The Runner's Resource

Have you ever thought about running an ultra marathon?

Training for an ultra involves a lot of work, and one of the most important elements is the long run.

Ensuring success in an ultra, is about making sure you nail your long runs every single week.

In this episode I will break down some of my tips to be be successful in the long run during ultra training.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• How to fuel during a long run
• How to pack, and what to bring during your long run
• How training can support your long run

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Running is not about legs. Running is about the mind

-Eliud Kipchoge

Running should always be about the community

How can you find more ways to bring more community into your running journey?

Today's episode will examine different types of races that involve a team atmosphere

Highlights of today's episode include:

• An amazing quote about running with a group by Eliud Kipchoge
• The different types of running races that involve a team atmosphere
• An interesting idea that race directors could use to bring in a team atmosphere to any race

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Do you often get sick while training? You are likely not alone. The relationship between illness and running is well documented.

Today we will dig into how you can prevent getting sick while continuing to train.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• The relationship between running and body immunity 
• How to prevent illness
• What you should do if you do get sick

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In today's episode, I interview, Brady Shay. You can find her running in pink somewhere in Colorado. She found her passion for running unexpectedly 12 years ago while in high school. For her, running started as something to do to fill her free time until it quickly turned into daily movement. 

She uses running to feel good in her mind, body, and soul. Over the last year, she has focused more intentionally on becoming a faster runner, upped my shoe and fit game a bit, and is excited to complete her 7th half marathon in May, with hopes of finishing healthy and earning a new PR! In her free time, she loves to hike, bike, walk, spend time outdoors, do yoga, and garden.  

Brady is a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Coach, and Health Promotion Specialist. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Master of Public Health in Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles. Her goal is to inspire women to create positive relationships with movement, food, and their bodies to feel strong and confident and allow them to move freely, breathe mindfully, and live fearlessly. 

Highlights of todays episode:

• The struggle of many female, and female runners have with body image
• We discuss running safety. Brady discuss some of the tips that she uses to stay safe while running outside

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Welcome to the 100th episode of the Runner's Resource Podcast. Thank you everyone who has been a part of making this journey possible. I am looking forward to the next 100 episodes :)

In today's episode, I interview, Emily who is a 22 year old content creator working in London. She ran her first marathon on her birthday last October. Since then, she has run 3 more, and is planning to run 10 in her 22nd year, including Annecy and London that are only one week apart.

Aside from running, Emily has a first class filmmaking degree, 3 grade 8s in music, a passion for crochet, pastel colours and a fluffy ginger cat called Larry!

She is keen on changing the conversation around exercise, promoting movement for mental health and happiness rather than weight loss and aesthetics. 

She uses her voice and online presence to positively impact people’s lives while working on her own. 

And in her own words “run to change your life not your body”.

Highlights of todays episode:

• Emily outlines her “unhinged” 2024, where she plans on running 10 marathons!
• Emily discusses the positive affects that running has made on her mental health
• She discusses an important topic of food disorders. Running has been able to help her create a positive change with her own relationship towards eating

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A topic that runners love to talk about is their running mileage. How many miles did you run last week (or last month?)

Having a good understanding on how to increase your running volume in a given week is extremely important for a runner.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• How to build a weekly mileage program, and the balance of weekly sessions
• How to train for marathons with lower weekly mileage

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Do runners need more sodium?

According to the FDA you don't! ;)

Runners who are running in warmer conditions, need to consume more sodium to replace the lost electrolytes during long bouts of exercise.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• What are lagging and leading indictors that you can look at to improve

• Why hydration and sodium is needed for endurance athletes

• What ultra marathons should take in during long runs or races

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In today's episode I am joined with Dr. Marie Whitt to talk all about the Hamstring muscles.

Marie is a practicing doctor of physical therapy since 2018; who specializes in treating runners in her clinic. She has been a runner since 2009. She has had her share of running injuries which only resolved once she Dared to Train Differently and started consistently strength training. She now takes that passion and knowledge and is currently coaching runners on how to strength train like a runner so they can run their next race better, stronger, faster, and injury-free. 

