Running is many things; it's therapeutic, it's good for our mental and physical wellbeing, and it's probably part of your mental health management! But running ISN'T therapy or a replacement for therapy. Therapist & coach Sarah Strong, MSW, LCSW (@the_trail_therapist) joins the show to talk about this and the ways that we can make sure that we're using running responsibly for our mental health! Running isn't therapy, but running can be therapeutic; what do we mean by that? What running can & can't do for mental health Ways that running may contribute to or exacerbate underlying mental health conditions The difference between running for exercise & mental health management and training seriously for a big performance goal Access to therapy & healthcare equity Some signs that talking to a therapist might be better than going for a run and more! Known online as The Trail Therapist, Sarah Strong is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and running coach who is passionate about helping runners have a healthy relationship with their sport, their body, and themselves. Whether she’s training for an upcoming ultra, providing hiking based mental health services or chasing after her kids and dog, you can find Sarah on her local Colorado Front Range Trails most any day of the week. Nature, movement, and mindfulness are the foundation of her therapeutic practice.  In addition to her work as a therapist, Sarah also coaches with Microcosm Coaching and Revolution Running and volunteers her time with Bigger Than The Trail. You can find Sarah’s mental performance coaching programs and courses at the-trail-therapist.teachable.com.

This week's episode is a RUNNER Q&A! Coach Elisabeth answers questions about warm-ups, "glute activation", how to find your race pace when you're doing mostly easy running, WHY our runs are (often) of different lengths during the week, a first marathon pep talk, 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! 🕶️ -- Looking for guidance in your training? Not sure what do to or when do to it? Want SPECIFIC advice for your training or to learn EXACTLY what YOU should do to reach your goals? Check out the MANY training plans available including 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, base-building, and speed base plans for beginner to experienced runners! Book a "Call A Coach" consult! 30- and 60-minute calls available with Coach Elisabeth to get YOUR specific questions & help you chart a path forward! Get more from your marathon or half marathon training with Group Coaching or TrainingPLUS programs! 1:1 Run Coaching spaces are available; learn more at the link in bio!

What role does nutrition play in injury prevention & injury recovery? What can you do to reduce your injury risk, and how can you support your injury recovery with nutrition? Registered Dietitian Steph Hnatiuk (@steph.the.runners.dietitian) joins the show to help us understand the relationship between injury and nutrition! The role underfueling plays in increasing injury risk Carb restriction & Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) What your body needs when it's injured (hint: it's not restriction!) Fear of weight gain when injured Ways we can use nutrition to support the recovery process Fasted training/"earning" your food Obsession over "burning calories" when injured Bone health & nutrition Key nutrients to support injury recovery Steph Hnatiuk has been a Registered Dietitian and Fitness Coach for over 10 years and has helped thousands of people improve their eating habits, get big results, and develop a better relationship with food. She helps runners of all levels achieve their personal best performance using her 3-step strategy: the Fuel Train Recover method. You can find her on Instagram @steph.the.runners.dietitian, or at www.stephaniehnatiuk.com

How do you learn to TRUST that the process is working? How do you learn to TRUST yourself instead of trying to be "perfect on paper"? How do you become OK with your goals taking longer than you want to achieve? Coach Angie Brown, DPT, of @realliferunners, joins the show to talk about TRUST: learning to trust the process and trust yourself! Common misconceptions about the process Why is it so hard to learn to trust ourselves? Getting frustrated & overwhelmed when you're trying to do "all the things" at the same time When our ego gets in the way Letting go of instant gratification  Learning to tune into your body, not your watch What if it takes longer than you want to reach your goals? Focusing on the process, not the outcome Not letting a single bad workout or race destroy your confidence   And more! Dr. Angie Brown, DPT is a mom, wife, entrepreneur, coach, and physical therapist that is the founder of the Real Life Runners Training Academy and Real Life Runners podcast that she hosts alongside her husband, Kevin Brown. She loves helping runners to run faster and longer without injury so they can have more energy, be strong, healthy, and fit, and have more freedom in their lives. She holds her doctorate in physical therapy, specializing in runner-specific strength and conditioning, mobility, and injury prevention for runners and also holds a certification in nutrition to help her clients integrate healthy eating to complement their training and overall health goals. She has a passion for health, wellness, food, fitness and helping to educate people on the importance of healthy lifestyle changes, in order to live an active, vibrant life, both now and as we get older. Website: https://www.realliferunners.com/ Email: support@realliferunners.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realliferunners Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realliferunners YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@realliferunners  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realliferunners 

PLYOMETRICS! What place do they have in an endurance runner's training? Dr. Matt Casturo, DPT, CSCS (@themovementsystem) joins the show to introduce us to plyometrics for endurance runners! What are plyometrics? "Sport-specific" training vs "general fitness training" Muscle fiber types and "explosive" power The Stretch-Shortening Cycle Tendons! WHY an endurance runner might want to include plyo How to SAFELY introduce plyo into your training and more! The Movement System was created by Matt Casturo, Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, to improve your understanding of human movement and make the world stronger. Matt received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The Ohio State University in 2021, and his Bachelors in Exercise Science from The Ohio State University in 2017.

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

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

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

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! 🕶️

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!

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!

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.

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).

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 & 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 day Tina’s experience an a professional runner and what her relationship was like with the sport when it was her job The strange challenges and pressures professional runners face when running is how your job Not every season of life is going to be the season where you’re training hard and setting PRs Running 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 times 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! 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.

