Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running RunnersConnect : Running Coaching Community

Nutritional supplementation can play an important role in any runner’s lifestyle, but it’s oftentimes hard to separate fact from fiction when determining what to use, why to use it, and how much you should be taking.
Here to make sense of some of our questions in this space is David Block from Previnex. From his career-long exposure to the supplement and wellness spaces, David shares insights on how certain supplements contribute to health and longevity. 
Specifically, we explore
the concept of clinically differentiated supplements and what’s required to set new standards in a previously predatory industry the truths about loose supplement regulations and the necessity of these supplements in our diets how to interpret supplement labeling and understand product quality and integrity  what commitment to uncompromised supplement creation, specializing in joint, immune, and gut health looks like  other valuable insights into optimizing overall health beyond just supplement consumption.  This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking a holistic approach to well-being.
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:
LMNT
Did you know that you’re likely to sweat as much, if not more, in the winter than in the summer?
That’s because we often wear such warm clothes to start our runs, which leads to more sweating towards the end. Plus, the sweat gets absorbed by our clothes, so it’s harder to notice.
Now, you already know that when you sweat, you lose electrolytes, which are essential for your body's best performance. But you've also been told that too much salt is bad for you, so it can get confusing to know what to do.
The truth is that athletes, healthy eaters, and heavy sweaters all need more sodium and just about everyone needs more potassium in their diet and we don't need a bunch of sugar and artificial junk along the way. 
Element is the hydration solution designed with athletes and everyone who sweats in mind. Element comes in lots of salty flavors that even the saltiest sweaters will love, such as citrus, raspberry, and orange. It even comes unflavored for those who prefer the clean, salty taste.
That’s why we recommend all runners check out Element this winter. It's loaded with everything you need to replenish your electrolyte balance with 1000mg of sodium, 200mg of potassium, and 60mg of magnesium, and doesn't include anything you don't need like extra sugar or anything artificial.
Even better, they are currently running a special deal where you can get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order. So, order your favorite flavor and get a free sample pack to try out new flavors or share with your running friends.
To claim this exclusive deal you must go to drinkLMNT.com/runnersconnect. 
Land Rover
You’re up for any challenge that comes your way. The Defender 110 is, too. 
The iconic vehicle has been reimagined for twenty-first century adventure, and its unparalleled off-road ability, as well as its robust interior, are invaluable whether you’re headed towards uncharted territory, or just a weekend of exploration. 
The Defender 110 tackles challenging surroundings with absolute confidence. The SUV conveys strength outside and in, featuring peerless technology like an intuitive driver display and an award-winning infotainment system to keep you connected no matter where the journey takes you. 
Adventure is unique to everyone, and so is the Defender. Choose from the two-door Defender 90, the four-door Defender 110, or the larger Defender 130 with the ability to seat up to 8 passengers — you’ll find uncompromising performance in all three. 
Pack up and go even further with the Defender 110. Learn more at LandroverUSA

