Run Culture Podcast

I first came across Callum Jones only recently when I was trying to find out more about the ‘Norwegian double threshold method’ and I came across his and Gavin Smith fantastic podcast called ‘Conversations About Running.’ Callum Jones is a competitive runner himself over 1500m to 10km and also a coach at; ‘Train Smarter, Run Faster’ with famed Kenyan Coach, Hugo Van den Broek (who he has studied extensively under). He’s also the head of marketing and a coach at ‘Running Trips’ a company that does training camps in Kenya. He has a girlfriend from Norway, so has spent a considerable amount of time in Norway trialing the Norwegian Double Threshold Method. He lives in Cornwall and runs for the Bristol track club. Last year, Callum travelled to Sierra Nevada and trained with the Norwegian Athletics Federation with athletes like, Simen Halle Haugen, Narve Gilje Nordas and Hendrik Ingebrigtsen. He’s a fantastic resource of running and coaching knowledge. It was fantastic talking to him today about the Norwegian double threshold method, and what training is like in Kenya, as well as his personal experiences with running himself. I hope you enjoy this chat, I certainly enjoyed hearing about how different cultures tend to train.

🎙️ Just had a really refreshing conversation on the Run Culture Podcast with Australian Paralympic triathlete, Jack Howell! 🏊‍♂️🚴🏃‍♂️ Ranked 7th globally in his category, he's chasing his childhood dream of making it to the Paris Paralympics. 🌟 At just 19, Jack is wise beyond his years, well spoken, confident and has an awesome perspective on how to cope with adversity and maintaining balance in life. To paraphrase jack; “..be good with the people, love life, get put down and still race hard!” I hope you enjoy jacks story and you get behind this superstar! 🎧 #Paralympics #Inspiration #RunCulturePodcast. If you want to support Jack on his journey please check out this link here: https://asf.org.au/projects/jack-to-race-para-triathlon?fbclid=IwAR2sHpJxrvxVUIvkSbKycTgq8-0Y-aqYpYqHkd8mG7wnvkgn3ZjGdY52bY0_aem_AVulLSqdM3xW5VDn6VRrIyVa4B6VTuLZSYREpspTEydCEzf3N-JIyHir6950IJV5J2o

Today's podcast is a great lesson for any runner who has plateaued for a long time and feels like they never will improve again!

Up until 9 months ago John Dutton had not improved in the marathon for 10 years.

Last weekend John broke the 2:20 barrier at the 2023 Gold Coast marathon. This is his second PB in 9 months over the distance. John has now shaved a whopping 6 minutes off in 9 months!

We all have our barrier! Some kind of goal, that drives us and tantalises us, can we do it or is it a step out of reach?

I've known John personally for many years, we have run together and run against each other. We have spoken many times about breaking the illustrious 2:20 barrier in the marathon, this has been a barrier that John has dreamt about breaking for his whole running career.

John is a father of 2 boys, he is a full time plaster and has run more than 20 marathons or ultra marathons since 2005.

So, how has he done it? Well, listen in, as this conversation between two running mates, is full of wisdom! We hope the stories and learnings shared might help others learn faster than what we have!!!!

Thanks for giving me the privilege to share this fantastic marathon story on the Run Culture Podcast John!

Excited to share my latest podcast episode featuring return guest; Tom O'Halloran (physiotherapist & founder of Mechanics of Movement)! Continuing on from our chat on Episode 31, we dive deeper into the importance of skill acquisition & coordination in the running world. From baby deer to humans, we explore how we learn to move & optimize performance. Don't miss our chat on attention, feedback, coaching vs teaching, degrees of freedom, functional variability vs nonfunctional variability, invariant movement and many anecdotes! Plus, we unveil our collaboration - the 'Run Stronger' app, designed to enhance running performance & prevent injuries. Check it out via Mechanics of Movement IG bio! #RunningSkills #RunStronger #PodcastEpisode

Today, Run Culture Owl Head coach; Dane Verwey and athlete; Pete Dutton, reflect on:

-Dane's recent 3rd place at the 2023 Brisbane Marathon over the weekend.

-Pete's last 4 months of racing.

-Pete and Bevan's Gold Coast marathon build.

-How the rest of the Run Culture Owl squad is progressing and the injury woes.

-How do you decide what training to do and what schedule to follow? How do you know when to push on, modify or rest?

I hope you find this coach-athlete discussion insightful and potentially it gets you to reflect on your own running journey in some way!

Today on the Run Culture Podcast I chat with Rob Neylon, one of Australia's most promising distance runners of the early 80’s and a former trainee of the legendary Percy Cerutty. We talked about Percy's innovative and at times controversial methods, as well as his Stotan philosophy. As a runner myself, it was inspiring to hear about the mindset and training required to achieve peak performance in distance running. So tune in, there's a lot today's world could learn from such a key figure in our sports history.

In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Tom O'Halloran, a physiotherapist and founder of Mechanics of Movement. Tom shares his journey of becoming a specialist in biomechanics and skill acquisition, emphasizing the importance of coordination in running, which is often underappreciated. We dive into the concept of motor learning and skill acquisition, discussing the constraints-led approach and its nuances.

