The Running Explained Podcast

Running Explained
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Hosted by multi-certified run coaches and fitness professionals, Amanda Katz and Nick Klastava, The Running Explained Podcast is your go-to resource for actionable insights, expert tips and motivating advice to help you become the best runner you can be. We take a science-backed approach to running and fitness, offering practical strategies for athletes at all stages of their journey. Whether you're struggling with injury, wondering how to fuel your long runs or trying to nail your race day strategy, we've got you covered with expert interviews, listener questions and so much more.

  1. 6 hr ago

    The Carb Ceiling Myth and What Actually Fuels a Long Run

    The 60g-an-hour carb ceiling isn't real, it was just the limit of one transporter. Sports dietitians Emma Harvie and Jaclyn Sklaver, CNS, LDN, join Coach Nick and Coach Amanda to explain the glucose plus fructose fueling strategy pushing runners past 90 to 120 grams of carbs an hour, why underfueling wrecks your hormones (yours included, men), and how to build a fueling plan months before race day instead of the week of. Topics covered • The real science behind the 90 to 120g/hour carb range • Glucose vs. fructose absorption pathways, explained simply • Gut training for race day fueling • Low energy availability and the "low T diet" • Hormones, iron, and fat intake in endurance athletes • Refueling after long runs even without an appetite Guests: Jaclyn Sklaver, CNS, LDN (Athletes Nutrition / Athleats) and Emma Harvie (board certified nutrition specialist). Jaclyn Sklaver, MS, CNS, LDN, is a board-certified integrative sports nutritionist and founder of Athleats Nutrition, where she works with active gym-goers, competitive athletes, and everyday clients seeking sustainable performance and body composition results. Drawing on a functional medicine approach, Jaclyn goes beyond calories and macros to address the root causes behind plateaus, fatigue, and stalled progress, from gut health and hormone balance to inflammation and recovery. Her personalized nutrition programming has supported some of the world's top athletes, including professionals in the NBA and NFL, alongside a wide range of committed gym-goers looking to train harder, recover faster, and feel better in their bodies. With over a decade of clinical experience, Jaclyn pioneered the private-practice model in sports dietetics and continues to bridge performance nutrition with whole-body, functional care. Emma Harvie, MS, CNS, LN, is a Licensed Nutritionist and Board Certified Nutrition Specialist specializing in functional medicine and sports performance nutrition. She brings a lifelong history of athletics to her clinical work, including as a former professional bodybuilder and current avid CrossFit athlete. Born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, Emma has run Grandma's Half Marathon every year since she was 15 years old, now an 18 time finisher and one of her favorite hometown traditions. Drawing on her firsthand understanding of what the body demands under training and competition, she works with clients using a practical, realistic, and root cause approach, building highly personalized nutrition strategies that recognize the unique needs and lifestyle of each individual patient. Emma has had the privilege of working with NBA players, celebrities, and elite, collegiate, and Olympic athletes to reach their health and performance goals. She loves helping clients overcome barriers to health to achieve meaningful, sustainable, and lifelong improvements in well-being. Hosted by Coach Nick and Coach Amanda for Running Explained. CONNECT WITH RUNNING EXPLAINED ● Website: runningexplained.com ● Instagram: @running.explained @amanda.katzz