Welcome to a special edition of the Run to the Top podcast where we’re turning the tables and hearing from athletes like you who are accomplishing incredible things with their running! We’re calling it RC spotlight and today’s episode is all about a runner with an incredible story defying age and expectations. 
His name is Kumar Rao and competing in the 70+ age category, he’s been smashing records in everything from the 5k up to the marathon. Over the course of this episode you’ll hear from Kumar and his coach Alex Ostberg about these amazing accomplishments including:
How Kumar trains to perform at a high level as a masters athlete The lessons he has learned while preparing for these races What inspired Kumar to pick up running including his future goals in the sport And we’ll even chat about what other runners can learn from his amazing story 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:
Lagoon
One of the best gifts you can give yourself or any runner you know this holiday season is the gift of better sleep.
Just like running in the proper footwear, countless research studies have shown that pillow selection can have a dramatic impact on sleep quality.
Studies have shown that selecting a pillow based on your sleep position can dramatically improved sleep quality and reduced spinal pain.
Additionally, pillow firmness and height also had positive impacts on sleep quality when adjusted for sleep position and the subject’s height.
That’s why we love the pillows designed by Lagoon.
Lagoon specializes in making pillows designed specifically for runners and athletes to help them optimize their sleep and recovery.
And right now they have an amazing set of Black Friday deals. You can save $20 on any pillow, or bundle and save 25% off a performance pack or save a whopping $120 if you purchase two pillows (one for you and one for your running spouse or friend).
Just head to lagoonsleep.com/top to check out al the awesome deals.
DriSeats
Another awesome gift to yourself or the running friend in your life are driseats seat covers, especially if you run a lot of trails or drive to a lot of your runs.
DriSeats waterproof seat covers are designed specifically for runners because they keep snow, mud, and sweat off your seats and unlike towels, they are 100% waterproof and easily fit over your entire seat so you don’t have any missed spots.
Driseats covers will fit any bucket seat; from Trucks and SUVs to compact cars and on leather, vinyl, and fabric seats.
If you’re tired of dirty, wet and stained seats after your runs, these are a must have.
To make this even more of a no-brainer, their current black Friday deal is buy one and get one 50% off – perfect so you can get one for you and your favorite running passenger.
Just head to driseats.com to take advantage of this deal.
RunnersConnect
And finally, don’t miss out on the chance to gift yourself a new personal best in 2024 now that our custom 16-week training plans are 30% off.
We can write the plan for any race distance, write them in miles or kilometers, and you can start the plan anytime – so you can purchase now and use for any spring or fall race.
Just head to runnersconnect.net/black to check out all the details and save 30% for the next few days.

Without a doubt, in some ways, it’s getting increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction in the health, nutrition, and supplementation spaces. But there are reputable resources out there for folks like us to turn to and we’re featuring one of them on the show today. 
Sol Orwell is the founder of Examine.com, a powerful resource on the internet for evidence-based nutrition and supplements information. He joins the Run To The Top Podcast to share stories about his personal path to co-founding Examine.com and its dedication to scientific integrity in the health and wellness scene. 
Specifically, we discuss:
— his battles against health misinformation
— debunked supplement claims
— current challenges in the health information arena
— what sets Examine.com's commitment to unbiased research apart within the industry 
— how Examine.com stays updated with evolving research and their impact on public health decisions.
And much more! Tune in to understand the resources you have at your disposal to make informed decisions about the nutrition and supplements you consume to fuel your running journey. 
Examine.com 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:
TIMELINE
Improving your mitochondria is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your performance and make your body work better. 
Time-line Nutrition's Mitopure is backed by over a decade of research and is clinically proven to revitalize mitochondria. 
Mitopure restores mitochondrial function, so every cell in your body has the energy to do its job and keep you healthy and functioning right. In fact, clinical studies have shown that 500mg of Urolithin, one of the main ingredients in Mitopure, can significantly increase muscle strength & endurance with no other change in lifestyle.
Improving your mitochondria is one of the best things you can do for your health and with Mitopure from time-line nutrition, it has never been easier. 
Go to timelinenutrition.com and use promo code RUNNERSCONNECT for 10% off the plan of your choice.
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. 
Our 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 for Run to the Top  listeners go to magbreakthrough.com/runtothetop  and use the code run10 and you’ll save an additional 10% on any purchase. 
Oladance
Seeking superior sound quality and comfort while staying aware during your outdoor runs? Look no further than Oladance OWS headphones!
During the Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales from November 17th to 30th, Oladance is offering an incredible up to 25% off on its OWS Series headphones!
The OWS Pro, the cutting-edge 2023 model, brings both style and adaptability, perfect for both outdoor workouts and your daily office grind. The OWS2 offers the best bang for your buck with its extended battery life. Need something budget-friendly? The OWS1 is your go-to choice.
If you’ve been thinking about a new pair of headphones or have wanted to try some that allow you to listen while still being aware of your surroundings, now is the time.
Head to oladance.com/RTTT 

