

The Running Explained Podcast
Elisabeth Scott
The Running Explained Podcast is your go-to resource for actionable insights, expert tips, and motivating advice to help you become the best runner you can be. Hosted by multi-certified run coach & experienced runner Coach Elisabeth, this podcast takes a science-backed approach to running, offering practical strategies for runners at all stages of their journey. Whether you're struggling with injury, wondering how to fuel your long runs, or trying to nail your race day strategy, we've got you covered with expert interviews, listener questions, and relatable guidance!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 2, 2023 • 1h 19min
*s3/e04 Micronutrients for Runners with Kirsten Screen, MPH, RD, LD (@screennutrition)
You've probably heard about "macros", but what about "MICROS"? Micronutrients are a key component of nutrition for both health and performance, and sports dietitian Kirsten Screen (@screennutrition) is here to teach us all about them!
What are micronutrients?
"Micros" vs 'Macros"
Key micronutrients for endurance athletes
Electrolytes, iron, Vitamin D, and more
How to make sure you're getting ENOUGH micronutrients
Common deficits & causes
Supplementation: yay or nay?
And more!
🕶️🦩This episode is sponsored by GOODR SUNGLASSES! Every pair comes with a 1-Year Warranty and 30-day FREE returns. 100% satisfaction guaranteed (plus Goodr is 100% Carbon Neutral company + 1% for the planet 🌎) Get FREE SHIPPING on your next order of sunglasses & support the show using code RUNEXP at www.goodr.com! 🕶️
Kirsten Screen, MPH, RD, LD is a Registered Dietitian of nearly 20 years. She and her team at Screen Nutrition work with active/athlete adults to support full body function through nutrition. Their focus is on reducing symptoms & increasing performance by supporting gut health and hormonal balance through nutrient resources. Screen Nutrition supports clients in 1:1 and group settings, as well as through self-led resources. Find them on Instagram at @screennutrition or on the web at screennutrition.com

Jan 26, 2023 • 1h 11min
s3/03 "Mental Strength" & Performance Mindset with Shannon Mulcahy, MS (@mulcahyperformance)
How much of performance is mental vs physical? Is that something you can even quantify? Probably not, but the two are clearly inextricably linked. Mental Performance Coach Shannon Mulcahy (@mulcahyperformance) joins the show this week to talk about the role your MIND plays in your performance!
What do we mean when we talk about the mental side of performance?
The toxic side of telling someone anything is possible if they want it enough
"Mental strength" vs "mental toughness"
Setting goals & including mental performance skills
Self-talk & skill-building
Performance anxiety
and more!
Shannon Mulcahy is the founder of Mulcahy Performance Consulting - a sport psychology practice helping athletes to train their minds like they train their bodies. Based in Columbia, Maryland, Shannon holds a Master’s in Sport and Exercise Psychology and has worked with hundreds of athletes and coaches worldwide in her 8+ years of industry experience. When she’s not working with athletes, she can be found on a trail or in a lake training for her races. Connect with Shannon on Instagram @mulcahyperformance or explore the current services and resources at mulcahyperformance.com

5 snips
Jan 19, 2023 • 1h 35min
*s3/e02 Supershoes with Doctors of Running (@doctorsofrunning) Dr. Matt Klein & Dr. Nathan Brown
What's the deal with... supershoes? The Doctors of Running (@doctorsofrunning) Matthew Klein, PT DPT PhD(c) OCS GCS FAAOMPT, and Nathan Brown, PT DPT OCS, are here talk all things CARBON PLATES, fancy foams, performance improvements (maybe...?) and more!!
What IS a "supershoe"?
History of this new generation of footwear
Getting nerdy about foams
What does the "plate" actually do?
Supershoe geometry
What does the science say about what these shoes DO?
If, how, and when to wear a plated shoe
Do stability plated shoes exist?
Is this CHEATING?
Doctors of Running (formerly Kleinruns DPT) was founded by Dr. Matt Klein as a way for him to share his thoughts and learn more about footwear, biomechanics, physical therapy, rehabilitation, running, and performance. It continues to evolve to this day to meet the needs of those who contribute, those who read/visit and those looking for assistance.
https://www.doctorsofrunning.com
https://www.facebook.com/doctorsofrunning
https://www.instagram.com/doctorsofrunning
https://www.youtube.com/@doctorsofrunning
https://twitter.com/DoctorsRunning

