The Strength Running Podcast

Our guest today is Jay Ell Alexander. She’s the owner of The Vaughn Strategy, a public relations strategy consulting firm. And in 2018, she become the owner and CEO of the Black Girls RUN! Organization. Black Girls RUN! wants to encourage African-American women to make fitness and healthy living a priority. Their goal is to create a movement to lower the disproportionately high health outcomes in the female African-American community and subsequently, lower the number of women with chronic diseases associated with an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. Our discussion today focuses on the history of Black Girls RUN, the health disparities African-American women experience, how we can all work together to create a more equal playing field, and how you can get involved with Black Girls Run.  Thank You PATH Projects I also want to express my gratitude for the ongoing support from PATH Projects. They make affordable running gear that’s incredibly high quality. You can find everything from running shorts to headwear on their site. Currently, I’m wearing the Sykes 5″ Shorts (see them in action in this video), the Pyrinees hooded sweatshirt, and the Torch base liner. Their gear is unique, stylish, and a premium quality that feels great to wear. And because they are a direct to consumer shop, PATH skips the retail markup and keeps prices affordable. I personally love how functional their gear is – both for running and wearing around the house. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed!

Justin is currently the Mental Performance and Leadership Coach with the Tampa Bay Rays, a major league baseball team. Prior to that, he worked for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Browns. He works with both coaches and players to improve the overall performance of their organizations. Justin holds a Master of Science degree in Sport and Performance Psychology and his framework for improving performance will give us a glimpse of how he works with a variety of his clients. We also address questions such as: What happens when you focus on results versus the process? Is it possible to "teach an old dog new tricks"? Should you tinker with your training plans to improve faster? Does goal setting work for everyone? I hope you find this conversation filled with useful suggestions and ideas on how you, too, can improve your mental game. Thank You Naked Nutrition I want to thank Naked Nutrition for joining as our newest podcast sponsor. They make dietary supplements with the purest ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors - and everything is made in the USA. I've been taking their Vanilla Whey Protein Powder for several weeks now and can confidently say that it's the best protein powder I've ever had: it tastes great and I know I'm not ingesting what I don't need. I've used a lot of different protein powders over the years and this is definitely my favorite. I love that this protein powder has only 3 ingredients and the whey is sourced from grass fed cows' milk. For those looking for a plant-based option, Naked Nutrition has vegan protein powders as well. I'm also getting a shipment of their Naked Greens powder soon. I'll tell you about it after I test it out. Check out all their products and let me know what you think once you try them out!

Duane is the owner of Spark Physical Therapy in New Haven, CT and host of the Healthy Runner Podcast. Duane initially started running as an adult, wanting to add some cardio to his gym sessions. After having a hip surgery, his doctor advised him to get off the treadmill and run outside. Without having fully recovered, Duane suffered a running-related hamstring tendon injury. Through his own rehabilitation and his work as a physical therapist, Duane continues to set Personal Bests in his running career. He joins us today to have a deep-dive conversation about hamstring injuries: the root causes of hamstring injuries how to strengthen them (and his favorite hamstring exercise) prevention advice (it's far easier to prevent than treat an injury!) common myths about rehabilitation Duane not only has the clinical expertise to evaluate and treat hamstring injuries but the coaching expertise to design training that better protects you from hurting this important muscle group. We'll also discuss why tight hamstrings are sometimes falsely labeled an injury, why glute strength is intimately tied to hamstring health, and how "rest" is rarely the treatment for injuries. Duane and Jason also talk about: Why runners with hamstring issues should think twice about pool running Can heavy shoes impact your hamstring health? The most effective hamstring exercises for runners When runners can use NSAIDS and when to avoid them Show Links & Resources: Check out Duane's website at SPARK Physical Therapy Duane's Healthy Runner Facebook group See exercise videos on his YouTube channel Healthy Runner podcast Everything you need to know about tight hamstrings Our best injury prevention advice

David Joyce is a titan in the world of elite sport. He has worked at the highest levels of world athletics and with multiple national, world, and Olympic Champions. He’s worked at two Olympic Games, with elite rugby and soccer teams, and is currently the Head of Athletic Performance with the Greater Western Sydney Giants soccer team in Sydney, Australia. He holds masters degrees in both sports physiotherapy and strength and conditioning and teaches the Masters of Strength and Conditioning course at Edith Cowan University in Perth. He’s the main editor of two authoritative books on athletic performance and injury risk mitigation, the first is Sports Injury Prevention and Recovery: Integrating Medicine and Science for Performance Solutions and the second is High-Performance Training for Sports: The Authoritative Gide for Ultimate Athletic Conditioning. In this episode, we’re discussing a more effective approach to injury recovery: a performance framework that isn’t simply interested in healing the injury, but actually getting you to your pre-injury level of performance. We’ll talk about: the major goals of this approach how rehabilitation evolves over the course of an injury major screening considerations for injuries David’s top strategies for staying healthy if you currently don’t have an injury For more on injuries, hear from 9 elite runners on their favorite prevention and recovery advice! Thank you to our sponsor Inside Tracker! Test your blood to see if you're overtraining or have any hormones out of the optimal range. Use code strengthrunning to save 10% on any test.