Our conversation then flows into the new ‘Run Stronger’ app, a collaborative effort between Tom and myself (released May 1st), which combines strength and co-ordination exercises aimed at improving one’s running performance and injury prevention. Tune in to learn more about how to become a better runner and take your training to the next level.

Today on the Run Culture Podcast, I sat down with John Nicolosi (Head of Melbourne Athletic Development). John is an experienced Sprints coach of the MAD Track Team (which contains multiple National champions, as well as Olympic and Commonwealth Games representatives). He is an experienced Physiotherapist and was also a former sprinter himself! With a shared passion for participatory knowledge, John and I open the chat by delving into the importance of having 'skin in the game' when it comes to improving your perspective and knowledge in life. John then shares his insights into what distance runners can learn from sprinters biomechanically, before discussing the ‘Constrained Led Approach’ - a powerful technique for changing an athlete's running technique over time. Whether you're a running enthusiast or simply interested in the science of movement, this episode is not to be missed! I really enjoyed this chat with John and if you did too and are interested in checking out more of his work, go to his podcast: ‘Lateral Think’ or reach out to him at: Melbourne Athletic Development on all socials (including Tic Toc thanks @Mia Gross)

For those of us residing in a society that prioritizes; productivity, extraction, speed, and efficiency, this episode of the Run Culture Podcast is a must listen!

."....certain non-western societies don't use the adjectives; efficient, rapid or fast, as words to describe expert performance, they actually use words like; cautious, slow, attentiveness and responsiveness. These slower adjectives are used to describe what it means to be an expert hunter...." They understand the idea of uncertainty, they take time to attend to the rich contextual ebbs and flows of information in front of them and they patiently wait for the right moment to act.

I chatted to Dr Carl Woods a scientist and researcher at Victoria University in Melbourne who enjoys exploring the concepts of; learning, knowing and skill from an ecological and anthropological lens in sport.

We discuss:

-That we live in the 'information age', where there is an excess of 'second hand information' everywhere, we have a test for this a test for that, a strategy for this and all this tech spitting out all kinds of data...Universities teach courses in siloed and reduced methods and reward an encyclopedic like recall of information as expertise... Yes, 'second hand information' can be useful...but I am also seeing a lot of un-embodied/disconnected and disempowered runners as a result.

-The importance of 'inhabitant knowledge'.....which is gained through exposure and 'primary experience', this can't simply be replaced by 'second hand information' eg. what a textbook/test or Instagram post says.

-Embracing 'uncertainty' and 'the wisdom of not knowing', 'Being prepare but not planned'

-Slow down and attend to the environment around you, be a 'wayfinder'.

-What defines mastery/a skilled performer or expert? ....the humility to say; 'I don't know' or 'I am unsure', openness, lots of exposure to a certain environment and context, to resonate with their surrounds, to 'look, feel, hear and smell' better, to know what to pay attention to- what to 'stretch towards' and when to 'wait' and be patient.

‘Thinking, through making and doing’ vs ‘Making, through thinking and doing’ 

“Making through thinking is when a person starts with a fairly formed idea of what the final product is going to look like and then they work towards ‘matching’ that product in their mind to what they actually create. However, it is suggested that the more skilled craftsperson actually ‘thinks through making’ so they think while they're making, they don't start with a fully formed idea and then simply work towards passively creating what it is, it emerges through real perceptual alignment with the ebbs and flows of the materials that they're working with.” -Dr Carl Woods

Today, I chat to one of the Run Culture Owl athletes I coach; Pete Dutton. It's his 5th appearance on the podcast, so if you enjoyed hearing his story then be sure to checkout Episode: 26, 25, 15 and 89. In this episode Pete reflects on his recent 5000m PB and how it emerged through becoming better attuned and aligned to his own ebbs and flows.

“I think it's funny when you look back at it, it’s not like we definitely knew and that's running for you, there's no definites, you just got to keep trying and this is one of the seasons where you just got it right. You have tried a lot of different ways and and we've learned because of that…..It's hard to like single out one thing. Sometimes, it just seems like we are never going to have the result we aspire, then some sometimes you just sort of get a glimmer of hope and things start to click and we certainly had a season like that for you!”

Today I chatted to Pete Dutton, one of the Run Culture Owl athletes I coach. It's another authentic and honest chat as he details how his athletics season has progressed so far, what he is working on and what an enlightening experience he had at, 'Falls Creek Altitude training camp' recently.

Pete, has come off the mountain, in career best shape but more noticeably the biggest changes have happened off the track!!!! He seems to have grown up a little, matured a touch, seems to be a little happier, seems more open to trying new things and keen for 2023 to be full of adventure! 

Athlete's are complex puzzles, there are lots of moving parts, and as you have seen with Pete, the stuff he has worked on 'off the track' has helped his performance just as much as the stuff he has done 'on it!'

