Run Free Podcast

Jay rides solo for this episode talking about what it means to be an "older" athlete now in his 40's and how that affects him and changes things. Hope you enjoy!

You are in for a treat this episode. Co-Founder Ryan Hall joins Co-Founder Jay Stephenson for a fantastic discussion about a bunch of different topics. You won't want to miss this one!

Don't forget, you too can be a part of Run Free, just visit our website and click the button for a free consultation and let us match you with one of our amazing coaches!

www.runfreetraining.com

Kerry Boehner joins the podcast for a great discussion with Run Free Co-Founder, Jay Stephenson.

On this episode, Jay talks with one of his Run Free athletes, C.J. Gustafson all about his journey from boxer to runner and how Run Free has impacted his life. Great discussion we hope you enjoy!

To get a free consultation and a Run Free coach yourself, visit www.runfreetraining.com and click the button.

Jay is joined by Run Free Coach Cody Moore and Run Free athlete Chris Jackson to hear from Chris all about how much having a Run Free Coach in Cody changed and improved every aspect of his training and performance for the better.

From Chris: "I started working with Cody in October of 2024.  My main 2 goals I shared with him were to 1.) run a well executed marathon and 2.) break 2:50.  I had run 3 marathons prior (3:12, 2:55, 3:01) and experienced a bonk in all 3." 

Highlights:

• Training Overall -  Throughout the training I had so many milestones that I've never experienced before.  Running faster paces for longer periods of time.  Several cool workouts where I would run fast for a portion and then recover but then run intervals or even faster miles towards the end of the workout.  Those workouts gave me so much confidence in being able to still run fast when I'm tired. I probably have 5-6 workouts that I feel almost as proud of as if it were a race.  That made the training super fun and rewarding.  I also told Cody that I feel like I was a 3-speed bike before working with him and now I feel like a 18-speed.  Not only like I have more gears but I have control and confidence over those gears.  Week over week I appreciated that the workouts were never really the same - this was a big difference from my training plans in the past.  Also, Cody's advice on nutrition on longer runs helped me get use to it early in the training cycle so I had no issues during my races. 
  
• Chickamauga Battlefield Half Marathon - ran a PR in the of 1:19.  The PR wasn't the goal but awesome to get it.  We ran the race as a workout with a 3 mile warm up, 10 steady and then close out the last 5k hard.  My previous half PR was a 1:21. This one gave me a lot of confidence because I knew I could go much faster if I were to race a half. Super fun!
  
• Whiskey Run Half Marathon - ran a 1:20 and placed 1st. Same thing with this run on treating it like a workout.  We ran the first 10 at/near marathon goal pace and then the last 5k hard.  The cool thing about this one - I ran the last 5k of this race in 17:24 and my current 5K PR is 17:04.  I can't wait to try a 5k now!
  
• Wilmington Marathon (goal race) - ran a 2:44:34 and didn't bonk!  I'm still processing how excited I am about this race.  I had a lot of negative thoughts in my head about 3 days leading up to the race.  I was worried that even though I've done all the work I'm still going to bonk/crash at some point because that is what I do in marathons.  MAN, incorrect.  I was literally able to race all 26.2 miles.  We had a great plan of 3 miles warming up around 6:25 and then stick between 6:13 - 6:20until mile 20.  The first half felt good and I was conserving energy a bit.  Miles 13-20 felt way better than I expected and I was avg. closer  to 6:15 at this point.  In the final 10k I was starting to get real pumped but still respecting the fact that this is where I typically fall off.  I ended up closing with  6:14, 6:11, 6:12, 6:05, 6:08 & 5:45.  I think the think I was most excited about was feeling good the whole race and knowing there is definitely more time I could take off.  A 2:39 feels in reach and I would have never said that before this experience. 

For this episode of the Run Free Podcast, both Jo Butler and Jennifer Galvez join Jay to discuss how to eat proper and get quality nutrition leading up to running a marathon. This is just as important as running and weight lifting and other forms of training in order to get your best performance. Enjoy!

To get a free consultation and learn how we can help you get to the next level and exceed your goals, please click the link on our webiste: www.runfreetraining.com.

Run Free Co-Founder Jay Stephenson sits down with athletes Drew Burnett and his son, Malachi, who is also a Run Free athlete and one of the best high school runners in Georgia. Malachi had a tremendous season that saw him reach the national finals in San Diego in 2024. It's a great discussion and we hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by!

In this episode, Jay and Chad talk about their personal journey's with sleep and how they have implemented different methods to improve their sleep quality.

For a free consultation or to find more info on our services, check us out at runfreetraining.conm

Jay interviews Ryan Hall about the process of not coaching and Ryan's transition from coaching professional athletes. Great discussion that we hope you will enjoy!

In this episode we chat with Run Free Athlete Kristen Briglia about her journey overcoming RED's (relative energy deficiency) and HA (hypothalamic amenorrhea). Kristen shares what she has learned on her path to recovery after decades of under eating and the subsequent health decline she experienced as a result.

In this episode, Jay and Chad chat about the the largest component of run training, aerobic runs. These runs bring a ton of value and fitness but don't get talked about as often as the more flashy workouts. So why do we need to spend so much time running easy? Jay and Chad share their own personal experiences playing around with how they executed their easy runs and subsequent running volume, along with recommendations on how to make good decisions about your own running volume and easy run pacing.

