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.

Brian Zuleger is a professor of sport psychology at Adams State University, where he is also the mental strength coach for the Cross Country and Track and Field teams. He works directly with athletes in an integrative, holistic approach. Brian is a certified Exercise Physiologist from the American College of Sports Medicine. He applies his education with the athletes he works with as a personal trainer and coach. We discuss the partnership that he has with athletes, the skills that they focus on, and their unique psychology. We talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the youthful mindset, as well as what adult runners can take away. We also talk about: Healthy ways to view competition Temptation of numbers-driven outcomes Getting unstuck after a bad workout Advantages of having a team Show Links & Resources: Check out Brian's website Connect on Instagram Sign up for our free course on confidence, focus, and mental toughness Thank you  to the  Run Smarter Podcast! The Run Smarter Podcast is our newest sponsor that I know you'll love. Hosted by Brodie Sharpe, an expert in physiology, it aims to bridge the information gap for recreational runners and the field of physiotherapy. Brodie is an expert in this and is passionate about helping runners perform their best. Alongside the valuable resources shared in the Run Smarter Podcast, he offers online physiotherapy to help runners recovery from injuries. When I joined Brodie to discuss how to create the best training plan, I was impressed with his thoughtful questions and commitment to science-based information. Check out more of his episodes on The Run Smarter Podcast and subscribe to get the newest ones. I know you'll really enjoy it!

Starting anything new can be overwhelming, especially if you do all the research upfront. Read about running and you'll find yourself wondering if you have the "right" shoes, gear, training plan, etc. To simplify, we have a free course to help you with getting started as a new runner. The information will help get you going and keep you running. Today's podcast addresses questions that we collected from our community. Many are frequent ones that every new runner will wonder about at some point. Others topics are more specific and interesting to be aware of, even if they don't pertain to you. We divided the questions into several categories: Getting started - the "how" and "why" of running Training strategies - we discuss different paces, stretching routines, and goals Fueling - details for drinking and eating on the run Your body's performance while running Mental skills for runners Ever wondered how long it might take you to train for a marathon? Or when to consider packing water with you on the run? And most importantly - where do you start? We have you covered! 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!

Rose is a scientist and an enthusiastic runner. While she wasn't involved with organized running teams through her earlier years, she has been running for several decades. Now, in her 40s, Rose is wondering if she can continue to get faster in her marathon times and beat a PR from her 20's. Rose is a strong and committed runner who has made significant improvements in the last few years. She previously dealt with a lot of discomforts, but is now running pain-free. She attributed that to her strength from the High Performance Lifting program and mobility improvements.  In this conversation, you'll learn more about Rose's past race performance, training cycle lengths, and her goals. We talk though many other aspects that she can dial in and ultimately lay out a full year of training and races for her. Rose was pumped to hear that a PR is most definitely possible. We just have to be thoughtful in the approach and patient with the process. We're all cheering for her! If you'd like the opportunity to have a 1-on-1 coaching call with Jason for the podcast, join the Strength Running team, where you can join our thriving community.

Wondering what you can do to prevent injuries? Let's learn from the best in the sport! Today's podcast rounds up advice from the world's top female runners on what they do to prevent injuries and stay healthy while performing at the highest levels. I asked a single question to 5 of the best runners in the world - Colleen Quigley, Sara Hall, Grayson Murphy, Kate Grace, and Molly Huddle: What single idea, tool, or strategy is most helpful in keeping you healthy and running injury-free? The responses are fascinating. Particularly, pay attention to the commonalities. These women are especially focused on what allows them to run sustainably, improve over time, and focus on their own particular needs. Many of the women mentioned the importance of your mindset, and I couldn't agree more! That's why we offer a course designed to improve your mental toughness, along with techniques that you can implement in your own running. If you aren't ready for a full course, check out these helpful guides to up your mental game: Mantras for running Mental toughness training Additional tips from a sports phycologist See what these incredible women had to say and, of course, see our ultimate guide for injury prevention. 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!