Highlights of todays episode:

• We talk about how the hamstrings move the legs, and the possible injuries that runners can get in this muscle group
• We discuss a VERY controversial topic. Do runners need to stretch or strengthen their hamstrings? 
• Dr. Marie gives two examples of movements that are predictors of future hamstring injuries

Links referenced in episode:

Do you ever have a bad run, or a bad race and think... why did that happen? Do you constantly focus on things like pace, distance, time in those runs or races? Then today's episode is for you! 

Runners often focus on the results of a race, or the results of a run as more important than the process.

In today's episode, I am going to breakdown the importance of why process is more important than results.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• What are lagging and leading indictors that you can look at to improve

• 4 different scenarios of the results vs process matrix

• Asking a different question about the process of a run, a race vs the results 

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In today's episode I interview Tara Nicole from Kansas City, Missouri.

Tara is a runner because she decides to lace up her shoes everyday and hit the pavement. Her running journey began in high school as a way to avoid a chaotic and unstable home fueled by addiction, untreated mental illness and domestic violence. Running has been a huge tool in her toolbox in her own personal journey through recovery, as it’s a continuous challenge against yourself for yourself. Her greatest running accomplishment would be completing the David Goggins challenge 3 years in a row, and honestly running double digits. She was a sprinter in high school and still has a sprinter heart, so anything over 3 miles challenges her!

Highlights of todays episode:

• Tara dives into her running journey, and we talk a lot about why running gives her clarity, and running and mental health
• We talk in detail about the David Goggins 4X4X48 challenge. Why Tara chooses to do a challenge like this, and why it makes her mentally stronger 
• For any new runner we talk about why running can be hard to get started, but why the rewards are so much greater 

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In today's episode, I chat with Larry and Cara Kay, the race directors from the  Mid-South Races for Hope in Wynne Arkansas. 

Larry is a long-time runner who has completed multiple marathons and half-marathons while Cara Kay dubs herself a “runner supporter.”

The 2024 race will be the 25th year for Mid-South Races for Hope, formerly called the Mid-South Marathon. A tornado ripped through the town of Wynne, AR, on March 31, 2023, greatly affecting the race course. 

Highlights of todays episode:

• The 2023 race, and why the name of “RACES for HOPE” was so significant for last year's event.
• The involvement of the kids in the Wynne area. How they encourage the kids to get involved in a ½ marathon challenge 
• The individual roles as race directors. Both the behind the scenes paperwork, and the course work that runners get to see during the race

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In today's episode, we discuss how to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon.

With the Olympics coming up this summer, this is the perfect time to try and understand HOW individuals can qualify for the Marathon at the Olympics.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• What is the qualification window, and standard times that males and females need to run in order to qualify

• How individuals from from Canada, USA, and Great Britain can qualify for this years Olympics

• Why the qualification times have been significantly reduced for 2024

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In today's episode I am joined with Jason Bahamundi from Run Try Bike.

Jason is the founder of Run Tri Bike, a passionate and accomplished endurance athlete dedicated to proving that there is a spot at the starting line for everybody and every body. With a background deeply rooted in the world of triathlons, running, and cycling, Jason has not only excelled in his personal athletic endeavors but is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive world of endurance sports. This led him to establish Run Tri Bike, a platform that serves as a hub for enthusiasts to connect, share experiences, and access valuable resources. Jason's genuine enthusiasm for endurance sports, continues to inspire individuals to pursue their goals and embrace the transformative power of an endurance sports lifestyle.

Episode Highlights:

• Jason's start of endurance events began in 2006, with a charity event ( ½ marathon). The beginnings of running did not feel good, but soon after he fell in love with longer events 
• We talk about a few tips for beginners looking to run their first ultra marathon event- specifically a 100 mile race event 
• We talk about his most passionate envedor to date- Run Tri Bike, and discus the idea how “Not everyone is training for a gold medal”

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In today's episode we examine Vince Lombardi's approach to coaching. How his "Back to the Basics" approach helped lead the Green Bay Packers to several Super Bowl and and NFL Championship wins.

This approach to focusing on the basics, or the fundamentals of a sport, or a skill has been used by many coaches, successful entrepreneurs, and of course runners.

By focusing on the basics, or the fundamentals, this approach will allow you to focus on the elements of running that matter the most. The fundamentals will give you the greatest return on your training time.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• How to build a aerobic engine to be successful in any endurance event

• Strengthen your body to support the strong aerobic engine

• How a strong mindset will help you as a runner in training and racing

  
  

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Today i am joined with John Boyd Jr. 

