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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: March, 2022
Mar 30, 2022

After her husband was killed in Afghanistan and the terrorist bombs at the Boston Marathon went off in front of her, Linda Ambard vowed not to let terrorism take any more from her. As of this year, Linda has run 220 marathons, with at least one in every state and one on each of the seven continents.

Linda’s story is about more than just survival.  It’s about learning to thrive no matter what life gives you. Her running accomplishments are nothing short of amazing, but it’s her perseverance that resonates most with me.

Coach Claire asks her about her incredible story, the naysayers who say she’s running too much, and how she trains and recovers to run so many marathons so often.

Linda is deeply positive and inspiring so if you need a little lift in your steps today, this is the story that will do it.

Connect, Comment, Community

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

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GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

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.

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.

Mar 23, 2022

Plant-based athletes are everywhere these days. But can a plant-based diet really be a performance booster for your running? What are the pros and cons of a plant based diet for runners?

On today’s Run to the Top Podcast, we’ll going to go over

  • the benefits that a plant-based diet provides runners
  • the potential downsides to going plant-based, and we’ll give you 
  • a day in the life of a vegan runner with meal examples that you can try today

If you’re a plant-based runner already or just “plant-curious,” this evidence-based episode is one you won’t want to miss!

Download our FREE Super Simple Plant Based Plate for Runners! No measuring, weighing, counting calories or macros!

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:

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).

Mar 16, 2022

For the first time in history, just over 50% of all races are run by women.  

While women are leading in the number of participants, research on women in sport is still stubbornly behind the guys’. We know that women and men perform differently, carry and use fat differently, as well as react to pain differently. Typically, men are bigger, stronger, and faster, until you get to the ultra distance, where women can actually break the tape first.

On today’s Run to the Top, Dr Megan Roche, 5-time national trail champion and Stanford researcher explores the science behind the biological differences between men and women in endurance running.  

And this is not just a show for the women runners. Guys, you’ll want to listen up as well if you want to know why the women are getting better and better.

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.

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!

Mar 9, 2022

Have you ever gotten a DNF? Sometimes quitting in the middle of a race is undoubtedly the right thing to do. Other times, you will be full of regret when you do. Either way, it will sting for a while.

On today’s Run to the Top Podcast, Coach Claire talks about the dreaded DNF. She speaks from personal experience on this one, because she’s been there. She’ll go over:

  • when it’s a really good idea to stop a race, 
  • when you should probably push on try to finish, and 
  • how to get over a DNF and get back to better racing in the future.

If you’ve ever DNFd or if you haven’t (yet!), preparing yourself for how to manage now while help you make a better decision on race day!

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.

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).

Mar 2, 2022

Recovery can be a tricky balance for a runner. In order to train well, we sometimes have to train tired and under-recovered. But if we dig ourselves too deep into a hole of stressful training, it might be something that takes days, weeks, or even months to climb out of.

That’s why having cycles of stress and rest over your day, your weeks, your months and even your years can be so beneficial for your long term sustainability in running.

Coach Sara Manderscheid joins Coach Claire to talk about recovery techniques that you can incorporate into your training today to help you recover better, train smarter, and run faster than ever this year!

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.

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!

1