If you just finished a goal race you might be thinking what the heck do I do now? Well, let’s talk about the plan between the plan.
In a previous episode we aired two weeks ago, coach Michael gave us 5 great ways you can maximize your training between races. Now that you know “WHY” your training in this period is so important, we’re going to build on those lessons with “HOW” to train so you can maximize all of the benefits we discussed. This is the plan between the plan.
Finishing your race doesn’t have to mean ditching training until the next race approaches. The period between your training blocks is the perfect time to give your mind and body a rest while building an aerobic base to set yourself up for success before the next hard stretch of training. 
In today’s show, we’ll guide you in crafting the perfect plan between the plan with topics including:
How long should you wait after a goal race to start training again? What volume and frequency of runs is right for you between training blocks? How to identify your weaknesses and then adjust your training to become a better runner How group training or a bootcamp can help to set you up for success And lots of other advice for getting yourself prepared to crush your next big race RC bootcamp details: runnersconnect.net/focus/
Drill for building speed: youtu.be/KDs2mo_y7Bg
How to recover from a marathon: runnersconnect.net/how-to-recover-after-a-marathon/
Advice for dealing with running injuries: runnersconnect.net/running-injuries/
General running nutrition advice: runnersconnect.net/nutrition-for-runners/
RC bootcamp details: runnersconnect.net/focus/
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:
Oladance
Seeking superior sound quality and comfort while staying aware during your outdoor runs? Look no further than Oladance OWS headphones!
During the Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales from November 17th to 30th, Oladance is offering an incredible up to 25% off on its OWS Series headphones!
The OWS Pro, the cutting-edge 2023 model, brings both style and adaptability, perfect for both outdoor workouts and your daily office grind. The OWS2 offers the best bang for your buck with its extended battery life. Need something budget-friendly? The OWS1 is your go-to choice.
If you’ve been thinking about a new pair of headphones or have wanted to try some that allow you to listen while still being aware of your surroundings, now is the time.
Head to oladance.com/RTTT to take advantage of up to 25% off during the black Friday sale.
Lagoon
Lagoon specializes in making pillows designed specifically for runners and athletes to help them optimize their sleep and recovery.
Their sleep quiz pairs you with the perfect pillow for you based on sleep position, body size and more.
And the data on sleep improvement isn’t only from research papers. Using her whoop device, US Olympic Trials marathon qualifier Caitlin Keen saw her deep, restorative sleep increase by 52 minutes when she switched to a Lagoon pillow.  
If you want to see the dramatic affect a pillow designed just for you can be, head to lagoonsleep.com/top 
Then take their awesome 2 minute sleep quiz that matches you with the Lagoon pillow that’s perfect for you. Plus, if you use the code TOP at checkout, you’ll also save 15% off your purchase. 

One of the more controversial topics in running (other than the debate over footwear choices) is the importance of flexibility.
Coaches, experts, and runners disagree over the role flexibility plays in preventing injury or boosting performance and how to improve it. 
However, part of this disagreement lies in a misunderstanding of what defines flexibility and stretching.
So, on today’s show we’re going to interview a pioneer in the world of flexibility, Phil Wharton.
Phil is going to explain more in-depth…
The concept of active flexibility How it’s different from traditional stretching And how and when to best implement it in your training to stay injury-free. Take out your notebooks and pencils for this one, it’s a masterclass in pre and post run injury prevention.
Wharton Health - whartonhealth.com/whartonhealthlibrary
Active Stretching for Runners - runnersconnect.net/ais-downloads/
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:
BiOptmizers
As you know, one of the main sponsors of this podcast is BiOptimizers.
 
We love their commitment to research, the highest quality ingredients, and effective dosages across all of their supplements.
 
That’s why I am excited that this year they are extending their Black Friday sale throughout the whole month of November.
 
If you’re already a fan, now is the time to stock up and, if you haven’t tried them yet, here’s your chance to lock in a huge discount. Plus, they back up their products with a rock-solid 365-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.
 
Trust me when I say this – you won't find a better Black Friday deal anywhere else, not even on the mighty Amazon.
 
