The Strength Running Podcast

Alli Felsenthal is a certified running coach, personal trainer, Boston Qualifier, 86-minute half marathoner, fitness class instructor, and host of the Run with Alli Live Podcast. She came to running later in life but has progressed quickly after leaving her corporate job and focusing all of her attention on her coaching and running. She has an interesting story of why she made the leap and how she was able to start a successful career in the fitness industry. Alli is hard-working, gritty, and determined. She passes those traits on to her clients and helps them to achieve their running goals. Today, we're talking about the common questions that new runners face, like: How can I run consistently? Why is running not getting any easier? What are the common pitfalls for new runners? When is a runner ready to start training for a marathon? How can runners train if they're injured? Links & Resources from the Show: Connect with Alli on her website Follow her on Instagram Join Strength Running's community! 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, especially 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".

This episode is about racing and the pacing approaches available to you to help you run your best. Most of us would love to run faster and a big part of that is how you approach racing.  But I’ve gotten countless questions about race strategy over the years, like… How do I negative split a marathon? Should I run even splits or run the first few miles slower? How do I get through the middle of a race where I always slow down? When do I know if I should go out really fast? And I want to give you a set of guiding principles that will help you select the race strategy that works best for you. Because race strategy can take many forms. Maybe you’re trying to win your age group, run a new Personal Best, or just finish the race. No matter the goal, a good race strategy is a must-have to perform at the level that you’d like to. Links from the show: 13 Lucky Racing Tips Elemental Labs 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 get your free sample pack and get your hydration optimized. 

Tina Muir is a former pro runner and the host of the Running Realized Podcast and Running for Real Podcast. She’s an 11-time All-American athlete and elite athlete for Great Britain who has run in two British Olympic Trials. In this episode we talk about: Recognizing pain versus injury Importance of your body's physiology to help with injury prevention Can you be a bodybuilder and distance runner at the same time? How to manage pain Top factors in injury prevention (this one may surprise you!) How training journals can help Links & Resources from the Show: Connect with Tina on her website Follow her on Instagram Check out the Running Realized Podcast Learn more about human physiology from Brad Beer on Instagram or Twitter Other episodes with Tina: Tina Muir Takes Your Strength Training Questions Tina Muir Cohosts The Podcast To Answer Your Running Questions What If You Stop Loving Running? An Honest Conversation With Tina Muir Learn more about injury prevention Invest in Injury Prevention for Runners Thank you Precision Hydration! Thank you to our newest sponsor, Precision Hydration. If you've ever struggled with hydration or electrolyte issues, check them out. They offer tablets, packets, and other essentials to help you train in any environments. 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, especially 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".

Peter Bromka recently got to pace Chirine Njeim to a 2:36 marathon PR in pursuit of qualifying for the Olympics. On the same course, at the same time, Desiree Linden broke 3 hours in the 50K ultramarathon and set a new world record. Peter is here to share his experience of this event. Peter is an incredible athlete in his own right. He was a very competitive runner for Tufts University, running 15:16 for 5K, who ended up running his first marathon post-collegiately in 2:56. Over the years, he lowered his best to a staggering 2:19:03, just 3 seconds off from the Olympic Trials qualifying mark. In his front row seat run with the pros, Peter got to witness, hear, and implement strategies of the world's top runners. We talk about a variety of topics, including: Mental games of an out-and-back course The idea of "banking" time in a race How to be a good pacer Dealing with missed goals When to push and when to revel in your success I'm also thrilled to share that Peter will be joining us at the Endeavorun Running Retreat. If you, too, want to be a part of the action, sign up using code 'strengthrunning' to save $100 on your registration. Hope to see you in August! Links & Resources from the Show: Endeavorun website and Instagram Follow the runners on Instagram Chirine Njeim Des Linden Peter Bromka Get our free race strategy ebook! 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. 

