Trail Runner Nation

Our first live recording where Nation Members could join the audience and listen while we record & ask any questions they have for Don, Scott and frequent-guest Andy Jones-Wilkins. Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Ultrarunner and Psychologist, Jill Colangelo, recently published her thesis discussing the relationship of mental health and ultra endurance sports. Some of you may have even participated in her study! We discuss how prevalent mental illness is in our sport and how we can balance our passion with healthy living. You can read her paper HERE. For more information or to talk with Jill visit her web site.

The central governor theory is based around the premise that the brain will override your physical ability to run and "shut the body down" before you're able to do serious or permanent damage to yourself. Dr. Joe Uhan, founder of Uhan Performance in Eugene (Physical Therapy, Coaching, Running Analysis) and is studying manual therapy fellow-in-training at Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs, CO. Topics we cover in part 2: The central governor has a purpose and we have to listen to it. Learned pain patterns You become more sensitive to common pain points. Your governor becomes hyper sensitive, and more threatened. Can you "synthetically mask" the central governor? Does the governor actually know whats going on? Can your central governor fail you? Can that work to your advantage? Can you train your central governor with Psychology? PMA goes a long way. What's happening to the governor when we have peaks and valleys in our run? Maybe it's a committee of governors... What is the something that all the top runners have in common that amazes you? We referenced the article Joe wrote in irunfar

The central governor theory is based around the premise that the brain will override your physical ability to run and "shut the body down" before you're able to do serious or permanent damage to yourself. Dr. Joe Uhan, founder of Uhan Performance in Eugene (Physical Therapy, Coaching, Running Analysis) and is studying manual therapy fellow-in-training at Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs, CO. Topics we cover in part 1: What is the central governor What the central governor does. Tries to determine how much output can the body give without catastrophe. The central governor depends on all systems of the body. There's the role of the different peripheral systems and then the central brain. Everyone's Different. How close to catastrophe does the central governor shut down the body? How can we have a better relationship with our governor. Which is easier to train; the peripheral systems or the brain? Does the central governor fall out of shape? We referenced the article Joe wrote in irunfar

Here are the items we talked about Running Shoes - HERE is the article Don referenced Ibuprofen - HERE is the story AJW referenced What are your Cues? Why are we offended by the term Jogging? Knowing the trail The Awe Run. HERE is the article from Psychology Today about Awe Walks. HERE is the podcast episode Scott mentioned where he learned about Awe Walks Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Adam Kimble and Strava Co-Founder, Mark Gainey, were recently talking about Eliud Kipchoge's attempt at the sub 2-hour marathon. They focused on every little detail that his team worked on improving. These small improvements can make a big difference. How can we implement this strategy in our lives? British Cycling Team Performance Director, Dave Brailsford, did this with the team back in 2003 turning their mediocre winless team into a powerhouse of competitors with his philosophy of the "aggregation of marginal gains": tiny margins of improvement in everything they did. Read more about the British cycling team from James Clear HERE Check out Adam Kimble's new running journal, "Chasing Twilight" he wrote with Connor Crouch and Jim O'Brien Learn more about Adam by checking out his web site and his coaching site, Run On Dirt Coaching. Adam's social channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Check out this super 30-day trial to Open, a mindfulness studio

Trail Runner Nation friend and frequent guest, Dr. Phil Maffetone, helps us understand that health isn't a simple byproduct of fitness; that fitness can be improved with better health. He explains how we can become healthier and more fit athletes. We refer to an article, "Athletes: Fit but Unhealthy". Other references: Get the Maffetone App HERE Take the 2 Week Test Get a taste of Dr. Maffetone's best articles HERE Keep listening past the credits for a song from Phil's most recent album, Outlier. Learn more about Phil Maffetone's MUSIC We had a fun Bonus Miles discussion with Phil that you can access as a Patreon Ambassador level or higher. Support the podcast by supporting these great partners: Athletic Green's AG-1 XO Skin's 'Socktober' sale. Use code 'TRN15' for discounts on non-sale items Native Deodorant and use the code 'Trail' for 20% off your first order Other deals here Previous episodes with Dr. Maffetone: Get Stronger with Dr. Phil Maffetone Why is Weight-Loss so Difficult Even for Runners? Dr. Phil Maffetone Daydreaming is Healthy for Runners Dr. Phil Maffetone Unplugged Dr. Phil Maffetone was RIGHT all along! Take Your Shirt Off and Get Some Vitamin D - with Dr. Phil Maffetone Phil Maffetone: How can Rhythm Improve Your Efficiency? Breaking the 1:59 marathon with Dr. Phil Maffetone Dr. Phil Maffetone - Building a Better Athletic Brain Phil Maffetone transcribed! Eat to Win with Dr. Phil Maffetone. Dr. Phil Maffetone - Speed up by slowing down

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and Dr. Ryan Green are runners, experts on running form AND owners of specialty shoe stores. We enlist their help to teach us how to choose the right shoes: Find a credible store and fitting expert Step & Feel What is the right size? Use all your senses to feel the fit Orthotics? Color matters Magic will happen when you take off your shoes References: Contact Dr. Green at his web site or visit his web site: Varsity Running Dr. Mark's Run for Your Life Podcast Dr. Mark's book, "Run for Your Life" Holowka, N.B., Wallace, I.J. & Lieberman, D.E. Foot strength and stiffness are related to footwear use in a comparison of minimally- vs. conventionally-shod populations. Sci Rep 8, 3679 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21916-7 Cudejko, T., Gardiner, J., Akpan, A. et al. Minimal shoes improve stability and mobility in persons with a history of falls. Sci Rep 10, 21755 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78862-6 Make sure you watch his 8:25 Video that show the principles of natural running. Be sure to spend some time learning at The Natural Running Center web site. Visit Two Rivers Treads running store either in person or call them and ask them some questions!

One of the new devices for athletes that is getting some buzz are continuous glucose monitors (CGM), a small adhesive patch with a tiny filament embedded in the flesh. This device is designed to track your blood sugar levels. Could this be the next technology that helps runners avoid bonking? Author, runner and regular TRN guest, Alex Hutchinson recently tried out one of these devices and shares his experience. Read his recent article, "A Real-Time Fuel Gauge for Endurance Athletes" in OutsideOnline Alex Hutchinson is an avid runner and author. We did a series of podcasts on his book, Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance What Defines our Limits - with Alex Hutchinson Follow Alex on Twitter Check out Sweat Science

Most of us inevitably recruit a team that support our running. This could be a running partner, coach, crew, pacers, etc. One key teammate that you might consider is an Athletic Trainer. Guest co-host, Krissy Moehl, shares her experience with having someone on her team that helps maintain her body through activation, recovery and treatment. Kerry Gustafson is owner of Prime Sports Institute, an athletic training facility providing a team approach to health care in Bellingham, Washington. Kerry explains that athletic trainers are the "point guard" for your care. Traditionally these athletic trainers are found on the sidelines of collegiate or professional sports teams. Now their services are available for the amateur runner! To find an athletic trainer near you, try Go4Ellis. Check out Prime Sports Institute's online Yoga for runners program or call for a remote consultation. Follow Prime Sports Institute on Instagram Youtube Support Trail Runner Nation by becoming a Patreon supporter