In this episode, Ryan rejoins as co-host as we catch up with one of his athletes, professional runner and Run Free coach Rory Linkletter. This conversation comes fresh off Rory's blazing fast race at the Seville Marathon where he posted a 2:08:01, sneaking under the Olympic standard for the marathon. Rory has a lengthy running resume and we're excited to share some of his knowledge with you in this conversation.

In this episode Jay and Chad chat about their second metabolic tests with Calorify and how they both managed to change factors in their metabolic output through diet manipulations. Jay has since had great success with energy and weight management with himself and others who have tried his program.

For more information on coaching or the Run Free Camp, visit us at www.runfreetraining.com

If you're of the fast twitch variety, check out Sprint Free Training: Maximize your sprint performance and minimize injuries with a proven holistic approach, tailored for your weekly needs on and off the track

www.sprintfreetraining.com

In this episode we chat with coach Bradley Moon about an underutilized training method for most distance runners, sprinting. Bradley shares his thoughts on how sprint training can not only help increase top end speed but ultimately make you a more efficient distance runner with a higher resiliency to injury. Bradley will be heading up our forthcoming Sprint Free training program and we're very excited to not only share his knowledge with you, but also begin to utilize his training protocols in our own programs.

In this episode, Ryan rejoins the podcast to talk about hill training with Jay and Chad. Topics include why hills are a beneficial tool for all runners, physiological benefits of hill training, mental benefits, different types of hill workouts and how to implement them for various goals. Chad and Ryan both trained hills by running repeats of the snow summit ski resort in the high school running years and are big believers in hill training for a strong body and a strong mind.

In this episode we talk in depth with Shannon Thompson, Performance Psychologist, about how to train our minds so that we can perform better and have more enjoyment in the process. Shannon works as a vocational consultant with a wide range of clients, including elite, professional endurance athletes from around the world, and the Division I teams at Northern Arizona University. Her approach is science based, philosophical, and spiritual. She draws upon empirical research and the literary arts to help each individual find their professional path and perform at his or her best consistently.

Hari Mix, CEO of Calorify, was a top level runner at Stanford and has a deep passion for alpinism. His experience in his extreme athletic endeavors and observations made through his work at Calorify has provided critical insights to the role of metabolism in helping or harming our athletic endeavors.In this episode, we share about our own experience with Calorify, the first at home metabolic test using a method called “doubly labeled water”. Let’s just say we were impressed with how accurate the reading was on metabolic output and caloric intake, and we think these insights will be a powerful resource for runners who feel puzzled with their nutrition.

In this episode we talk with one of America's top performing ultra trail runners Tim Tollefson. Tim shares lessons he's learned over his career from racing the US Olympic Marathon Trials to the rugged trails of UTMB (ultra trail mont blonc). We discuss his internal struggles with body dysmorphia and how he has gone from being so self conscious that he would hide from other runners out on the trails to courageously creating community in the form of his own race the Mammoth Trail Fest. Tim's story is a beautiful demonstration of how the struggle we experience in ourselves can manifest into love, acceptance, and empathy for others.

In this episode of the Podcast we chat with CJ about his training philosophy and how he has become one of America's fastest marathoners. CJ placed 6th place on a very challenging Olympic Trials course in 2020 and is a top contender heading into the 2024 Trials. CJ is known for high mileage, crazy hard long runs, and an open minded view on training protocols.

In this episode, Ryan and Chad pick up where they left off chatting about Chad's 2:12 marathon debut along with updates on training heading into the 2023 Boston Marathon. This conversation goes in depth into the subject of suffering in a Marathon and strategies for having a better marathon experience.

In this episode Ryan does a Podcast takeover where he interviews brother Chad about his recent marathon debut at the Mesa Marathon 2023 where he finished with a time of 2:12:47. Ryan has been coaching Chad on his journey towards the 2024 Marathon Olympic trials, giving us a little inside view into the relationship of athlete and coach. In the first of this three part series, we go over tips for runners looking to run their first marathon along with lots of laughs, and thoughts on how to better approach our running from a mental health stand point.

In this episode we sit down with our Run Free Nutrionist Jo Butler. In this conversation we go over fad diets to avoid, recommendations for various nutrients, and the psychology surrounding diet. This episode is packed full of wisdom for anyone wanting to better improve the way their diet impacts their performance, health, and mental well being.

In this Episode we sit down with Run Free athlete, Nathan Deeter, to talk about the lessons he has learned from his sobriety and how he applies those same principles to achieve success in his running, business, and personal life. 

In the latest episode of the Run Free Podcast, we share a conversation with one of our original coaching staff and professional runner, Courtney Barnes. Courtney raced professionally on the track for many years prior to making a transition to trail running. Courtney retired from trail running for a brief period of time, finding that the external change didn't remedy the internal challenges she was facing. In this conversation, we talk about her journey and how she has come back to trail running with a fresh perspective, the lessons she learned and how we can be healthier, happier runners.

The Podcast is Back! Ryan introduces the new hosts of the Podcast Chad and Jay. The group discusses various topics including how to fully enjoy your running, their history as endurance athletes, and speed development for distance runners.

In this episode, I discuss “how to change".  Sharing helpful tips, mindsets, and perspectives that I learned in both of my transformational experiences of growing into a pro long-distance runner and then transforming myself into a powerlifter/body builder.