RunnersConnect Run to the Top Podcast

What if I told you that there was a simple way to improve your muscular endurance, reduce your respiratory rate when running, reduce the production of lactic acid, slash your cortisol build up in half, allowing for faster recovery times after every run?  I bet you’d be all over it, right?  And then you might be asking, what’s the catch? My guest today is Dr Dena Garner and she’s spent the last 17 years of her career researching and developing a very simple product that promises to do just that. Dr Garner is a professor at The Citadel, one of six senior military colleges in the United States.  She has degrees in exercise science and muscle physiology as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in neurology.   At The Citadel, her research has concentrated on the effects of a mouthpiece inserted over the lower teeth during exercise. She measures physiological parameters of her subjects while using the mouthpiece, including levels of lactate and cortisol, as well as respiratory rate and has found some pretty incredible results. Her research has shown that the specific way you place your jaw and tongue, aided by a mouthpiece, results in a physiological change in the airway, which improves performance outcomes.  In addition to opening your airway, when you bite or clench down on the mouthpiece during exercise, research cites an increase in cerebral blood flow, which may be the link to the improvements in cortisol and lactate. Okay, okay, I know what you are thinking.  This is pretty weird, right?  And I’m not afraid to say that to Dr Garner in our conversation.   But, if you think about it, it could make sense.   Think about when you are concentrating hard on something.  Many people instinctively clench their teeth or chew on a pencil or their lip or a necklace or bite their nails. Why do we do that?  What if it’s not just a habit your mom tries to get you to stop doing?  What if it’s a stress-relieving mechanism that’s evolved over time that actually does help us? I don’t know about all that, but what I do know is that this research is absolutely fascinating to me and potentially could be a gamechanger in performance and recovery.  Let’s find out. CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY:   Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

Having a solid fueling plan for the marathon can make the difference between a great race and a disaster.  But how do you know what to eat, how much to eat, and when? Coach Claire Bartholic explains exactly how much runners need to take in before and during the marathon.  She talks what you should be doing in the days before the race to top off your muscles' storage of glycogen, what you should eat race morning, and just how many carbs and calories you need to take in to avoid the bonk and cross the finish line your fastest! CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each week! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT! Marathon Nutrition Blueprint https://runnersconnect.net/marathon-nutrition-blueprint/

Are you ready to be inspired? And maybe have some fun while we are at it?  Then this is the episode for you. For most of us, qualifying for the Olympics is a completely unrelateable accomplishment, right?  Well how about qualifying for FIVE of them? Abdi Abdirahman is the only American distance runner to qualify for five Olympic Games. At age 44, Abdi is also the oldest American runner to qualify for the Olympics, the oldest male to podium at the New York City Marathon, and the USA Track & Field master’s record holder in the marathon. Born in Somalia, he came to Tucson, Arizona, at age 16 after his family escaped civil war. He became an American citizen in 2000 and has represented the United States as a 10,000m runner at the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympics, in the marathon in 2012, and has qualified for the 2020 Olympic marathon to be held in Japan this year.  Coach Claire Bartholic wanted to talk to “The Black Cactus” as Abdi is also known, not just about his amazing accomplishments, but about the things that are relatable and helpful to all runners--not just elites. Because the truth is that we are all runners and while Abdi just happens to be one of the fastest runners on the planet, we are all just putting one foot in front of the other. His new book is called, Abdi’s World: The Black Cactus on Life, Running, and Fun, and in it, Abdi not only tells his incredible life story, but he also talks about how he leads a fulfilling life that is not all about running. It’s like a guidebook that is part life lessons, part training tips, part autobiography, and all uniquely Abdi.  Claire talks with him about his 5 rules of running that might just help you have a better run today.  It’s kind of hard to believe that such a dedicated, durable and resilient runner like him sometimes has to convince himself to go for a run, but it’s true and she asks him all about it. This conversation is as much about living a passionate life as it is about running and it’s hard to find someone more passionate about both than Abdi.   CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each week! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!   This week's show brought to you by:  Perform from the Amino Company. Perform is an amino acid based formulation that I simply add to my water bottle during my run. It tastes great and is easy on my stomach.  Clinical studies have shown that Perform helps improve endurance, reduce fatigue, and increases muscle protein synthesis so you recover faster after the run. Check out the research here: https://aminoco.com/rttt  If you’re interested in learning  more and giving Perform a try, we’ve got a special offer for you where you can save 30% by using the code RC30. Just head to: https://aminoco.com/rttt and use the code RC30 at checkout to save 30%  This week's show also brought to you by:  Heal from the Amino Company. Heal is an amino acid, whey and creatine based formulation designed to reduce recovery times and improve physical function after injuries by accelerating muscle repair while helping maintain a healthy inflammatory response. Check out the research here: https://aminoco.com/rttt  If you're looking for a nutritional advantage when it comes to recovering from your running injury or your daily training I recommend you give Heal a try.   If you’re interested in learning  more and giving Heal a try, we’ve got a special offer for you where you can save 30% by using the code RC30. Just head to: https://aminoco.com/rttt and use the code RC30 at checkout to save 30%   

