Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

On today’s show we’re helping you solve some common problems that only runners understand, including:

• How to deal with a Black Toenail
• How to carry all of your gels and nutrition 
• Dealing with all of the extra laundry from dirty workout gear
• Trying to tell if you’re actually injured or just sore
• How to pack all you running gear for a trip
• What to do with your extra time on a rest day

Runners are a tough group and we love...

Just about every runner has made the mistake of going too fast on a recovery run and paid the price. There’s a lot of things that we know we should do as runners and still get them wrong. 

Coach Jeff brings his years of coaching experience to the show to share why runners make these 5 easy to fix mistakes:

• Overdoing recovery runs
• Ineffective strength training
• Rationalizing not having enough time
• Running through injury
• Eating t...

There’s an ongoing debate whether it’s harder to run in the heat or the cold; that’s a trick question because the answer is whatever you’re less prepared for.

Racing season is here and we want to help you prepare for any condition with topics like:

• How much temperature affects running performance 
• What is the impact of weather conditions like wind and rain
• Is there such a thing as perfect running weather 
• How to prepare for th...

You may have never heard of Molly Bookmyer, but since overcoming two brain surgeries in 2015 she’s quickly becoming one of the top US Women’s Marathoners. 

Molly opened up about her health struggles and her path to elite running with questions like:

• How Molly overcame the odds to run a 2:28 marathon after two brain surgeries
• How she balances training as an elite with a full-time job
• When Molly realized she had undiagnosed Celi...

Today, we’re getting a behind the scenes look into the most iconic event on the marathon racing calendar: the Boston Marathon.

Lauren Proshan is the Chief of Race Operations & Production for the Boston Athletics Association (BAA) and joins us on the show to help answer questions including:

• How many staff and volunteers it takes to put on a race for 30,000+ runners
• Why the race starts later in the morning than most marathons
• Ho...

Matt Fitzgerald is the author of well-known books like 80/20 endurance and in his most recent book titled “Chasing Mastery”, he provides 25 lessons to reach your full athletic potential.

During the episode, we discussed topics including:

• What it means to achieve mastery of your sport
• What are the habits of elite athletes that succeed in reaching their full potential
• Why keeping your training fun and hard is key to staying moti...

You’re not going to gain much fitness in the last few days before a race but nailing your carb load can give a huge boost in performance.

We’re bringing together registered dietician Travis Wilson and running coach Andie Cozzarelli to help you master the art of the carb load with topics including:

• How long before race day you need to start increasing your carb intake
• How to know how many carbs your body needs
• Whether to focus ...

Lots of runners fear the DNF (Did Not Finish) but you don’t have to. On today’s show, Cory and Hayley discuss why you should embrace the DNF.

In this episode we talk about:

• When to consider a DNF
• Why pro runners DNF so often in races
• How to get back to the finish or back home if you DNF
• Adjusting your running goals after a DNF
• Overcoming mental challenges like anxiety and disappointment when a run doesn’t go as planned
• Why emb...

It can be overwhelming trying to make sense of all the data on your running watch but understanding how to use this data in your training can be a game-changer.

In today’s show, we’ll focus on how you can use this data to your advantage and answer questions like:

• What are the most valuable running metrics to pay attention to?
• What are these metrics calculated and what do they actually mean?
• How accurate is the data from your r...

What if you could take a long break from running and not lose any fitness? 

The theory is simple; train harder now so that you have mileage “banked” for later when you might be training less. 

We’ll look more closely at whether this could be an effective strategy with topics including:

• Why mileage matters for building aerobic fitness
• How long it takes to lose fitness during a break from training
• What is supercompensation and w...

Chipotle Mexican Grill has partnered with Strava to motivate runners across the globe with free burrito bowls and we’re speaking with Vice-President of Brand Marketing, Stephanie Perdue, to find out more about this unique challenge.

During the interview we chat all about the City Challenge, including:

• How runners competed to earn free Chipotle for a year
• Why participating runners get so competitive 
• How challenges can add exci...

There’s no better preparation for race day than another race but the key is understanding how to schedule your races so that it enhances your training rather than getting in the way. 

We’ll cover racing topics today that include:

• What separates a goal race from a tuneup race or other races in training
• How racing more can make you better prepared for your goal race
• How to pick the right race that fits in your training
• Whether y...

The running boom has brought lots of changes, but which of these new trends are actually good for the sport?

The RC team is bringing you another underrated or overrated episode focusing on trends in running, and we’re bringing on coach Ruairi to answer questions like:

• Are running clubs a better way to meet people than dating apps?
• Should every running shoe have a carbon plate?
• Is too much data from running watches a good or ba...

Running doesn’t take a lot of equipment, but racing can be expensive. 

The cost of running a world major marathon or another race abroad can really add up but these are our 10 best tips to save a little money on costs such as:

• Travel expenses 
• Nutrition and fueling
• Race day gear
• Food
• Transportation
• And more…

While we are giving these tips, we still recognise that it's not going to make it cheap or affordable for everyone...

For today’s show we’re welcoming back a voice that should be familiar to longtime listeners, assistant coach at Bowerman TC and former RC coach Alex Ostberg. 

Alex is a seven-time All-American who holds PRs of 3:58 in the Mile, 7:49 in the 3k, and 13:18 in the 5k.

He’s back today to share training secrets from working with the fastest runners on the planet, including:

• What are the most important training principles for runners...

Today, we’re here to make your next marathon decision a little easier by breaking down the best and fastest marathons out there.

Let this episode be your marathon guide in 2025 with topics including:

• How to choose the right marathon for you
• What makes some marathons faster than others
• How to research potential races
• What are our favourite American and International marathons

There’s nothing like the feeling of running 42...

If you get sick, your body probably needs rest but how do you know how much rest to take and when to get back to normal training?

This cold and flu season is the perfect time to prepare yourself since getting sick can be unavoidable.

In this episode of the show we’ll answer questions like:

• How to know if you’re too sick to run
• How to adjust your training while you’re sick and after recovering
• Whether running can impact the cha...

The New Year is the perfect time to set nutrition goals. Eating well will give you more energy for workouts and help with recovery.

The nutrition team at Metpro is once again joining Run to the Top with topics like:

• Why nutrition goal-setting is important for athletes
• How to set an effective New Year’s goal or resolution
• Why you might actually need to eat more if you have a goal to lose weight 
• Why snacking is such a powerful ...

For Lena Andersson, running is about more than health and fitness. It’s a way to see the world that she’s sharing through her tour company Go! Running Tours.

Go! Running Tours is a global tour provider that connects traveling runners with like-minded locals who are passionate about sharing their culture. 

During this conversation, Lena chats about the story behind this tour group including:

• What it’s like to take part in a run...