John is a cross country and Track coach from Ste. Genevieve High School in Ste. Genevieve, MO

John was a graduate of the same school, where he is now the Principle He was a graduate of Linwood University where he was an All-American for both Cross Country and Track.

John then attended Missouri Baptist University, where he completed a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership in 2015. 

He went back to Ste. Genevieve in 2011, where he was a teacher for 7 years. He had served as an assistant coach under his former running coach, Coach Brian Jett. John then became the head coach after coach Jett’s retirement.

In his personal life, he has been married for 6 years to to wife Sierra, and has two kids- JB and Emery.

Highlights of today's episode include:

• John outlines what it is like to be a high school X-country or track athlete, and what his training physiology is like for his athletes 

• John discusses some of the mistakes high school make in their training 

• High school coaches help athletes get faster and stronger, John also talks about what other lessons outside of running he instills in his athlete runners

In today's episode, we examine the "the small things" a runner needs to be doing to stay healthy, and stay consistent. The term consistency will weave itself throughout this episode. These "small things" may be small, however they are vital for any runner. Do these "small things" this winter, to step yourself up for a great spring race.

Episode Highlights: 

• Why runners need to focus on getting enough sleep to optimize performance and recovery
• How the consistency of mobility and strength training are vital to allow a runner to keep training harder
• How runners can use good nutritional tips to fuel them for their next run

Welcome to the first interview of 2024 for the Runners Resource Podcast. I am happy to share a conversation with Max Stoneking.

Max is a Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI, USA. He has a long history in the sport of swimming and he swam collegiately at the Division III level. After his swim career, he began to train and compete in triathlons and has had numerous podium finishes in the age group and Elite division ranks. He currently has his own coaching service, Elite Edge, for runners and triathletes. He also writes a weekly newsletter on Substack called Study and Sport. 

Episode Highlights: 

• We discuss tapering for an athletes race. Max shares why athletes need to taper, and the outcomes that come from this important time. Max makes an excellent point, that a taper can not save you from overcoming fatigue
• We discuss the idea of athletes who are overdeliverying. Max discusses ways that an athlete can push themselves and adapt to training, but at the same time leave something in the tank.
• Finally we discuss the idea of the world's best vs your best. Should you do what the elites do? If they have the best training methods, should we be following their lead? Max guides us to understand WHAT the best are doing and most importantly what you should do

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In today's episode, I talk about recovery tools for runners. Recovery is important for every single runner. Recovery aids in the prevention of injuries, gets you ready for the next workout, and helps stop burnout. This is the final episode of Season 2 of the Runners Resource Podcast.

Episode Highlights: 

• I talk about why runners need recovery to aid in their running program
• I discuss a few simple tools that you can use to recover a workout, or race
• A opposing view of recovery

Mike Bonham (Kansas City, MO) benefits from an annoyingly high metabolism, making him the object of derision from dieters as he eats infinite cookies with no weight gain. Mike's stubborn determination and terrible hand eye coordination led him to explore running in high school after failing to make the basketball team.

Mike is a husband to a beautiful, loving and intelligent woman, the father of 3 mostly grown and fully functional adult human children. He serves as administrative assistant to 2 very spoiled fur babies he never asked for. Mike does analyst work at a bank so he can buy running shoes and begrudgingly pay the bills.

Fearing he would turn 40 with nothing to show for it athletically, Mike signed up for a half marathon in 2012. He fell in love with the training and followed the rabbit hole into running a full, qualifying for Boston, running a 50 miler, taking on silly challenges (4 mi/4 hrs/48 hrs) then lost it by running 13 miles a day for a month+ until he injured his calf.

Now running more sensible mileage, he hopes to hit 20,000 lifetime miles by mid 2024.

Mike looks forward to running NYC, his 12th marathon and third Major (Boston '14, Chicago '18). He enjoys discussing running and supporting his friends and family in their fitness journey by leading by example and fitting running into every conversation possible.

Episode Highlights: 

• Mike talks about the excitement he has going into this marathon, visiting the city with his family, and being able to see the entire city. 
• We talk about run commuting 
• We re-cap Mike’s NYC marathon experience, and he rates his favourite Boroughs based on the marathon route 

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In today's episode, I talk about my top 10 lessons (my philosophy) on running. Tips that I would give to fellow runners to help them improve.