Do you want to know the number one way to get faster as a runner? SLOW DOWN! Yes, it seems like the opposite of what you want to do to improve, but it's absolutely true. In this bonus episode of the Run to the Top, Coach Claire Bartholic will explain the science behind aerobic development and recovery and why slow, easy runs are the most beneficial. Not only that, but she describes exactly HOW to run slowly and master this powerful technique.   CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each week! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!  

Accurate nutrition information for runners can get pretty murky out there.  It can be tough to figure out what’s really important  and really, what’s even true. And that’s why I’ve brought on Meghann Featherstun who’s going to give it to us straight.  Meghann is a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics at  Featherstone Nutrition– which means she’s an expert in sports nutrition.  Her passion is to bring accurate nutrition and fueling information out to runners everywhere, backed by research and science.  And her mission is to debunk the food myths that hurt runners’ health and performance. Oh, yeah, she’s also a mom of two and a 2:57 marathoner. I invited Meghann on the show to play a little game that she plays every week with her Instagram followers called “is that freaking true Friday” and we had lots of fun with this one.   So get ready to brush up on your running nutrition knowledge and crush a myth or two with Meghann.   CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each week! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!  

On this bonus Run to the Top, we are going to talk about racing, and specifically over-racing.  That’s when you are racing so often that it’s actually hurting your progress as a runner. Now you might be wondering why I chose this topic, over-racing, right now just as some races are finally coming back after the pandemic.  But that’s EXACTLY why I think this is the perfect topic right now.   Races are coming back and we runners are so thankful and excited to get back to the sport that it’s tempting to sign up for any and every race you can.   I’m the last person that is going to tell you that you shouldn’t go race, be social, test your fitness, and hang out with your tribe of runners.  If it’s bringing you joy, it’s probably good for you. We all could use a big dose of joy right now.  But if that’s how you spend every weekend and you are wondering why your race times haven’t improved in a while, or if they are getting worse, over-racing might have something to do with it. RunnersConnect athlete Jon tells us how over-racing at the beginning of his running journey started to affect his ultimate goal, the marathon, and how he now uses tune-up races as a boost to his build up instead of a detriment! Learn how you can incorporate tune-up races into your training in a way that they are beneficial to your bigger goal race and your long-term progress.   Or if you just love racing as much as possible, learn how you can transform those races into workouts that improve your fitness!   CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each week! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page   GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

Can new tech in your shoe change the way you run for the better?    We are all used to our watches telling us how fast (or slow) we are, counting our heartbeats, our footsteps,  or even telling us how much recovery we need (or trying to anyway!) But now there is technology that can tell us even more.  New wearables can give us some clues to our own unique running form so we can better understand where we can improve. My guests today are here to tell you all about it. Dr Grant Trewartha is the Head of Biomechanics at the wearable technology company NURVV.  His research into the technical aspects of endurance running helped shape the development of a unique shoe insert called NURVV Run. Prior to his time at NURVV, Grant spent 16 years at University of Bath, leading significant research about injury prevention for rugby players as well as research on the biomechanics of sprinting and tendon mechanics during running.  Anna Kosciuk is a Sport Scientist and a Footwear specialist and is also a part of Biomechanics team at NURVV.  Anna’s expertise is in learning how we can prevent running-related injury risk factors and maximize running performance through exercise and footwear. Prior to NURVV, she spent 4 years working in a specialist footwear lab where she performed detailed running gait analyses to match runners with the most perfect pair of running shoes based on their individual motion biomechanics.  So we get into the nitty gritty about shoes, running form, and how wearable technology works and where it’s headed in the future.  Tons of great info in this one. And in case you are wondering, no,  we are not sponsored by NURVV and I have never tried the product.  I just think that this kind of tech is interesting and could be very relevant to helping runners become better without having to go to a fancy lab.  But I did reach out to see if I could snag a discount code if you are interested in trying it: RUNPOD30 saves you 30% off NURVV Run in the US and UK only at nurvv.com This week's show brought to you by:  Perform from the Amino Company. Perform is an amino acid based formulation that I simply add to my water bottle during my run. It tastes great and is easy on my stomach.  Clinical studies have shown that Perform helps improve endurance, reduce fatigue, and increases muscle protein synthesis so you recover faster after the run. Check out the research here: https://aminoco.com/rttt  If you’re interested in learning  more and giving Perform a try, we’ve got a special offer for you where you can save 30% by using the code RC30. Just head to: https://aminoco.com/rttt and use the code RC30 at checkout to save 30%  CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each week! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page