  2. 20 Aug

    Bone Health for Runners and the Injury Warning Signs You're Ignoring w/ Dr. Hoyt

    Runners are great at ignoring pain. That is exactly the problem. In this episode, physical therapist Dr. Lisbeth Hoyt joins Coach Nick and Coach Amanda to break down bone health, the injury continuum, and how to actually catch a bone stress injury before it becomes a 12-week stress fracture.We get into why women are not small men, how hormonal shifts across your life (adolescence, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause) change your risk, and why the least exciting habits (strength, fuel, sleep) are the ones that keep you running. If you have ever pushed through a nagging shin or told your doctor you "jog occasionally," this one is for you. IN THIS EPISODE ● Why bone is a living, dynamic tissue, and how running builds it stronger ● The number one warning sign that shows up BEFORE the aches and pains ● How to tell a normal bad run from an early bone stress injury ● Why running-specific PT matters, and how to advocate for yourself ● The life stages when women need to train and fuel differently ● The three "boring" basics that prevent most injuries: strength, nutrition, sleep TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome and introductions 00:26 Meet Dr. Lisbeth Hoyt, PT (and the fitness enthusiast title) 04:18 Today's topic: starting with bone health 05:09 Bone as living tissue: how it breaks down and rebuilds 07:00 Why male-centric research fails female runners 07:56 Nutrition habits that build bone early in life 11:52 The injury continuum: early warning signs runners dismiss 15:07 Why runners swing between panic and pushing through 17:51 Running-specific PT vs. generic PT, and advocating for yourself 21:56 Why we keep you running instead of shutting you down 25:07 The comprehensive intake: sleep, stress, nutrition, life load 30:32 The biggest red flags: sleep and nutrition 32:34 Life stages that demand more intention around bone health 37:00 Perimenopause, misdiagnosis, and the research gap 39:48 Training through pregnancy and the postpartum rush back 42:00 Why postpartum needs strength, pelvic floor PT, and honest expectations 45:10 The three things to start today: strength, nutrition, sleep 49:27 Rapid-fire questions with Dr. Hoyt 52:30 Where to find Dr. Hoyt and work with her CONNECT WITH DR. LISBETH HOYT Lisbeth is a running specialized physical therapist at Custom Performance, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, RRCA-certified running coach, and certified mat Pilates instructor. She's been working exclusively in the running world at Custom Performance for the past 10 years. Lisbeth has been a lifelong athlete who found her way to distance running following the end of organized team sports (aka college graduation).As a physical therapist Lisbeth believes running should be fun and part of a balanced, active lifestyle, and meets each client where they are in their running journey. Her goal is to help runners build the strength, movement skills, and confidence they need to keep doing what they love.Lisbeth is a 4 time marathoner, many times half marathoner and a mom of 2 toddlers which requires more energy than any race she's run before. ● Custom Performance, Midtown Manhattan (41st and Madison) ● Email: lisbeth@nycustompt.com | Front desk: info@nycustompt.com ● Free phone consults available ● Instagram: @lisbethh.jennings CONNECT WITH RUNNING EXPLAINED ● Website: runningexplained.com ● Instagram: @runningexplained @amanda.katzz Rate and review the podcast wherever you listen or watch

  3. 13 Aug

    How Many Marathons Is Too Many? w/ Coach Corky

    Running one marathon used to be the whole goal. Now it’s normal to stack two or three in a single fall, chase every world major, and call the easy one “party pace.” This week Coach Nick and Coach Amanda sit down with New York marathon coach Corky (@CoachCorkyRuns) to ask how many marathons is actually too many. We get into what the research says about performance and mental health, why party pacing rarely works the way runners think, the REDs and rhabdo reality behind the highlight reel, and what real recovery looks like. It’s a love letter to the marathon and to your long-term relationship with it. WHAT WE COVER How marathon culture changed, and why stacking races got normalHow many marathons a year is actually too manyThe “Berlin goal, NYC party pace” trap and who it really works forWhat party pace actually costs your bodyREDs, rhabdo, and the toll behind the highlight reelWhat real marathon recovery looks like, day by dayFueling your race to protect your recoveryThe questions to ask if you’re chasing likes instead of the goalBuilding a running life that lasts decades, not seasons TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Welcome and meet Coach Corky 01:11 Who is Coach Corky 04:45 How marathon culture changed over the last decade 06:34 Why the marathon became “the event” 08:32 Social media, algorithms, and FOMO 10:15 What the research says: 2 to 3 marathons a year 11:01 The “Berlin goal, NYC party pace” trap 15:04 Intention vs impact 16:46 Love of running vs external validation 18:44 Why pros can stack races and most runners can’t 21:04 What “party pace” really means (and fueling for it) 23:03 The influencer highlight reel: REDs, rhabdo, and what you don’t see 25:26 The hidden mental toll of chasing marathons 28:17 Mental recovery and the marathon hamster wheel 31:45 What good marathon recovery actually looks like 34:30 Reintroducing running and the reverse taper 35:04 Muscle memory, a 31-mile run, and fueling for recovery 37:33 Training your gut and fueling for longevity 38:45 Staying flexible: adjust your calendar, respect the big picture 40:30 Questions to check your real motivation 43:30 Why DNS and DNF should always be options 44:03 Racing for yourself vs racing for the feed 46:31 Building a lifelong relationship with running 48:25 Super secret guest interview questions 51:03 Where to find Coach Corky 51:54 Wrap-up Corky has been coaching and supporting runners since 2014, when she launched Coach Corky Runs. Her favorite distance to coach and race is the marathon, though she has extensive experience on the roads from the 5K through Ultra distances. While Corky coaches clients virtually anywhere in the USA, in person she's made a name for herself in the treadmill group fitness world. She was a full time coach at Mile High Run Club from 2015-2019, and joined Precision Run at Equinox in 2019, and is still currently coaching in person in NYC. She's also one of the Precision Run coaches on the Equinox+ app, guiding members through treadmill and outdoor programs. Corky is still competing, and while she loves to race, her favorite part of being a runner is truly the training. coachcorkyruns.com, @CoachCorkyRuns on Instagram and Threads, and teaching at Equinox NYC. Amanda IG Nick IG Email - Hello@runningexplained.com Ready to finally train with a plan that’s built around YOU? ✅ Personalized training ✅ Weekly support + adjustments ✅ Strategy, structure, and accountability ✅ Expert coaching to help you actually hit your goals Not ready for a 1:1 Coach 📝PDF Training Plan Templates available 🤝Group Coaching, Strength Training and Unlimited access to all Training Plans available in The Run Club App to find the right training plan for you!