For those that fear failure, let's start to once again embrace and normalise trying different stuff, getting ugly and throwing yourself amongst it! We are a generation laced with fear.....A fair share of us have forgotten how to embrace the beauty of not knowing everything, being open to let life pan out a little. We should cherish imperfection, failure and mistakes as opportunities to challenge ourselves to reflect/grow and learn!

Enjoy this one fellow runners! I hope you can all relate with Pete's story in some way and it helps you reflect.

I encourage all keen runners to listen to these 'athlete-coach' catch up episodes. Anecdotes and story are some of the best ways to relate, reflect and learn about your own running journey. This chat is full of honest, substantial and real discussion, between two runners that love the sport and are trying to master their craft.

Today, I caught up with Peter Dutton one of the athletes I coach to reflect on the last 6 months of his running journey. It’s an authentic athlete and coach reflection about; the ups, downs and learnings for the year. We also discuss how the rest of the Run Culture Owls went at the recent Vic Milers Club 3000m event and Open Victorian 5000m Track Championships.

If you enjoyed this chat be sure to follow Pete’s journey @petedutton_runs and the rest of the Owl squad @run.culture.

Anyone after some running injury advice be sure to book an in person or online physiotherapy appointment with Dane through the link in the bio or www.runculture.org

Today on the Run Culture podcast, I chat to the host of one of my all-time favourite podcasts; Joel Smith. Joel is the host of, The ‘Just Fly Sports Performance’ Podcast, he’s also the author of a book called; ‘Speed Strength’ and is a very experienced S & C Coach.

Joel is driven by an intense desire to learn, he cares about the truth, he is ever curious, open and creative, he goes beyond the science, he isn’t afraid to acknowledge the; ‘art’, ‘soft skills’ and ‘difficult to quantify’ parts of human performance.

1.) Today, we discussed the idea of overcoaching…

“….I think any coach who's had children and watches them …..you start to realize how well humans are wired to solve movement problems and it's more about removing things that mess us up than it is programming things to do….”

2.) He defines coaching wisdom?

“….Is it the fact that you can treat a human like a machine better than the other person? Not really… Wisdom is the intuition, that helps manage the complex really well with simple story…..”

3.) He discusses the power of playing some pick up basketball or the like, to warm athletes up….

“….the human body is not a car, it is not a rocket, it is not an alarm clock we are so much more complex than that……..and that's the thing, people don't want to use basketball to warm up because it is hard to quantify …..it's social, it's emotional, there's reaction, there's present mindedness, there's flow states and it's fun, it's complex.”

4.) We then delve into the complexities at play when it comes to ‘running technique’.

Here Joel shares how he works with his runners. He discusses his view on running drills and cues. He discusses how important; physical capacity, dynamic awareness, rhythm and falling are.

Thanks again Joel, really enjoyed this chat!

If you want to listen to Joel’s podcast/check out his book; ‘Speed strength’ or course; ‘elastic essentials’, be sure to go across to his website at: https://www.just-fly-sports.com/

Today on the podcast, I chat to Jon Marcus an established and extremely well-versed distance running coach from the US.

Jon is co-host of the ‘On coaching podcast’ with Steve Magness, this is one of my favourite running podcasts. Jon regularly questions the status quo, his blend of science, art, history and openness has been a breath of fresh air for a young running coach like myself. Besides; 'we don't know what we don't know.'

Throughout the years Jon has coached hundreds of athletes, read thousands of books (his home book library is exhaustive) and has had some amazing mentors/friends and influences in the running world, including; Rob Connor, Jerry Schumacher, Alberto Salazar, Steve Magness, Mike Smith, Dan Mackey etc…

It was a fantastic opportunity to chat to Jon today and pick his brain. I have been a member of his online run coaching scholar program for the past year now, this experience has well and truly helped broadened my perspective and the way I approach running/life.

Today we talk about;

-Why do we gravitate to linear/dichotomous ways of thought? Why is it important to keep reminding ourselves that the world is complex?

-Why is it important for runners/coaches to always remain hungry to learn?

-How important is individualisation/personalisation in running?

-We bring into question,  the ‘mileage obsession’ in the distance running community.

-and finish with what Jon learnt most from his experiences with; Alberto Salazar, Jerry Schumacher and Rob Connor?

I hope you enjoy this chat, I hope it gets you to question your processes, I hope it garners a thirst to learn more and never stop learning. If you want to hear more from Jon, be sure to listen to his on-coaching podcast with Steve Magness. Thanks once again for being so generous with your time Jon!

Earlier this week I had a passionate chat with good friends; Zacca Newman and Chris Armstrong, hosts of the; ‘Better with Running Podcast’ and acclaimed Run2PB running coaches.

We discuss the tendency for runners to fall prey to ‘binary bias’ or ‘black and white thinking’. We often over-simplify; running, life and the human body, for the ease of understanding. Rather than viewing things as a complex inter-related set of relationships that are ever changing. Shades of grey are hard to sit with, we get uncomfortable with not knowing and being uncertain. We are after the magic pill, that fixes/solves everything and everyone. The human body is more complex than this.

Yes, we all know the pillars to optimizing human performance are a subtle interplay of; physical exercise/ sleep/ recovery/ nutrition and mental well being… but it’s the application of all of the above to the ‘individual’ in front of you, that carries all the conjecture.

