Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

Carolee Belkin Walker is currently Chief of Staff in the office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. She’s a career professional at the Department with previous assignments as a congressional advisor in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, the Deputy Director of the state.gov website, and a consular affairs officer and chief serving on crisis task forces such as the earthquake in Haiti and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Since 2014, Carolee has enjoyed a successful side hustle as a freelance wellness and fitness writer for such publications as the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Women’s Running, and others. She’s the author of her memoir Getting My Bounce Back and she’s currently writing her second book, Keeping My Bounce in Spite of What I’m Facing. She started running in her late 50s in order to lose weight, but soon she began to embrace the overall health benefits of running, and most importantly the mental benefits. As a marathon and triathlon finisher, Carolee is a proud member of the back of the pack. She maintains that participating in these events can play a major role in keeping fit and healthy as you age as they help you set good habits and teach you mindfulness skills that can have a positive impact on every aspect of your life. It has in hers.   Questions Carolee is asked:   2:42 How are things at the moment in Washington D.C. with all that’s going on? 4:23 How important is running right now? 6:20 We were first introduced when you interviewed me for an article in the Washington Post about slowing down your runs so you can eventually run faster.  Can you tell me what you learned overall from researching that article? 9:29 You started running later in life.  Can you tell me about why you started to run and how it's evolved? 11:50 Are people taking this situation as an opportunity to start or restart running? 15:12 You've written a book called "Getting My Bounce Back" and are currently working on "Keeping My Bounce."  Can you talk about the core messages in those books and how they relate to age and running? 20:47 What is the relationship between running and yoga? 26:24 What are the most important lessons you've learned about health, running, and aging? 30:29 How important is surrounding yourself with supportive people? 33:57 What advice would you give yourself back when you started running? 34:24 What is the best gift running has given you? 31:43 How can people connect with you? Quotes by Carolee:   “When you’re running slow, you’re really developing the energy system that you need for the long haul. And the more you can develop that system, the better you can do overall.”   “Especially now with Covid-19, this is the perfect time to become part of an online running community or online training.”   “Doing some planks, maybe one plank on all sides, if possible; two sides and then in the center before you go for a runcan sort of activate your core which can hold you up a little higher so you’re not putting pressure on your back.”   “The fact is, even in a perfect situation… you might tweak something, but you don’t want to throw in the towel, so if I have a labral tear on my hip… then I will go swimming in the pool or I’ll do something else. There is no scenario where you should not be moving around.”   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 Book: Getting My Bounce Back by Carolee Belkin Walker Follow Carolee on:   www.caroleewalker.com Instagram Twitter Facebook LinkedIn 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!

In this challenging times, what areas you can focus now to make the most out of training? Coach Hayley explains in this podcast and also talks about the positives of having a period of time without racing. 

How much you'll slowdown when not able to run? What is the effect of detraining on your VO2 Max and fitness level? How quickly do you lose your running fitness? Coach Claire explains in this Audio Blog podcast.

In this episode, Coach Michael shares details about a virtual race that Team RunnersConnect is organizing next month. Listen now to know how you can take part in this event that helps you keep focused on your goals and maintain a positive mindset.

With many of us don't have races to do, what steps you can take to stay focused on your running and fitness goals? Why you need to reevaluate your purpose when it comes to running? How to be more productive when you've to work from home? Coaches Dylan and Ruairi share some great tips and ideas in today's podcast. Listen now!

