Tom Schwartz, also known as Tinman, has over 30 years of coaching experience. He has worked with youth runners, masters, and professionals. Tom has developed dozens of D1 collegiate athletes, national champions, and national record holders and works with athletes across every distance and on every terrain from the track, road, to trail.  Tom has a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Coaching, a master’s in Human Performance, an MBA, and is currently working on his PhD in Health & Human Performance. You might recognize Tom as the coach of Drew Hunter, one of the fastest high schoolers ever a few years ago. Drew is now running professionally for Adidas on the Tinman Elite team in Boulder, CO. In today's podcast, we talk about all the things that make teams special and how Tom works with his athletes to create a greater good in our world. We cover topics on: Elements of a successful team Life skills we can learn from running Delayed gratification Self discipline Modulation Purpose Specificity Coaching athletes of all ages, abilities, and events Tom's training philosophy to "keep the ball rolling" And of course, Tom shares so much wisdom and inspiration for all of us involved in the sport. 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 recently had my own blood drawn and am glad to report that my results indicate that everything is in a healthy 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. Use Code STRENGTHRUNNING at InsideTracker to save 10% of any of their tests.

This episode is all about the off-season. The "in between" time between seasons of running. You'll learn how to best structure this time based on your goals, weaknesses, and ability. This episode was the suggestion from a listener. He asked if I could talk about what runners should do after they run a marathon but before they start their next big training block. Now, whether you’re training for a marathon or any distance race, this is a great question. A good example is what to do after the Boston Marathon but before you start training for the NYC marathon. If you train for 16 weeks for New York, that puts the beginning of your training in late July. Assuming you take a full two weeks off from running after Boston, you’re left with 11 weeks. What do you do with that time period? Our sponsor is the first tech-enabled sports nutrition company - PWURE that you can find at pwure.com. You hook up your Strava profile or do an online consultation to create personalized pre- and post-run shakes from organic ingredients. Use code ‘nextlevel’ to save 20% on your first month.

Eli Asch is currently the Race Director for the Twin Cities Marathon. Prior to this role, he directed the California International Marathon (CIM), which hosted two USATF marathon national championships. Under his direction, CIM was the fastest-growing major marathon in America. Eli also served as the Logistics and Operations Manager for the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon events. He holds an MBA in Sports Business from San Diego State University and a BA in English from Whitman College, where he was captain of the cross country team. I wanted to bring Eli on the podcast to share the details of what it takes to put on a major marathon race. We talk about: Nitty gritty details of getting a race permit How races are measured and certified Reconciling your GPS watch data with the race distance Expanding the running community to be more inclusive What you can do now to support your favorite races Enjoy my podcast with Eli and rejoice in the knowledge that races are, in fact, coming back! 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 recently had my own blood drawn and am glad to report that my results indicate that everything is in a healthy 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. Use Code STRENGTHRUNNING at InsideTracker to save 10% of any of their tests.

Noah Droddy is a professional runner, 2-time Olympic Trials Qualifier, 2-time collegiate All-American, and a 2:11 marathoner. He is sponsored by Saucony and trains under Richard Hansen in Boulder, Colorado for the Roots Running Project. His sights are currently set on breaking the 2:10 marathon barrier, which he shares about in this podcast. Noah's path to professional running was indirect, to say the least. He ran through high school and college but didn't take it too seriously. In fact, Noah attributes this casual approach to his decision to go all in on the sport. Noah is also one of very few runners to turn pro after a Division 3 college career, making his trajectory even more impressive. I caught up with him to ask about his current training and how he has been able to make such leaps in his performance. We cover many topics, including: Work ethic to pursue your goals Environmental factors that help your succeed Evolving pressures of a pro runner This is an inspiring episode and I hope you'll enjoy Noah’s energy and thoughtfulness as much as I did. RESOURCES: Injury Prevention Train Your Mind Coaching 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 recently had my own blood drawn and am glad to report that my results indicate that everything is in a healthy 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. Use Code STRENGTHRUNNING at InsideTracker to save 10% of any of their tests.

Have you wondered if a BQ time is out of reach for you? Or if you’re “good enough” to hire a coach? Or maybe you’re still sorting out where running fits in with muscle building versus weight loss? We have you covered. On today’s episode, Anya and Jason  discuss the common misconceptions, set the record straight, and offer our own experience while debunking the myths. Anya has joined Jason on previous episodes and if you’d like to hear more, listen to a Q&A for new runners and a discussion about recreational runners. Anya has over a decade of running experience as a triathlete, marathoner, and ultra runner. She brings an interesting perspective as a mom and working professional (outside the running industry) that I think will appeal to many of our listeners. And a big thanks to our sponsor, Inside Tracker, a company that helps endurance athletes optimize their training after taking a simple blood test. I’m a customer, I love their science-based approach, and I think this is one of those investments that actually make you into a better runner. Figure out if you’re over- or under-training so you can train more effectively. Use code strengthrunning (no space) to save 10% on any of their blood testing kits at insidetracker.com.

