The Strength Running Podcast

Chris McClung is a running coach, author of Running the Rogue Way, host of the Rogue Running Podcast (Apple, Spotify), and prior cohost of the Clean Sport Collective podcast with cohosts Kara Goucher and Des Linden. He joins us to discuss often misunderstood topics in the running community: The truth - and misdirection - of "Run Slow to Run Fast" Does walking count as some type of cross-training? What about rucking? What almost everyone gets wrong about Zone 2 Whether World Marathon Major races are the ideal environment for PR's Connect with Chris through IG or his community. Thank you LMNT! A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You'll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. And DOUBLE big news! Their newest flavor Lemonade Salt is now permanently available (it's now my favorite). They're also offering 12oz cans of sparkling LMNT water that has half the sodium concentration of a packet. Check them out. LMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. I'm now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff. Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They're the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season. Thank you CEP! We're supported by CEP Running - a worldwide leader in compression technology that helps you recover faster in between hard workouts. Save 15% on your entire order with code LRL-NYC-15. Have you seen the neon coral and purple compression socks that I shared on Instagram? I am going to be looking so good! They're the Core Run Elliptic socks with a compression score of 20-30mmHg - enough to be effective at promoting blood flow and recovery. I've loved the feeling of compression since I was a college runner. I feel like my legs are being embraced - and the science behind compression and its effectiveness at helping you recover can't be ignored. Especially if you're traveling, compression socks can improve blood flow, reduce the risk of DVT, and help you feel fresher before a destination race. Strength Running Podcast listeners can save 15% on their entire order when they shop CEP Running online through November 15. Just use code LRL-NYC-15 at checkout.

What can we learn from elite-level marathon workouts? A lot! Joining us is coach Brant Stachel, a psychotherapist, author, massage therapist, and former elite triathlete. Listen to our previous conversation about how he focues on the mental side of running with pro runners here. In this episode, Brant is sharing 4 elite marathon workouts. You'll learn: Why these workouts are structured the way they are How to "earn" your workouts When to run each workout How to scale each workout to your ability level The physiological benefits that each session provides Workouts vs. Long Runs vs. Long Run Workouts If you have big marathon goals, this episode will help level up your workouts! Resources: Subscribe to Brant's YouTube channel Brant's coaching info Strength Running's training programs Thank you LMNT! A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You'll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. And DOUBLE big news! Their newest flavor Lemonade Salt is now permanently available (it's now my favorite). They're also offering 12oz cans of sparkling LMNT water that has half the sodium concentration of a packet. Check them out. LMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. I'm now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff. Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They're the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season. Thank you CEP! We're supported by CEP Running - a worldwide leader in compression technology that helps you recover faster in between hard workouts. Save 15% on your entire order with code LRL-NYC-15. Have you seen the neon coral and purple compression socks that I shared on Instagram? I am going to be looking so good! They're the Core Run Elliptic socks with a compression score of 20-30mmHg - enough to be effective at promoting blood flow and recovery. I've loved the feeling of compression since I was a college runner. I feel like my legs are being embraced - and the science behind compression and its effectiveness at helping you recover can't be ignored. Strength Running Podcast listeners can save 15% on their entire order when they shop CEP Running online through November 15. Just use code LRL-NYC-15 at checkout.

Marius Bakken is a medical doctor, author of The Norwegian Method Applied, and a 2x Olympian who specialized in the 5,000m. He's also competed in three World Championships and two European championships, while being a 3x Norwegian 1500m champion and a 2x champion in the 5,000. He holds personal bests of 3:38 in the 1500m, 13:06 in the 5k, and 28:26 in the 10k. Mind you, this is before the era of super shoes. This conversation focuses on lactate threshold, how to find it, and why this "golden zone" may be the most important training intensity of them all. Resources: Marius' new book The Norwegian Method Applied: Threshold Training and Intensity Control for Faster, More Durable Running at Every Level MariusBakken.com Brad Culp on the Norwegian Method SR Training Programs Thank you Altra! New customers can ge 10% off your entire order with code jason10 here. I've been wearing Altra shoes for years - I absolutely love the roomy toe box that leaves extra room for my feet to move more naturally. And these shoes look distinct compared to other shoes: they're shaped like actual feet. They can give your feet just what they need, especially if you want a roomier toebox because of bunions or a hammer toe, or just wanting more comfort. Altra shoes aren't just zero-drop anymore, either. They have 4mm heel-toe drop models and I've found that this is my personal sweet spot. I love shoes that have between 4 and 8mm so the FWD Via 2 are quickly becoming my favorite pair. And plus, I do actually like the 0 drop Altras for walking and casual wear - like a quick trip to the grocery store. They're a training tool to help me build foot strength, promote a more natural gait, and give my foot the room it needs to expand naturally. I've partnered with Altra to get new customers 10% off your next order. Go to Altrarunning.com and use code jason10 to save 10% today. Stay out there! Thank you LMNT! A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You'll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. And DOUBLE big news! Their newest flavor Lemonade Salt is now permanently available (it's now my favorite). They're also offering 12oz cans of sparkling LMNT water that has half the sodium concentration of a packet. Check them out. LMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. I'm now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff. Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They're the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season.

