Run to the Top Extra Kick Podcast | Answers to Your Running Questions

What is Heart Rate Variability (HRV)? How to use HRV data to optimize your running performance? What are the problems with wrist-based tracking monitors? Coach Claire explains in today's episode.

Why you should take your dog for running with you? How to run with dogs? Are hard surfaces safe for them? Coach Hayley explains in today's Extrakick episode.

What are the myths surrounding the Boston marathon training? How you can train smarter for it? Coach Claire clarifies in today's podcast episode.

In today's podcast, Coach Jeff talks about heart rate training. Can it work for everybody? Is there any correlation between heart rate training zone and running effort? Learn now!

Running Cadence - why you should not try to chase a magic number? What are the problems with 180 strides per minute? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast episode.

What are the problems that come into play when you train just by pace? In today's episode, Coach Hayley talks about training by effort and how they can benefit you. Tune in now!

Do you feel like something is holding you back mentally to complete the workout well? When things get tough, do you become mentally more stronger or do you give up? In this episode, Coach Claire shares techniques to truly master your mind when you want to quit.

How to improve your running form with hill sprints? When to incorporate these workouts in your training schedule? How many hill sprints should you do per session? Find out in today's podcast from Coach Michael.

What is a 10 day training cycle? What are its pros and cons? Who can apply this pattern in their marathon training cycle? In today's episode, Coach Claire shares tips to make this concept work for you.

Why there is no guarantee that we can always get the expected result in this sport? In this podcast, Coach Dylan talks about how certain things can affect the outcome of our races and what we can do about it. Listen now!

How much strength training does a runner need? How much is too much? When is the best time to strength train and what kind of exercises should runners do? Coach Claire clarifies in today's episode.

Runners can suffer from seasonal allergies at any time. So, how to prevent or treat them right? In today's episode, Coach Laura discusses 10 ways to fight allergies effectively. Tune in now!

What are plyometrics? Why should a distance runner do plyometrics exercises? How can you benefit from plyometrics training? Find out in today's episode.

What is the purpose of easy running days? Is it possible to do easy runs too easy? What are the drawbacks of doing easy runs too quickly? Find out in today's podcast!

Why runners wear short shorts? Do you know about the different types of shorts? Which one is best for men/women runners? Coach Claire explains in today's episode.

Why you need to pause negative self talk during bad races or when not feeling great? How to use self talk to benefit your training? In today's podcast episode, Coach Dylan talks about how to prevent yourself from falling into these negative self- imposed traps.

The aches and pains from running - How to tell whether is it just a niggle or a true injury? When to see a specialist? Coach Laura explains in today's podcast.

Why perfect workouts are not always possible? How a bad workout could actually bring more benefits to your race day performance? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast.

Mobility vs Flexibility - What's the difference? Coach Claire explains in today's ExtraKick daily podcast episode.

What you can do to create long lasting habits that help make big positive changes in your physical and mental health? Coach Dylan explains in today's podcast. 

Coach Laura shares her favorite tips for training indoors during this winter season in today's podcast episode. Listen now!

In today's podcast, Coach Dylan shares some great tips to create good habits that lays strong foundation for future training and racing. Listen now!

In today's episode, Coach Claire discusses about using ice as an running injury treatment. In particular, can ice help in achilles tendon injuries? Find out now!

How to do tempo and VO2 Max workouts for the road or track? What pace to follow for these sessions? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast.

How running too fast too often or going at a moderate pace sabotages your long run? Why running easy works? What is the key to building up your long run? Coach Claire explains in this week's Audio Blog podcast.

Struggling with recurring hamstring strains or pulls? Coach Tina helps you add the right preventative and strength work to get you healthy

Are you a vegan training for your first marathon? Or perhaps a runner trying out veganism?

Check out today's podcast as Coach Claire (founder of The Planted Runner) shares some tips on how to fuel your training on a vegan diet!

How do you run workouts when it’s bitterly cold out and harder to hit your training paces?

What if the roads are a little icy - not so bad that you can't run, but enough that you're on your guard?