Can you run a specific workout pace on feel alone?  Without looking at your watch?  Tempo runs, steady runs, threshold runs, VO2 max workouts...they all have a "feel" to them and if you can learn how to pace them properly without being a slave to your watch, you can become a better, more adaptable runner. On this bonus episode of the Run to the Top, Coach Claire Bartholic introduces Laurie, a RunnersConnect athlete that has gotten very good at learning to pace by feel and effort.  Laurie shares how she does it and Coach Claire explains how you can figure out how you should feel in any given workout by understanding the specific purpose of each one. CONNECT, COMMENT, & COMMUNITY: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!  A great FREE way to support the show! Email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each week! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page

Lindsey Bomgren from Nourish Move Love is a super fit Minnesota trainer and creator of amazing and free YouTube strength videos.  While they are not marketed as “runners’ workouts” they are the exact same exercises that Coach Claire prescribes to athletes because they are classic strength moves that build better runners.  But Lindsey just does them better. Lindsey is a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor who has been featured in Women's Health Magazine, The Bump, Yahoo Finance, Cosmopolitan, Popsugar, Brit + Co, Well + Good and more.   Lindsey is tough, but also cheerful and encouraging, often interjecting with her signature catch phrase “holy bananas” when things get hard.   Coach Claire has been using Lindsey's videos over the past few month and the difference in her strength is remarkable! Oh, and don’t forget to stay tuned at the end of the episode where we've got a major announcement about the future of the Run to the Top!   Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page email Coach Claire Follow Claire on Instagram Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment

The RunnersConnect family has grown!  We welcomed a brand new expert coach to our staff this year and I’d like to introduce you to her. Andie Cozzarelli is a 2:38 marathoner, semi-pro athlete from Raleigh, NC.  She ran in college at North Carolina State, becoming a 2 time All-American in the 10k and joined Oiselle after college. She qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the Marathon with a half marathon and later went on to win her first full at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. After coaching on her own, Andie has joined the coaching team at RunnersConnect and we couldn't be more thrilled! But Andie’s running road was not always smooth and easy.  As a sophomore in college, she was diagnosed with Celiac Disease after struggling with her training and developing some disordered eating habits. Her performances improved after making some important dietary changes, but it wasn’t enough to prevent some serious physical and mental health issues connected to her training and fueling. Thankfully, she has recovered and now is an advocate for mental health, nutrition, and balance in training.  Aside from running & coaching, Andie and Claire have another sweet passion that they share and we’ll get into that in this conversation.