When ‘binary bias’ thinking is ‘self serving’ life is all merry. Life is easier to digest, we are improving or getting better, it all makes sense. Where it gets tricky is when your ‘black and white’ thinking about a certain training method is no longer ‘serving you.’ It is hard to be ‘open’ in these moments, to be less attached to a certain method/behaviour that has served you so well in the past.

We finish the chat by talking about a topic all three of us are particularly passionate about:…. The lost art of listening to your body? And the concept that anything that can be objectively seen in numbers is biased as a metric these days in training…Watch aside, lets get better at ‘tuning our internal dials’…’How did you feel across the ground? How was your rhythm? How was your timing? Did you feel strong? Fresh? Springy? Snappy? Sluggish? Fatigued? Tired? Heavy? Sore? Unmotivated? Raring to go? Excited?

This is a great discussion for any runner keen to find out more about the US College system. Similarly, it's a relevant listen for any runner that feels 'stuck in their comfort zone', has a 'gut feel' that they should try something 'new/different/broaden their horizons' but lacks the gumption to try.

In this chat I caught up with distance runners; Dylan Burrows and Ethan Anthony while they were back in Australia, 3 years into their US College experience at Div 2 school; Oklahoma Christian. They detail the ups n' downs/injuries/success'/experiences/growth and learnings of the past 3 years. (I was their interim coach for 6 months in 2018/19 before they left for the US.)

Ethan and Dylan's exciting US college journey still has a way to go, they may achieve their goals or they may not... at the end of the day it doesn't matter.... they are having fun pursuing their passion and trying something novel......'a new experience'...they will come out the other end more worldly and experientially richer.... If you are interested in following their journey, go to: @_dylanburrows and @_ethananthony. Have fun boys and keep lighting it up.

Today on the Run Culture podcast I chat to another one of the Run Culture Owl athletes I coach; Jess Dunsmore!

It’s an honest conversation about developing quite confidence and overcoming performance overwhelm. We discuss how; vulnerability, failure, uncertainty and openness should be embraced as an integral part of ones personal growth as an athlete and person.

We also talk about some innovations we have added to Jess’s training this year; in a quest to bridge the gap from promising junior to senior athlete. Some of these include; working on his biomechanics and learning ‘butterfly’ in the pool.

Jess has made some big improvements over the past year in his running including a super slick 30:42 for 10,000m in January this year. In 2-3 days times Jess will be running the Bundoora Open State XC 10km championships, one of his favorite races of the year, so we wish him well.

Jess has been a fantastic member of the group over the years, he’s a great listener, empathetic, a real thinker, ever reliable, incredibly humble and almost selfless to a fault. So, please listen in because Jess has so much to offer and is ‘wise beyond his years’.

Enjoy!

Today on the Run Culture podcast, I share stories with my good mate, Zacca Newman (Founder of Run2PB online coaching) on the ‘magic’ of fostering ‘good culture’ in the teams that you are involved in.

What is ‘good culture’? Well, It’s that unbridled energy you feel, when surrounded by a cohesive group of people, that trust each other, are vulnerable together and are all working in the same direction.

In terms of performance, culture isn’t mentioned enough in the running world… so often we talk about the physical and psychological components but what about the social dynamics of a group…

“ Why do certain organizations become greater than the sum of their parts while other groups fall short?”

“Give a good idea to a mediocre team, and they’ll find a way to screw it up. Give a mediocre idea to a good team, and they’ll find a way to make it better. The goal needs to be to get the team right, get them moving in the right direction, and get them to see where they are making mistakes and where they are succeeding.”

In other words, I want more people to appreciate that establishing and working on maintaining good culture amongst the run groups you are in, when it comes to performance, is just as and (in some cases 'more' important) than the 'talent' you possess or the wiz bang ‘technology’ or ‘training schedule’ you are doing.

Some view running as an individual sport but really it can be so much more than this. My entire life has been entwined with running and I attribute much of this to the fun and cohesive running groups I have been apart of over the years. They have taught me so much, I have grown as a person with them and as a result forged everlasting friendships/laughs and many special memories.

Building a more cohesive, knowledgeable and joyous running ‘culture’ has been a driving purpose of everything I try to do, with my running blog/podcast/physiotherapy and coaching.

Thanks once again for the stories 'old man Zacca', you could tell this topic meant a bit to you as well! If you want to hear more from Zacca Newman follow him at Run2PB on socials and be sure to tune in to the 'Better with Running' Podcast.

Today, I chat to Bevan Does, one of the Run Culture Owl Athletes I coach. It’s a great chat to listen to on the back of Pete Dutton’s chat last week, as unlike Pete’s injury riddled last 12 months, Bevan, started the 2021/22 athletic season with ‘big lofty goals’!..... and amazingly, he achieved all of them! Comparatively, the two chats illustrate the inevitable peaks and troughs our running journeys often take.

So enjoy the listen, as Bevan, had one of those dream seasons that we all dream about! How did he do it? Maybe there are some hints that reverberate with you?

