. I've had my own blood drawn with InsideTracker several times and have been amazed at the valuable information that they provide. Not only are the results very detailed, but they also share guidance for how to improve any markers that are out of range. If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker offers a selection of plans that best suit your needs with a limited time 25% discount. Thank You PATH Projects! PATH Projects continues to be a great supporter of this podcast! I’m grateful for their partnership and want to share more about their products that I’ve been loving because they so durable and comfortable. PATH Projects is an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel. That means there is no retail markup, making their products quite affordable. In particular, I’ve just started wearing their 3” Sykes shorts and they’re a little different from the 5” Sykes shorts (you can see those in action here). The material is thinner and lighter, which is perfect in a performance short, and they’re obviously shorter. I’m not sure if my wife thinks they’re too scandalous or loves them, but I’m wearing them constantly. PATH uses new technical fabrics, like the Japanese fiber called Toray Primeflex, to create award-winning apparel for endurance athletes. In fact, their Brim shorts and Tahoe base liner won Runner’s World’s 2018 Gear of the Year award. And the Pyrinees hoodie was named one of the best six sweatshirts for running in the cold by Gear Patrol. You know you’ll be wearing the best when you select PATH Projects!

Brodie Sharpe is a runner and a physiotherapist based in Australia who helps injured runners get healthy and stay that way. He is the host of The Run Smarter Podcast and has certifications from The Running Clinic, the Running Repairs Course, Sports Medicine Australia, and Athletics Victoria Run as a running coach. It's a pleasure to have Brodie as a part of our community. I was a guest on his podcast where we talked all about training plans and he was a prior sponsor of the SR Podcast. In this episode, Brodie is sharing some of the biggest lessons he has learned about running a new personal best while staying healthy. It can be hard to balance prevention with performance, but Brody knows what to focus on! Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Brodie on Instagram Check out more on his website Download Brodie's free ebooks here Free email course on injury prevention Complimentary ebook with tips from elites Thank you Elemental Labs! A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping. Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium. There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. They just released their first new flavor of 2021, their most requested flavor, watermelon salt. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack. 

Our guest today is Scott Johnston, an expert in endurance sports including everything from alpine skiing to mountain running. He has worked with Killian Jornet, arguably one of the best ultra endurance athletes on the planet, and numerous top cross country skiers in the US. He's the author of Training for the Uphill Athlete and Training for the New Alpinism. Both books are manuals for athletes and coaches, filled with resources and tools to elevate endurance training. Scott Johnston is himself a lifelong endurance athlete, having performed at high levels in swimming, skiing, and climbing. As a coach, he has practiced and refined an approach to training athletes that emphasizes the skills that can be practiced and acknowledges the genetic determinants of certain abilities. In this episode, Scott explains the tripod of endurance, which are the foundational principles for going long in any sport. Listen to the entire episode to better understand these three principles and what you can do to improve your own training, including: Running with perfect form, as David Rudisha does Collecting feedback by video, mirror, or other method to assess your running Including strides in workouts Strength training for endurance Thank you Precision Hydration! Thank you to our newest sponsor, Precision Hydration. If you've ever struggled with hydration or electrolyte issues, use code STRENGTH15 to get 15% off your first order. They offer tablets, packets, and other essentials to help you train in any environment. Precision Hydration knows that there isn't a one-size-fits all approach to hydration, which is why I love that they help athletes refine their hydration strategy for whatever event they're training for. If you can’t get a custom sweat test done, they have a free online test that will give you your own personalized hydration strategy. It’s heating up where I am and I’m ending my runs a lot sweatier than I was just a month ago. I know I’ll be paying a lot more attention to my hydration and electrolyte needs. This is especially important with longer runs in the mountains here at altitude. You can learn much more about hydration in my conversation with the founder of Precision Hydration, Andy Blow. Check out Precision Hydration and get 15% off your first order of electrolytes that match how you sweat by using the code "STRENGTH15".

Krissy Moehl has completed hunderds of ultra races and has over 50 first place finishes in the female category, along with several outright wins. She has won some of the hardest 100 mile courses on the planet, including the Hardrock 100 and the HURT 100 in Hawaii. Krissy is the author of Running Your First Ultra, which many athletes use as their ultimate guide to training. Although she didn't have a manual to follow for her own first ultra, she learned from a supportive community and shares those lessons with the readers. Krissy's longevity in a sport this difficult is something to admire and on the show today, we’re talking about what got her hooked on running long races after being an 800m runner in college, how she’s evolved and changed her approach to ultras and fueling since she first started, and her best training tips for you. Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Krissy on Instagram and Twitter Learn more from her website SR training plans for advanced runners The UK's Damian Hall on running 250+ miles Thank you Elemental Labs! A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium. There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. They just released their first new flavor of 2021, their most requested flavor, watermelon salt. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor and get your hydration optimized. 

Matt Chittim is the host for the Rambling Runner and Road to the Trials podcasts. He is a running coach and, of course, a passionate runner himself. He is enthusiastic about amateur runners and contributes so much to the community through his content. In this podcast, we talk about his recent injury, what lead to it, and the lessons that Matt learned through this experience. Our topics of conversation also cover: The start and evolution of a running career What leads to a running injury and how to recover from it Importance of the proper training process The difference between knowing the right things and doing them I loved this raw and real conversation and I hope you will find it to be informative as well. Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Matt on Instagram and Twitter Check out the Rambling Runner website Mentioned episode with Duane Scotti See our injury prevention program with a free course Join our SR team - a community of passionate runners Thank you Precision Hydration! Thank you to our newest sponsor, Precision Hydration. If you've ever struggled with hydration or electrolyte issues, use code STRENGTH15 to get 15% off your first order. They offer tablets, packets, and other essentials to help you train in any environment. Precision Hydration knows that there isn't a one-size-fits all approach to hydration, which is why I love that they help athletes refine their hydration strategy for whatever event they're training for. If you can’t get a custom sweat test done, they have a free online test that will give you your own personalized hydration strategy. It’s heating up where I am and I’m ending my runs a lot sweatier than I was just a month ago. I know I’ll be paying a lot more attention to my hydration and electrolyte needs. This is especially important with longer runs in the mountains here at altitude. You can learn much more about hydration in my conversation with the founder of Precision Hydration, Andy Blow. Check out Precision Hydration and get 15% off your first order of electrolytes that match how you sweat by using the code "STRENGTH15".