Strength and conditioning coach Kevin Carr has worked with Olympians and many other types of athletes. He has amassed a wealth of experience in functional anatomy, sports performance, and personal training. He is also the coauthor of the new book Functional Training Anatomy. Kevin has a bachelor's in kinesiology, he’s a licensed massage therapist, and has numerous professional certifications in the functional movement screen, NeuroKinetic Therapy, functional range conditioning, and a lot more. In today's episode we're talking about ways to help runners strength, power, and mobility. We also cover topics on: Why bodybuilding techniques don't translate to runners What type of strength training should runners do and how often Exercise selection with specificity for endurance Progression in shoes for various activities Links & Resources from the Show: Connect with Kevin on Instagram Certified functional strength coach program Get the Functional Training Anatomy book at Human Kinetics Sign up for our complimentary strength training email series! Thank you Tanri Outdoors! Thank you to our newest supporter of the podcast, Tanri Outdoors! They're offering 10% off your order with code JASON at checkout. Tanri makes all-natural mineral sunscreen, lip balm, and moisturizer that protects you from both types of UV rays. Tanri is made by runners, for runners! All of their products are reef-safe and never tested on animals.  If you spend a fair amount of time outdoors, you know the importance of applying sun protection. I have had to make it a habit myself, living in the mile high city of Denver. Using Tanri products is easy and effective, so I hope you'll give them a try. Mineral sunscreens like the ones from Tanri typically work better than chemical sunscreens as they protect you from both types of UV rays. And none of their products have phthalates, parabens, or artificial fragrances. Tanri also gives back 1% of their proceeds to help protect our National Parks. That's a win for you and for our planet! Browse all of their sun care products and use code "JASON" to save 10% on your order.

Jake Tuber is a part-time graduate school professor, a former college teammate of mine, and the creative force behind the Endeavorun Running Retreat. He is a sprinter turned distance runner with a story about how his first real injury caused a downward spiral amid the pandemic. Jake doesn't claim to have the answers or enlightened moments where the truth was revealed. He struggled through the many things that life threw at him and came out on the other end. He's here today to share some of the raw moments along his journey. Our conversation has some great takeaways that I think all runners can benefit from: Action before thoughts - actions help to model your inner beliefs but you have to take the first step Community - being around people who will support you (such as our Team Strength Running) Environment - surrounding yourself with an optimistic and encouraging space to guide you on the right path Enjoy the full episode below and if you come away eager to sign up for the Endeavorun Running Retreat, use code 'strengthrunning' to save $100 on your registration. Hope to see you in August! Links & Resources from the Show: Get in touch on Instagram or email at jake@endeavorun.com Endeavorun website and Instagram Referenced New York Times articles: Adam Grant on languishing Lindsay Crouse on how action drives mood Podcast episode with Lindsay Crouse Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear 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. 

Everything from training to fueling has predominantly been researched on men and written about by men. Women’s hormonal variations tend to skew research data so those results are often thrown out. As a professional triathlete, Dr. Stacy Sims recognized that she was poorly served by the same recommendations that male athletes were getting. So she set out to change that through her work.  She has written a book called ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body For Life where she breaks down her message that “women are not small men”. Women can learn to cater their training, nutrition, and hydration when they understand the changes they go though in their cycles. You can get an introduction to her work to the now famous TED Talk titled "Women are Not Small Men". In our conversation today, we talk about: Nutrition recommendations throughout a menstrual cycle and different phases of life RED-S syndrome with strategies for prevention and treatment Changes that women undergo during peri and post menopause Common differences between men and women in training and nutrition The future of exercise physiology research Links & Resources from the Show: Learn about courses and coaching resources from Dr. Stacy Sims Follow her on Instagram and Facebook WILD.AI coaching platform High Performance Sport New Zealand organization Kathryn Ackerman at Boston Children's Hospital Thank you to XOSKIN for sponsoring this episode, who’s offering 20% off with code ‘SR’ at checkout! I was introduced to this company a few months ago and have been impressed with the quality of the shorts, socks, and shirt that I’ve been wearing. They’re soon launching a men’s base liner and women’s lightweight shorts. To be the first to know when the new items are launched, follow them on social media at @xoskinusa. XOSKIN is the only seamless athletic apparel brand in the United States, using 3-dimensional knit structures and their patented materials (PTFE and Copper) to create apparel with superior wicking and drying capabilities that work in all kinds of environments and conditions. Their apparel has been used in some of the most challenging races in the world, from Death Valley in the middle of summer, to the sub-zero temperatures of the Arctic.  XOSKIN’s material feels great against the skin and the fit is so comfortable you’ll forget you’re even wearing it.  Their patented materials are your best defense against chafing, blisters, hot spots and odor.  Unlike most technology in athletic apparel which is gone after a few washes, XOSKIN’s RapiDriCopper™ technology is molecularly boned to the fiber and won’t wash out. Be sure to check out XOSKIN to see all of their shirts, tights, socks, compression sleeves, and more. Their clothes are made for both men and women so you’re sure to find something that suits your needs. Use code SR (not case sensitive) to get 20% off your order!

