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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: February, 2022
Feb 25, 2022

If you’ve been running for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of the term “running cadence”. You may have even tried to improve yours.

However, is it possible you’re falling victim to one of the many myths about running cadence? 

On this episode of Run to the Top Podcast, we’re going to explore your running cadence, including…

  • why focusing on your cadence can be an important tool for gaining speed with lower injury risk,
  • some myths about the ideal cadence for runners, and I’ll explain
  • a few techniques for improving your cadence to help you get faster quicker

Definitely a must listen if you’re a beginner who knows nothing about cadence or if you’re a veteran who may be making many of the common mistakes with cadence.

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This week’s show brought to you by:

AG 1

Ask yourself - do you get enough green veggies each day?

I'll admit, I don't. It's tough to fit all of those greens in with an active and busy lifestyle.

But getting in your fruits + veggies is SO crucial as a distance runner for recovery, digestion, and optimal performance.

That's where Athletic Greens is a gamechanger. One scoop has 75 bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and whole food-sourced ingredients including a multivitamin, multimineral, probiotic, green superfood blend, and more.

That means fewer stomach issues, more focus and energy throughout the day (because the workday matters just as much as the morning run), and overall ... just feeling healthier.

Look, if you're struggling to get those fruits + veggies in - or if you keep buying them but they always go bad in the fridge - Athletic Greens will make getting those micronutrients simple and delicious.

Get 5 BONUS travel packs and a year's supply of Vitamin D when you order at athleticgreens.com/rttt. Get yours now!

Feb 23, 2022

From what to eat before runs to how much macros and calories we need to properly fuel and recover without gaining weight, running nutrition can often seem complicated and difficult to follow.

Sports dietitian Kylee Van Horn doesn’t believe it has to be this complicated. In fact, she’ll give you simple, actionable strategies to make your running nutrition plan easy to plan and stick to.

Some topics we discuss…

  • Do you need to eat before you run, especially if you are a morning runner?
  • What do we need to eat before, during and after a run.
  • How to balance legitimate and healthy weight loss goals with performance

If you’ve struggled with making your running nutrition plan too complicated, you’ll love this interview.

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Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!

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This week’s show brought to you by:

Inside Tracker

Inside Tracker is the ultimate resource for runners who want to optimize their health and nutrition.

Using their patented algorithm, InsideTracker analyzes your body’s data to provide you with a clear picture of what's going on inside you. Then, they offer you science-backed recommendations for positive diet and lifestyle changes. 

Next, InsideTracker tracks your progress every day and adjusts based on real-time feedback from your body.

The best part is that you can do it all from home and it isn’t expensive. Plus, for a limited-time you can get 25% off any InsideTracker plan or service when you use the code RTTTPRO25 . 

Just head to https://runnersconnect.net/insidetracker and use the code RTTTPRO25 for 25% off.

LMNT

When coaching endurance runners of all levels to be their best, I always emphasize the need for proper hydration with the right balance of electrolytes.  Most athletes I’ve coached are surprised to learn that their sodium needs are actually much higher than they expected and it’s been hurting their performance. 

Part of the reason athletes need much more sodium than they think is not just because they lose electrolytes through their sweat, but also because athletes tend to eat very healthy diets. They’ve been told that salt is a bad thing in food and frequently don’t get enough for their lifestyle. 

Much of the science of sodium is based on people who eat highly processed diets which also are very low in potassium. It could actually be the low potassium levels causing the issues that sodium has been blamed for! 

What is clear is that both sodium and potassium at the proper levels are essential for high performance (and for life in general!). 

That's why we partnered with LMNT to offer a free sample pack of their electrolyte mix.

Head to drinklmnt.com/runnersconnect to get yours now. The Sample Pack includes 8 packets of LMNT (2 citrus, 2 raspberry, 2 orange, and 2 raw unflavored).

Feb 18, 2022

How much do you rely on the data from your running watch? Do you analyze all the data it gives you after every run?

In this Run to the Top episode, we’re going to take an in-depth look at how much you should trust this data and how you can most effectively use it in all training situations. 

In this episode, you’ll learn…

  • some of the great features that make your watch more useful
  • how to use it more effectively in workouts and on the treadmill, and
  • how much to trust all those fancy assumptions and predictions your watch is telling you.

Whether you’re a running data geek or you barely know how to use your running watch, this episode will definitely give you some practical training tips.

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Feb 16, 2022

How often do you train for the mental challenges of running? Do you spend just as much time working on your mental prep as you do your physical preparation?

You’re not alone if you’ve never even thought of how training your mindset can improve your training and mindset performance.

That’s why we interviewed renowned sports psychologist Dr. Michael Sachs about how we can train our mind to perform better in both training and racing.

This in-depth discussion and practical tips on how to improve your training mindset will undoubtedly help you improve for your next race.

Connect, Comment, Community

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Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!

Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community 

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GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers. 

Supplementing with magnesium before you go to bed has been shown in scientific studies to…

  • Increase in muscle oxygenation during high intensity exercise
  • Reduce inflammation 
  • Significantly improve sleep quality
  • Improve aerobic exercise capacity when training.

When you’re looking for a magnesium supplement, make sure you take one that is organic and has all 7 unique forms of magnesium. 

My recommendation is Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers because it’s made with the highest quality, organic magnesium and contains all 7 critical forms. Most other magnesium supplements are synthetic and only contain one or two forms of magnesium, which is simply not enough.