If you think running a single marathon is tough, get ready to be inspired by Jocelyn Rivas. Jocelyn is on a mission to not just run 100 marathons, but break the Guinness World Records (plural) for being the youngest person to run 100 marathons AND the youngest woman to run 100 marathons AND the youngest Latina to run 100 marathons. Whew! At age 24, Jocelyn already has 82 marathons behind her, many done during the pandemic, which was no easy feat. And we’re not talking loops she’s running through her neighborhood. These are real certified races, each one bringing her closer to her ambitious goal. No stranger to adversity, Jocelyn is a DREAMer who was brought to the United States from El Salvador as a child and remains in this country for now thanks to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act.   Part of her 100-marathon motivation stems from her desire to shine a light on people like herself and to show others that women can do anything no matter where they were born. She talks about what this quest means to her, how she manages to pull this off with a challenging full-time job, and what training and recovery is like for her. Oh, and she’s doing this on a completely plant-based diet.  Jocelyn’s great determination and positive energy makes for a very unique and enjoyable conversation with Coach Claire! Questions Jocelyn is asked:  4:00 You are currently trying to break two Guinness World Records to become the youngest person to run 100 marathons and the youngest woman to run 100 marathons. How old are you and what got you started with this quest? 4:50 How did you start running then? Did you just start with a mile or what was the first day of training like? 5:45 How old were you when you ran your first marathon? 5:56 When did you get this idea to go for the world record? 7:05 Can you explain what a DREAMer is? 8:04 What country are you from? 8:11 Does anyone else in your family run? 8:43 How did the pandemic affect your mission? 10;33 What are some of your favorite stories? How many marathons have you run in a week? 11:49 The obvious question is how do you recover from running 26.2 miles for six out of nine days? You must be sore and tired, so how do you get through that? 16:33 Let’s talk about food. You’re a vegan so you’re like me, and the first question that everyone’s going to ask is, how do you eat enough on a vegan diet? Where do you get your protein? How do you pull this off on just plants? 19:06 You just started eating vegan as an experiment. It wasn’t ethical or environmental. You just saw that people were doing it and decided to try it. Is that it?  19:52 Do you still use gels while you run marathons or do you eat something else? 20:50 How long does it usually take you to run the marathons? Are you running them really fast or what is your average finishing time?  22:28 What are you doing in-between each marathons? Do you have some kind of structured plan? Do you do speed work? Do you do strength training or are you just recovering? 23:59 Have you had any injuries? Are you worried about overtraining or anything like that? 25:22 You’re still working a full-time job 40 hours a week. What do you do and how do you fit all this in with your life? 29:47 You’re planning on hitting marathon number 100 in November in your hometown at the Los Angeles Marathon. What are you anticipating that day to be like?  31:13 What’s been the hardest part of this journey for you? 31:54 You don’t drive. Why don’t you drive? 33:34 What kind of support are you getting from the community? If you pull this off, you will be the youngest Latina to run 100 marathons. Why is that important to you? 35:07 Once you accomplish this, do you have any idea what’s next? 35:31 What’s your next marathon coming up? Questions I ask everyone: 36:14 If you could go back and talk to yourself when you started running, what advice would you give yourself? 36:53 What is the greatest gift running has given you? 37:18 Where can listeners connect with you? Quotes by Jocelyn: “I was actually not in a good place mentally. There were things going on with being deported potentially, and so I was just in a very dark place. And I was like, I want to make a statement. I want to make a statement that DREAMers are here to do something good. DREAMers are here to just help.” “My biggest thing is I take recovery, I prioritize it more than anything. I use so many tools. I massage myself. I use so many lotions. You would make fun of me because I literally have like 10 different lotions and I use them all.” “I use running as a type of therapy and it’s just so amazing. Once I am done with work, I go for a run. I come back and I’m just like, I feel amazing. That feeling that wow, just everything goes away.” 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: JocelynRivas.com Students Run LA (srla.org) Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page RunnersConnect Focus Classes email Coach Claire Follow Jocelyn on: Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube 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!