Dean Karnazes is an ultra endurance athlete who is highly regarded well beyond the world of running. He was named by TIME magazine as one of the most 100 influential people in the world, he is an ESPN ESPY winner, a three-time winner of Competitor Magazine’s Endurance Sports Athlete of the Year award, and recipient of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition lifetime achievement award.  Dean has a long list of impressive accomplishments, best told through his own narrative in the Ultramarathon Man. A short summary of his endeavors includes: Running 350 miles in one go Doing a marathon at the South Pole Completing 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days Winning the 135 mile Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley He has also written a new book, A Runner's High: My Life in Motion, where he takes readers on a journey through his career highlights and getting back into the game of ultra endurance running.  Links & Resources from the Show: Stay up to date on Dean's website Follow him on Instagram and Twitter Golden Gate Trail Classic race How to run your first ultra Stay healthy (so you can run longer!) Thank you beam! Our newest sponsor is beam, one of my newest favorite companies! They have a great offer for the Strength Running community so don't miss out on 15% off your entire order with code JASON! The two products that I’m enjoying the most are their Elevate Variety Pack and Dream, their sleep-promoting mix. The Elevate options include Balance, with prebiotics and probiotics for a happy gut, Energy with a small amount of natural caffeine, and Recovery with collagen and amino acids. Dream is a powder that tastes like cinnamon hot cocoa and it helps you get a better sleep. It has THC-free CBD, melatonin, magnesium, l-theanine, and other compounds that help you rest more quickly and easily. I have trouble sleeping and this has made a huge difference in the quality of my sleep. Beam's products are low in sugar, taste great, and use responsibly sourced ingredients. They are offering 15% off your order with the code "JASON" (not case sensitive). Couple that with a subscription and your first month’s savings will be 35%! Sleep better, recover faster, what’s not to love? Check them out at beamtlc.com.

This episode features a coaching call about how to best prepare for a hilly trail race when you’ve never run one before. Even if you’re not gearing up for trails or hills, this is a valuable discussion on sound training for different types of terrain.  Aileen is a member of Team Strength Running and has very little experience with hills or trails. But she wants to "go for it" and do her first very hilly trail race coming up soon.  How can she best prepare? What opportunities exist for building strength for hills and trails? What must her long runs and faster workouts look like? As Aileen adds all new variables to this upcoming race, our goal is to make sure that she's not just physically prepared for the elevation changes and trails, but confident in her ability to do so. Join the team and you could have the opportunity to come on the podcast, too! 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. They’re also offering free product: just pay for shipping and you can get their sample pack including 8 packets of citrus, raspberry, unflavored, and orange salt varieties. Check out Elemental Labs to try their sample pack for free and get your hydration optimized for this spring season.

Tim DiFrancesco is the former Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team. After spending more than six seasons in the NBA, he left to grow TD Athletes Edge, his performance-oriented strength facility in Salem, MA. He earned his BS in Exercise Science & Athletic Training from Endicott College and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His experience includes professional athletes, sub-elite athletes in the NBA-Development League, and recreational athletes across numerous disciplines. In this conversation, we discuss what really happens in your body when you start lifting weights. We also talk about: Why lifting will turn you from a donkey into a gazelle How we change minds about endurance runners lifting weights Whether plyometrics are drills or strength exercises How to get start with plyos, plan them in your training, and mistakes to avoid Links & Resources: Follow Tim on Instagram and Twitter Visit TD Athlete's Edge Lift weights for endurance High Performance Lifting Big thanks to Tim DiFrancesco for coming on the show and sharing his expertise. Please connect with him and express a big thank you! Thank You beam Our newest sponsor is beam, one of my newest favorite companies! They have a great offer for the Strength Running community so don’t miss out on 15% off your order with code JASON! The two products that I’m enjoying the most are their Elevate Variety Pack and Dream, their sleep-promoting mix. The Elevate options include Balance, with prebiotics and probiotics for a happy gut, Energy with a small amount of natural caffeine, and Recovery with collagen and amino acids. Dream is a powder that tastes like cinnamon hot cocoa and it helps you get a better sleep. It has THC-free CBD, melatonin, magnesium, l-theanine, and other compounds that help you rest more quickly and easily. I have trouble sleeping and this has made a huge difference in the quality of my sleep. Beam’s products are low in sugar, taste great, and use responsibly sourced ingredients. They are offering 15% off your order with the code “JASON” (not case sensitive). Couple that with a subscription and your first month’s savings will be 35%! Sleep better, recover faster, what’s not to love? Check them out at beamtlc.com.