Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

Andrew Colley: Build Your Best Base Now   If you watched the 2020 U.S.A. Olympic Marathon trials in Atlanta on February 29th, you may have noticed one of the men running with long, flowing. fabulous locks of hair trailing behind him. Or blowing into his face depending on the strong winds that day. And you may have thought: “Who is that guy?” This week’s interview is with professional runner Andrew Colley.  Andrew runs at On ZAP Endurance in Blowing Rock, NC where Runners Connect hosts running retreats every fall.  Andrew is in the top tier of American distance runners and holds some incredible personal records, like 2:12 in the marathon, 1:02 in the half, and 13:40 in the 5k.  This guy is super fast and incredibly talented.   We dive into what kinds of things he and the other men and women at ZAP are doing that helps them be so successful in endurance running.  Is it just talent? Is it the shoes? Is it the food? And what is the team doing right now with the calendar wiped clean of races?   In short, Coach Claire asked Andrew how he could help us become better runners and he absolutely delivered.  We talked about both mental and physical training tips, a little bit about nutrition, and more.   What is refreshing is that professional runners might not be so different from us after all.  Sure, it's their job to run for a living, but we can use similar techniques and habits to get the most out of our running too.  And it sounds like there are a few things Andrew thinks elites can learn from us as well! Questions Andrew is asked:   2:08 How is everyone at ZAP handling the current quarantine situation? 3:12 How do you plan for long-term goals without any upcoming races to plan for? 4:36 How has your training changed, especially the hard to easy ratio? 5:34 How would you explain ‘strides’ to a brand new runner? 7:26 Your last race was the Olympic Marathon Trials in February where you came to the starting line with a 2:12 PR.  It sounds like it wasn't your day. Can you tell us a bit about what happened? 9:19 Is this an injury you’ve had before or a new one? 10:45 What kind of company is ON? 11:04 I reached out to our audience on Facebook and asked them what kinds of topics they'd like to learn about and I think this one from Pete Fenn is great to ask you:  "Do you have any tips or ideas for how to be able to really ‘go for it’ in the midst of races of any distances, to get over the intense feeling that you just don’t have any more gears to go up to?" 13:09 Do you practice mental training outside of running? 14:37 Is it as important to visualize negative race circumstances as much as positive outcomes? 15:54 One thing that I caution my athletes about is:, while we can learn a lot from elite runners such as yourself, we shouldn't train like elites for many reasons.  Do you agree with that? 18:17 How much slower, by minutes, is your easy run pace than your marathon pace? 19:27 What do you do for recovery and what’s the most important? 22:32 What is the nutrition philosophy at ZAP? 25:08 How do you approach nutrient-timing? 25:47 What is your favorite indoor workout? 27:02 What’s next for you with the calendar being pretty empty? 28:38 What advice would you give yourself back when you started running? 29:29 What is the best gift running has given you? 30:30 How can people connect with you? Quotes by Andrew:   “The last thing you want to do is get yourself ready for a hard effort when there isn’t going to be one. So, it’s just about getting that base and keeping a mindfulness that there is purpose behind that base and that it will serve you in the long-term, even if that’s 6-10 months from now.”   “You’re not running top speed for that whole stride, but you get up to it and you touch it. Whereas when you’re finishing the stride, you should be at that speed. It should make you feel like you’re fast.”   “Recovery is not the ABSENCE of training; it IS training in itself.”   “I like to warm up into my runs, whether that’s doing drills or doing the first couple minutes walking. I like to get the body into running mode. I count that as part of recovery because it is easier on your body.”   “To look on the positive note: there are no races in the future, so if I have to miss time I guess this is the best time to be missing.”   “There’s been several times in my career when I’ve just seen the race happen in my head and when the race comes, it’s not surprising. It’s more of a habitual reaction because you’ve been there before.” Take a Listen on Your Next Run   Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel Mentioned in this podcast:  Run To The Top Winners Circle Facebook Community RunnersConnect Facebook page Andrew’s ZAP Athlete Bio ON ZAP Fitness ON Shoes   Follow Andrew on:   Instagram Twitter Andrew’s Website   We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top. The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use. The more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, the more I can reach out to and get top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!