We all have those never-ending Black Friday wishlists, but this year, I challenge you to put your health at the top of that list.
 
You can find all the details at bioptimizers.com/runtothetop and enter code RUN10 at checkout.
 
Don't miss out on this MEGA deal throughout the month of November.
LMNT
Did you know that you’re likely to sweat as much, if not more, in the winter than in the summer?
That’s because we often wear such warm clothes to start our runs, which leads to more sweating towards the end. Plus, the sweat gets absorbed by our clothes, so it’s harder to notice.
Now, you already know that when you sweat, you lose electrolytes, which are essential for your body's best performance. But you've also been told that too much salt is bad for you, so it can get confusing to know what to do.
The truth is that athletes, healthy eaters, and heavy sweaters all need more sodium and just about everyone needs more potassium in their diet and we don't need a bunch of sugar and artificial junk along the way. 
LMNT is the hydration solution designed with athletes and everyone who sweats in mind. Element comes in lots of salty flavors that even the saltiest sweaters will love, such as citrus, raspberry, and orange. It even comes unflavored for those who prefer the clean, salty taste.
That’s why we recommend all runners check out LMNT this winter. It's loaded with everything you need to replenish your electrolyte balance with 1000mg of sodium, 200mg of potassium, and 60mg of magnesium, and doesn't include anything you don't need like extra sugar or anything artificial.
Even better, they are currently running a special deal where you can get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order. So, order your favorite flavor and get a free sample pack to try out new flavors or share with your running friends.
To claim this exclusive deal you must go to drinkLMNT.com/runnersconnect. 

Running is very inclusive and just about anybody can participate with not much more than a decent pair of running shoes. This doesn’t mean that we all have the same experience though and today’s show will be all about special considerations for female athletes.
In this episode, coaches Andie and Hayley do an amazing job of breaking down how female athletes can perform their best. Whatever your age or lifestyle, they’ll be diving into how you can stay healthy, happy, and fit as a female runner. This is a pretty broad topic so we’ll be covering everything from:
How to train around the menstrual cycle Specific fueling needs for female athletes Why fasted runs may not be recommended  Why losing your period can be a warning sign for runners and what to do if this happens to you And many more topics I’m confident you’ll relate to if you’re a female runner  We think you’ll find this topic super interesting whether you’re a female runner yourself or not so stay tuned for expert tips on successful training as a female athlete.
Resources from Dr. Stacy Sims: drstacysims.com
Nutrition information from Kylee Van Horne: flynutrition.org/about/
Resources for RED-S and nutrition from Renee McGregor: reneemcgregor.com
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:
Dri Seats
If you’re tired of sweaty, smelly and stained seats after your runs then you have to check out the car seat covers made specifically for runners from driseats.
DriSeats waterproof seat covers are designed specifically for runners. Unlike towels, they are 100% waterproof and easily fit over your entire seat so you don’t have any missed spots.
Plus, they are super easy to slide over your seat so it’s ready in seconds and they are machine washable so they are easy to clean and be ready for your next run.
You can head to driseats.com and use code RC20 to get 20% off first order
Nutrisense
Nutrisense is a small device that you put on the back of your arm that then provides real time feedback on how your body responds to the foods that you're eating, your exercise, stress and even your sleep.   
With Nutrisense you're not shooting in the dark. Nutrisense helps you track your data, understand your glucose trends, and see your macronutrient breakdown for each meal. The app also gives you an overall score for each meal based on your body's response.
Honestly, I recommend everyone try Nutrisense. When you use it for a month it will open your eyes in profound ways to how your food, your exercise, everything you are doing is affecting you.  
You can get all of this today. Nutrisense has a special offer for our listeners. Go to Nutrisense.com/rttp and use code RTTP to save $30 off your first month plus get a free month of nutritionist support.   
Be sure to tell them you learned about Nutrisense on the Run To The Top podcast. 
Visit Nutrisense.com/RTTP and use the code RTTP to start decoding your body's messages, and pave the way for a healthier life!