Running Rogue

It's all going down in Atlanta on Saturday starting at 12:08 EST for the men and 12:20 EST for the women. You can watch it all on NBC or NBC Sports Gold. In this episode, we break down both fields and Brad and I give our predictions on how the races will go and who will get top 3 to make the team.  If you are in Atlanta, join me with Kara Goucher and Shanna Burnette on Saturday at 8:30 am at the Olympic Rings in Centennial Olympic Park near the Trials finish line for a 3 mile fun run with the Clean Sport podcast hosts. I would love to see you all there!

In this episode which was recorded live at Rogue, I interview Carrie Cheadle and CIndy Kuzma on their new book - Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries.  Carrie, who is a certified mental performance consultant through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology, shares strategies for harnessing the power of your mind to run your best race, from connecting to your own hero’s journey to visualizing both success and setbacks. Carrie and Cindy also discuss their new book, which explains how similar strategies can help athletes bounce back from injury stronger. Carrie Jackson Cheadle lives in Northern California and is a mental skills coach and certified mental performance consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. She is author of the book On Top of Your Game: Mental Skills to Maximize Your Athletic Performance (Feed the Athlete Press, 2013). A popular source for media, Carrie has been interviewed for publications such as Men’s Fitness, Women’s Health, Outside

In this episode, I start with a recap of some blistering fast races this weekend at the Millrose Games, plus a few Oly Trials tune up races on the road for athletes like Galen Rupp and Amy Cragg. They are both among the favorites, but what do their races say about their fitness leading into Feb 29th? Then, I turn to a conversation with Natalie Picchetti on what we can learn from blood chemistry that the standard ranges and guidelines may not tell you.  Her story alone is fascinating, but you won't want to miss what she says about why the standard blood value ranges fail us especially as it relates to improving performance. Note: The individual examples and cases discussed are meant as examples only and not meant to be applied without the guidance of a medical professional.  

It's easy to be swindled into thinking that recovery has to be complicated or that it has to be expensive. It doesn't. That doesn't make it easy, but it can be really, really simple if you focus on the most important recovery elements. In this episode, I remind you why recovery is so important and talk about the 3 core elements to recovery that you should optimize before worrying about anything else. Focus there before you worry about the complicated or expensive stuff like cryo or float pods!  

In this episode, I am excited to introduce Brad Hudson as a new member of the Rogue Running team. We start with current events, discussing Bekele vs. Kipchoge in London and takeaways from the weekend of indoor action as track is back in the new year. Then, we discuss Brad's background from a kid who ran his first marathon at the age of 12 to a collegiate at the University of Oregon under Coach Bill Dellinger to an elite marathoner who ran as fast as 2:13. We talk about Brad's influences as a coach and what he believes about mileage, easy running, recovery, marathon tapering and marathon recovery. Then, we finish off with Brad coaching me up a bit as I discuss my sub 2:40 goal with him for the first time. We are excited to have Brad on the Rogue team... To train with Brad and Team Rogue in Austin: https://www.roguerunning.com/training-programs/team-rogue To train with Brad virtually one on one: https://www.roguerunning.com/roguevirtual1-1

In this episode, I start with 10 minutes of current events discussing the implications of a big weekend of racing in San Diego, Phoenix, and Houston.  Then, I turn to my main topic where I discuss 8 common training mistakes that might be keeping you from reaching your full potential. Are you making any of these?!?

In this episode, Chris starts with a little preview for the Houston half marathon this weekend (where US marathoners will be tuning up for the Trials) and talks about the women's elite field for London. Then, he gives 6 predictions for the sport of running in 2020 and 4 tips for dealing with injury based on his recent experience dealing with one of his own.   

In this episode, I answer a host of listener questions on topics from running/life balance to choosing the right marathon goal time to what workouts to do in a marathon cycle. Plus, we talk about strength vs. running days and diet vs. running. There is something in here for everyone. Plus, here is the link to the sleep article that I referenced: https://www.outsideonline.com/2405000/athlete-sleep-research-2019

In this last episode of 2019, Jason and I focus on the topic of base building. We discuss why you might consider a dedicated block of training for it, what's included, and some tips on how to execute the block. Plus, we introduce a new, podcast-based program just for base building.  We give details within the podcast, and you can find additional details and sign up here: https://www.roguerunning.com/podcast-training-base The program will be limited to only 30 people. You can sign up between now and January 31st or until the program sells out. The training will start on January 13th. 

In this episode, I bring back Sasha Gollish to talk about her experience at the World Championships in Doha as well as to discuss her blog series on resilience. Sasha always brings a fun and insightful perspective. Enjoy this one during this holiday week! Disclaimer: This podcast is intended to help you improve your resilience in your running life. Sasha and I are not mental health professionals, and we advise that you seek the help of such a provider if you are dealing with deeper life issues on this topic.

James Dodds and I started the year with episode #107 - Healthy Tips for 2019. Now with this episode, we start to bring the year to a close with reflections from 2019 from both a personal and coaching perspective. I think there is a little something for everyone in here!

