Tread Lightly Running Podcast

The World Marathon Majors (New York, Chicago, Boston, Sydney, London, Tokyo, and Berlin) are the most popular races in the world. However, with their popularity come some unique logistical challenges: international travel, jet lag, large crowds, and more. We’ve coached dozens (if not hundreds) of runners through the world majors and bring you our best advice for setting yourself up for an enjoyable and successful race experience at...

After receiving many questions about weight loss for runners, we decided to bring on a performance dietitian to discuss this delicate topic. Lydia Nader-Urdiales is a registered dietitian who has worked with runners on their performance and body composition goals - and is a runner herself. She discusses how weight loss can be achieved without spiking your injury risk or sacrificing your performance - and some of this discussion may...

Race day seldom goes as planned. Whether you forget to pack something, the forecast isn’t favorable, or you encounter some challenging miles, race day problems can happen to even the fittest of runners. We draw on our years of coaching hundreds of runners to guide you through how to creatively problem-solve various race-day issues. Even when the race doesn’t go your way, you can still come away with a positive experience and maybe ...

Zone 2 is the most popular training zone - but is it the only training zone you need? We delve into all five training zones and their unique benefits. You’ll learn how to determine each zone by heart rate, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and talk test, plus how to use them in training.

*Laura misspoke around minute 23. The Cori cycle converts lactate into glucose, not glycogen, to then be shuttled back into the muscles to und...

What happens if ChatGPT makes you a training plan? Will wearing a weighted vest protect you from the symptoms of perimenopause? Are continuous glucose monitors the tool for improving your nutrition? We tackle several social media trends and give our unfiltered, evidence-based hot takes.

Thank you to our sponsors:

✨ Tailwind: Complete sport nutrition made simple, including hydration mixes, high-carb sport drinks, endurance fuel, and r...

You can’t scroll social media without seeing someone tell you how you have to hit a 180 spm cadence, stop overstriking, or do these exercises for better running form. But do you really need to change your running form? We dive into the science and discuss whether or not changing form is beneficial - plus offer some practical tips if you do want to improve your own natural running form.

Thank you to our sponsors:

✨ Tailwind: Comp...

Isotonic, real food, maltodextrin, sugar-free, and high-sodium: if you have recently shopped for running gels, you likely have seen these terms and more on the labels. We sit down with sports dietitian Kylee Van Horn to understand the labelling on your sports nutrition products and how to pick the best running gel for you.

Thank you to our sponsors:

✨Tailwind: Complete sport nutrition made simple, including hydration mixes, high-car...

Peak weeks are often discussed in the context of the marathon; however, whether you are training for a short distance like a 5K/10K, a half, marathon, or even an ultra, your training will include a peak week - the week of the highest volume and/or hardest workouts. Peak week is not a magical week - but it does matter in a training build. In this episode, we guide you through what a peak week is, mistakes to avoid, and tips to help ...

More than likely, your watch reports your resting heart rate (RHR) and heart rate variability (HRV) - but what do these numbers actually mean? We look at the science behind these metrics and discuss whether or not runners should use HRV and RHR to adjust their training.

You will learn:

✅ Why does resting heart rate matter for runners?

✅ Should you use HRV to inform your training?

✅ Does these metrics help you recover better?

✅ Does tra...

In this episode, we’re talking about how to plan out your race calendar! Most races now require signing up months, if not almost a year, in advance. We’ll guide you through how to plan out goal races, how often to race, and more.

You will learn:

✅ How to pick races based on your goals

✅ Why racing a variety of distances can be beneficial

✅ How to approach several races in one season

✅ Racing frequency for beginners vs experienced r...

Enneagram is a model of understanding your personality and motivations. While its scientific validity is mixed, some research indicates it may be helpful for understanding personal growth. Whether or not it is psychometrically valid, Enneagram is a popular way to help understand your motivations - which can help you through the psychological aspects of running. In this episode, we take a less scientific, more fun approach with Jill...

The half marathon is one of the most popular race distances - but it is also one that runners can dismiss because it’s not a marathon. However, all-out racing a half marathon can be a very rewarding challenge if you approach it correctly. In this episode, we discuss some of the most common half marathon training mistakes and how you can avoid them. You’ll learn how to train for a half marathon PR, how to set half marathon goals, ho...

If you are preparing for a hilly race, such as the New York City Marathon, or a downhill race such as a REVEL marathon, your training will look different from what it would for a flat marathon. We guide you through an evidence-based, practical approach for training for a hilly race - including creative interventions if you live in a flat area.

You will learn:

✅ The different energetic and mechanical demands of uphill and downhill ru...

Injuries are multi-factorial, and injury prevention is complex. In this episode, we chat with Dr. Victoria Sekely on injury risk, strength training, running form, and more. She will guide you through myths, facts, and nuance around running related injuries.

You will learn:

✅ Are some runners more injury-prone?

✅ Is pronation a big deal - or normal?

✅ How to manipulate training load

✅ The mind-body connection of pain tolerance

✅ Does Pila...

As many runners know, a run takes more time than just the miles themselves. You have a pre-run warm-up and recovery nutrition - and so you may wonder if you really need a cooldown after your run, or if you can save some time there. In this episode, we answer a common listener question about what a cooldown after runs actually does - and if you need to do them. 

We break this discussion into a physiological explanation of what a cool...

Are you confused about all the zone 2 chatter on social media? Do you experience frustration when you try to run and your watch tells you running in zone 3 despite it feeling easy? There is so much information about zone 2 and running - and some of it is correct, some of it is over-simplified, and some is over-exaggerated. 

In this episode, you will learn what exactly zone 2 is - and how much it actually matters for running. We answ...

Are you looking for a good audiobook to listen to as you start logging more miles this summer? We have a whole list of audiobook recommendations for your long runs, plus our current favorite running books. 

Our recommendations include:

• Up to Speed by Christine Yu

• Peak Performance by Steve Magness and Brad Stulburg

• Run to the Finish by Amanda Brooks

• Out of Thin Air by Michael Crawley

• Good for a Girl...

In this episode, we are joined by the wonderful Mirna Valerio, a best-selling author, content creator, and accomplished ultra runner and multisport athlete. Mirna discusses how she learned to embrace new sports and hobbies during a long break from running. Whether you take an intentional or forced break from running, you’ll learn a lot from her discussion on identity, the mental side of a break from running, and more. 

 In this epis...

Whether you are aiming for a 1-hour 10K, want to run a sub-50 min 10K, or even a sub-40 min 10K, this episode is for you! We discuss how to run PR in the 10K, no matter your pace. This episode is for intermediate to experienced runners. If you are looking for more information on your first 10K, tune into episode 38! 

In this episode, you will learn:

• The benefits of including a 10K in your race schedule
• Weekly volume and long runs ...