Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

Being Vegan isn’t just a diet, it’s a lifestyle. But is a vegan diet sufficient for athletes? Well, just ask Ultra-Marathoner Rich Roll, Marathoner Scott Jurek and our own coach, Claire Bartholic and I’m sure you’ll get 3 emphatic replies of YES.

Michael Jordan. Phil Mickelson. Michael Phelps. Meb Keflezighi. Even the greatest athletes have coaches. Or rather, ESPECIALLY the greatest athletes have coaches. Will working with a coach transform you into an elite runner? Well… not necessarily. But will working with a coach increase your performance greater than going it alone? Absolutely.  

Strength Training. We all could benefit from it. But who has time for it? What if you’re still fairly new to fitness or running and don’t want to invest in hundreds of dollars of equipment? What if you don’t like the idea of going to a gym and ‘performing’ exercises for the whole world to see? Enter Krista Stryker, creator of 12-Minute Athlete, a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout regimen consisting of incredibly short, effective workouts based on calisthenics, cross-training and functional fitness.

One of, if not THE, best way to improve your running AND prevent running injuries is by implementing strength training into your training program. But where do you start? How should you start? This week’s episode features RunnersConnect founder, Jeff Gaudette. Jeff has been a runner for 25 years with personal times of 2:22  in the marathon and 28:45 in the 10k. Recently, Jeff has been focusing on strength training and injury prevention and he speaks with our host, Stephanie, on the science and philosophy of how important strength training is for runners.

Coach Stephanie expands on her marathon training method and how it has helped athletes qualify for Boston. This week focuses on 3 quality runs per week and introduces early training nutrition as an additional and essential part of effective training.

In this week’s episode our host, Stephanie Kay Atwood, runs solo from across the border in Mexico with a tried and true training strategy for Boston Qualifying (BQ’ing): Run-Walk. That’s right. By using run walk, over-distance training and only 3 days of running per week, Stephanie and other athletes she has coached have successfully BQ’d using this training method.

Learn how to use your brain power to be a better runner! Psychologist, bestselling author, athlete and teacher, Dr. Michelle Cleere, works with high achieving athletes, musicians and other top professionals to stay on top of their game. In these pressure-filled fields, the mental factor can be overwhelming. Staying focused and motivated is key to their success.

Justin and Denise Ricks of Mad Moose Events share the history, geology, topography and the incredible routes to run and race in their home area of Moab, Utah, home to two National Parks: Canyonlands and Arches, plus nearby Bears Ears National Monument.

Simon Ong talks about his past health issues and how he changed his life through running. He shares details of his training cycles, from workouts to nutrition and how he went from couch potato to sub 6 minute miles in a half marathon. His story is one of inspiration and passion for running; the enthusiasm for life clearly in his voice.

Have you ever experienced gut issues during training or racing from a product that was supposed to help you feel better? We know that proper fueling during and after endurance performance and training is crucial, but what exactly do our bodies need, when do they need it and why do they need it. Enter Dr. Art Zemach and Tailwind Nutrition. Dr. Zemach is a pediatrician, kayaker, and endurance athlete who has competed in Ironman Switzerland, Leadville Trail and other endurance competitions and offers cutting edge information about optimum nutrition for endurance athletes.