  4. 6 Aug

    Run Clubs Get a Bad Rap. Here's What's Actually True

    Run clubs get called dating apps with cadence, influencer marketing for the warm-up, and content farms in matching kits. Some of that is fair. Most of it misses what these groups actually do every week. Coach Nick sits down with two founders running clubs on the ground: Sydney Hara of Slow Girls Run Club in Vancouver, BC, and Will Walker of A Tribe Called Run in Baltimore, MD. They get honest about the criticisms and the parts nobody talks about. In this episode: Whether the "dating app" reputation is fair, and why intention is the whole gameBrand partnerships and content: building a community vs. farming your runners for a free commercialThe pace problem, and what "all paces welcome" actually requires (caboose crews, walking trails, wolfpack long runs)The runners who never would have started without a club to show up toWhat run clubs do for mental health that has nothing to do with fitnessGiving back: diaper drives, beach cleanups, back-to-school drives, and rallying around members in hard momentsStarting your own club: two things to do, one thing to never doThe question to ask any club before you joinFind the guests:Slow Girls Run Club (Vancouver, BC): @slowgirlsrunclub. Runs Wednesdays at 6 PM. Sydney Hara is the founder of Slow Girls Run Club, a women's running community in Vancouver built around one idea: movement should feel good, not intimidating.What started as her own search for a space without pressure or pace expectations has grown into an active community of women who show up every week to run, connect, and have a genuinely good time. Events sell out. Friendships form. People come back. A Tribe Called Run (Baltimore, MD): @atribecalledrun. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Will Walker is the founder of A Tribe Called Run, a BIPOC lead running group based in Baltimore, MD. Will is an engineer by day, but in his free time, he loves spending time with his family, connecting with friends through food and building communities focused in wellness! Will found the sport of endurance running during one of the most challenging times of his life and recognizing how much it helped with his mental health, wanted to share that gift with others. This lead will to only create an amazing Run community, but also to become an RRCA certified coach! More from Running Explained: runningexplained.com and @runningexplained on Instagram. Rate, review, and subscribe if this one hit.