Tianna Bartoletta is one of the best sprinters in the world, and she’s on hand to teach all of us, even the endurance runners, what we can learn from short distance running. Really short. For most of us, a sprint is less than 20 seconds, which is the distance short enough to reach your top speed completely anaerobically, or without needing oxygen for fuel.  Past this point, your lungs scream for oxygen and you will probably not be able to sustain the effort. Why should long distance runners care about those 20 seconds?  Because by tapping into your anaerobic system a couple times a week, you teach yourself to burn that fire just a little hotter, and train your other gears to run a little more smoothly and efficiently. Tianna also talks about what surprising things endurance runners can learn from long jumpers and yogis, how to frame our body talk in a positive way, how she’s adapted her training as she’s aged, and her gold-medal-winning, world-record-breaking Olympic relay experience. This episode has something for everyone, whether you’re a walker, a sprinter, or an endurance monster!  Tianna is a 35 year-old American sprinter and long jumper.  She is a two-time Olympian with three gold medals.   She ran the lead leg in the world record setting  4 × 100 m relay team in 2012, handing the baton to Allyson Felix.  At the 2016 Summer Olympics she won two more golds, first with a personal best to win the long jump then again leading off the winning  4 × 100 m relay team. In non-Olympic years, Tianna has won the World Championships 3 times and competed as a pusher on the U.S. bobsled team in 2012. And if all of that weren't amazing enough,  she’s also a registered yoga teacher, writes a blog at tiannabee.com , and her memoir, Survive And Advance, will be released this June! Questions Tianna is asked:  4:37 This conversation is a little bit delayed because you got a surprise drug test at 7:00 in the morning. Can you talk about that? 5:09 Can you talk about the 60-day transformation that you posted? What happened? I thought you looked great before, but now you’re like a sculpture. It’s amazing. Can you tell me how that happened? 9:01 I remember reading in one of your Instagram threads that you said you were hungry during your 60-day transformation, and that’s not something that we really like to admit. Why did you want to tell people like, “Hey, yes, this is working but to be perfectly honest, I’m hungry?” Why did you want to share that part about it? 11:45 You'll have to forgive me for asking what might end up being very basic questions, but our listeners mostly are endurance runners. So when somebody says, “I’m going to go run 100,” they’re usually talking about 100 miles not 100 meters, and you are a 100-meter specialist among many of your talents. So I would love to learn more about what it takes to be a good 100m specialist? 13:41 When you say you’re allergic to running long, you obviously don’t just run 100 meters in training and then stop. You do obviously run long. So what’s a long run for you? 17:17 Let’s talk about Stephanie Bruce. One of the bright spots of 2020, an obviously crazy year, is that you two connected, and I would love to hear about that story. 19:39 In 2020, obviously Tokyo was delayed. What was that like for you when you found out the news? 22:12 In both 2012 and 2016, you were a part of the gold-winning 4x100m relay team, in the lead leg position, handing the baton to Allyson Felix.  Talk us through that. What makes a good relay team? How does the coach determine the order?  How many times do you practice that baton pass?   24:19 What was your favorite moment from those games?  25:19 You are also a gold medalist in the long jump, and I want to talk about the world record there. The American world record and the overall world record, those are very, very old from the ‘80s and ‘90s. What’s it going to take to break it? 29:00 You recently had a meet where you were jumping really, really well, and you registered under the team name AARP.  Can you explain that? 30:37 What’s your key to longevity in this sport then? What makes you at your age still able to perform at such a high level? 32: 17 How do you get your ego out of the way when training? How do you tell yourself, “No, it’s okay to step back?” 34:19 Let’s talk about yoga. One stereotype about runners is that they really don't have to be all that flexible.  You are a yogi and you are super flexible. Can you share how yoga physically helps you, and then we get more into the mental side of it?   36:44 You have a book coming out. Tell us about that. 37:57 When does your book come out? 38:10 What do you think long-distance runners can learn from sprinters, jumpers, and yogis? 39:27 How often do you do plyometrics? 40:14 What's next for you? Questions I ask everyone: 40:39 If you could go back and talk to yourself when you started running, what advice would you give yourself? 41:04 What is the greatest gift running has given you? 41:17 Where can listeners connect with you? Quotes by Tianna: “You realize how much of our eating is just habit and mindless snacking. And so that’s really the biggest transformation is that everything is mindful. Everything I ingest is done with that little pause, like why am I eating this? What is it for? And that’s been the difference and my body has really responded to that.” “I loved not realizing that we broke the world record. Somebody had to point it out to us in 2012.  I just knew we won and we won by a lot.” “You have to be able to put your ego aside and say, ‘This is what my body needs. Sure, I can see that my rivals and competitors are doing six days a week but I can’t do that.’ And at the end of the day, you have to train the body that you have. That you actually have. Not the one you wish you had; the one you have. And that’s the key.” Take a Listen on Your Next Run Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel Mentioned in this podcast: Tianna Bee Survive and Advance Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page RunnersConnect Focus Classes email Coach Claire   Follow Tianna on:   Instagram 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!