Matt Phillips in an expert in the field of massage therapy and performance, which is why he's one of our few repeat guests! Our previous podcast focused on running form, but today we're discussing another specialty of his: massage. Originally a strength and conditioning coach with the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Matt turned his attention to Sports Therapy in 2004. Since then, he has focused his work on distance runners and endurance athletes. He is also a lecturer in Anatomy and Physiology and his work has appeared in most major media. In this episode, we talk about the common beliefs that are not supported by scientific data, in particular, that massages are not helpful for: Breaking down scar tissue Flushing out lactic acid Increasing circulation Reducing injury through added pain We also talk about how finding a knowledgeable massage therapist can help with: Relaxing the central nervous system Aiding with recovering Educating you Matt provides some great tips on how to find a therapist suitable for you and your needs, incorporating massages into your athletic pursuits, and sorting through all that anecdotal evidence. 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. Their 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 and 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. I’m encouraged by the fact that Navy SEAL teams, Olympic teams, and pro athletes have started using Elemental electrolyte supplements to improve their performance. Learn more about what they do at their website.

Tyler Andrews is a HOKA elite runner and multiple record holder. I had Tyler on the podcast a few years ago when he was gearing up for his 50k world record attempt. He just missed that record but he’s been busy staying fit and going after even more challenges. That’s our discussion today because Tyler finds himself in a similar situation as the rest of us: training without a clear goal on the calendar. So, he made up his own race! Recently, he organized the Chaski Challenge where over 50 Olympians and other elite runners raced a marathon relay with live tracking and thousands of other runners participating virtually. There was race commentary by Tyler, Des Linden and Amelia Boone. This was the most innovative type of virtual race I’ve ever heard of and having it organized by a 3x Team USA member and 50-mile national champion is just incredible. In this conversation, we talk more about this event, more races that he’s organizing in the future, giving back to the running community, and how you can get involved. In particular, we dug deep into the "pursuit of happiness" versus the "happiness of pursuit." Show Links & Resources: Follow Tyler on Instagram and Strava Read more about the Chaski Challenge Find other virtual races for 2020 Virtual race strategy 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!

Shawn Bearden is a professor of exercise physiology at Idaho State University where he focuses on ultra endurance performance. He has published research in the American Journal of Physiology and the Journal of Applied Physiology, and he’s previously studied at Yale, UVA, and George Mason. Shawn hosts a podcast of his own called the Science of Ultra, where he interviews the smartest scientists in the world about the physiology of ultra endurance. If you want to understand the intricate details of how our bodies are able to perform at extremes, this episode is for you. Shawn studies and lectures on the physiology, all while putting himself through the rigor of ultra running. In this conversation, we talk specifically about running ultramarathons and what that does to your body. You’ll hear what occurs in the body during a 100-mile race that doesn’t happen during a marathon, optimal fueling strategies for ultra-endurance, the most prevalent myth surrounding ultras, and a lot more. Show Links & Resources: Connect on Twitter Find more of Shawn's content on his website Science of Ultra podcast Learn more in my guide to ultra running Thank You Gatorade Endurance! This episode is made possible by support from Gatorade Endurance. Use code Strength20 for 20% off at GatoradeEndurance.com. Reformulated in 2017 to be even more effective, Gatorade Endurance Formula is a specialized sports drink. That means it has higher amounts of sodium and potassium to help sustain hydration, maintain proper fluid balance, and replace key electrolytes that you lose when you’re running. Plus, it has no artificial sweeteners or flavors and has a lighter flavor designed for athletes training longer. I know the last thing I want when I’m two hours into a long run is a strong flavor that might turn my stomach. Gatorade Endurance Formula also now offers a multi-carbohydrate blend to help you dial it in and maintain performance over much longer runs. Different carbs are utilized at different rates, so this advancement helps you both run longer and lower any risk of stomach distress because it won’t be working so hard all at once. You can check out all of their flavors, including caffeinated and non-caffeinated options, at GatoradeEndurance.com and don’t forget to use code Strength20 for your 20% discount.