The best lesson is to understand your WHY and this will make the journey much easier.

Episode Highlights: 

• I discuss why runners need to do cross training (move your body in different ways). I guess a 25-year-long study that answered the question "How much of a life expectancy

do humans receive from playing a individual sport?"

• I discuss the importance of strength training for runners. Why they need to push their bodies outside of running, and what this does for life expectancy
• Finally I discuss smaller things like sleep, hydration, and nutrition

What would be on your list?

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Amanda Nelson is a Canadian ultra marathon runner from Woodstock Ontario. Amanda’s 4X Canadian records speak for themselves:

12 hour: 135.072km 

100 mile: 14:45:51

24hr: 248.985km 

Backyard ultra: 57 loops/hours

Amanda grew up on a dairy farm in Oxford county. She currently works on a dairy farm, and is a running coach. She is married, with two kids (ages 9 and 10). With her minimal free time her trains hard and gets it done!  

Episode Highlights:  

• Amanda details her experience at this years Back yard ultra national championships, and how she trains for this event 

• She gives tips for runners running their first 100 miler 

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Claire Shorenstein (MS, RD, CSSD) is a Board-Certified Sports Dietitian based in Santa Cruz, CA. She provides virtual nutrition coaching to clients on a wide variety of issues, with a speciality in Performance Nutrition, and hosts the Eat for Endurance Podcast. Claire also is an avid distance runner and has competed in numerous solo and team events from the 5km to 50-mile distance over the last 25 years. 

World record times at the marathon seem to occur every few weeks. The elite runners are redefining expectations of what we thought was possible for human performance.

This does beg the question: How fast can humans get?

Can we look for a cause in this sudden drop in Marathon times, or is there something more going on?

Episode Highlights: 

• We discuss the recent drop in Marathon times, and talk about the two most recent WR times: Kelvin Kiptum (Chicago 2023) and Tigst Assefa (Berlin 2023)
• I discuss what the equivalent to running Kelvin's marathon time (2:00:35) to other shorter events
• We discuss one of the biggest factors in the drop in times: super shoes
• Finally we end with the question "is there something else going on?"

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In today’s episode we discuss VO2 max. VO2 max is one of the best indicators of overall health. No matter if you are a runner, an athlete, or an older adult you can benefit from a higher VO2 max. As we age, VO2 max declines, and those with a higher VO2 max have a reduction in risk of other diseases like stroke, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

VO2 max has implications in athlete performance, which will be talked in detail in todays episode.

Daniels Running Formula:

VO2max %​​=0.8+0.1894393e−0.012778t+ 0.2989558e−0.1932605t​

Kenji Heilman is a 44-time marathon runner from Northern Kentucky. After playing sports through college, he continued to stay active and eventually ran his first marathon in 2002. He has since paced Cincinnati’s Flying Pig Marathon 13 times and looks forward to it annually. The Mohawk Hudson River Marathon in October will be his 45th in a 20th state, and he still believes he can achieve a personal best at 52 years of age. He encourages everyone to focus on ‘you're happy’, work hard and keep learning. You can find him on Twitter/X at @kenjiheilman

Episode Highlights:  

• We talk about all things marathons with Kenji, who has now run 44 marathon races. Kenji talks about his favourite marathon Deadwoods, Nicholson Trail in South Dakota 
• Kenji talks about being a pacer at marathons. The challenges that come with helping those running a marathon who want to run a certain time, but also how rewarding it can be
• And we talk Kenji’s ultimate running goal.

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With so many runners running a marathon this coming fall, a good question to ask ourselves "Is running a marathon impressive"? In today's episode, we will examine this question.

Episode Highlights: 

• Why the distance of the marathon makes running it very difficult
• The difficultly of training
• How many runners finish a marathon every year

Chris Runge is a 33-year-old woman who has been running for over 10 years. She has Cystic Fibrosis, a chronic, degenerative lung disease, CF-related diabetes, AND had a double-lung transplant back in 2013. 

However, she doesn't let these things slow her down! She enjoys working out, watching sci-fi, and listening to and playing music. 