In today's daily podcast, Coach Hayley shares her tips to keep you safe in the winter and still making progress with your training

In today's podcast, Coach Dylan talks about why you don't need to complicate your training and should move towards simplicity instead for long term success. Tune in now!

In today's podcast, learn the 3 mental techniques that Coach Ruairi use to silence the negative voices in his head and to get through the painful moments during races. Tune in now!

How much you'll lose fitness or slow down when you're not able to run? How VO2 Max can help in measuring your running fitness? Coach Jeff uses an example to explain this in today's podcast.

Why some athletes have problems with sleep? What nutritional changes can be made to improve your sleep? Can supplements help? Find out in today's podcast!

Today's tip of the day is understanding fatigue and recovery. Why accumulated fatigue is important for long-distance training? What are its benefits? How to simulate it in any distance training but not push into overtraining?

Is it normal for your period to become irregular during marathon training? What causes irregular menstrual cycles in female runner? Coach Hayley clarifies in today's podcast.

How long should your kids be running if they are interested in distance running? Is HM too far to train for and race?

How do you deal with muscle cramping after the race? Are there any tips or tricks you can use to help prevent or get rid of the cramps?

In today's Extra Kick, Coach Dylan explains how to incorporate strength training to aid (and not detract from) your running!

So you've got a hilly race in a few months but no hills to train on.

How can you be resourceful (without driving 3 hours away) or even find some alternatives that get you the same benefits? 

Coach Danny explains in today's daily podcast.

Are there any running drills you can easily add to your routine to help your running?

Specifically, is there anything you can do while walking or during your warm-up that doesn't add any time to your daily run but can help you improve your mobility and keep you injury free?

Coach Claire gives you some awesome suggestions in today's daily podcast

While a nap may seem more inviting than a cool down after a tough session, your post-workout routine is more important than you may think. 

Listen in as Coach Hayley explains why cooling down is so vital and how to do it for the best results.

On today's Extra Kick, Coach Dylan explains how to adjust workouts for icy conditions and treadmill running.

Today's tip of the day is low carb and running. Is a low-carb diet best for runners? What are its advantages and disadvantages? Tune in to find out!

In today's podcast, Coach Hayley talks about a few lessons that we can take away from the world's top runners and how these athletes approach training. Tune in now!

How is glycogen created? How your body uses glycogen stores and burns fuel to create energy for your run? Coach Claire explains in today's extrakick podcast episode.

What are the benefits of doing moderate workouts? How to include moderate training days into your training schedule? Coach Hayley explains in today's Extrakick podcast episode.

Do elites run for the same reasons we are? Why you need to run like you love it or make running as a hobby,  whether you get paid for it or not? Find out in today's podcast.

In today's podcast, Coach Hayley gives some practical tips on how your training needs to change as you age.  Listen now!

How to motivate yourself to run when the initial excitement for running fades away? What can you do to beat those excuses for not running? How to find motivation when you're tired? Coach Claire shares some great tips in today's podcast.

In today's episode, Coach Claire talks about how we count calories and why it is so difficult. Find out why calorie counts on food labels are massively flawed and how to nail your nutrition without counting calories.

How to combine weight loss with running during non-racing season? Coach Hayley shares some guidelines you can follow to help make positive improvements to your body composition when you're not racing.

How beginning runners can avoid some common pitfalls so that they can focus on training progression and running performance? In today's podcast, Coach Claire talks about 4 of the most common mistakes and important lessons you need to learn as a beginner runner. Tune in now!

What it takes to run your best mile? How to race a mile in a proper manner and what is the key to mile training? Find out now from Coach Claire.

How can you do marathon specific workout that doesn't take too long? Coach Hayley gives some great tips in today's podcast. Listen now!

How to fit training into your busy schedule? What is the best way to find time for your long run? How to manage your time with an app? In this week's Audio Blog, Coach Claire shares 6 time hacks that help you find more time to train while balancing your life's other obligations.

How to keep a detailed training log that will help you track your progress over a long period of time? Why you need to track and analyze your training? What are the benefits of keeping a hand-written training log? Coach Dylan and Coach Ruairi explain in today's podcast.