What is Overtraining Syndrome? Psychologist and researcher Jill Colangelo, ALM (@jillcolangelopsych) joins the show this week to talk about this extremely important issue that endurance runners are at risk of when training stress and recovery are out of balance, dangerously so. Learn about Overtraining Syndrome, including... What is Overtraining Syndrome (OTS)? What are some of the signs and symptoms? The recovery timeline for OTS Risk factors for OTS Is exercise addiction real? What happens when we misuse exercise "No, you are not the exception" OTS versus Overreaching Why can some people handle such a high training volume while others cannot? The relationship between mental health and training volume by hours per week 🕶️🦩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! 🕶️ Jill Colangelo is a writer and researcher who studies the relationship between mental health and ultra-endurance sport. She is actively involved with new research in this area with the University of Bern and writing mental health-focused articles at Triathlete Magazine.  www.jillcolangelo.com Jill Colangelo on YouTube Jill Colangelo on Instagram Jill Colangelo on Triathlete.com

“Biohacking” practices have proliferated in the last 20 years, marketed as ways to optimize your body, health, and performance… but is biohacking something you should really be focusing on? Dr. Adrian Chavez calls himself an “anti-hacker” and joins the show to talk about biohacking, marketing, and why you should focus on nailing the foundations instead of pouring money into biohacks. A brief history of biohacking A spectrum of biohacks: from legit in certain situations to legit dangerous in others Marketing/follow the money: is someone creating a problem & selling you the solution? Belief systems vs. the search for “truth” Nutritional/diet trends High-profile adherents of certain biohacks & dietary trends Understanding the foundational principles: nutrition, hydration, sleep 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! -- Dr. Adrian Chavez has a PhD in Nutrition; his mission is to help people improve their well-being and prevent or reverse chronic diseases using science-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies. He is an expert in the gut/brain connection and hosts the Your Nutrition Prescription podcast. The Nutrition Science Podcast --

Trying to run BACK TO BACK marathons (or other races?) Sports Dietitian Stevie Lyn Smith joins the show to help you understand how to handle running two big endurance events two days, two weeks, or two months in a row! Understanding the most important things about running back-to-back races: when is it a good idea, when is it a bad idea? Discussing the types of training that might be required The basic principles of optimizing recovery between races General training guidelines between two races Stevie Lyn's experience advising Shalane Flanagan on her bloodwork in 2021 when Shalane ran 6 marathons in 42 days Carb-loading before and between races How to start recovering as soon as you cross the finish line Discussing how some athletes are genetically gifted when it comes to durability, resilience, and recovery -- 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! -- Stevie Lyn Smith has ten years of experience in providing nutrition education and counseling in a variety of clinical settings and with athletes of all levels. Growing up as a three-season athlete and playing lacrosse at the collegiate level, being active has always been a passion. After retiring from team sports, she has since completed ten full ironman distance triathlons, numerous half-iron distance triathlons, and marathons, along with many other endurance events including the ultra-marathon distance. As an avid endurance and team sport athlete, she knows the importance of eating to support a healthy lifestyle both on and off the field. When working with groups and clients one-on-one she provides an evidenced-based and practical approach using her education and experience to empower individuals to improve their physical and mental well-being. While Stevie Lyn is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, she also has worked with many other populations providing medical nutrition therapy. Being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease later in her athletic career, she feels strongly about helping others to continue to stay active and healthy while managing chronic autoimmune disease.

Let's talk about it. Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions you can experience, and running is an integral part of many runners' mental health management. Ultrarunner & coach Will Frantz joins the show for a raw conversation about depression, running, mental health, feeling good, feeling bad, working with clients who are struggling with their mental health, neurotransmitters, nutrition, and more! Depression sucks! Tiny habits Setting yourself up for success "Motivation" & consistency Rough patches in races & in life What coaches can do to help during the rough patches Learning to be flexible Neurotransmitters 101 Simple nutritional support for brain health and more! Will Frantz is a personal trainer, ultrarunning coach, and nutrition coach. You can find him on his podcast, "Eat Well, Sleep Great, Run Far" sharing information on training, nutrition, and more!  Eat Well, Sleep Great, Run Far Podcast: https://anchor.fm/eatsleeprun Trail and Ultra Running Nutrition FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/trailultranutrition Website: https://willfrantz.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/will.c.frantz/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@will.c.frantz

Coach Elisabeth recaps the Chicago Marathon! Hear about the course, the experience, and the weekend itself! The course The crowds The weekend experience On-course support Tips & tricks The pros & cons to running a race like this! 🕶️🦩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! 🕶️

Every runner will need to take time off at some point, whether a normal post-race recovery period, several weeks or months to deal with an injury or illness, or months+ (hello, baby!) for a variety of reasons. That's life! Don't freak out! How do you take time off, stage a comeback, and keep believing in yourself the whole way through? Kim Clark (@trackclubbabe) joins the show to talk about how to keep the faith and set yourself up for long-term success. Normalizing recovery! Taking recovery time is a NORMAL part of the training process What happens if you take a few days or a week off? When bigger interruptions happen How to deal with the emotions of being "less fit" than you were? Giving yourself permission to run as slow as you need to How do you keep believing that your fitness will return? Kim discovered a love for running 10 years ago and loves to share the ups & downs of her journey on her instagram @trackclubbabe, while encouraging others to dream big. Her first marathon was a 6:08 and her fastest a 3:11-- and she shares all the training strategies for any runner to improve their running too! Kim & her husband Tyler (@tunderface, a 4:10 to a 2:18 marathoner) have created training programs made for any level of runner to find big improvement. Their program FAST FALL, a 12 week speed training program, was created off of what helped Kim to finally find her running breakthrough & has helped so many runners reach their big potential too.