4 snips
Jan 12, 2023 • 1h 26min
s3/e01 Understanding Cadence with Dr. Matt Minard, DPT, CSCS (@learn.2.run)
Welcome to Season 3! Dr. Matt Minard, DPT, CSCS, founder of Learn2Run, joins Coach Elisabeth for the first episode of 2023 for a deep dive on running cadence.
WHAT is running cadence?
WHEN does cadence matter?
WHO should pay attention to cadence?
Learn about optimal cadence, the relationship between cadence and speed, cadence and stride right, and more in this wide-ranging conversation about running cadence!
Dr. Matt Minard owns Learn 2 Run, a program that teaches runners how to run smarter, safer, and faster. He hopes this podcast will help runners improve their metrics while reducing injuries. In practice, he focuses on 3 very important aspects of running: optimizing mechanics, building a base, and increasing VO2max. His purpose is to help people. With a passion for human movement and fitness, he is driven to help others learn how to move their bodies strategically and efficiently to reduce the risk of injury and increase overall wellness.
https://www.instagram.com/learn.2.run
https://www.tiktok.com/@learn.2.run
www.l2rsmartersaferfaster.com
🕶️🦩This episode is sponsored by GOODR SUNGLASSES! Get FREE SHIPPING on your next order of sunglasses & support the show using code RUNEXP at www.goodr.com! 🕶️

Dec 29, 2022 • 47min
s2/e45 5 Lessons & Reflections from 2022 with Coach Elisabeth
Coach Elisabeth breaks down 5 lessons & reflections from 2022 in this final episode of the year, including....
Stress is stress
You can't always get what you want
A little speed goes a long way
An object in motion stays in motion
Being in shape is awesome; getting into shape sucks
This episode is sponsored by InsideTracker! For a limited time, get 20% off the entire InsideTracker store; visit insidetracker.com/runningexplained today! Created by leading scientists in aging, genetics, and biometrics, InsideTracker analyzes your blood, DNA, and fitness tracking data to identify where you’re optimized—and where you’re not. You’ll get a daily Action Plan with personalized guidance on the right exercise, nutrition, and supplementation for your body. Add InnerAge 2.0 to any plan to calculate your true biological age, and see how you’re aging from the inside out!

Dec 22, 2022 • 56min
s2/e45 Runner Q&A with Coach Elisabeth
Let's finish up 2022 with an old-fashioned listener Q&A! Coach Elisabeth goes through a variety of listener-submitted questions in this second-to-last episode of the year, discussing training cycles & trying to get pregnant, stress fractures, best hydration vests, run coaching, and more!

Dec 15, 2022 • 1h 13min
s2/e44 What Happens When You Lose Your Period (& What To Do) with Cynthia Donovan, MS, RDN, CDN (@period.nutritionist)
What happens when you lose your period? Amenorrhea (missing menstrual cycles) is unfortunately common among the endurance athlete community, and Cynthia Donovan, MS, RDN, CDN (@period.nutritionist) joins the show to discuss all things MISSING PERIODS, including what's happening when your period disappears, why we WANT a regular menstrual cycle for short- and long-term health, and steps to take if your period is missing.
Cynthia's story of amenorrhea & her professional journey
The impact your missing period has on your bone health, heart health, gut health, and more
Why hormonal contraception may be masking whether or not you're getting an ovulatory menstrual cycle
Why you don't have to be underweight to lose your period
What do you need to do to restore your period?
PCOS and missing/irregular period
Why your menstrual cycle should be considered the "fifth vital sign"
Proactively supporting your menstrual health
This episode is sponsored by InsideTracker! For a limited time, get 20% off the entire InsideTracker store; visit insidetracker.com/runningexplained today! Created by leading scientists in aging, genetics, and biometrics, InsideTracker analyzes your blood, DNA, and fitness tracking data to identify where you’re optimized—and where you’re not. You’ll get a daily Action Plan with personalized guidance on the right exercise, nutrition, and supplementation for your body. Add InnerAge 2.0 to any plan to calculate your true biological age, and see how you’re aging from the inside out!
Cynthia is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with over 10 years of experience in the field. Serving women with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea & helping them get their period back, restore their health & find balance with food & exercise is her passion & her main focus in her practice. Since founding the Eat to Regain Your Period Program in April 2020, She’s worked with hundreds of women in helping them get their period & their life back. When she’s not serving women across the world with period recovery- you can find her with the two loves of her life, her sons, Brian and Brayden.
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/period.nutritionist/
Website: www.periodnutritionist.com
Apply for Period Recovery Coaching w/Cynthia: https://p.bttr.to/3ybjfOb