For an exclusive offer go to magbreakthrough.com/runtothetop and use code run10 to save 10% when you try Magnesium Breakthrough. Plus, they offer a full refund up to one year after your purchase, no questions asked.

Feb 11, 2022
Many times, when you go out for a run, you feel better than when you left. A good run can leave you feeling energized and ready to tackle just about anything.

But then there are those runs that leave you dragging and bone tired. You’re struggling to keep up with the last few miles of your long run. Or your cool down from a tough track session feels like you are running through a pool of mud.

Does that mean you overdid it? Just how much fatigue should you feel in training and when have you crossed the line?

On today’s episode of the Run to the Top Podcast, we’re going to get into the science of fatigue. You’ll learn:

  • why a certain amount of fatigue is actually important as a runner
  • how to use fatigue to your advantage, and
  • how to know how much is too much fatigue

If you’ve ever dragged yourself through a run, this is the episode for you!

Connect, Comment, Community

Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram

Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!

Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community 

RunnersConnect Facebook page

GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

AG 1

Ask yourself - do you get enough green veggies each day?

I'll admit, I don't. It's tough to fit all of those greens in with an active and busy lifestyle.

But getting in your fruits + veggies is SO crucial as a distance runner for recovery, digestion, and optimal performance.

That's where Athletic Greens is a gamechanger. One scoop has 75 bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and whole food-sourced ingredients including a multivitamin, multimineral, probiotic, green superfood blend, and more.

That means fewer stomach issues, more focus and energy throughout the day (because the workday matters just as much as the morning run), and overall ... just feeling healthier.

Look, if you're struggling to get those fruits + veggies in - or if you keep buying them but they always go bad in the fridge - Athletic Greens will make getting those micronutrients simple and delicious.

Get 5 BONUS travel packs and a year's supply of Vitamin D when you order at athleticgreens.com/rttt. Get yours now!

Feb 9, 2022
Do hills intimidate you? Or do you love tackling all the ups and downs? Learn how to run hills more effortlessly, how to incorporate them into your training, and what workouts you can do on hills to build more powerful legs.

Elite trail runner and coach David Roche of “Some Work, All Play,” teaches a master class on why hills are so powerful and how exactly to run them.

Whether you hate hills or love them, this episode will teach you how to run them right and have fun, too!

Connect, Comment, Community

Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram

Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!

Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community 

RunnersConnect Facebook page

GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers. 

Supplementing with magnesium before you go to bed has been shown in scientific studies to…

  • Increase in muscle oxygenation during high intensity exercise
  • Reduce inflammation 
  • Significantly improve sleep quality
  • Improve aerobic exercise capacity when training.

When you’re looking for a magnesium supplement, make sure you take one that is organic and has all 7 unique forms of magnesium. 

My recommendation is Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers because it’s made with the highest quality, organic magnesium and contains all 7 critical forms. Most other magnesium supplements are synthetic and only contain one or two forms of magnesium, which is simply not enough.

For an exclusive offer go to magbreakthrough.com/runtothetop and use code run10 to save 10% when you try Magnesium Breakthrough. Plus, they offer a full refund up to one year after your purchase, no questions asked.

Feb 4, 2022

There are several strategies for scheduling and executing tune up races and when done right, they can enhance your fitness and boost your confidence for the big day.  

But, if they’re not done right, they can add extra risk, like not recovering enough, and unnecessary stress to your schedule.  

On today’s show, I’m going to talk all about tune up races. You’ll learn:

  • when to add a tune up race for maximum benefit and minimum risk
  • how to run your tune up race to best prepare you for your goal race, and
  • alternative ways to use tune ups in your schedule

If you’re gearing up for a spring race and looking to add tune-up races to your schedule (or already have and might be worried it’s too close or too much), this is a must-listen!

Connect, Comment, Community

Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram

Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!

Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community 

RunnersConnect Facebook page

GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

RunnersConnect

If you’re running a spring half, full or ultra, now is the time to start putting together your fueling plan. To help you out, we’re giving you free access to our revolutionary glycogen calculator.

This calculator will tell you exactly how many carbohydrates you’re going to burn during the marathon and calculate when you’ll hit the wall so you can ensure you’re properly fueled.

 Check it out for free at runnersconnect.net/fuel

Feb 2, 2022
Sometimes the hardest part about having an audacious goal is getting started. How do you get from point A to point B when it seems so far away? How do you keep yourself motivated along the way?

We invited Aisha Zaza, host of The Mindset Mile, to teach you the simple mindset trick that has been so effective for athletes we coach and myself as a coach.

This is a must listen if you are looking for a daily dose of mindset training on your run or walk today!

Connect, Comment, Community

Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram

Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!

Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community 

RunnersConnect Facebook page

GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers. 

Supplementing with magnesium before you go to bed has been shown in scientific studies to…

  • Increase in muscle oxygenation during high intensity exercise
  • Reduce inflammation 
  • Significantly improve sleep quality
  • Improve aerobic exercise capacity when training.

When you’re looking for a magnesium supplement, make sure you take one that is organic and has all 7 unique forms of magnesium. 

My recommendation is Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers because it’s made with the highest quality, organic magnesium and contains all 7 critical forms. Most other magnesium supplements are synthetic and only contain one or two forms of magnesium, which is simply not enough.

For an exclusive offer go to magbreakthrough.com/runtothetop and use code run10 to save 10% when you try Magnesium Breakthrough. Plus, they offer a full refund up to one year after your purchase, no questions asked.

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