You probably know that strength training can help a runner minimize injuries but what about plyometrics or jump training? Do runners really need plyometrics? Wouldn’t that lead to more injuries? Dr. Duane Scotti thinks the opposite is true. Dr. Duane Scotti, DPT, PhD, OCS is a running physical therapist, run coach, host of the Healthy Runner podcast, and founding owner of SPARK Physical Therapy, and has been a leader in the rehab and running community for over 17 years.  He is passionate about helping runners feel strong and confident so they can stay healthy and become lifelong injury free runners!   Dr. Duane truly believes that anyone can run and that all runners should be treated differently as athletes.  He is on a mission to change the traditional thinking that running causes “overuse injuries” and you must “take a break” in order to get better.  Through run specific training (exercises and running progression) you can build your body to be a strong resilient runner and stay active, stay healthy, and just keep running!  You may think it’s counterintuitive to take time out from your running to work on your jumping, but running is a series of one-legged hops so incorporating some plyometric training into your workout plan to get better at those one-legged hops can dramatically change how well you run and how good you feel while running.  In this episode, Duane explains exactly why plyometrics is important for runners and shares what he thinks are the key muscles runners should focus on, and also gives some great examples of non-jumping strength training exercises that all runners should do to become better and stronger. Some exercises were even new to Coach Claire!  Through the Healthy Runner community, Duane strongly believes living an active lifestyle can help you stay healthy and live a pain free life.  At SPARK Physical Therapy, Duane guides his clients in achieving a high-performance active lifestyle through his in-person clinic and virtually anywhere in the world. You could be a runner who aspires to complete your first half marathon, or you could be an experienced marathoner of 30 years. Duane has been the fitness and health support system and the go to resource for coaches, trainers, and runners.  Duane is also honored to be a part of team UCAN as a featured expert dedicated to training strategies and innovation.  He has his clients’ best interest in mind as evidenced by constantly creating and sharing new videos, podcast episodes, and blog posts to help runners improve their confidence and strength for running. Through his programs, coaching, and virtual rehab, Duane has successfully helped thousands of runners crush their running goals, hitting personal bests over the years.  He has a passion for helping runners of all abilities stay healthy and prevent injuries in order to get back to the workouts and runs they love!   Questions Duane is asked:    5:27  You’re a physical therapist who specializes in runners. Can you tell us a little bit about your own running journey and how you came to focus on runners in your practice?   6:30  You used to dance. What kind of dancing did you do?   7:20  What is plyometrics and why is it good for runners?    9:06  I’m going to play a little devil’s advocate for you here. So if we are jumping all the time, running is a series of hops from one foot to the other, if we’re already jumping all the time, why do we need to do more jumping?   10:03 How do your muscles function differently when you’re running and jumping versus strength training?   11:06 Are plyometrics for every runner?   12:43 Let’s say I am a Level 1 runner. I run three days a week, speed work one day, easy day one day, long run on the weekend, and I’ve never done any plyometrics before. What would your prescription be for me?    14:26 You’re saying that we need to practice landing softly in the gym as well as when we’re running?   15:22 What’s Level 2 plyometric training?   19:32 When I was in super heavy marathon training, the miles piled up, I was running every day, and the last thing that I wanted to do was jump around because I would be so tired. So what do you say to somebody who’s really deep into marathon training and who is balking at a little plyometrics?   22:00 One thing about plyometrics, at least in my experience, is that it ends up being really high cardio. For the most part, I want to get my cardio from running, not from my extra activities so what’s your position on that? How much do you really need or are you a fan of getting your heart rate up in non-running activities?   24:10 At least with other kinds of strength training, a little goes a long way for runners because we’re not trying to get huge and strong and build muscle mass and deadlift a million pounds. We are trying to be not weak for running, so we can get away with a little less strength training than some other kind of athlete in a different sport. So is the same true with plyometrics? Can I just do like five, ten minutes a week and call it good?   26:44 There are some runners, especially older runners and runners who are injury prone, who are afraid that jumping is either too hard or not something that they should do. How do you address that?   29:00 Before plyometrics, what kind of other foundational strength work should we runners be doing every week?   32:10 Let’s talk about examples for each of the muscle groups runners should be focusing on in strength workouts.    39:23 What are some exercises for hamstrings and quads?   43:28 What I’ve been doing for my hamstrings, just to get some feedback to see if I’m doing the right or the wrong thing, is I have a really big exercise ball. So I will lay down on the floor like I’m getting into a glute bridge and I’ll put my heels on the exercise ball and push with my heels the ball away and then pull it back in, and push it in. My hamstrings are on fire when I’m done with that. I can do 10 or 15 and I’m calling for mercy. But you’re saying that’s a little bit different than the Nordic one you recommend?   44:46 One thing you said a little bit earlier that I want to go back to real quick. You talked about some runners being hamstring dominant. I’ve encountered a lot of quad dominant runners. What are your thoughts on that and what’s going on there because most of the people I know who have problems or injuries tend to be really quad dominant?   47:17 When you say we need to work on eccentric exercises, I assume that means you’re a fan of some downhill running because that’s eccentric?  Questions I ask everyone:   48:37 If you could go back and talk to yourself when you started running, what advice would you give yourself?   49:10 What is the greatest gift running has given you?   50:07 Where can listeners connect with you?   Quotes by Duane:   “One of my big principles is we need to train in order to run. So running is not our only form of exercise, our only form of training. We actually have to train in order to run successfully and stay healthy.”   “I am not about, you will see some camp style classes or bigger programs, not going to drop any names, but they go to like failure and they’re doing like 50 box jumps because that’s the WOD that is posted and you’re going to do 50 of them no matter what. No, I’m a big believer in more the quality and how you’re feeling when you’re doing the exercise in order to get the benefit that you want to get from the exercise.”   “One thing about the calf muscle before I forget is endurance. So runners should be able to do 25 single leg heel raises or calf raises.”   Take a Listen on Your Next Run Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel Mentioned in this podcast: Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page RunnersConnect Focus Classes email Coach Claire   Follow Duane on: Instagram @sparkyourtraining YouTube Channel- Subscribe to Get The latest Running Tip Join the Healthy Runner Facebook Group Send Duane A Facebook Message Like the SPARK Physical Therapy Facebook Page Blog For Runners Inquire About Individualized Running Evaluation (virtual or in person) Twitter @scottispark⠀ Listen & Subscribe to the Healthy Runner Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Google Play iHeartRadio Amazon Music 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!

