The Running Explained Podcast

Latest Episodes:

s4/e06 How (& Why) To Increase Your Running Volume with Coach Elisabeth Feb 15, 2024

Show notes

Let's run MORE!! Why? In this episode with Coach Elisabeth, we talk about how to increase running volume effectively and the importance of finding the right balance between volume and frequency, and the relationship between volume and speed. Practical tips for adding volume to your training week include adding another day of running and distributing volume increases throughout the week, plus the importance of easy effort running and the limitations of the 10% rule. She also highlights the varying volume of elite runners and the dedication and time required to achieve aggressive performance goals. She encourages runners to maintain a love for running and not sacrifice it for arbitrary goals

KEY TAKEAWAYS!

Increasing running volume can lead to improved performance, but it's important to find the right balance for your individual goals and abilities.
Adding another day of running and distributing volume increases throughout the week are effective ways to increase training volume.
Easy effort running is crucial for safely increasing volume and preventing injury.
The 10% rule is a guideline that can be helpful, but it's not a hard and fast rule and may not be appropriate for all runners.
Volume guidelines for different race distances can provide a general framework for setting training goals. Set realistic goals and consider the time and dedication required to achieve them.
Volume plays a crucial role in marathon training and can greatly impact performance.
Elite runners have varying volume levels, but higher volume tends to lead to better performance.
Maintain a love for running and don't sacrifice it for arbitrary goals.
Increase volume gradually and distribute frequency throughout the week for better results.

s4/e05 Simplifying Daily Nutrition for the Busy Runner with Alex Larson, RD Feb 08, 2024

Show notes

Eating to support your running can feel really overwhelming when you're ALSO being a partner, parent, employee, friend - ALL of the things you also are in your busy life! Sports dietitian Alex Larson, RD (@alexlarsonnutrition) and Coach Elisabeth cover topics such as post-workout breakfasts for busy mornings, easy fueling before and after workouts, simple ways to add carbs and other foods, tips for athletes with unpredictable schedules, understanding hunger and fullness cues, nutrition for two-a-day workouts, and simple and actionable tips for nutrition!

s4/e04 "So Your Goal Race Was a DISASTER... Now What?" with Dr. Victoria Sekely, DPT (@trainsmartrunstrong) Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

Have you ever had a big goal race go SO CATASTROPHICALLY SIDEWAYS that you're plummeted into an existential crisis afterwards? Yeah, us too! In this episode with Dr. Victoria Sekely (@trainsmartunstrong) we discuss the pressure of setting goals, the impact of race disappointments, and the influence of others' opinions. PLUS, we talk about the challenges faced by women in running and the importance of living with uncertainty and being able to pivot. The conversation includes personal experiences, such as training for and racing the New York City Marathon, and going out too fast in races!

KEY HIGHLIGHTS!

04:45 The Impact of Race Disappointments

06:37 Vicky's Experience of Training for and Racing the New York City Marathon

20:51 Navigating Expectations and Perfectionism

45:12 Dealing with Shame and Self-Worth

55:00 Trusting Yourself in Races

01:05:13 Redefining Goals and Expectations

01:07:15 Approaching Future Goals with Awareness

01:12:08 Accepting Imperfection and Progress

-- Victoria Sekely is a Manhattan-based Physical Therapist with a passion for all things running. Victoria graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University and went on to complete her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from New York University. Victoria is also a USATF Level 1 and RRCA-certified run coach. She is dedicated to helping runners of all levels by using her skills and knowledge to assist runners who are rehabbing from an injury, interested in injury prevention, and/or looking to improve their training with custom running programs.

s4/e03 Is There an Ideal Footstrike? with Dr. Matt Minard, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT, CSCS, Cert. MDT Jan 25, 2024

Show notes

FOOTSTRIKE is often a hot topic among runners... but should it be? Does where you land matter? If so, WHY? Physical therapist & founder of Learn2Run Dr. Matt Minard, PT, DPT, OCS, CMTPT, CSCS, Cert. MDT, returns to the show for a deep dive into all things foostrike!

-What is footstrike?

-What footstrike can and can't tell you

-Why you might be thinking about footstrike all wrong

-Heel striking vs midfoot or forefoot striking

-Footstrike form cues: helpful or harmful?

-What about sprinters?

-Footstrike on different terrain

-AND more!

WATCH: "Reverse Engineering Foot Strike- Why & When the HEEL is King" on the Learn2Run YouTube channel!

Download The Run Club app by Running Explained and join the club today!

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.

s4/e02 What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Why You Should Care! with Melissa Lodge, MS, PhD(c) Jan 19, 2024

Show notes

Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) describes a syndrome of poor health and declining athletic performance that happens when athletes do not get enough fuel through food to support the energy demands of their daily lives and training. RED-S can and does affect athletes of any gender and ability level. Melissa Lodge, PhD(c) is an elite runner and researcher studying RED-S in endurance athletes, and she joins the show to talk about RED-S and her work!

What is RED-S?
The history of RED-S & evolution of understanding
How RED-S happens
The effect of teammates/friends/training partners
The "culture" of endurance running as a risk factor for RED-S
How much is intentional vs unintentional underfueling?
Within-day deficits as a contributing risk factor
Low Carbohydrate Availability as a contributing risk factor
How many professional athletes have retired from RED-S?
And more!

