We’re kicking off a brand-new Second Wind series called The Ultra Curious, where we start exploring what happens when everyday road runners begin looking beyond 26.2 miles and into the strange, fascinating world of ultrarunning. For our first stop, longtime friend of the show and frequent guest host Karin Velez of the award-winning Just Grow Something podcast takes over the mic while we’re still traveling after the Sydney Marathon. Karin is usually the one bringing the science, but this time she is

►► Download FREE Guide → How I lost 2 lbs a week as an athlete with asthma: https://www.athletewithasthma.com/healthy-living-guideWhat if the results you want are already happening, even if you cannot see them yet? In this episode, I share why fitness results take time and how sticking with your training can completely change what your body is capable of. From being told as a child with asthma that I would never be an athlete or runner, to completing marathons and winning a 100K

Choosing your first 50K can feel like a catch-22: how do you choose a race that matches your abilities when you’ve never run that distance before? In this episode, I’m sharing two unconventional tips to help you choose a first 50K that gives you a fair opportunity to succeed. We’ll talk about why you shouldn’t stack too many “firsts” into one race and why your first 50K should give you enough room to make mistakes, adjust, and learn as you go. You don’t need to find the easiest race or ...

In todays episode, Dr. Lisa talks through her 1:1 clients rehab programming after he came to her with achilles pain for 2 years. See what she addresses and how it affected his pain level to prep for a 100 miler in October. Links: LABOR DAY SALE for Foot and Ankle Program ($30 off)LABOR DAY SALE for Hip Program ($30 off)LABOR DAY SALE for Knee Program ($30 off)LABOR DAY SALE for Runners Complete Program ($30 off)

While you may have watched my video of pacing well at Satara earlier, this video works as a checklist for you to be race ready - from your home all the way to the finish line. You will watch in this video: - how to come prepared to Satara - dos and donts while in satara - how to shoe select - what food to carry - how to pace the first 3 kms - when to consume your energy gels - how to avoid cramps and - how to finish your race well Learn well and race better. Here is your link to t...

Downhill running creates a strange mismatch: it can feel relatively easy aerobically while placing enormous mechanical stress on your legs. Coach Cliff Pittman explains what's happening inside the muscle during a descent, why technical terrain increases the cost, and how the repeated bout effect allows your body to become more resistant to downhill-induced damage. He also covers how to train when you don't have mountains outside your door, where strength training fits, when to schedule race-s...

It’s great to catch up with Andrew each month, as I really enjoy working with him and his run coaching. This month we got to revisit my Stoked experience in Revelstoke. The three-day event was so much fun. Jacob Puzey and the crew did an incredible job, and I was grateful to take part. The courses were awesome, the village was a blast, and this event is one I would recommend to anyone who has the chance to check it out! Why we didn’t run at Fat Dog: We also chatted a little bit about preparing for

Not every meaningful run happens on a perfect morning or ends with a personal record. Some of the most important runs happen quietly, without an audience, when motivation is low and the only goal is to keep moving. This episode explores the unseen side of running the discipline, ordinary effort, setbacks, and small victories that slowly turn a runner into someone who keeps showing up.

Every run begins with a decision: to step outside and start moving. The first mile can feel slow, uncomfortable, exciting, or surprisingly peaceful. This episode explores what happens during those early moments of a run and why simply getting started can sometimes be harder and more meaningful than reaching the finish line.

Last track season, Cros-Lex’s Connor Pepin saw huge gains in his performance, going from a 2:14 to a 2:02 in the 800, a 4:46 to 4:31 mile, he won the Thumb Meet of Champs 3200 in 10:15, a 17-second PR, and also helped his 4x800 and 4x400 relays qualify for the state finals: the 4x800 won the Bluewater Meet of Champs (as did the 4x400), the BWAC Title, Marysville Invitational, and Regionals. Connor then opened his senior cross country season with a big statement, running his first sub-17...

How often do you hear the word should in your own head?I should go for my run. I should run farther. I should be faster. I should answer those emails. I should finish my notes. I should spend more time with my family. I should make more time for myself. I should be able to handle this. I should be doing more. I should be doing better. For women physicians and other high-achieving women, the list of "shoulds" can feel endless. In this Mindfulness Moments episode, we're exploring what happens when we

Coach Caroline and Coach Valerie kick off marathon season with a clear RunRx message: the best way to train for a marathon is to first build running efficiency, then train for time and form, not just miles. Valerie explains that the RunRx process starts with the immersion, where runners focus on running form, efficiency, and staying out of injury before moving into the marathon plan. From there, training includes two interval days, one longer day, bodyweight strength work, exact self-care, and skill

Send us Fan Mail As runners, we track everything: pace, heart rate, HRV, VO2 max, sleep, mileage, and recovery. But how often do we actually look at what's happening inside the body? In this episode of the 12 Months to Marathon Podcast, I share the results of a comprehensive blood test I recently had in Poland and look at what they might tell us about running, performance, recovery and health as we get older. At 49, my results included a biological age estimate of 41.9, testosterone above the...

UTMB week produced some extraordinary racing, from record-breaking performances to a brutal TDS with hundreds of DNFs.In this episode, I pick out three simple lessons from the week, looking at pacing and fuelling, progression through the distances, and what the high DNF rate at TDS can teach us about preparing for big races. Short episodes. Long miles.

►► Download FREE Guide → How I lost 2 lbs a week as an athlete with asthma: https://www.athletewithasthma.com/healthy-living-guideWhat if you could mix up your workouts without losing progress? In this episode, I share my four-step framework for adding variety to your training while still staying focused on your goals. Whether you're training for a marathon, HYROX, an ultramarathon, a sport, or simply trying to stay healthy and active, knowing how to change your workouts strategically can

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali digs into why hill training is one of the most underrated ways to get faster for runDisney races...and how to actually "overcome the dragon," the nickname one of her Stronger Faster Finisher runners gave to the toughest incline on course. She breaks down the exact 45-minute hill workout she prescribes, including incline targets, sprint pacing, and why two minutes of recovery matters more than runners think. Dr. Ali also

Every marathoner will need to execute just the right wind down of training to show up on race day at peak form. If you don’t do enough, you risk feeling flat. But even worse is doing too much in taper and showing up overcooked.How can you be sure your taper finds just the right balance? Let's find out. Today, we're busting the taper myths that can undo months of otherwise great training.. You'll learn: The taper myth that leads runners to either overdo it or undertrain right before the

In this episode, Baldwin Wallace University Head Cross Country Coach Joe Eby and Coach Fiorentino break down the full 2026 BW Cross Country schedule — nine meets, five off weekends, and a championship path that runs through the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and NCAA Division III postseason.Topics covered: •Season opener at Wooster (Wooster, OH) •Michigan State Pre-Regional (East Lansing, MI) — Varsity only, top 8 •Allegheny / Ben Mourer Invitational (Meadville, PA) •OWU/Lehigh split trip

There are two fears Cliff Pittman sees repeatedly: athletes hold onto speed work because they don't feel fit without it, or they avoid increasing volume because they're afraid more running will eventually break them down. In this episode, Cliff explains why both miss the point. He breaks down what aerobic volume actually changes physiologically, why those adaptations take time, how intensity should shift as race day approaches, and how training architecture allows athletes to increase volume ...