The Relatable, Rambling Runner - Matt Chittim Most running podcasts focus on professional runners. Matt Chittim’s Rambling Runner podcast focuses on dedicated amateur runners who are working hard at the sport while also balancing running with the rest of their lives.  That’s not to say Matt ignores the elites. He also covers the other end of the spectrum with his Road to the Trials podcast which follows the training, racing, and experiences of some of America’s best runners as they prepared for the Olympic Trials. As an athlete, Matt is a former college basketball player and coach. He started running at a young age with an occasional 5k or track season but most of his running was at the service of getting fit for other sports. After college Matt started taking running more seriously and eventually became fully invested in the running community.  Matt is currently working through a year-long journey called Mastering 40 in which he is hoping to break 40:00 in the 10k after turning 40 years old. He talks to Coach Claire about his training ups and downs and what motivated him to set this “stretch goal.” Matt also talks about how his Ramblin Runner podcast got started, his most memorable interview, and what he thinks the differences are between professional and amateur runners. He is a natural storyteller who brings a unique perspective to the running community!   Questions Matt is asked:  3:50 Most of us know you from your popular running podcast Rambling Runner. Can we go back to the beginning of how it all got started and how it's going now?   8:10 What do you attribute the growth of your podcast to?   9:32 What have been some of your most memorable interviews?     11:05 Who is still on your list of dream interviews?   13:28 You’ve got another show, Road to the Trials, which obviously interviews the best of the best, the elite Americans who are gunning for the Olympic Trials, so you have interviewed your share of elites and you’ve interviewed your share of just recreational runners. What would you say is the difference between the two?   15:54 PTs probably love working with professional runners because they do what they’re told more than amateur runners do.   18:38 You have a new series within your podcast called Mastering 40 that you started last August, dedicated to chronicling your journey of breaking 40 minutes in the 10k. Let's talk about that and what you are doing to prepare.   21:29 How’s your Mastering 40 goal going?   22:21 How did you injure your knee and how did it affect your training goal?   23:07 Do you have a date for your goal? When’s the time trial?   24:26 What kind of races are you looking for to prepare for your time trial?   25:19 What are all the other things you’re doing? What's training like?  Nutrition, sleep, all that good stuff, etc? How are you doing in those areas?   29:28 Another project of yours is Road to the Trials.  Can you talk about that and who you bring on the show?     32:33 We could talk about how great such and such race was but you really learn so much more when everything falls apart.   36:54 What's next for you?  What happens when you break 40? Questions I ask everyone:   40:01 If you could go back and talk to yourself when you started running, what advice would you give?   40:46 What is the greatest gift running has given you?   41:00 Where can listeners connect with you?   Quotes by Matt:   “I started the Rambling Runner podcast with the idea of there’s a lot of running podcasts out there that I really liked and the vast majority of them were talking to professional runners... and I was like, ‘All right, no one’s talking to amateur runners. Let’s do that.’”   “Professional athletes in any sport are incredibly gifted athletes, and I think that the thing that’s easy to miss sometimes for dedicated amateur runners is sometimes they hold themselves to too high a standard. These folks, they were awesome at running the minute they started running.”   “One of the things I’ve learned through the show is that just like anything else, racing is a skill. It’s not just a test of fitness.”   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: The Rambling Runner podcast Road to the Trial‪s podcast Amino Co - RunnersConnect Anchor - The easiest way to make a podcast InsideTracker.com Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page RunnersConnect Retreats email Coach Claire   Follow Matt 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!