In this episode, I bring back episode #83 guest Mary Margaret to discuss her quest for the elusive sub 4 marathon. She came on in July of 2018 to discuss that goal and to get some coaching from us on it. At the time, she planned to break that barrier in Twin Cities in October 2018 which did not happen as planned. We talk about that disappointment and her continued quest to get there including another attempt this fall. Did she get the goal? How did she get there? We talk about that and more! Here are the links referenced in the show: Podcast training sign ups: www.roguerunning.com/podcasttraining Kara Goucher article from Women's Running: https://www.womensrunning.com/2019/11/profiles/kara-goucher-changing-course_103244 SI article on Megan Rapinoe: https://www.si.com/sportsperson/2019/12/09/megan-rapinoe-2019-sportsperson-of-the-year Women's Running article on the women of NAZ Elite: Not linked online yet, but I will post here when it's up!

In this episode after a brief intro covering current events, I discuss how to think about long term planning for your running in 18-24 chunks of time, including the 8 key elements to consider. And if you are interested in joining me on the podcast to discuss your long term planning, then please reach out - chris@roguerunning.com. 

In follow-up to episode #156 about Mary Cain, a listener (thank you Mimi!) connected me to distance coaching guru Dena Evans to discuss the topic further.  Dena Evans has spent the the last 20 years dedicated to coaching athletes at all levels. It all started in 1999 when she became the Assistant Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Stanford University under Coach Vin Lananna. In 2003, she was promoted to Head Women's Cross Country Coach and led the Cardinal to the NCAA cross country title that same year to go along with numerous other conference championships and other team and individual accolades during her tenure. Since her 6 years at Stanford, Dena has served and continues to serve in various coaching roles with Team USA at events such as the World Cross Country Championships, the IAAF World Relay Championships, and the IAAF World Track & Field Championships (indoor and outdoor), including in Doha in October of this year. In addition, she has spent the last 12 years as Club Director and Coach

While I certainly believe in the importance of your running mileage (as discussed in episode #7 and many others), it is also importance to understand that mileage isn't a brute force instrument. Your target miles should be considered with more nuance based on your individual needs, and this is a short episode that discusses just that.

For this week, I had to hit pause on my previously planned topic and spend time discussing the Mary Cain story, which you can learn about here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/opinion/nike-running-mary-cain.html I don't have all the answers, but I hope you don't mind me taking the time to process this incredibly brave and heartbreaking story from Mary.  In the podcast, my discussion centers on two areas: 1. How can we advocate for those like Mary who speak out against wrongdoing? 2. How can we think about body image and bodyweight in running in a better way? I know that I still have so much to learn to better do my part as an athlete and coach for a better future in our sport, so please do share your thoughts to my email - chris@roguerunning.com. As a side note: I don't discuss it directly but I believe in and advocate for a full, independent investigation into the culture of the Oregon Project and what amounts to child abuse in this case.     

Many of you asked for me to dedicate more time to the nuances of the half marathon, so here is one episode along those lines! In this episode, I start with an intro giving some quick hit thoughts on NYC as well as a race that I ran on Sunday. Then, I turn to the main topic to discuss the half marathon specifically. In this episode, I cover tapering, warming up, pacing, managing nutrition/hydration, and prepping your mental strategy for the half marathon distance. While the marathon gets most of the press/buzz in our world, I believe that a well run half marathon is as worthy a goal. Plus, if you want to be your best self at the marathon, then a fast half marathon is a critical component in your training. Don't neglect your training for that distance as well!  

All of my NYC picks and predictions coming at you hot...

This episode is all about celebrating Shalane Flanagan as she announced her retirement this past week. Shalane needs know introduction because her list of accomplishments is long including 3 NCAA titles, 18 US titles, 4 Olympic teams, and 4 major marathon podiums including one of each podium spot at NYC - 2nd, 1st, and 3rd.  After a brief intro, I turn to a discussion on the top 10 things that we can learn from Shalane Flanagan's career to apply in our own training. The discussion includes input from Kara Goucher who provided the #1 thing she learned in her time training with Shalane. The top 10 list includes everything from practical training advice to ways to gain a mental edge. While few among us have Shalane's talent, there is so much to learn from the consistent hard work that she invested in her career.  Also, here are the links to the 2 articles on her retirement referenced during the discussion: https://www.womensrunning.com/2019/10/news/shalane-flanagan-retires-from-pro-running_103258 https://www.s

Episode 152 was a lightning rod for discussion as I received the most email ever within 24-hours of the episode as you all sounded off on shoes, Kipchoge, and world records. We start this episode with James with further reaction from me on shoes (should they be regulated?) and a special Kipchoge-based true-false question for James. Then, we switch into part 2 of Running True-False with James where we again span the spectrum of topics from training to the mental side of the sport. Example true-false discussions in this episode include: - Road racing (and training) make you a better trail runner. - For a 4-hour marathoner, a 90 minute easy run provides the same benefit whether you run 10 minutes per mile or 11 minutes per mile. - Coaching is primarily a one-way street. - The fear of success is a bigger challenge for runners than the fear of failure. And more... Also, make sure you listen to part 1 with James in episode #149 if you haven't already. Chris