Scott Caulfield is the director of strength and conditioning at Colorado College and previously the coaching education manager and head strength and conditioning coach for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He holds a bachelor's degree in physical education, a master's degree in sports coaching, and three important certifications: Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with Distinction (NSCA) Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach with Distinction (NSCA) Level 2 Advanced Sports Performance Coach (USA Weightlifting) Scott has held strength coaching roles at Dartmouth College, the River Valley Club, the Vermont Frost Heaves, and Colorado College. Topics from this episode include: What a "Director of Strength & Conditioning" typically does on a day to day basis The strength training differences needed for runners vs. hockey players How to lift effectively at home without a lot of equipment The strength implements he recommends buying for a total of less than $90 How to schedule strength training as an endurance runner Show Links & Resources: Strength Running's free strength ecourse Weight training for runners Follow Scott on Twitter Learn more about Colorado College Stock a home gym for less than $100 Support our Sponsor, Inside Tracker This episode would not have been possible without Inside Tracker, who is offering a 10% discount on any of their tests with code strengthrunning. They test over 40 biomarkers, like various stress hormones, to determine if you’re training too hard, too little, or have any physiological weaknesses that can be remedied by either diet, exercise, or lifestyle changes. In other words, you learn about problems that have actionable solutions. After getting your results, they communicate what you can do to lift or lower your results into the optimal range. For any runner who wants every advantage, to see what they’re truly capable of achieving, I highly recommend Inside Tracker. I’ve personally used their ‘Ultimate Package’ tier and loved the process and results. Don’t forget to use code strengthrunning to save 10% on any test (including their affordable DIY and Essentials)!

Runners, friends, I recorded this episode to give you a small jolt of encouragement when I think we all need it. I sincerely hope you are well, safe, healthy, and able to see those who you most care about. I’m in awe at the bravery of our healthcare pro’s who put their lives at risk to help others - and I’d like to give an enormous, public thank you to these heroes.  As we’re all experiencing more and more fatigue from being quarantined and isolated, I hope that you reflect on what’s most important to you, invest in that, and encourage those around you with positivity. We don’t have a formal sponsor for this episode but I’d like to thank all of you for making it possible. Without your support and feedback, we wouldn’t be here today. I’m still in shock that the Strength Running Podcast is consistently in the Top 3 most popular running podcasts in the US. Thank you for every review, every download, and every share with your friends. Thank you for listening. Resources: Training plans, running programs, and coaching Join our community Get our best injury prevention advice

Angie Spencer is the cohost of the Marathon Training Academy Podcast and someone who just finished the 50 state challenge. But she added two important twists: first, not every race was a marathon. Some of them were ultramarathons! And she didn't run all of the marathons just to finish them. In fact, her 50th marathon this past January in Hawaii was a substantial Personal Best. How in the world did Angie run a PR in the marathon - a BQ no less - more than a decade after starting the challenge? She's on the pod to talk about just that. We're also discussing: How she maintained her motivation over more than 10 years to finish the 50 state challenge The mistakes she'd avoid if she were to start over again How her training evolved to make her into a more resilient, stronger, faster marathoner What's next for Angie after completing such a long-term goal If you're thinking about committing to a monumental goal like a multi-year running streak, 50 marathons in all 50 states, or even a time-based goal like a sub-3 marathon, this episode with Angie Spencer is for you. Resources & Links: Listen to the MTA Podcast with hosts Angie and Trevor Spencer See the MTA blog Follow MTA on Instagram and Twitter How to recover from a marathon How to qualify for the Boston Marathon How to run your first marathon Thank you Angie for sharing your story with us on the podcast! Be sure to say hi on Instagram! Enter to Win with PATH Projects This episode of the Strength Running Podcast is sponsored by PATH Projects. They’re an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel that I’m falling in love with (and they’re giving away three $75 gift cards!). Currently, I’m wearing the Sykes 5″ Shorts (see them in action in this video), the Pyrinees hooded sweatshirt, and the Torch base liner. Their gear is unique, stylish, and a premium quality that feels great to wear. And because there’s no retail markup, PATH is quite affordable. They’re using new technical fabrics and innovations 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. Check out their full lineup of shorts, tops, hats, and base liners on their site – and don’t forget to enter to win one of three $75 gift cards at PathProjects.com (the giveaway ends on May 3rd!).