What are the benefits of doing a medium run? How to incorporate it into your training? Coach Claire explains in today's episode.

What causes black toenails? How can you prevent it while running -  particularly during long runs and downhill running? What is the best way to treat black and bruised toenail? Find out in today's podcast from Coach Hayley.

How to make big improvements to your running fitness – even if you can’t get to the gym, don’t have a race to train for, or can’t even get outside as much as you like?  Coach Claire discusses 4 ways you can take advantage of the situation to become a better runner. Tune in now!

In today's podcast, Coach Ruairi talks about running streaks and yearly mileage goals, and why these are not the best ways to go when approaching your training. Listen now!

What L Carnitine is? How it can help endurance athletes? Does carnitine supplementation really improve sports performance? Why it was problematic for the Nike Oregon project? Find out in today's podcast.

How important is to rotate running shoes? Does rotating your shoes reduce your risk of running injuries? How to rotate running shoes? Find out in today's podcast from Coach Hayley.

What are the pros and cons of trying to lose weight in the few weeks before a big race? What the research has found about ideal weight for runners? Does ideal race weight means a higher VO2 Max? Coach Claire explains in this week's Audio Blog episode.

In today's podcast, Coach Dylan talks about why you don't actually need to be running faster for your workouts to become a faster runner and the myths about running faster. Listen now!

Are orthotics worth it? What is the simplest way to strengthen your feet? Is 180 steps per minute the most efficient cadence when running? Why 10% rule doesn't always work? Coach Claire clarifies in today's episode.

What are the best strength training exercises for runners? What kind of strength exercises does Coach Hayley regularly do and why she prefers them? Find out in today's podcast.

Why proper functioning of the “foot core” is essential for runners? What is the role of plantar intrinsic foot muscles? How foot shortening exercise helps in injury prevention? Coach Claire explains in today's podcast. Listen now!

In today's podcast, Coaches Ruairi and Dylan talk about alcohol and its effects (both positive and negative) on runners. Listen now to find out whether alcohol affects running performance during your training or the recovery process after a race.

Are virtual groups really as effective as getting together in person?   How powerful are the running groups during these pandemic times? Find out now from Coach Claire!

How to take care of your knees as a runner? What you can do to make sure that running does continue to be good for your knees? Find out in today's podcast from Coach Hayley.

How to prepare for altitude training before you arrive? What is the optimal length of stay for your short altitude stint? In this Audio Blog podcast, Coach Claire gives some practical steps that you can take to make the most of your time at altitude, whether it’s to train, race or just visit for vacation.

This month Coach Michael is going to do a little series on how to make 2021 your best running year yet. This four part series focus on different aspects of running and this week, he talks about mentality and mindset - 3 steps to achieve a killer mindset in 2021. Tune in now!

How to use your effort and internal feel to increase your ability to run faster and stay healthy? What are the benefits of running by effort? Coach Dylan explains in this episode.

What is Ultra-Realism? How can you practice this in your training? How facing reality can benefit an athlete 365 days a year? Find out in today's podcast.

Is it okay to walk the cool-down instead of running it? Do you get all the benefits if you do walking cool downs? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast.

What causes side stitches when you run? Why certain foods trigger a stitch in your side? How to prevent a side stitch? Coach Claire explains in this week's RC Audio Blog.

Why speed endurance workouts are important? How to incorporate them in your training? What are benefits of speed workouts for runners? Coach Dylan and Coach Ruairi explain in today's podcast.

What is anti-gravity treadmill and how does it work? What is the science behind anti-gravity running? How this treadmill benefits runners? Are there any drawbacks? Find out now from Coach Claire.

How do you recover properly from a marathon? How long should you take off from running after a marathon? What to focus on during the recovery period? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast.

How to offset some of the age-related performance drops and progress as a master runner? Why you need to switch your mindset from PR chasing to enjoyment chasing and how to do it? Find out in today's podcast.

Why running faster is not always better? What are the risks of speed workouts? How to keep your paces in check? Coach Michael clarifies and gives some great tips to make your running much easier on yourself.