As runners, we think about how to fuel properly. That includes carbohydrate and protein, but what about essential amino acids? How do they help us optimize our nutrition to become the best runners we can be? Dr. Robert Wolfe, Ph.D, is here to talk as both a scientist and a runner. As the director of the Center for Translational Research on Aging and Longevity at the University of Arkansas, he focuses his research on the regulation of muscle metabolism. His research publications have been cited an impressive 75,000+ times, and he shares how amino acids might be able to help your performance and recovery. Dr. Wolfe has also been running for 60 years and has run an amazing 62 marathons under 2:30 in his lifetime! Coach Claire talks to him about his running career, how to stay young and healthy, what happens in the body when we run, and how our food can help us before, during, and after the run.  Dr. Wolfe also shares his thoughts on the importance of keeping a consistent exercise routine as we age, so there’s definitely a lot of great food for thought in this episode!   Dr. Wolfe’s undergraduate studies were at the University of California, Berkeley, and he completed his Ph.D. degree at UC Santa Barbara’s Institute of Environmental Stress. Dr. Wolfe served as a faculty member at Harvard Medical School for nine years. Prior to accepting his current position in 2006, he was at the UT Medical Branch at Galveston, where he held the John H. Sealy Distinguished Chair in Clinical Research and was Chief of the Metabolism Unit at Shriners Burns Hospital.  Dr. Wolfe has received a number of awards and invited lectureships in recognition of his work. He received the Herman Award from the American Society of Clinical Nutrition for his career contributions. He has published over 452 peer-reviewed research articles, 126  review articles, three books, including the major reference source in the field of stable isotope tracer methodology and has 5 patents. His papers have been cited 50,663 times (h index= 122), and 16,423 (h index =65) since 2011. Dr. Wolfe has been funded continuously by the NIH for his entire career and frequently held two NIH grants per year as Pl. The focus of Dr. Wolfe’s research is on the regulation of muscle metabolism, particularly as affected by aging and stressors such as injury, sepsis and cancer. His research has been performed largely in human patients and normal volunteers. Dr. Wolfe has developed models using stable isotopes to quantify a variety of metabolic processes in human subjects including the oxidation and production of fatty acids, various aspects of carbohydrate metabolism, and the rates of muscle protein synthesis, breakdown, and the transport of amino acids between blood and muscle tissue. Dr. Wolfe is the Director of the Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity at the Reynolds Institute on Aging.   Questions Bob is asked:    3:33 Before we talk about the science of exercise metabolism, I want to hear about your running journey. You’ve been a runner for over 50 years with 62 marathons under 2:30. Can you tell us a little bit about what your story is and how you started?   5:15 I can’t imagine that every single run was super fun, so I would love to talk about what your training was like, how you trained for marathons and what are the key ingredients in the recipe for a marathon?   8:06 How old were you when you did your last sub-2:30 marathon?   8:59 As far as fueling goes, what does an endurance athlete need before, during, and after exercise?   12:09 What are amino acids?  What are the different kinds (essential, branched chain, etc)? And how are they used in the body?   14:56 When we’re eating enough dietary protein, does that mean we are automatically eating enough of the essential amino acids that we need?   16:53 What is the optimal amount of essential amino acids we as individuals need?   18:44 Obviously protein requirements are going to be different for an endurance runner and a bodybuilder, right?   22:51 Is the purpose of taking amino acid supplements to get everything you need for optimum performance without having to eat more food?   25:24 Is there a limit to how much amino acids the body can absorb at one?   27:55 Does the body have a way of storing essential amino acids?   29:22 If you take in too much essential amino acids, do you just excrete it?   29:44 How are the amino acids from the Amino Company produced?   32:09 How do you use amino acid supplements? Do you take it before your run, after, or even during?   36:40 When you are taking amino acids during exercise, do they activate hormones in your body?   41:00 Does your company have an amino acid formulation to help me with my insomnia too?   41:41 Besides leading the Amino Company, you are also the director of the center for translational research on aging and longevity at the University of Arkansas. So what's the secret to staying youthful and vital as we age?     43:39 Do older athletes have an advantage when it comes to longevity and aging?   Questions I ask everyone:   45:32 If you could go back and talk to yourself when you started running, what advice would you give?   47:02 What is the greatest gift running has given you?   47:54 Where can listeners connect with you?   Quotes by Bob:   “Generally speaking, I think the protein aspect of the diet is extremely important but as far as dietary protein, when you’re eating as many as 4 or 5,000 calories a day, even a low protein diet is going to provide enough dietary protein to meet your protein requirements.”    “It’s important to understand that the dietary requirements are telling us not only how much protein we should eat, but how much of each individual essential amino acid we should eat, are predicated on the baseline amount we need to avoid deficiency. And so the key aspect, what we’ll talk about with specific amino acid supplementation, is that for optimal physical functioning, particularly with stress like exercise training, that the baseline amount of essential amino acids that you need to avoid deficiency is really not optimal.”   “One of the things that obviously we’re trying to do is with running is to improve muscle function and muscle strength without increasing muscle bulk because it’s just extra weight.”   “The thing which is obvious when you see a lot of older people is that ability to function physically is really the primary determinant of quality of life. If you can’t get up out of a chair then medical costs and everything else go out the window, but just being able to do the activities you like is so important.” 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: The Amino Company The Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity | UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page RunnersConnect Retreats Email Coach Claire   Follow Bob on: Email Dr. Wolfe 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!