Melissa (Mel) Lodge, MS is a health sciences doctoral student, elite runner, and REDs researcher at URI. Her research focuses on the influence of low energy availability (LEA) and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) on markers of health and performance, specifically in female athletes across the lifespan. Melissa is interested in exploring intervention-based models, such as education, to improve outcomes for female athletes and girls in sport in the future. Melissa runs an educational platform @FED_collaborative where she provides translational research on female athlete physiology, LEA, REDs, and eating disorders/disordered eating. She continues to run competitively in track & field and road racing and competed in the 2023 USATF Indoor Championship (1500m)

s4/e01 Characteristics of Elite Distance Runners Jan 11, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to 2024! In this first episode of the year, Coach Elisabeth breaks down what makes an "elite" runner elite: their genetics, training, and more!

-What is "elite"? A tiered framework for understanding athletic performance

-Genetic predispositions: maybe they're born with it!

-Why it's not just about good genes

-The training: how much? What type?

-And more!

s3/e47 End of Year Lessons & Reflections Dec 28, 2023

Show notes

ANOTHER YEAR DOWN! What did I learn this year? What have I been reflecting on the most? From RED-S recovery to carbon plated shoes, to abolishing the binary of "rehab" vs. strength training, to why welcoming runners of ALL paces into our community is important (and why I want YOU to stop being ashamed of your paces), it's time for another year-end reflection! Thank you for making 2023 the best year yet of The Running Explained Podcast! With love, gratitude, and all the miles, Coach Elisabeth

s3/e46 Conquering Performance Anxiety with Dr. Leah Avery, DPT Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

Are you derailed by performance anxiety? Are you pinning your self-worth & whether your training cycle was "worth it" on if you PR'd or not? Dr. Leah Avery, DPT, joins the show today to talk about her experience in healing from debilitating performance anxiety and her relationship with athletic performance. Leah was a D1 All-American swimmer and competed at the Olympic Trials, but her relationship with sport and performance was anything but healthy; when she started running during her graduate work, she found herself stuck in a cycle of performance anxiety that culminated in panic attacks during not one, but two, different marathons. Determined to make a change in her relationship with performance, sport, and running, Leah has spent the past few years intentionally freeing herself from the expectations of performing in a certain way and re-finding her love of running and sport! Leah has been a practicing PT for nearly a decade which is also when she began here running career. Prior to that she was a competitive swimmer starting at the age of 8 and retired her senior year of college. During her career she was a D1 All-American and competed at the Olympic Trials. Leah’s athletic career was anything but linear and she faced many hardships which originally lead her to a career in physical therapy. However, after starting her running journey, it was clear she had an unhealthy relationship with athletics. Her mission is to help runners reach their potential in a healthy manner by treating the person, not just the runner. And help them understand that running adds value to our lives but it is not what makes us valuable.

s3/e45 Analyzing Your Training Cycle with Coach Elisabeth Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

Taking objective stock of your training cycle - what did you attempt to do, what actually happened, and how did it feel - can be an incredibly useful exercise so that you can learn what worked, what didn't... and ID any mistakes that were made! Coach Elisabeth walks you through training cycle analysis in this episode that will encourage you to...

1) Objectively look at what you set out to do vs what actually happened

2) Identify patterns & learn lessons

3) Understand what is and is outside of your control

and 4) Take those lessons in your next training cycle!

This episode is sponsored by Previnex! Try the probiotic & other supplements that Coach Elisabeth takes daily, and save 15% using code RUNEXP on your first order from ⁠⁠⁠Previnex.com⁠⁠⁠! -

Coach Elisabeth Scott is the Founder and Head Coach at Running Explained. She is a multi-certified run coach, Boston Qualified marathoner, and seeker of both truth and compassion in helping YOU become the best runner you can be!

*s3/e44 How to Get Faster on Low Run Volume Training with Kim Nedeau Nov 23, 2023

Show notes

Can you get FASTER by running LESS?? This is NOT your clickbaity "smash a marathon PR by only doing 3 runs a week"-style low volume training; coach and elite mountain runner Kim Nedeau is here to talk about how to excel as an endurance runner in a low run volume/high training volume framework.

-What is "low run volume/high training volume" training?

-Who this training framework is best for

-Manipulating training intensity distribution with lower running volume and higher cross-training volume

-"But isn't more mileage always better?"

-How is this framework different from multisport, i.e. triathlon, training?

-Ways to configure a training week in this framework

-How we're seeing more competitive and elite runners excel on lower run volume with high training volume

-and more!

Kim Nedeau is a life-long athlete and owner of Training Inclined, a coaching business that serves athletes seeking alternative training methods and injury prevention. She and her husband live in the woods of western Massachusetts where they share their love for endurance sports with their two teenagers and beloved German shorthaired pointer. She ran competitively in high school, at Brown University, and as an open athlete for a few years after college before starting a family. She returned to competitive running and ran some of her best races in her late 30s. Kim found her way to mountain running and was a member of the US Mountain Running team in 2016, where she placed 9th overall, first American, and helped the team win bronze in the World Mountain Running Championships. Kim's return to running involved a diverse approach that included a moderate amount of running, biking and strength, which in total added up to high volume training. This is the approach she now uses in her work with injury-prone athletes, those who want to avoid injury and those interested in longevity in the sport.

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