Molly is one of the best runners in the world. She holds the American Record in the 10k, 20k, and the half marathon. She represented the United States at the 2012 Olympics, qualifying for the 5,000m final and finishing 11th. Molly set the American Record in the 10k at the 2016 Olympics, finishing 5th overall. Later that same year she made her marathon debut at the NYC Marathon, making the podium in a 3rd place finish. Molly's talents are indisputable. Not only does she have range in her performance across a variety of distances, but she also has longevity. Molly has been a professional runner for well over a decade. In this podcast she shares about her unique training schedule and we also discuss: Training changes and records set during COVID How she stays motivated Advice for other runners in these challenging times Molly's new project (hint: it's a book!) releasing next year Thank you Molly for joining us on the podcast! Links & Resources from the Show: Hear injury prevention advice from Molly Follow Molly on Twitter and Instagram Keeping Track podcast hosted by Molly Huddle, Alysia Montano, and Roisin McGettigan 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 recently had my own blood drawn and look forward to sharing the results with you soon. If you’re ready to take control of your health and optimize your training, InsideTracker is offering their best deal of the year with $200 off their Ultimate Plan, which is their most comprehensive package. Use Code GIFTFROMSTRENGTHRUN at InsideTracker to claim your savings.

Alex Hutchinson holds a PhD in Physics from Cambridge, a Master’s in Journalism from Columbia, and is a former national-class runner in Canada. He has written for Runner’s World, Outside Online, The Globe and Mail, Popular Mechanics, and many other major media. I am a big fan of his fitness books as well. He wrote: Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance  Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?  Alex and I have partnered together before to bring you expert advise. We also recorded a podcast episode on the limits of human endurance. On today's episode, I wanted to have an in-depth conversation about all things related to tapering. I asked you, our Strength Running community on Instagram and Twitter, for questions that you may have. You guys rock, as always! Thanks for your thoughtful questions and helping to guide the conversation. If this episode was helpful, a rating and review in Apple Music is most appreciated!

Self-efficacy is one of the most important concepts in the world of performance psychology. Most of us understand this idea as "confidence" but it's actually more specific than that. It means: "Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments." Now you might have a lot of questions: How can we better prioritize our mental fitness so that we believe in our abilities? What are the sources of self-efficacy so we can draw from them during training? How can we use mantras for running to our advantage? Are there strategies for building confidence training (or self-efficacy training) into our running? To help us answer these critical questions, I invited Dr. Amber Shipherd onto the podcast. Dr. Amber Shipherd is an assistant professor and performance psychology program coordinator at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She's also a certified mental performance consultant and owner of Next Level Mind Consulting. She is a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sports Psychology Registry and an Executive Committee Member with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. And thankfully for us, she's an expert on self-efficacy! She joins us on the Strength Running Podcast to discuss the intricacies of confidence: Why confidence is not nearly as valuable as self-efficacy Strategies for building self-efficacy while running Mindset traps that sap confidence and leave you doubting yourself Best practices for incorporating imagery and personal affirmations in your running Links & Resources from the Show: Follow Amber on Twitter Visit Amber's website How to thrive during adversity My favorite mantras

Most diets claim to deliver one big goal. For some, that's making the body more alkaline (the opposite of acidic). Others promise to help you lose weight, reduce inflammation, improve gut health, increase mental clarity, burn fat, and generally just "upgrade your life." But are they real? Do these diets deliver on their promises? And they worth the hassle? These are critical questions because our nutrition and fueling is paramount to our success as runners. And as the saying goes, garbage in means garbage out. The days of believing that "the furnace will burn anything if the fire is hot enough" are over. We now know that nutrition plays a leading role in how energized we feel, how well we recover from hard efforts, and our general health and longevity. Without good nutrition, we're setting ourselves up for failure. But do we need a specific diet? To get a clear answer, I invited Registered Dietitian (and certified running coach) Claire Shorenstein to the podcast. Claire Shorenstein is a RRCA certified running coach, Registered Dietitian, and host of the Eat for Endurance Podcast. She has a private practice in New York where she puts her Master's degree in clinical nutrition to good use. We first met back in 2015 at the National Endurance Sports Summit at Princeton Univeristy where we both participated on a panel about fueling for endurance running. Since then, I've seen her name pop up in Runner's World, Salon, Food & Wine, and other big media outlets. She joins us for a two-part discussion. Part 1 focuses on three specific diets: the alkaline, anti-inflammatory, and microbiome (or gut health) diets. We talk about the goals of each diet, how they claim to deliver results, and whether or not it's a good choice for runners. Part 2 is about diets and eating for endurance. We talk more broadly about eating healthy, the rules that we each follow (and break regularly), and why runners should think twice about following a strict diet. Links & Resources from the Show: Claire's website Follow Claire on Instagram or Facebook Strength Running's free nutrition course More Q&A with a Registered Dietitian SR's Running for Weight Loss resource page

Breaking through a performance plateau when you seem to be slowing down can be frustrating. Running improvement sometimes can be difficult. How do you train differently? What are the low-risk, high-reward activities that will prompt you to keep improving? Sometimes, a fresh set of eyes on your training is what it takes. Use the improvement suggestions in this episode to help you think more strategically about your training, challenge yourself to try something new, and get out of your comfort zone.  For more, visit strengthrunning.com or our youtube channel. Our sponsor for this episode of the podcast is SteadyMD. They pair you with a primary care doctor, online, who’s available via phone, text, or video for all of your needs. It’s tele-medicine at its finest. And not just any doctor, but a fellow runner who understands the training process, your recovery needs, repetitive stress injuries, and can easily order you blood work, referrals for specialists, and more. Dr. Josh Emdur leads the program and he’s a sub-3 marathoner! Visit SteadymD to learn more about this innovative medical service for endurance runners and reserve your spot.