Jason was recently a guest on the Restoring Human Movement Podcast about: Strength training structure + mistakes (ideal for endurance runners) Why strength train in the first place? Protein needs for runners (age, activity, etc.) The type of strength training that improves running economy Thank you to Dr. Mandy Riehl for hosting an amazing discussion! Learn more about strength training here. Thank you Kila! Kila offers the world's lightest insoles. Made with super shoe foam, they're 65-70% lighter than most orthotics and worn by elite runners like UTMB champ Tom Evans. Go to kilarun.com and use code STRENGTHRUNNING for $50 your first pair. Truthfully, I'm skeptical of insoles. I once had orthotics and they were heavy, they gave me blisters, and they weren't comfortable at all. Most importantly: they didn't help me. Kila is different: lighter, more comfortable, with no doctor visits and no hassles with insurance. All you need to do is scan your feet at home using your iPhone. It takes less than 5 minutes and Kila then uses a lab to design your insoles, build them from scratch, and ship them directly to you. If you're already wearing insoles, Kila's are a game-changer. Level up your insole game with the lightest custom insoles on the market - no clinic markup, no visit to a specialist, and you get the benefit and comfort of super shoe foam. Go to kilarun.com and use code STRENGTHRUNNING to upgrade your insoles and save $50 on your first pair. Thank you LMNT! A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You'll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. And DOUBLE big news! Their newest flavor Lemonade Salt is now permanently available (it's now my favorite). They're also offering 12oz cans of sparkling LMNT water that has half the sodium concentration of a packet. Check them out. LMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. I'm now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff. Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They're the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season. Thanks Boulderthon! Boulderthon is a top 10 race in America according to USA Today and one of the best fall marathons according to Runner's World. With a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and marathon, Boulderthon offers an amazing fall destination race weekend right at the foothills of the Rockies. Use code STRENGTH20 for $20 off the marathon or half marathon. Join me in Boulder, one of the top running destinations in the country, on September 27th, to experience the tight knit running community here, race on the epic streets of Boulder, and finish on historic Pearl Street. While I live in Denver, I travel to boulder probably once a week to run. It's arguably one of the best running locations in the United States. There'll probably be cool and crisp fall weather for racing fast, too. And don't worry, Boulderthon is a BQ-eligible, USA Track & Field Sanctioned Event. Boulderthon is on track to sell out again this year so don't miss out. Use code STRENGTH20 to save $20 on the marathon or half-marathon here and I hope to see you in Boulder this fall.