In this week's episode, Coach Ruairi and Coach Dylan talk about the interesting things that happened in the running world within the last month or so. Tune in now!

Without much races happening during this pandemic, how to find a way to run for a deeper meaning to get that boost you're looking for? Coach Claire explains in today's episode.

How to know that you are doing enough training to maintain your fitness level? Coach Hayley explains in today's podcast episode. Tune in now!

What are the four common, and often overlooked, sleep issues that affect runners? How to overcome them to run better? How important is sleep the night before your race? Does your performance gets affected if you miss several hours of sleep before competition? Find out in today's podcast from Coach Claire.

Recovery is key if you want to run your best.  Coach Dylan and Coach Ruairi share some alternative methods of recovery to get you ready to run fast faster!

We know that a huge part of running well is great training, but if your mind isn't on board to dig deeper despite the obstacles, you are leaving a big piece of your potential on the table.  Taking a little time to reflect, with curiosity, on why you run and what your values are beyond your goals can help you become a better, more resilient runner.

Planning a virtual race this year?  While it's not the same as an in-person race, racing virtually can still be a great boost to your running and training.  Coach Hayley gives you the best advice on how to make a virtual race an opportunity to run your best.

Written by Jeff Gaudette, Read by Claire Bartholic

https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/how-to-run-faster/

"In the vocabulary of a runner, patience is a dirty word. Runners always want to run faster, run more miles, and crush their personal bests and they want it now. To be more accurate, they wanted it yesterday.

"I know I felt this way before I donned my coaching cap. I wasn’t satisfied with a workout unless I needed to be carried off the track and was forced to spend the rest of the day passed out on the couch. That was dedication. Surely, this is what it took to be the best runner I could be.

"Unfortunately, this mindset couldn’t be more wrong.

"Not only did this way of thinking impact my short-term goals, thanks to all-to-frequent injuries and bouts of overtraining, but as you’ll learn in this article, it likely affected my long-term progress as well.

"As I’ve matured as a runner and changed my perspective on training as a coach, I’ve come to fully appreciate and value the art of patience. This shift in mindset wasn’t easy and it didn’t happen overnight. Hopefully, with the help of some hard, scientific data and a sprinkling of anecdotal evidence, this article can accelerate your maturation as a runner and help you achieve your goals."

In today's podcast, Coach Michael talks about 3 myths and 5 tips for safely increasing your mileage. Tune in now!

What is periodization? How important it is in your training? What are the types of training periodization? Which method is best? Coach Dylan and Coach Ruairi explain in this week's Up Tempo Talks podcast.

In today's podcast, Coach Claire talks about the successful running routine and fitness secrets of several master runners, which they shared through our Facebook group "RunnersConnect Winners' Circle". Listen now!

How to know if you're eating enough to support your training? What signs your body gives when you're not taking enough calories? Coach Hayley clarifies in today's podcast.

Why does treadmill running feel harder (or easier)? What are the bio-mechanical and physiological differences between running on a treadmill and running outside? Is treadmill running better or worse for runners? Find out in this week's audio blog from Coach Claire.

In today's podcast, Coach Michael talks about the importance of warming up and how to do proper warmup for a hard workout or a shorter race. Listen now!

Half Marathon - Coach Dylan and Coach Ruairi talk about racing and training for this distance, and how it differs from the marathon and other races in today's podcast. Tune in now!

How to deal with chafing that happens when running long distances? What precautions you can take to avoid chafing? Coach Claire gives some great tips in today's podcast.

In today's podcast, Coach Hayley talks about the benefits of tempo running and then discusses three ways to spice up your tempo run. Listen now!

How fast finish long runs can help you prepare optimally for a marathon race? When you should schedule it as part of your training plan? How to run a fast finish long run? Find out in today's podcast from Coach Claire.

How to warmup properly for a shorter race (up to half marathon)  or a hard workout? Coach Michael gives a 5-step expert warmup routine that prepares the different energy system of your body for optimum performance in a race.

In this episode, Coach Dylan talks about the upcoming awesome race in Chandler, AZ - The Marathon Project 2020 and the athletes who are all competing on this race. Listen now!