  5. 2 Jul

    REDs Explained, Why Underfueling Doesn't Have a Look w/ Dr. Melissa Lodge

    You can run well on too little fuel for a long time. Right up until you can't. This week, Coach Amanda and Coach Nick sit down with Dr. Melissa Lodge (PhD in exercise science and sports nutrition, RD-in-progress, and the mind behind @fed_collaborative) to unpack REDs: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. It's one of the most misunderstood, under-screened issues in endurance running, and it does not have a look. We get into why low energy availability sneaks up on runners (intentional and inadvertent), why weight is a terrible way to diagnose it, and the hidden biomarkers worth advocating for on your next blood panel (hi, T3). Melissa breaks down what's actually happening beneath the surface when you underfuel: bone loss, suppressed hormones, disrupted cholesterol, and a body quietly triaging which systems it can afford to keep running. We also cover: Why a "withdrawal bleed" on hormonal birth control isn't a period, and what you lose as a vital signThe adolescent window for bone development that you genuinely cannot get back (essential listening for parents and coaches)Within-day energy deficits, backloading calories, and why "I fueled my long run" isn't the finish lineHow to raise concerns with a teammate or friend without pointing fingersThe carbohydrate revolution in endurance sport, and the trap of nailing one thing while ignoring the other 22 hours of your dayThe throughline, in true Running Explained fashion: nail the basics first. Eat enough, eat often, and stop making fueling harder than it needs to be. Bio: Melissa Lodge, PhD, is an exercise physiologist and soon-to-be RD. Her research focuses on the physiological and psychological impacts of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), particularly in female athletes. As a former elite runner, Melissa is especially interested in REDs prevention to improve the health and performance of athletes across the lifespan. Melissa also runs the social media platform @fed_collaborative, where she translates complex research on exercise physiology, REDs, and sports nutrition.  Find Melissa on Instagram at @fed_collaborative. This episode touches on disordered eating and bone health. If any of it hits close to home, please reach out to a sports-medicine-informed physician or dietitian. Amanda IG Nick IG Email - Hello@runningexplained.com Ready to finally train with a plan that’s built around YOU? ✅ Personalized training ✅ Weekly support + adjustments ✅ Strategy, structure, and accountability ✅ Expert coaching to help you actually hit your goals Not ready for a 1:1 Coach 📝PDF Training Plan Templates available 🤝Group Coaching, Strength Training and Unlimited access to all Training Plans available in The Run Club App to find the right training plan for you!

  6. 25 Jun

    More Salt Isn't the Answer: Summer Fueling and Hydration w/ Stevie Lyn Smith

    It's getting hot out there, and your fueling and hydration plan needs to keep up. Registered dietitian and board-certified sports nutritionist Stevie Lyn Smith (fresh off running 460-ish miles from Buffalo to Brooklyn, as one does) joins Coach Nick and Coach Amanda to break down what actually changes when the temperature climbs. We get into why more electrolytes isn't automatically better, the real reason carb-based sports drinks help you absorb water faster, and how to run a simple sweat test at home so you can stop guessing. Stevie walks through her own half Ironman fueling strategy (carbs, caffeine timing, and cooling tricks included), what to grab on course when your gut says no to one more gel, and how to think about caffeine dosing without ending up with heart palpitations on the treadmill. Then we go down a couple of rabbit holes you asked for: iron and ferritin (when to supplement versus when to dig into the why), and peptides (spoiler: the human research is thin, and we aren't rats). Evidence-based, occasionally unhinged, zero filler. Exactly how you like it. Find Stevie on Instagram, stevielynrd.com, and on her podcast Real Fuel with SLS. Grab her book Power Up: A Young Woman's Guide to Winning with Sports Nutrition wherever books are sold. Amanda IG Nick IG Email - Hello@runningexplained.com Ready to finally train with a plan that’s built around YOU? ✅ Personalized training ✅ Weekly support + adjustments ✅ Strategy, structure, and accountability ✅ Expert coaching to help you actually hit your goals Not ready for a 1:1 Coach 📝PDF Training Plan Templates available 🤝Group Coaching, Strength Training and Unlimited access to all Training Plans available in The Run Club App  to find the right training plan for you!

  7. 18 Jun

    Running Boston at the Back of the Pack: What Really Happens When the Crowds Leave w/ Avelyn