….

Backstory: Bevan is a 19 year old, second year Zoology Uni student at Deakin. At the ripe old age of 4 he ran his first fun run, he then went on and showed some promise at Little Athletics but soon lost the passion for the sport from ‘middle to late’ High School. I spotted Bevan 2 yrs ago at a Hastings Park run because he was the kid who could keep up with me for half of it, off just one run a week! After joining the Owls, he has reclaimed a love of the sport, cherishing the team aspect, the ‘joy’ of doing ‘hard things’ with others and the ‘harmony’ of going for an easy run in nature.

Bevan doesn’t overthink training, he’s great at not thinking about running at all, outside of training….he’s up for anything outdoors, whether it’s a hike, stand up paddle boarding, catching up with friends, riding his bike or hikes to the beach! ….and of course being a Zoology student, he loves anything animals!

Over the past two years he has been incredibly patient and consistent, whilst never questioning how little training he was doing compared to others in the group. Infact, he enjoyed the balance it gave his life to do other things as a growing 19 year old!

Contrary, to Bevan’s mature, wholesome and grounded approach, when it comes to a race day start line he is a ‘born ‘competitor. Bevan, 'knows how to find a finish line', he relishes a challenge, is a natural racer and has fantastic composure under pressure.

Anyway, enough from me, have a listen, here’s Bevan Does and how he fell back in love with running and hit goals that he previously thought weren’t possible.

Today's podcast is an incredibly vulnerable chat I had with Peter Dutton; one of the 'Run Culture Owl' athletes I coach. We go deep on some of the 'hard truths' Pete has had to confront over the past 12 months. Thanks Pete, for being so open and candid, your story will no doubt reverberate with many a runners out there. 

Like many, Pete let his passion for running get in the way of smart decision making. "....I was tired but waved that off as just part of the sport, I was racing well and that was enough to convince myself that everything was okay but in reality I ignored the signs and refused to answer the hard questions...." 

Pete and I want all coaches and athletes out there to learn what we have learnt; communication is key.  Don't ignore the signs.  Once rapport and trust has been built, openly discuss the 'hard truths'. Keep an eye out for non-verbal signs of; fatigue/stress/unusual behavior for that athlete. "...Be honest to each other, as it will save you in the long run..."

With set back and injury, emotional distress is expected but once you weather this storm the silver lining is the opportunity to reflect/learn and grow. "....I honestly believe now that if my sacral stress fracture didn't happen I would never have addressed my health...."

Follow along on @petedutton_runs journey and don't hesitate to reach out if his story struck a chord.

Today on the podcast I chat to good mate and kiwi; Caden Shields, fresh off his sizzling 2:13:30 marathon PB in Hamburg! Caden aggressively went through the first half of this race in a half marathon PB! To attack the race in such a way requires a fair degree of ‘belief'.... The show begins with Caden re-counting his race, which provided the perfect platform for us to discuss just how big a player ‘belief’ is in running outcomes. Be it belief in your; training plan, coach or self! Our beliefs dictate our degree of motivation, compliance, attention, happiness and confidence….all key qualities in ensuring sporting success….we also go deeper and challenge listeners to start appreciating that our mindsets greatly influences the physiological response we can have to training (eg. a person who is happy, optimistic and confident compared to a person who is down, pessimistic and worried about their training, will have a vastly different bio-chemical response to the same training. Ultimately, belief effects training efficacy and adaptation, so lets appreciate it and leverage it!)

Today, I chatted with; good friend, David McNeill (Olympic runner, passionate writer, physio & Run Strong Coach)

We discuss the importance of maintaining some 'diversity' in our training, thoughts, habits and routines.

Remember, as humans when it comes to injury and performance we are 'complex systems'; many components 

interact to cause the end result. The more 'diverse' these interacting components are, the more adaptable, resilient and

innovative we can be when faced with 'unexpected' environments or situations. 

In this podcast I chat with good friend and long-time runner, Craig Appleby.

In a round about way we talk about our experiences with the training paradigm (stress plus rest= adaptation). 

We talk about the discipline, flexibility, experience and pragmatic approach needed to best read your body and

modify training so that you adapt towards your running goals, rather than away from them.

Here's a podcast I did with Zacca Newman head coach at Run2PB and host of the Better with Running Podcast a few weeks ago.

In the chat I talk about a term I have coined 'the runners eco system' and how as runners we have to look holistically at running to get our best outcomes. 

Today, I catch up and have a chat with 'Evolve' Running Head coach, 2:19 marathoner and Australian 50km Record holder, Dion Finocchiaro! We talk about ‘coaching the individual’ rather than just 'coaching the event'… What are the fundamentals? What are the nuances?… When is it important to take a generalist view? When is it important to be specific? I hope a few runners out there enjoy this chat and find it useful!

Today I chat with elite Kiwi marathoner about 'chaos and control' in training… Pending on the circumstances and the individual, we all benefit from both at times….The art lies in working out 'what' we need to control, so that we can be more consistent and somewhat deliberate with our training.....whilst working out where to introduce some ‘controlled chaos’ to nudge resilience and improvement. Enjoy!