Her motto is, "run your own race", and her Christian faith motivates her to stay healthy so she can continue to serve God and other people. Her most recent running goal has been to do a sub-10-minute mile, which she reached in recent days, despite chronic pain. She has finished 5k's, 10k's, and a half marathon, "not even in last place"! With her backpack full of snacks, medicine and emergency supplies, she runs through the suburbs of Chicago, IL.

Episode Highlights: 

• Chris shares the struggle of her cystic fibrosis journey. From a double lung transplant, 10 years ago to now becoming a running enthusiast 
• Chris talks about how her running is going today, and what she calls her “5 pound weight backpack” 
• Chris shares how her faith in God, was able to help her during her translate, and what Bible verse Chris turns to during the more difficult times of life 

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Do you feel like you are stuck in a rut in your training? You are not making any progress, or improvements. You are running similar finishing times for races. All of this, AND you are training hard.

IF this has ever occurred to you, you MIGHT be experiencing diminishing returns 

Diminishing returns can be a problem for veteran and more advanced runners can experience.

In today’s episode let's talk about what diminishing returns are, who it affects the most, what factors are associated with them, and ways that you might be able to fight against them

What we will cover today:

• What are diminishing returns?
• Who often experiences diminishing returns in their training 
• What are the factors that are associated with diminishing returns with running and exercises 
• Ways to fight against diminishing returns

Have you ever wondered what it is like being a race director at an endurance event? In today's episode I had the oppuruntiy to chat with a race Director from Central Florida, Larry Coggins Jr. 

Larry is the Regional Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. He is a Florida State University alumni, and a retired Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. Larry resides in Central Florida with his wife Stephanie and son Kyle.

Episode Highlights: 

• Larry shares the story of a failed stress test, and why he choose running as a means to get back into a healthier lifestyle  
• Larry talks about his experience being a race director for many of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving running events. Most people do not understand all the work that goes on behind the scenes at endurance events, and Larry gives some interesting perspective as a race director. 
• Larry discusses why he has a goal to run a marathon every year. He is looking to run the Celebration Marathon in January of 2024. Part of the motivation to keep pushing him is to re-create a photo at the marathon with his son Kyle.

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Do you ever wonder what the limits of your own potential? Runners often try and push their own limits.

Today, we have a special guest- fellow Canadian ultra marathon runner Ihor Verys.

Ihor talks about his journey from Ukraine to Canada, who took up running as a mental tool to help him with the stress of moving to Canada. Running was the cheapest sport to participate in, and became an obsession. After COVID hit Ihor got into trail running, and then ultra marathons. I wasn't able to convince him to play hockey!

We talked about his recent first place finish at the Canadian death race. Outside of running, E-hor is a Commercial Lines Account Manager at HUB international. 

Episode Highlights: 

• We talk about the beginning of Ihor's start of running. Ihor started with half marathons and marathons then quickly switched to longer races on trails, after being inspired by the book Born to Run.  
• One of Ihor's favourite quotes is by marathon runner- Eliud Kipchoge “No human is limited '' We chat about Ihor's curiosity of the limits of the human body, and his own potential limits 
• We chat about Ihor's approach to nutrition. What he eats on a daily basis and what he eats on race day.

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Have you ever considered a vegan diet? Are you an athlete who struggles to know if this is the right approach for you?

Today we have a special guest- Canadian ultra marathon Priscilla Forgie from Edmonton Alberta.

Priscilla is a recent runner, only having consistently running since 2019. Since this time she has several first female finishes, and overall first places finishes at major ultra marathons.

2023 has been a big year for Priscilla. She finished as the 2nd female at Canyons giving her entry into Western States endurance run. She finished Western States as the 8th overall female and the first Canadian finisher. 

Outside of running, Priscilla has a love of animals, and has volunteered at various rescue and wildlife organizations over the years. She has been vegan for about 15 years now and is continually learning new things every day about plant-based eating. Priscilla is always looking for ways her eating can fuel her running endeavors so that she feels healthy and happy. 

In her spare time she is often out in nature or snuggled up with her rescue pit bull, Baby. 