One of my goals with Strength Running is to prevent you from making the same mistakes that I've made in my own running career. Because I've made almost all of them! Some of my "favorite" mistakes have been: Running my easy days too hard Not doing any dynamic warm up exercises before each run Inconsistently completing my strength exercises Relying too much on intensity and brutal workouts to "prove" my fitness Now, my coaching philosophy is more balanced. There's less pressure on any one individual workout and more on the total body of work completed during a training cycle. And today on the podcast, I want to show you what that looks like in practice. Brian is in his mid-40's and started running about five years ago. He's run a variety of races but only one marathon. A big reason why is that he's had a lot of injuries from knee pain, glute problems, and IT Band Syndrome. We're discussing: How Brian typically prepares for the marathon His background in other sports The steps he can take to prioritize healthy, pain-free running Marathon training fundamentals Show Links & Resources: Injury prevention for runners ecourse Elite runners on recovery and staying healthy Sub 3 hour marathon training How to run your fastest marathon Thanks Brian for sharing your running life with us! Thanks PATH Projects PATH Projects made this episode of the podcast possible. They’re an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel that I’m falling in love with (and they're giving away three $75 gift cards!). Currently, I’m wearing the Sykes 5″ Shorts (see them in action in this video), the Pyrinees hooded sweatshirt, and the Torch base liner. Their gear is unique, stylish, and a premium quality that feels great to wear. And because there’s no retail markup, PATH is quite affordable. They’re using new technical fabrics and innovations 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. Check out their full lineup of shorts, tops, hats, and base liners on their site - and don't forget to enter to win one of three $75 gift cards at PathProjects.com.

Victoria Sekely was a varsity tennis player at Georgetown where she got her undergraduate degree in human sciences. She then went to New York University and earned her doctorate in physical therapy. She's a USATF-certified running coach, certified Kinesio Taping practitioner, and received her certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) certification from the National Strength & Conditioning Association. In this episode of the podcast, we're discussing a variety of weaknesses that are common in runners and how to address them: A history of repeated and chronic injuries No strength training or a lack of strength An inability to run higher mileage Poor technique With races cancelled for the foreseeable future, now is the time to put in the real work of improving (instead of racing). Focus on training, identify your weak areas, and make your comeback to racing stronger than ever. Show Links & Resources: Follow Victoria on Instagram Victoria Sekely's website Our best injury prevention advice How to improve your running technique Create a bodyweight exercise routine Thank you Victoria for sharing your expertise and helping us stay healthy! Thanks PATH Projects! PATH Projects made this episode of the podcast possible. They're an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel that I'm falling in love with. Currently, I'm wearing the Sykes 5" Shorts (see them in action in this video), the Pyrinees hooded sweatshirt, and the Torch base liner. Their gear is unique, stylish, and a premium quality that feels great to wear. And because there's no retail markup, PATH is quite affordable. They're using new technical fabrics and innovations 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. Check out their full lineup of shorts, tops, hats, and base liners at PathProjects.com.

Luke Tyburski has overcome more in his relatively short life than most of us. His dream as a child was to play professional soccer on the world stage. And he accomplished exactly that as an adult, playing in lower-level professional leagues in California, Louisiana, and the UK. But his dreams were cut short after a series of debilitating injuries. He couldn't maintain the workload of a high-level soccer player without getting hurt. Soon, he succumbed to severe clinical depression. With no backup plan and thoughts of suicide running through his mind, Luke felt lost. But then he discovered endurance sports. Reinventing himself as an ultra-endurance adventurer, Luke started competing in the most brutal events on the planet: The Ultimate Triathlon - a 12-day, 2,000km triathlon across multiple countries Marathon des Sables - a 6-day, 156-mile ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert The Everest Ultramarathon - a 40-mile ultra going down from Base Camp (elevation 17,000 feet) And these are just the most extreme events! Now, Luke is still focused on ultra-endurance events but also in sharing his journey. In this episode of the podcast, Luke and I talk about his background as a soccer player and how he decided to become an ultra-endurance athlete. Specifically, we discuss: What he learned from being injured so frequently as a soccer player How those injuries influence his training for running events The shifts in mindset that were required to transition from soccer to ultra running How running helped him fight his clinical depression What keeps Luke motivated today Luke is a teacher and has a way of lifting up those around him. I felt inspired, motivated, and in a positive state of mind after I spoke with him and I know you will, too! Show Links & Resources: Visit Luke Tyburski's website Chasing Extreme: A Journey of Overcoming Obstacles & Depression to Embrace a Life of Extreme Adventure The Ultimate Triathlon documentary Get $150 off his mindset course with code SRMINDSET Follow Luke on Twitter Mental toughness training How to beat pre-race anxiety Thank you SteadyMD 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.