Alistair Brownlee is the greatest male triathlete to ever live. He's a 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, 4x World Champion in both individual and team titles, a 4x European Champion, and the 2014 Commonwealth Champion. He's the only male athlete to have completed the grand slam of triathlon championships with Olympic, World, and Continental wins. He is also the cofounder of True Fuels, a performance nutrition company. In this conversation, we focus on heat training: Heat training differences between runners and triathletes Cooling strategies vs. heat training The value of sweat tests How to adjust your fueling needs based on heat Resources & Links: Follow Alistair on Instagram Physiologist Brady Holmer on heat training Heat training 101 Training programs for runners Thank you Kila! Kila offers the world's lightest insoles. Made with super shoe foam, they're 65-70% lighter than most orthotics and worn by elite runners like UTMB champ Tom Evans. Go to kilarun.com and use code STRENGTHRUNNING for $50 your first pair. Truthfully, I'm skeptical of insoles. I once had orthotics and they were heavy, they gave me blisters, and they weren't comfortable at all. Most importantly: they didn't help me. Kila is different: lighter, more comfortable, with no doctor visits and no hassles with insurance. All you need to do is scan your feet at home using your iPhone. It takes less than 5 minutes and Kila then uses a lab to design your insoles, build them from scratch, and ship them directly to you. If you're already wearing insoles, Kila's are a game-changer. Level up your insole game with the lightest custom insoles on the market - no clinic markup, no visit to a specialist, and you get the benefit and comfort of super shoe foam. Go to kilarun.com and use code STRENGTHRUNNING to upgrade your insoles and save $50 on your first pair. Thank you MOBO Board! Invented by renowned physical therapist Jay Dicharry, MOBO helps you stabilize your stance with an innovative rocker board that's set up on two fins. The design effectively forces you to drive your big toe into the board to improve your stability. I was pretty arrogant going into my first session on the MOBO Board. How hard can it be to balance, right? Well, I was humbled pretty quickly! Even if you're a good runner, better balance, stability, and proprioception is going to help you have a more powerful stride and prevent more running injuries. You'll learn how to improve the efficiency of the kinetic chain from your hip to your big toe. Because as Jay likes to say, it's not just how strong you are, but how well you use that strength. I was recently at a weekend physical therapy workshop (lol I was the only running coach) and learned how important (and rare) this simple movement is. Save 10% with code STRENGTHRUN10 at checkout at moboboard.com. Thank you LMNT! A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You'll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. And DOUBLE big news! Their newest flavor Lemonade Salt is now permanently available (it's now my favorite). They're also offering 12oz cans of sparkling LMNT water that has half the sodium concentration of a packet. Check them out. LMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. I'm now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff. Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They're the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season.

Kate is 35 weeks pregnant but wants to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Once she's ready to start training again, how can she structure her training? She's currently a member of Team Strength Running, giving her access to our community, training plans, resources, and live coaching calls. Members are also invited on the podcast for chats like these! Topics & Resources: What to focus on when: family, recovery, training The importance of base building Build speed (not just endurance) Why Kate is lifting weights during pregnancy A big thanks to Kate for sharing her story and being on our team! You can learn more about it here. Thank you MOBO Board! Invented by renowned physical therapist Jay Dicharry, MOBO helps you stabilize your stance with an innovative rocker board that's set up on two fins. The design effectively forces you to drive your big toe into the board to improve your stability. I was pretty arrogant going into my first session on the MOBO Board. How hard can it be to balance, right? Well, I was humbled pretty quickly! Even if you're a good runner, better balance, stability, and proprioception is going to help you have a more powerful stride and prevent more running injuries. You'll learn how to improve the efficiency of the kinetic chain from your hip to your big toe. Because as Jay likes to say, it's not just how strong you are, but how well you use that strength. I was recently at a weekend physical therapy workshop (lol I was the only running coach) and learned how important (and rare) this simple movement is. Save 10% with code STRENGTHRUN10 at checkout at moboboard.com. Thank you LMNT! A big thanks to LMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at LMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You'll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. And DOUBLE big news! Their newest flavor Lemonade Salt is now permanently available (it's now my favorite). They're also offering 12oz cans of sparkling LMNT water that has half the sodium concentration of a packet. Check them out. LMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day. LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. I'm now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff. Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They're the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out LMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season.