Episode Highlights:

• We chat in detail about Priscilla’s experience as a plant based, and vegan runner. She gives tips to new vegan runners, or those who want to try this approach to eating. She shares what she eats during training runs and races.
• Priscilla shares her experience running in this past years Western States Endurance Run, and her plans to come back even stronger in 2024 
• We talk about Priscilla’s recent training, and she gives a great tip to any runner: replicate your training with the terrain of your race 

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Is vacation a time to run, and stay active? For many runners, this can be a time for extra miles, others might enjoy some much needed rest.

In today's episode, let's break down a number ways to stay active while on vacation.

What we will cover today:

• Why your current goals are important to consider how much to run when you are on vacation
• Reasons not to run at all on vacation
• Many great ways to squeeze in miles while away

What do runners need to track with their training? How obsessed should you get with "running the numbers"? In today's episode we will review the 3 more important elements that every runner should track with their training. These 3 elements (volume, frequency and intensity) play a role in daily, weekly and monthly plans.

What we will cover today:

• What volume, frequency and intensity are, and the impact each have on training plans
• How intensity plays a role in a runner fitting in the "80/20" rule into their training
• The downside of being too obsessed with the numbers

Runners need to respect their body, and understand the importance of rest. Pushing your body behind its limits is a recipe for getting injured. Welcome back to part two of this two-part series on rest.

In today’s episode we wanted to talk about reasons NOT to run. We will cover the legitimate reasons a runner should rest and not run.

What we will cover today:

• Why most amateur runners could benefit from taking a regular day off each week 
• The different reasons for taking a rest day related to injuries
• Why runners need to pay close attention to severe weather to call off a run

Today, I am joined on the podcast with Jason Viox, from Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.

Jason Viox grew up in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, but despite playing football and running track, he never viewed himself as an athlete. He even has an embarrassing track story to back up that belief, which we will cover in today's episode. In 2013, however, he discovered his love for running while working as a journalist in Wynne, Arkansas. He completed his first half marathon seven months after his first run and finished his one and only marathon about a year later. In total, he has completed countless 5Ks, several 10Ks, six half marathons, a trail 25K (that turned into 17 miles after he got lost), one full marathon, the infamously named Get Your Butt Kicked at Route 66 and eight straight St. Louis Hot Chocolate 15Ks. Besides multiple virtual races, Jason plans to run and volunteer in the Kimmswick 5K at the end of July this year. His current goal is to complete his ninth straight St. Louis Hot Chocolate 15K on his quest to finish that race 10 years in a row... although taking on his 7th half marathon, another 6-hour race or his first 12-hour race are all possibilities too.

Episode Highlights:

• We talk about virtual runs, and why Jason loves participating in these events
• Jason talks about his most embarrassing running story, which happened back in high school on the track 
• We talk in detail about one of Jason’s most interesting runs, Get Your Butt Kicked at Route 66 race - A 6 hour timed event

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Today I am sharing a conversation I had with Noel Paine, from the Ottawa, Ontario.

Noel Paine is a Runningdad and writer who has been a runner for over 35 years and has run everything from track, road races, to marathons, trail and ultramarathons.  He has a love for running, healthy active living and storytelling. He has written for the Canadian Running magazine, iRun magazine, done blogs and podcasts and has published three books on running and racewalking (his newfound passion). He can be found in Ottawa, Ontario, if you can find him sitting still.

Episode Highlights:

• Noel talks about the beginning of his running adventures- running back home from school in high school- 19 km away! 
• We talk about pedestrianism- A term used a LONG time ago about runners walking extreme distances, and why this sport is no longer popular today
• Noel talks about race walking, and the benefit of using this style of walking into your weekly routine  

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On today’s episode I wanted to cover the topic of “Sticking to the plan”

The inspiration for the title of today's episode, is a quote from the TV show Survivor. Player Keith Nale stated at Tribal council “I say we stick to the plan”

How does “sticking to the plan” relate to running, and how does sticking to the plan make you a better runner?

What we will cover today:

• Consistency is the key to life
• Steam whistle: "do one thing really really well"
• What are the most important elements a runner should "stick to"

In today's episode, we talk about unique races that can be raced all around the world.

There is a great benefit to participating in a local 5 K or marathon, however many times runners get stuck in a rut in participating in the same type of races. There are a lot more races out there that are unique and sometimes a bit strange!

Today I wanted to share with you what I have found that are the 10 unique races from across the world. 