Dec 8, 2022 • 46min
s2/e43 BORN TO RUN 2 with Chris McDougall and Eric Orton
THE SEQUEL IS HERE! 13 years ago, "Born to Run" was released and captivated the running (and non-running) world. Now author Chris McDougall has partnered with coach Eric Orton to write BORN TO RUN 2: The Ultimate Training Guide, the follow-up, fully illustrated companion. Chris and Eric join the show today to talk about some of the stories and anecdotes in the book, finding the joy in running, and why community is one of the most important things for all runners
How to refocus on finding the enjoyment in running, even when you're chasing goals
The Roman Legions & "all day pace"
"100 Ups" and the story of a pharmacist who became a running star by running in place at his job
Good running form - what do we mean?
The importance of finding "your running people"
AVAILABLE NOW: BORN TO RUN 2: The Ultimate Training Guide
🕶️🦩This episode is sponsored by GOODR SUNGLASSES! Get FREE SHIPPING on your next order of sunglasses & support the show using code RUNEXP at www.goodr.com! 🕶️
CHRISTOPHER McDOUGALL covered wars in Rwanda and Angola as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press before writing his best-selling book Born to Run. His fascination with the limits of human potential led to his next works, Running with Sherman and Natural Born Heroes, and his Outside magazine web series, “Art of the Hero.” He lives in Hawaii with his family.
ERIC ORTON’s experiences with the Tarahumara and his study of running, human performance, strength, and conditioning have led him to the cutting edge of the sport and made him a go-to for athletes everywhere. The author of The Cool Impossible and former fitness director for the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Orton personally trains athletes from recreational racers to elite ultramarathoners. He lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Dec 1, 2022 • 1h 11min
s2/e42 Unpacking Mindset Around Performance Nutrition with Natalie Robertello, MS, RD (@befueledsportsnutrition)
Sports nutrition & performance fueling isn't just for elite athletes; anyone with any goal of feeling good and improving performance (WHATEVER those goals are for you!) should be understanding their body's fueling & nutrition needs. Sports Dietitian Natalie Robertello, MS, RD, CSSD, CDN (@befueledsportsnutrition) joins the show to discuss the mindset and belief systems we have around fueling & nutrition as recreational athletes including...
What is "diet culture" and how does it influence our approach to performance fueling?
"Discipline" versus balance
Recognizing common obstacles to appropriate fueling
"Dieting" culture
Fear of carbs/fear of "too much"
When liquid calories have a place (sometimes a mandatory one!)
What happens when you feel like you can't carb load, i.e. eat the recommended carbohydrates per day?
Tips for planning your pre-race carb-load
Generational and gender differences in common obstacles to performance nutrition
The stories we tell ourselves about how the way we eat defines who we are
How to dis-entangle our beliefs around running more & eating less when we originally started running as a way to lose weight
Weird "internet" diet trends
The way certain sports nutrition products are marketed using "diet culture" talking points
Natalie Robertello, MS, RD, CSSD, CDN, is a Sports Dietitian & owner of BeFueled Sports Nutrition, as well as an endurance athlete.
https://www.befueledsn.com/
Sports Dietitian & owner of BeFueled Sports Nutrition, as well as an endurance athlete (triathlete, runner).

Nov 24, 2022 • 1h 22min
s2/e41 The Relationship We Have With Running with Tina Muir (@tinamuir88)
The only constant is change, and while running may seem like your rock in the ever-flowing river of life, your relationship with running WILL change over the course of not only your life, but the seasons of life you find yourself in. Tina Muir, Founder of Running for Real, mom, podcaster, and former professional runner and international runner for Great Britain & Northern Ireland joins the show to talk about the many ways we can form a relationship with running, and what we should be striving for at the end of the dayTina’s experience an a professional runner and what her relationship was like with the sport when it was her jobThe strange challenges and pressures professional runners face when running is how your jobNot every season of life is going to be the season where you’re training hard and setting PRsRunning as a mom & not getting caught in the comparison trap“You can’t quantify your way to a guaranteed outcome”Branching out and finding joy in ALL the things, not just chasing timesThis episode is sponsored by InsideTracker! For a limited time, get 20% off the entire InsideTracker store; visit insidetracker.com/runningexplained today! Created by leading scientists in aging, genetics, and biometrics, InsideTracker analyzes your blood, DNA, and fitness tracking data to identify where you’re optimized—and where you’re not. You’ll get a daily Action Plan with personalized guidance on the right exercise, nutrition, and supplementation for your body. Add InnerAge 2.0 to any plan to calculate your true biological age, and see how you’re aging from the inside out!Tina is the founder and CEO of Running For Real. Tina is a mother of two and former international runner for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Tina hosts the Running For Real Podcast, which has amassed over 6 million downloads. The Running For Real Podcast is a collective of conversations about running, the climate emergency, and social justice. Tina also hosts a second, NPR style podcast with Knox Robinson called Running Realized, noted as "The 'Invisibilia' of running" by Women's Running. Tina has worked with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and been featured in The Guardian, The Telegraph, People Magazine, Outside, SELF, and Women’s Health.