Ian Sharman is a 2x USATF 100-mile Trail Champion, 4x winner of the Leadville Trail 100, and author of the new book The Art of Ultrarunning. He's one of the most recognizable names in the world of ultrarunning. He's won more than 50 marathons out of over 250 he's run, ran a 2:21 marathon at age 43, holds the fastest time in a trail 100-mile race by a Brit (12h44m), and holds the record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (69h49m). In this conversation, we discussed what's changed and what remains fundamental for ultramarathon training (fueling, mileage, workouts, terrain, durability, and more). Resources & Links: Get Ian's new book, The Art of Ultrarunning! Listen to our prior chat about mindset here How to build mileage more strategically Follow Ian on Instagram Get stronger to stay healthy Thank you Previnex! Get yourself 15% off your first purchase with code jason15 here. Previnex is a unique supplement company - one that I trust because they do things differently when they don't have to. Their products use clinically proven ingredients, are tested before and after formulation, and they donate vitamins to needy kids. Maybe more importantly, their products do what they say they're going to do. Listen to this feedback about Joint Health Plus! "My ankle and knee pain was completely gone in a week. Amazing!" - Kim "I thought I was on the verge of having to give up running due to severe hip pain and luckily discovered Previnex - complete game changer for me!" - Anna "I am so grateful for Joint Health Plus! As a certified fitness professional and still an extremely active, competitive amateur athlete, I was getting discouraged with an increase in pain simply kneeling down, or bending down to the floor and getting back up while assisting clients, or in my own training! Once deciding to give this product a try, I was floored when I finally noticed I was not bracing in anticipation of pain when I had to kneel down; not whincing in discomfort upon standing! Thank you, Prevenix!" - Jessica Joint Health Plus is so powerful because the main active ingredient is clinically proven to reduce joint pain, reduce joint stiffness, and improve joint flexibility in just 7-10 days. It's also clinically proven, not just tested, but actually proven in double-blinded, placebo- controlled studies to protect joint cartilage from breaking down during exercise. You can get 15% off your first Previnex purchase by using code jason15 at checkout. Visit previnex.com. Previnex offers a 30-day money back guarantee where if you don't feel benefits on their product you get your money back no questions asked. And keep sending in those testimonials. They fire me up! Thank you MOBO Board! Invented by renowned physical therapist Jay Dicharry, MOBO helps you stabilize your stance with an innovative rocker board that's set up on two fins. The design effectively forces you to drive your big toe into the board to improve your stability. I was pretty arrogant going into my first session on the MOBO Board. How hard can it be to balance, right? Well, I was humbled pretty quickly! Even if you're a good runner, better balance, stability, and proprioception is going to help you have a more powerful stride and prevent more running injuries. You'll learn how to improve the efficiency of the kinetic chain from your hip to your big toe. Because as Jay likes to say, it's not just how strong you are, but how well you use that strength. I was recently at a weekend physical therapy workshop (lol I was the only running coach) and learned how important (and rare) this simple movement is. Save 10% with code STRENGTHRUN10 at checkout at moboboard.com.

Tom Walters is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, former college professor, and author of Rehab Science (a bestseller on Amazon). Besides running his clinical practice, Tom served as a full-time undergraduate kinesiology professor for eight years, teaching human biomechanics, therapeutic exercise, and pain science. Today, we discuss the science of pain and the injury treatment process: Is all pain bad? Why does some pain feel good? The value of cross-training during injury Why blood flow is so important for healing The timeline it takes to heal from common injuries If you're injury prone, sign up for our complimentary prevention series here. You can also follow Tom on IG or subscribe to his YouTube channel. Thank you Wahoo! We're supported by our newest partner - Wahoo Fitness and the best treadmill in the game, the Wahoo KICKR Run. I have been fortunate to run on a KICKR Run treadmill and they're unique - you will immediately know that you're experiencing one of the smoothest, sturdiest treadmills you can buy. Go to Wahoo Fitness and use code STRENGTHRUNNING to get a free KICKR Headwind Bluetooth Fan ($319.99 value) with your purchase of a Wahoo KICKR Run treadmill. They like to say that it's the treadmill that follows you, not the other way around. And that's because it's dynamic - there's a lateral tilt feature that mimics real-world terrain. So as you're running, it varies the side-to-side angle by half a degree every few seconds to keep your muscles ready for outdoor running. And the KICKR Run's dynamic pacing is straight out of a sci-fi movie: the treadmill will match your pace automatically: no controls needed. You'll get a more natural running experience with no breaking to reach controls or setting the pace manually. See what all the pros are raving about with the Wahoo KICKR Run Treadmill. They changed the game for bike trainers in the cycling industry - and now they're doing the same for runners. Don't forget to use code STRENGTHRUNNING to get a free KICKR Headwind Bluetooth Fan! Thank you Lever! Lever is back as a sponsor and I couldn't be more excited. They make a treadmill attachment that reduces your body weight, letting you run more mileage than you typically could with less injury risk. They're also trusted by physical therapists, where they're commonly used during injury recovery so you can keep running with less load and impact. They're a "secret weapon" during rehab of many pro runners. Lever attaches to any treadmill and you hook into it like a harness. It effectively makes you lighter, allowing you to do more running with less risk. So maybe you want to build more mileage, or run hard workouts but you're hesitant because of injury concerns. The pro's have been using Lever for years, letting them get the advantage of more training with fewer injuries. I had the chance to go for a run using Lever and it was deceptively easy to set up and use. All of a sudden, I was running 7min mile pace with the heart rate of 8:30 pace. You can see it in action on our YouTube channel. Go to levermovement.com and use code Strength20 (with a capital S) for 20% off any system!