Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

Krista DuChene was the 3rd place finisher in the 2018 Boston Marathon. She has run 15 marathons and her personal record of 2:28:32, set at Toronto in 2013, makes her Canada’s 2nd fastest marathoner of all time. Krista shares her journey through the extreme weather conditions at the 2018 Boston Marathon and what it’s like to experience a major marathon as an Elite Runner. She also tells us about some of the challenges she has overcome such as finishing the 2014 Canadian half-marathon championships on a broken leg.

The Great Bangladesh Global Run Day June 6, 2018 is Global Running Day. Run to the Top celebrates the global nature of running as we learn what it is like to run, and race, in Bangladesh. We are joined by Mohammad Shamsuzzaman Arafat who,to honor health and running, has aleady run 1006 kilometers from bottom to top of his country. Bangladesh, a country the size of the state of Iowa, is home to a population larger than all of Russia. Arafat is a 27 year-old ultra runner and founder of The Great Bangladesh Run, a movement that is focused on making a healthier and stronger Bangladesh.      

Have you heard that running is going to mess up your knees or something to that effect? Dr. Cameron Dennis explains to us why that is simply not true. Yes, some runners experience knee issues at certain points, but it isn’t necessarily just because they run, but rather how they run: how often, how fast, how far, etc…

Coach Laura McLean, from RunnersConnect, offers running tips for beginners and more experienced runners as they transition in their own running lives. Laura is a certified endurance coach and is also trained as coach for athletes with disabilities. She is a former elite hockey player who ran cross-country and track in high school. Laura took a brief athletic hiatus after playing college-level hockey before rediscovering running. She hasn’t looked back since.  

Julie and Lisa describe the 2018 meteorologically challenging Boston Marathon as ‘epic’ as they share their unique strategies for handling the weather. And with so many Boston Marathons under their feet, it’s no surprise that they were also there in 2013 (the year of the bombings). We’ll hear their first-hand experiences during the trauma and chaos that ensued. Coaches in addition to runners, they also explain how crucial strength and mental training is for the marathon and how a marathon training program should be like an ice cream sundae.

A gardener, a baker, a marathon racer? Why not? Professional garden designer, amateur baker and finalist on the Great British Bake-Off, Jane Beedle gives us an inside look at getting onto the show and how to use the same determination to take on a marathon in 2018. Not just any marathon but the London Marathon. Listen to the pre-marathon interview and post-race follow-up after Jane's attempt at the BIG 26.2 for the first time at age 62!  

In this episode, Jackie Dikos teaches us how to fuel and hydrate during training, taper and race day while explaining the importance of macronutrients and how to combine them for optimal energy. She also talks about why she focuses on a ‘colorful pate”, how and why to calculate sweat-rate and what to do with that information to more effectively leverage aid stations during marathons. Jackie’s firsthand knowledge and experience provide a host of great information, so don’t be surprised if you listen to this several times to fully absorb these nutrients of fueling wisdom. .

Have you ever felt that you weren’t (or aren’t) a ‘Real Runner’? Maybe it was because of a perceived lack of speed, perceived body image or something else. Well, you’re not alone and we have just the guest to help re-frame any negative self-talk that is holding you back from your best running self. This week we are joined by Jill Angie - author, podcast host, Certified Running Coach, personal trainer and believer in those who have trouble believing in themselves. Jill founded Not Your Average Runner which has blossomed into several books, a podcast, a Facebook Community and coaching program. Jill believes that running should be running fun and accessible for runners of all shapes, size and speed. In this episode, she walks us through her own personal journey of running and how she now helps all types of runners gain a clearer perspective on what it means to run. And, while Jill’s primary focus is plus-size women, this conversation is one that every runner can benefit from.

Let’s face it: Nobody wants a seat on the injury bus. But sometimes we end up there anyway. It could start as a nagging niggle that progresses into a real sideliner or it could just be a persistent twinge that keeps us from performing our best. But how do you know what it is, where it’s coming from and how to keep it from becoming a potentially serious injury? This week we speak with Dr. Brianne Showman Brown, a licensed Physical Therapist who works to treat athlete’s injuries without meds, injections or surgeries to facilitate a quick and safe return to running. She knows runners because she is a runner herself. In this episode, Dr. Brown clearly explains what PF and ITB issues are and also what they may not be. She believes strongly in injury prevention and provides helpful tips on exercises that can be easily incorporated into even the busiest of lives. We also discuss nutrition and hydration and the role they play in recovery and prevention. And although some self-diagnosis tips are shared, we also talk about when and why a professional should get involved in the diagnosis and treatment process. There is an amazing amount of helpful information here and you may find yourself revisiting this episode more than once. Oh, and if you participated in the Boston Marathon, this year or any other, please share your Boston Marathon experience on an upcoming bonus episode of Run To The Top by clicking here.

In this episode we speak with the winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon, Amby Burfoot. We learn about Amby’s background, his experience winning the Boston Marathon, his perspective on the changes in the running world over the last 50 years, and why he believes the brain is the most important part of our running bodies.