Physical prowess is so easy to conceptualize, it's visible. Someone can be; fast, strong, coordinated etc..

Psychological resilience on the other hand is harder to see and for this reason it is often under appreciated.

Getting your 'head' right is the first step to rehab/performance success.

So, when I see a patient or runner who has a 'highly tuned' mental game, I get excited about working with them. 

Reality is, shit happens! Throwing a tantrum isn’t going to change anything.

So, if you understand how you think, you will better be able to manage how you feel, behave and act.

Reality is not the problem. No matter how true it feels, this is an incorrect assumption. There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so. 

You are the one that has to adapt. What you can change is what you are thinking of the situation, your perception. You have power over how you evaluate reality and how you respond. 

Over the past week we have seen a range of personalities on our TV sets at the 2022 Australian Open. From the incredibly calm and composed Ash Barty, to the unexpected drama of a Nick Kyrigos game.

This week on the podcast I chat to Dave McNeil fresh off his 2nd place in the men’s 10,000m at the 2022 Zatopek Classic. We chat about how personality influences communication, decisions, behaviour and sporting success.

If you are interested in further education or listening in regards to personality I’d encourage the Sports Psych Show with Dan Abrahams and Dan McAdams https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-sport-psych-show/id1434313037?i=1000522861661

Or if you are interested in some free personality testing (including; the Big 5, Ennegram, Myers-briggs) https://www.truity.com/ is a great website to make you more aware of some of your key character traits.

Ep. 6- What are your running bias's? with David McNeil (Part 2)

Today, three time Olympian and Physiotherapist David McNeill and I, continue our chat about some of the common ‘unconscious biases’ that are ever present in all our lives everyday (whether you are aware of them or not).

Unconscious biases are cognitive shortcuts that we use in an attempt to better understand the unknown aspects of the world around us. Unconscious biases are often fear or reward driven and allow us to feel comfortable and in control with our lives.

Historically, from an evolutionary standpoint, they enabled survival in a less comfortable and certain world, as they allowed us to make decisions quickly. The advantage of this fast, reflexive, intuitive thought, is it enables us to take immediate action. However, it is prone to over-confidence and jumping to inaccurate conclusions. Fortunately, today we are seldom in such imminent life threatening situations.

Too much emotional attachment to our running habits, goals, beliefs and identity, can blind us into making errors of judgment. When it comes to optimising running decisions, the presence of ‘reflexive thinking’ makes our brains ill-equipped to handle certain decisions.

Slower, reflective and deliberate thought however, allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, it is much slower, more logical and less prone to error.

This episode is the second of two episodes where Dave and I discuss just some of the many common unconscious bias out there.

The unconscious bias’ we discuss on this episode are:

-Dunning Kruger Effect.

-Defamation Professionale.

-Bandwagon or Groupthink Bias.

-Sunk Cost Fallacy.

-Addition Bias.

-Status Quo Bias.

-Outcome Bias.

By being more aware of when our unconscious bias’ are limiting, we can change the way we think and more often than not make better life/running decisions.

I hope this chat gets you to self-reflect, as that’s the aim.

Enjoy!

'Why do we run?'

Today, in the first episode of 2022, Caden Shields (Kiwi Physio and 2:15 marathoner) and I jump back on the show and chat about ‘why we run’ 

This is such an important question to ask yourself as a runner. The importance of running and the meaning you get from it changes over the years. 

We recommend everyone else to do the same, get honest and reflect on ‘why you run?’

Is it the friendships formed? A sense of belonging? The mental and/or physical health benefits? Improved self esteem and confidence in ones self? Is it the chase to better oneself? To get fitter? To run faster? The toil of chasing a goal? The life lessons learned? Does it make you a better person?

Knowing your ‘running why’ will mean you are more likely to make decisions about your running that are more aligned to your values.

Ep. 4 Are your aware of your unconscious running bias'? with David McNeill

Today, three time Olympian and Physiotherapist David McNeill and I, chat about some of the common ‘unconscious biases’ that are ever present in all our lives everyday (whether you are aware of them or not).

Unconscious biases are cognitive shortcuts that we use in an attempt to better understand the unknown aspects of the world around us. Unconscious biases are often fear or reward driven and allow us to feel comfortable and in control with our lives.

Historically, from an evolutionary standpoint, they enabled survival in a less comfortable and certain world, as they allowed us to make decisions quickly. The advantage of this fast, reflexive, intuitive thought, is it enables us to take immediate action. However, it is prone to over-confidence and jumping to inaccurate conclusions. Fortunately, today we are seldom in such imminent life threatening situations.

Too much emotional attachment to our running habits, goals, beliefs and identity, can blind us into making errors of judgment. When it comes to optimising running decisions, the presence of ‘reflexive thinking’ makes our brains ill-equipped to handle certain decisions.

Slower, reflective and deliberate thought however, allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, it is much slower, more logical and less prone to error.

This episode is the first of two episodes where Dave and I discuss just some of the many common unconscious bias out there.