Even if you never have a chance to race in one of these events…. Do some research and find a race that will challenge you!

What we will cover today:

• My top 10 most unique races from across the world 

• Challenge yourself this year to find a different kind of race. Think outside the box and find something new

In today's episode, we cover a very important topic for runners who live in areas affected by wildfires.

Living here on the east coast, I never thought I would be affected by wildfires. The recent wildfires in Ontario and Quebec have caused many runners to adjust training plans and to change outdoor activities. In today’s episode we discuss the risks, and ways to adjust training when faced with wildfires in your area.

What we will cover today:

• Health risks that are caused by poor air quality 
• How careful does a runner really need to be?
• What are your other options?

Today, I had a conversation with Miriam Gilbert, author, ultra-marathon runner, who uses the power of running as means to help cope with life.

Growing up, Miriam is an average athlete who doesn't get much playing time. She never imagines becoming a runner. But a college breakup propels her to run to mend her broken heart. She began running 5K races. These races morph into half-marathons and marathons. Years later, running helps her to cope with the workplace mistreatment she is enduring as an academic and the depression she suffers.

Miriam has been running races since 1989 and ultramarathons since 2005. She is training for ultramarathon no. 35 (Loopy Looper 12-hr) and no. 36 (Hainesport 48-hr Endurance Run), and training to pace and crew at the 2023 Badwater 135. Her memoir, Come What May, I Want to Run: A Memoir of the Saving Grace of Ultrarunning in Overwhelming Times, was published in May 2023. Miriam is also published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Running for Good, Ultrarunning Magazine, Women's Running, and Podium Runner Magazine.

In her recent memoir: Come What May, I Want to Run, the reader keeps pace with Miriam as she overcomes adversity, and her unrelenting faith, perseverance, resiliency, and running ultramarathons never waiver.

In today's episode, I share a few embarrassing running stories. These stories were given to me by various runners across the world.

Enjoy a good laugh today, and hopefully none of these types of stories will happen to you!

What we will cover today:

• A common story theme: stomach issues!
• A Boston Marathon Nightmare
• And much more!

Have you ever had a difficult goal. A goal that was daunting, overwhelming, and so large outside of your comfort level that you just feel like you couldn't ever do it.

Sometimes these goals seem too hard, and you get frustrated and want to quit.

One way to help you reach these tougher goals is to break the goal into small more reasonable blocks. This makes the goal more realistic, with a smaller goal to hit along the way to your ultimate goal

What we will cover today:

• Make Realistic Goals
• Use small block goals to help reach distance or pace running goals
• Continue to push the "goal posts" every time you hit a new milestone

In today's episode, I cover a solo topic on morning or evening running. Are you early riser or a night owl?

In this episode, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of morning and evening running, and let you decide which one is best for you. Even if you are a morning person or a night runner, listen in and find out how you can make the most out of your running routine.

What we will cover today:

• Advantages and disadvantages of morning and evening running
• How when you run can change due to life circumstances
• What time of day I am currently running

Today, I had a conversation with Mark Kennedy, an author, podcaster and runner from North Hampton, England.  

After surviving a severe brain injury, Mark embarked on a journey of running 100 half marathons. His journey spanned 14 years in the making - to become a member of the 100 Half Marathons club.

To celebrate he wrote a book about his incredible achievement. Half Man, Half Marathon is Mark’s story that evokes so many emotions by the simple act of those repeated steps getting closer to a destination. In this book, Mark outlines how he learnt that running could release the trauma and challenges that his hidden disability presented and how this sport has given positive mental health to so many. This book includes anecdotes and advice from fellow runners that can be applied to everyday life.

Aside from running, Mark is a public speaker and creator of a business called the Future Toolbox, which he runs alongside his wife, Jules. He is a keen traveller, enjoys watching football (soccer) and seeking a new challenge or adventure.

Episode Highlights:

We discuss what are some of the best tips for someone getting started with running, especially those who worry about coming in last in a race, or what if people judge us based on our physical appearance 

• We talk about Mark’s brain injury which occurred in 2012, and how this still affects him even to this day
• We discuss Mark’s entry into the 100 half marathon club. What the 100 half marathon club is, and what lessons Mark has learned in the 14 years it took him to finish this challenge.

Follow Mark Kennedy