    What's it actually like to finish a marathon after the crowds have gone home, the aid stations are packed up, and you're getting moved to the sidewalk at mile 22? This week Coach Amanda and Coach Nick sit down with Avelyn, a proud back-of-the-pack runner who went from zero to three marathons in two years. She takes us inside the Walt Disney World Marathon and the famous balloon ladies, running New York as the crowds thin, and a brutally honest account of Boston: the unspoken bond she formed with two strangers on course, the ugly cry at mile 24, and why she chose gratitude over rage in a race that wasn't built for runners like her. We get into why run-walking is real running, why "faster" and "better" aren't the same thing, how to define success beyond a finish time, and why what's happening in your body is nobody else's business. If you've ever felt too slow for this sport, this one's for you. Avelyn is a Latina, born and raised New Yorker currently living in Atlanta, GA with her rescue pup, Georgia. She started running in February of 2024 with the goal of running her very first marathon. Since then Avelyn has completed three marathons and has built an online community by showing ordinary people that they can do extraordinary things. Amanda IG Nick IG Email - Hello@runningexplained.com Ready to finally train with a plan that’s built around YOU? ✅ Personalized training ✅ Weekly support + adjustments ✅ Strategy, structure, and accountability ✅ Expert coaching to help you actually hit your goals Not ready for a 1:1 Coach 📝PDF Training Plan Templates available 🤝Group Coaching, Strength Training and Unlimited access to all Training Plans available in The Run Club App Not sure talk our Training Plan Quiz to find the right training plan for you!

  8. 11 Jun

    Trail & Ultra Running 101: Community, Mud, and Why Nobody Asks Your Finish Time

    Coach Amanda and Coach Nick are joined by Justin Andreas a trail and ultra running coach, active duty Air Force member, beekeeper, girl dad, and host of the Golden Hour Adventures podcast for a deep dive into the world of trail and ultra running. Justin shares his journey from competitive bodybuilder to 19-time ultra finisher (including six 100-milers), why he hated his first road marathon, and how the ultra community's culture of celebration especially for back-of-the-pack runners sets it apart. Plus: how he balances 100-mile training with fatherhood, what road runners get wrong about ultrarunners, and why your finish time genuinely doesn't matter out there. In this episode: How Justin went from a once-a-year PT test to falling in love with distance running in GuamWhy he hated his first marathon (and what that taught him about community)Making room for ultra running as a parent: 4 AM runs, stroller miles, and one 100-miler a yearWhat road runners get wrong about ultrarunners ("we're not just walkers eating PB&Js... mostly")How to choose your first 50K — and why "hilly" means something very different on trailsWhat road runners can steal from trail culture: efficient walking, gut training (~60g carbs/hour), and letting go of pace obsessionThe "golden hour": why ultra finish lines save the biggest celebrations for the final finishersJustin's best advice ever received, courtesy of his wife's mid-race text messagesJustin Andreas is a proud trail and ultra runner who has completed many races all over the country, including six 100 milers. His love for the outdoors and running started at a very young age, but once he discovered trail running in 2019, there was no looking back. “There is something special with being in nature, cruising on the trails, and crushing some vert”! After completing multiple races, he decided he wanted to help other adventurers crush their goals as well. Beyond his coaching and hobby life, Justin is an active duty Air Force Firefighter, husband of 18 years, dad, and certified nerd. He is stationed in Alaska and resides in the North Pole. Justin’s also a co-host of the popular The Golden Hour Adventure podcast. Find Justin: Instagram / TikTok / YouTube: @running_in_stache Podcast: Golden Hour Adventures — available on all platformsEnjoyed the episode? Leave us a rating and review (you know the minimum — five stars) on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube, and reach out anytime @runningexplained. Amanda IG Nick IG Email - Hello@runningexplained.com Ready to finally train with a plan that’s built around YOU? ✅ Personalized training ✅ Weekly support + adjustments ✅ Strategy, structure, and accountability ✅ Expert coaching to help you actually hit your goals Not ready for a 1:1 Coach 📝PDF Training Plan Templates available 🤝Group Coaching, Strength Training and Unlimited access to all Training Plans available in The Run Club App Not sure talk our Training Plan Quiz to find the right training plan for you! Training Plans

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About

Hosted by multi-certified run coaches and fitness professionals, Amanda Katz and Nick Klastava, The Running Explained Podcast is your go-to resource for actionable insights, expert tips and motivating advice to help you become the best runner you can be. We take a science-backed approach to running and fitness, offering practical strategies for athletes at all stages of their journey. Whether you're struggling with injury, wondering how to fuel your long runs or trying to nail your race day strategy, we've got you covered with expert interviews, listener questions and so much more.

Information

  • Creator
    Running Explained
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    231
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Running Explained
  • Show Website
    The Running Explained Podcast

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