The unconscious bias’ we discuss on this episode are:

-Confirmation bias,

- Association bias,

-Framing bias,

-Authorative bias

-and Anchoring bias.

By being more aware of when our unconscious bias’ are limiting, we can change the way we think and more often than not make better life/running decisions.

I hope this chat gets you to self-reflect, as that’s the aim.

Enjoy!

What is ‘Running IQ’?

‘Running IQ’ is a new term that I have coined to reflect the rationality and accuracy of one’s decision making ability in relation to the sport of running.

Not enough has, ‘been said or done’ about the all too common; naïve, emotionally thwarted or flawed ‘Decision-making process’ amongst runners.

A runner with a high running IQ is dialled in to their own, individual running needs. They more often than not make; true, factual, real and helpful training and racing decisions given their circumstances.

High running IQ is a learned skill, it comes easier to some than others but it is certainly something that you can improve over time.

The Recipe to Developing your Running IQ:

-Acknowledge current knowledge base, values, perspectives and beliefs.

-Undergo a process of honest self-Introspection/reflection

-Develop a curiosity for accurate answers.

-Allow time for considered decision making.

-Embrace being wrong and uncomfortable.

-Invert the problem to identify what you really need to know

-Undertake varied and expansive experiences and experiments.

-Introduce Objectivity into your decision making.

- Surround yourself with people who will challenge your opinions and are also seeking accuracy.

-Be a great listener.

-Be patient, persistent and passionate about the process.

-Form and refine accurate Mental Models relevant and specific to you and your circumstances.

-Have an adequate margin of safety, no one can predict the future with complete certainty.

Today on Episode 2 of the podcast I chat to all round good bloke; Brent Lalor. Brent is an established physio, an athlete I coach, a 1:09 half marathoner,  2:30 marathoner and has endured chronic Achilles battles for much of his career… today we talk through the difficulties all runners go through when they are reasoning their way through training and injury management decision. This discussion flows nicely from Ep 1. and the idea of ‘Complex systems’ (so if you haven’t already, have a listen)

Today, Brent and I discuss the idea of ‘Pattern recognition’ and how the quest to find an accurate pattern is often more complicated than a lot of us initially suspect or are aware of:

• It involves an ability to be brutally self-aware of ‘what we know’ and ‘what we don’t know!’ In the show, hang out for ‘the elephant and the 6 blind men’ analogy, I feel if more people out there appreciated this, it could only be a good thing for the world.
• An awareness of how our biases or emotions can thwart the scientific rigour and accuracy of the clinical reasoning process.
• The need for a diverse and honest sounding board of people around you that challenge your perspectives and beliefs when necessary.
• and the fact that, runners that consistently achieve their goals overtime, know you need to be ‘open to being wrong’! It is with this thought process that you’re more likely to effectively work your way through running injuries/poor performance and eventually find out what training seems to work best for ‘you’!

I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! I’d love to hear what you think. 

The Run Culture Podcast is back!

Each episode of SEASON 2 will cover a key principle that underpins successful injury-free running (all will be supported by science, history and personal anecdotes.)

In Episode one I chat to good mate of mine, awesome physio and 2:15 Marathoner; Caden Shields.

Today, we discuss 'Complex Systems and Running Injury/Success'.

I hope you enjoy it, whether it expands or just confirms a principle that you already knew.

Please reach out and let me now how I can improve these episodes going forward!

Here's a summary of Episode 1:

1.) There are multiple factors influencing why you get injured at any one time, it is seldom just one factor, as without out the other factors its highly likely your body would have tolerated this change (eg. if you don't run, who cares if you changed to a slightly more minimal shoe). 

2.) We are all individuals- We all have unique attributes in regards to so many different characteristics. Our differences in our profiles- mean that we all respond to training slightly differently. In this way we (humans) are complex systems, we need to appreciate this.

3.) The 4 Big Rocks: energy availability, recovery, mental state, training organisation. These 4 factors turn the needle the most in regards to performance and injury. Mechanistic factors are important too but not at the expense of the big rocks.

4.) The Importance of 'Pattern Recognition' and acknowledging 'Lag time'.

5.) Personal anecdotes

Today, Pete does a sterling job interviewing his coach, Dane who is now back from his experience as a team physiotherapist at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

From hotel quarantine, Dane shares how lucky he feels to have had this Paralympic opportunity and how it came about.

How he has come home with some new personal heroes, not just from an ‘athletic performance’ standpoint but from a real humanistic, ‘how to optimize life’ front. It was so endearing to see that for so many Paralympians, motivation to perform was less about self and more about destigmatizing disability and inspiring others. He speaks of the incredible energy and vibe he felt amongst the whole Aussie team.

What life was like inside the Aussie Paralympic Village? He reflects on snippets of a never-ending highlights reel. He discusses some of what he learnt throughout the whole experience, including performing when it counts on the biggest stage. It’s a great insight into how enriching, empowering, invigorating and inspirational sport can be, especially in a time like this.