Calum Neff- World Record Holder in Stroller Marathon and 10k   This week we talk with Calum Neff, who holds the Guinness world record in the marathon and the 10k while pushing a stroller, or as they say in the UK, while pushing a "pram."   Calum’s accomplishments are amazing and he has a unique perspective on getting fit as a family.   Currently residing in Houston, TX, he started running at four years old. His wife, Julie, and his three young daughters have helped define Calum’s running career after earning a series of Guinness World Records racing while pushing his daughters in the stroller. But he also is a diverse runner competing in all distances on all terrains in a single year, from speed on the track to grueling ultras in the mountains and everything in-between.  He also runs his own coaching business called Hardloop Endurance in Houston.   So just how fast do you have to run while pushing a young human in a stroller to earn a Guinness World Record?  Pretty darn fast! Calum ran 2:31 in the marathon, 1:11 in the half, and 31:43 in the 10k. That is lightning fast even without a stroller! Not only is Calum fast, but he involves his family in his accomplishments, which is not easy to do.  You can tell that he takes his job as a parent and a husband very seriously, but also manages to have a great time in the process. Take a listen as we learn about his training and racing endeavors. Perhaps you will be inspired to gear up the kid(s) and push yourself to new achievements. Questions Calum is asked:   3:18 How did you get into racing with a stroller and how did you decide to go after stroller records? 4:30 Was it your idea or your daughter’s? 5:22 Can you recap your recent 10K WR you just got in February? 7:30 What tips do you have for stroller running? 8:43 What do you look for in a jogging stroller? 9:27 Do you switch hands and how often would you switch in a 5k? 9:47 What is your daughter doing during the race? 10:57 How would you describe your race footage? 11:38 What are the reactions of other racers to you? 12:28 Do you have stroller-specific training? 13:36 What tips do you have to stay fit as a family? 15:51 What strength training do you do with your kids? 19:15 Do you ever run without your kids? 20:02 What advice do you have for those looking at online running coaches? 21:34 Will you coach your daughters at some point? 22:24 What advice would you give parents who are looking for a coach for their kids? 24:28 How do you walk the line of nurturing and pushing? 26:45 Any more WR attempts on the horizon? 27:45 What are the differences between single and double strollers? 29:08 Any plans to reclaim the Half Marathon Stroller Record? 29:40 What advice would you give yourself back when you started running and weight training? 30:53 What is the best gift running has given you? 31:49 How can people connect with you? Quotes by Calum:   “Running takes so long to develop. Stay consistent; stay at it through not only the good times, but the bad runs, as well.”   “Imagine you’re watching a movie and your kids are in that movie, but YOU’RE NOT. And you’re at the theater. You would never stand up in the theater and scream at the screen; you would never try to change the plot. Showing up to sports with that attitude is going to improve not only your kid’s enjoyment of the game, whatever that game is, but it will improve your relationship.”   “A lot of my work in the gym is just very light weight, but very focused on single-leg stability, because you’re either on your left or on your right when you’re running. It’s great to be in a single plane and strong that way, but as soon as you’re off kilter or getting fatigued late in the marathon, you really need to have those extra stability muscles and core strength to kick in.”   “Allie, when I did the marathon record, she was four. This is something that she’ll remember for the rest of her life and just to be running alongside Olympians was the coolest thing to share with her.”   “Stay fluid on the (stroler) bar. I always see parents with the double-handed death-grip on their stroller like it’s just going to fly away from them. It makes you whole body very rigid and your form goes out the window.” 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 Save 20% on your first order of Generation UCAN Calum Neff World Record Half Marathon with Stroller Periscope Footage Calum Neff World Record 10K with Stroller Footage Thule Glide Stroller Thule Double Glide Thule Cross Trailer Follow Calum on:   Instagram Strava Twitter Facebook Calum's coaching program 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 strengthen your foot? What exercises can help stretch your foot and calf muscles? Coach Laura explains in today's podcast.

So your race is likely to get cancelled or postponed. Now what to do? In this week's audio blog, Coach Claire reads an article about how to potentially adjust your schedule for another race and why now is the best time to work on your weaknesses.

As many big-city races are getting cancelled due to Coronavirus, what can you do to remain positive and stay focused on other aspects of your running goals? Coach Michael gives suggestions on how to cope and turn this situation into a more positive one.

In this podcast about Olympic Trails recap, Coach Dylan talks about various interesting things that happened before, during and after the race. Listen now!