Anne Mauney is a certified Registered Dietitian, has a master’s in public health, she has taught at George Washington University in Washington, DC, and has run dozens of half marathons and marathons. Her work has been featured in Glamour, The Washington Post, Woman’s Day, and in many other publications. She writes a nutrition and lifestyle blog at fannetasticfood.com and runs her own private counseling practice from annetherd.com. I admire her approach to nutrition because it's sustainable, well balanced, and supported by science. In this episode we discuss fueling strategies before and after a race, strategies for weight loss, and avoiding type 2 diabetes.  For even more Q&A with Anne, get two free audio seminars here. Show Links & Resources: Find Anne at: fannetasticfood.com and annetherd.com Connect on Instagram and Twitter Recipes for fueling your runs: Nut Butter Stuffed Salty Dates Salty Maple Nut Energy Bites Nutrition for Runners Thank You Gatorade Endurance! This episode is made possible by support from Gatorade Endurance. Use code Strength20 for 20% off at GatoradeEndurance.com. Reformulated in 2017 to be even more effective, Gatorade Endurance Formula is a specialized sports drink. That means it has higher amounts of sodium and potassium to help sustain hydration, maintain proper fluid balance, and replace key electrolytes that you lose when you’re running. Plus, it has no artificial sweeteners or flavors and has a lighter flavor designed for athletes training longer. I know the last thing I want when I’m two hours into a long run is a strong flavor that might turn my stomach. Gatorade Endurance Formula also now offers a multi-carbohydrate blend to help you dial it in and maintain performance over much longer runs. Different carbs are utliized at different rates, so this advancement helps you both run longer and lower any risk of stomach distress because it won’t be working so hard all at once. You can check out all of their flavors, including caffeinated and non-caffeinated options, at GatoradeEndurance.com and don’t forget to use code Strength20 for your 20% discount.

David Roche is a two-time USATF trail national champion, the 2014 U.S. Sub-Ultra Trail Runner of the Year, and a member of Nike Trail Elite and Team Clif Bar. You might have read his work that he publishes regularly on the Trail Runner magazine website or perhaps you’ve read his book, The Happy Runner. You can hear me talk about that book with David’s wife Megan in episode 82 of The Strength Running Podcast. David isn’t just an incredibly talented trail runner, he’s a wonderful writer and a coach who works with a wide variety of athletes. With his legal background, David is able to clearly explain some difficult concepts which is just why I wanted to have him on the show today. We cover the benefits of doing long runs and discuss the details of: Aerobic endurance Musculoskeletal strength Metabolic adaptation Mental resilience Improved mechanics Truly, there's so much to gain from going long. I love David's focus on feeling good, even during those grueling long runs. Hint: fartleks are a key part of it. He approaches workouts with the long view in mind, rather than having his athletes hammer out the hardest possible workout. In this episode we also cover: Glycogen depletion and recovery - you can read more here My personal long run mistakes Importance of fueling And how to adjust long runs based on your experience Thank You Gatorade Endurance! This episode is made possible by support from Gatorade Endurance. Use code Strength20 for 20% off at GatoradeEndurance.com. Reformulated in 2017 to be even more effective, Gatorade Endurance Formula is a specialized sports drink. That means it has higher amounts of sodium and potassium to help sustain hydration, maintain proper fluid balance, and replace key electrolytes that you lose when you’re running. Plus, it has no artificial sweeteners or flavors and has a lighter flavor designed for athletes training longer. I know the last thing I want when I’m two hours into a long run is a strong flavor that might turn my stomach. Gatorade Endurance Formula also now offers a multi-carbohydrate blend to help you dial it in and maintain performance over much longer runs. Different carbs are utliized at different rates, so this advancement helps you both run longer and lower any risk of stomach distress because it won’t be working so hard all at once. You can check out all of their flavors, including caffeinated and non-caffeinated options, at GatoradeEndurance.com and don’t forget to use code Strength20 for your 20% discount.