You can catch this episode and more through this link or in our bio. 🔗 https://blink.by/runculture/ 

All things Run Culture and more can be found on the following links:

For all your physiotherapy needs… Book in now with host and experienced physiotherapist, Dane Verwey: https://auappts.gensolve.com/run

In addition to 1 on 1 Physiotherapy Consultation, Dane also provides a weekly online strength/conditioning program. With sessions focused on strength, activation and mobility it is great for runners, elite athletes and the general punter alike. Sign up now ($20/month): https://run-therapy.teachable.com 

Run Culture Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NGeePSmXrnyU4k6EX4wNv?si=i6FT7VvWQn-pr9TMcNbfZQ

Run Culture Podcast on Apple/iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/run-culture-podcast/id1478354435 

Follow Run Culture on Instagram: @run.culture https://www.instagram.com/run.culture/ 

Like Run Culture on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dsverwey/ 

All Run Culture Owl athletes can be found on the teams Strava group: https://www.strava.com/clubs/rc-owls

Today I caught up with three of the Run Culture Owl 

athletes I coach; Jess Dunsmore, Pete Dutton and Damien Clark.

This episode is a relaxed team (athlete-coach) chat.

We reflect on how races and training has gone over the past 

couple of months. We also discuss some personal highlights, 

lessons learnt and goals going forward.

This episode is a wonderful chance get to know the Run Culture Owl

athletes further, understand their journey, see that running can 

very much be a team sport and is so much more fruitful, meaningful

and enjoyable as such. You may also find some of this chat grows your

own running.

Oh and importantly....

This Saturday the 'Owls' are holding an intra squad 5km time trial 

at Ballam Park at 9am to unveil the 2021 new Run Culture Owl singlet.

The singlet will go on sale to the public from Tuesday (22/6/21) next week.

Proceeds will go toward helping support the squad financially. 

We chat about the origins of the new singlet design (that the squad is

all pretty proud to don) in the show. This yearly singlet update is a 

tradition the squad looks to carry on annually

The singlet helps identify and unite us as a team but its meaning is bigger than this.

As a passionate lifelong runner and physiotherapist (myself) I value the importance of 

daily physical activity and how vital it is in helping maintain our

long term physical and psychological health in a world that has never been 

so sedentary. 

So, if you also value the effect daily physical activity has in maintaining your overall health 

or if you like what we are doing for the sport as a team or you get a lot out

of our podcasts each week then grab a singlet and show your support 

next Tuesday!

I urge everyone to join us for the ride. Let’s Run.Live.Grow together!

I want more runners to accept that; 'Getting injured or underperforming can be a good thing!' 

Obviously, we all want to perform consistently and avoid long injury lay offs. Form slumps and long term injuries as super keen runner 'are the pits' .........but what if I was to say they are a necessary evil?? 

Aiming to starve off injury or reaching for PBs are two contradictory ideals.

If your sole aim is to prevent injury in your running, well this is easy, don't push/don't change what is working, run within your comfort zone. On the other hand if you are determined to push your body to performance levels it has never achieved before this requires challenging training that stresses the body.  Occasionally, when searching for that bit extra in training to optimize our running performance we 'over train', this can lead  to injury. 

So, as you can see there is an adaptation 'sweet spot'. Under stress the body in training and you wont improve but you wont get injured. Over stress the body for too long and the chance of injury is high. The art is working out your sweet spot!

Avoiding running injury and ensuring optimal running performance isn't about luck, there is always a 'why?' 

In terms of viewing the bigger picture, if you are really serious about reaching your full potential as a runner then you need to know running injury and  poor performance is a necessary part of the tumultuous journey to finding your greater self. These experiences are necessary rungs in the ladder to learning what works for you. The key is to be really introspective and reflect on what our life circumstances and training looked like during and before these times.

You can catch this episode and more through this link or in our bio. 🔗 https://blink.by/runculture/ 

All things Run Culture and more can be found on the following links: 

 If you feel the podcast adds value to your runs, commute or through what ever means you listen you can now support the podcast for a small donation off $5/month. This donation not only keeps the podcasts and its host running, but will also provide listeners early access to all the latest and greatest interviews BEFORE the general public!! Sign up on Patreon now: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=11035307&fbclid=IwAR0ULgHkhlqmOJYU4cc5BSlTkfrmg0SIWM0wqKTyVYUNGUfscb7MX_R7KP0 

For all your physiotherapy needs… Book in now with host and experienced physiotherapist, Dane Verwey: https://auappts.gensolve.com/run In addition to 1 on 1 Physiotherapy Consultation,  Dane also provides a weekly online strength/conditioning program. With sessions focused on strength, activation and mobility it is great for runners, elite athletes and the general punter alike. Sign up now ($20/month): https://run-therapy.teachable.com 

Run Culture Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0NGeePSmXrnyU4k6EX4wNv?si=i6FT7VvWQn-pr9TMcNbfZQ  

Run Culture Podcast on Apple/iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/run-culture-podcast/id1478354435  

Follow Run Culture on Instagram: @run.culture https://www.instagram.com/run.culture/  

Like Run Culture on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dsverwey/ 

 All Run Culture Owl athletes can be found on the teams Strava group: https://www.strava.com/clubs/rc-owls