How to find motivation when you have to run solo during this challenging times? How to choose a safe route and the distance for your solo time trail? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast.

How to breathe easier while running? Should you breathe through your nose or mouth when running? Why chest breathing is bad for you? How to strengthen your breathing muscles? Find out in today's audio blog episode.

In this podcast, Coach Michael gives details about what kind of strength training sessions are covered each day of the week that goes live on our Youtube channel and shares more information about this Sunday's virtual race. Tune in now!

What is a fartlek workout? Why and how to do it? What are some practical ways to apply fartlek into your training? Find out in today's podcast from Coaches Ruairi and Dylan.

You probably know her best as the zany next-door neighbor on Netflix's hit show Fuller House and if you don't know her, your kids probably do. We’re excited to  have Andrea on the show, not to talk about her acting or to ask her about Hollywood, but because Andrea is a runner and the sport has completely changed her life for the better.  In her new book, Full Circle, Andrea is refreshingly honest and open about her struggles with anxiety and depression and how running helped her through some incredibly difficult times in her life. Like me, and so many of you listening, Andrea did not start running as a kid, but found it later in life.  Running helped her become strong and confident and realize that she could do hard things. The simple act of going for a run, whether alone or with a friend or group, brought her much needed peace and a sense that everything is going to be okay. As many of us are challenged with adjusting to our current situation, running can provide us with a healthy mechanism for better managing stress and anxiety. And if you’re new to running, as you’ll hear Andrea explain, don’t worry about how fast or how far you’re running. It’s OK to simply be OK. We’re here for you, no matter what. Questions Andrea is asked:   2:02 Are you getting any runs in during quarantine? 3:40 Does your Instagram bio rank your characteristics in order of importance? 5:12 What did running give you that you needed at the time you started running? 9:10 Where does running fit into overall good mental health? 14:22 What is so special about the bond that is formed running with someone else? 18:22 What do you like and not like about racing? 20:47 What advice do you have for beginner runners just off the couch? 22:25 What did you learn most about yourself when you ran your first marathon? 27:34 Why do wish there was an ‘It’s OK to be average’ movement? 30:19 What advice would you give yourself back when you started running? 30:57 What is the best gift running has given you? 32:08 How can people connect with you? Quotes by Andrea:   “I found so much catharsis through running. And I didn’t expect that; I expected to suffer through the training runs, do (the race), cross the finish line and then be done and never run again. But, something happened out there on that course and I was just transformed.”   “Running made me feel like I could do hard things and that became a huge metaphor in my life. I could physically do hard things and I could do mentally and emotionally hard things, too.”   “That’s how I learned to run: I would just run until it hurt and then I walked until I felt better. And then I would run again.”   “Why as a running culture do we only celebrate the fast paces and not the slow paces? The slow runners are still Runners and they’re still out there challenging themselves and they’re still growing. It doesn’t matter if you’re running 12:00 miles or 9:00 miles or 7:00 miles. It doesn’t matter; you’re still growing and challenging yourself.”   “Pain is temporary, but Pride lasts forever.” Take a Listen on Your Next Run   Leave a space for libsyn link   Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel Mentioned in this podcast:  Run To The Top Winners Circle Facebook Community RunnersConnect Facebook page Book: Full Circle by Andrea Barber Series: Fuller House Follow Andrea on:   Instagram Twitter We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top. The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use. The more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, the more I can reach out to and get top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!

How to train and what to eat to maintain a healthy immune system? Why the quality and quantity of your diet is very important now? What nutrients can supercharge your immunity? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast episode.

What causes black toenails, cramps and pain on the top your foot? How to treat and prevent them? Coach Claire explains in this week's audio blog episode. Listen now!

In this week's episode, Coach Michael gives details about the  weekday live at-home fitness challenge video sessions on our YouTube channel. Tune in now!

How to build a strong foundation for running? What things you need to focus on during your base training period? Coaches Dylan and Ruairi discuss in this week's Up-Tempo Talks episode.