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Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

Running podcast to motivate & help runners of every level run their best. The RunnersConnect team of coaches, headed by your host Finn Melanson, share with you the best running information backed by research, science and experts.
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Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running
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Now displaying: October, 2017
Oct 25, 2017

Running isn’t always forgiving.

Between injuries, mental ruts, and the curve balls life sometimes throws at us, finding long term success and remaining engaged in the sport can be incredibly difficult, and that’s why Jonathan Beverly’s new book is one every runner needs to read.

The book is called Run Strong, Stay Hungry, and it reveals the habits and mentalities of more than 50 veteran runners who are still running fast decades after they started.  

A writer for Runner’s World and lifetime runner himself, Jonathan will give us a peek into the lives of runners like Bill Rodgers, Deena Kastor, and Joan Benoit Samuelson to show us what it takes to avoid burnout and achieve longevity in the sport - both physically and mentally.

P.S. Jonathan was kind enough to offer two lucky winners a signed copy of Run Strong, Stay Hungry! If you’re interested, head on over to runnersconnect.net/giveaway. The contest will end at 12am EST November 2nd, 2017, so be sure to enter fast!

Oct 18, 2017

Now known as the “Acupuncturist for Skeptics”, Sarah Hammer Stevens wasn’t always a believer in this alternative therapy.

A longtime runner, Sarah was training for the Portland Marathon a few years ago when she sustained a knee injury that threatened to sideline her just weeks before the race.

Desperate to recover as quickly as possible, Sarah tried everything.

She consulted both her primary care doctor and an orthopedist but just wasn’t seeing any real improvement.

So, ready to try anything, Sarah decided to give acupuncture a shot, and she was glad she did.

After running pain-free to set a big PR, Sarah was excited to share the benefits of acupuncture with the world.

She quit her job to pursue a career in integrative health care, and she now enjoys helping runners like herself through her practice To the Point PDX in Portland, OR.

In this interview, Sarah will explain to us the intricacies of acupuncture, dispel the misconceptions that surround it, and share the reasons she believes every runner should give it a try.

Questions Sarah is asked:

4:09 Tell us about what you do and about your practice

5:13 What changed your mind about acupuncture and brought you into practicing?

8:40 How did you get into running?

10:59 How did the Hood to Coast Relays go for you?

11:51 How did the pop-up clinics go?

13:57 How often do you do these types of events?

14:52 What actually is acupuncture?

17:56 What are some of the funniest misconceptions you’ve encountered regarding acupuncture?

20:10 What’s the difference between dry needling and acupuncture?

23:32 How does acupuncture target problem areas?

25:27 How immediate are the effects of treatment?

27:44 What types of injuries are best treated with acupuncture?

29:21 Do chiropractors ever refer their patients to acupuncturists?

30:47 How has it been starting your own company?

33:01 Why do you think there haven’t been as many jobs for acupuncturists?

34:57 What’s the difference between acupuncture and Chinese medicine in general?

38:42 What exactly is cupping therapy and why do people use it?

41:08 Why is cupping so commonly done on athlete’s backs?

41:46 When do you advise people to get cupping therapy?

42:43 What does a general treatment course look like for an injured or sore runner?

44:28 How should people take the herbal supplements you recommend?

46:21 Who should use bone broth and when?

47:27 What’s next for you and your practice?

49:15 How can people outside of your location find a high quality acupuncturist in their area?

 

Quotes by Sarah:

“I went in, and I said, ‘I don’t believe this is gonna work. I don’t believe in holistic medicine. There’s no way that it can work, but I’m ready to try anything because I want to run this marathon.’ And lo and behold after the first treatment, my knee felt completely better.”

“You can read about [acupuncture], you can try to figure out how it works, but you have to just try it to really, really understand it.”

“People think [acupuncture] is a religion, and you have to believe in it and you have to be spiritual. And I’m like, ‘No. Absolutely not.’”

“We do mirror imaging: so we sometimes use the ankle to help the shoulder or we needle the ear to help the back.”

Oct 11, 2017

Okay, well at least occasionally :)

That’s what marathoner and writer Duncan Larkin argues in his book Run Simple: A Minimalist Approach to Fitness and Well-Being.

Duncan, who also writes for Outside Magazine, Competitor Magazine, Runner's World, ESPN, and Running Times, believes the best way to maximize running’s mental and physical benefits is to get back to the basics.

While the book is full of training regiments and advice for increasing quality over quantity, it starts off with one resounding message: ditch your gadgets.

According to Duncan, runners have become slaves to their electronic devices, and, believe it or not, this reliance can be detrimental to both performance and the very value of a training program.

In this interview, Duncan shares with us the principles of his simplistic training philosophy, a little about the coaches and runners who swear by it, as well as a sneak peek at his upcoming book, The 30-Minute Runner: Smart Training for Busy Beginners.

Oct 4, 2017

In 2009, Kelly Roberts was thrown into the deep end when she suddenly lost her younger brother, Scott.

Struggling to cope during this emotionally draining time, Kelly gained over 70 pounds by the end of the year, by which point she decided it was time for her to find a healthy way to work out her grief.

That’s when she found running.

8 years later, the sport has become invaluable to Kelly, and she now uses it to uplift thousands of others through her hilarious yet incredibly authentic blog Run, Selfie, Repeat.

Kelly continually strives to break the societal norms that insist what “strong” ought to look like, and she loves inspiring thousands of runners to pursue the best versions of themselves.

In this episode, Kelly shares with us what she’s learned through her own ongoing journey to self-acceptance as well as her tips to conquering the inhibitions that tie us down.

All, of course, with a healthy dose of hysterical laughter.

 

Questions Kelly is asked:

3:48 What prompted you to start running and what has that journey been like?

8:29 How has running impacted other aspects of your life?

10:24 What prompted you to start your ‘Hottie-Hunting’ selfies and how did that ignite your blog and fame on social media?

14:15 How has your blog evolved and where do you see it going in the next few years?

18:48 How quickly did #SportsBraSquad take off?

23:36 How has it been working with Oiselle and when did you start working with them?

28:39 Where do you think Oiselle is going to be in the next few years?

31:32 What challenges have you encountered with your running and how did you stay motivated?

35:18 What are you most proud of since you started this journey?

37:48 What would you tell a new runner who’s trying to break out of their comfort zone?

40:59 What would you say are some of the more common inhibitions that new runners may have?

43:11 Where do you see yourself as a runner in the next few years?

46:42 What can you tell us about the rebranding of your blog?

48:28 When will it launch?

 

Quotes by Kelly:

“Just because something is hard or just because something feels impossible doesn’t mean that you shouldn't try.”

“Being on a team makes you a stronger woman.”

“Running is about bringing people together and empowering them.”

“I think I can name on one hand the amount of people who actually know how to eat a healthy, balanced diet.”

“I really just want to run for life.”

“Running is something I DO, it’s not who I AM.”

“Whatever I can do to bring people together, I’m gonna try.”

 

Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel

 

Mentioned in this podcast:

Run Selfie Repeat homepage

National Sports Bra Squad Day

girlsontherun.org

Oiselle homepage

 

We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top.

The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use.

If more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, it means I can reach out to and get through to the top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!

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