How do you approach your marathon fueling strategy? If you’re like a lot of distance runners, your routine might look something like this: log your long training miles on nothing but water and sheer willpower, and then just pray your race-day gels work.In this episode, Leticia and Ryan sit down with Tasha, an expert from Precision Fuel & Hydration, to break down why a "one-size-fits-all" fueling plan doesn't work, why under-fueling your training blocks holds you back, and how to properly train your gut to handle race-day demands. Whether you're targeting a fall major or gearing up for the Valencia Marathon in December, this episode will completely change the way you look at endurance nutrition.The Precision Origin Story: How a near-fatal case of hyponatremia (low blood sodium) led founder Andy Blow to pioneer personalized hydration.Sweat Rate vs. Sweat Concentration: Why your unique sodium loss is genetically determined and stays stable, while your fluid loss changes with the weather—and the massive "heat myth" runners fall into.Gut Training 101: The step-by-step method to teach your stomach to comfortably absorb 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour without GI distress.The Power of Decoupling: Why separating your energy intake (carbs) from your electrolyte intake (sodium) is the ultimate secret to a flawless stomach.Race Day Logistics: The science behind morning-of sodium preloading to boost blood plasma volume, and how to successfully manage hydration if you don't want to carry a bottle.Connect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

What happens when you trade addiction and "thirst traps" for 100-mile mountain races and intentional, community-driven content? In this episode, we sit down with Tommie Runz (formerly "Tommy Guns"), an ultra-marathoner, content creator, and founder of PR Project, who is gearing up for the legendary Western States 100 in June. Tommie opens up about his profound journey toward sobriety starting in 2017 and how finding running a year later completely shifted his life's trajectory. From running a 3:13 in his very first marathon to surviving a grueling 340-mile solo trek from LA to Vegas on the Speed Project's OG route, Tommie delivers a masterclass in shifting your perspective, choosing your own suffering, and staying radically authentic in a world full of manufactured content. He also breaks down his strict requirement for brand deals, his goals for the silver buckle, and why he wants you to run across the finish line with him. 🎧 Listen NowConnect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

In this episode, we tackle the essential strategies every runner needs to build an invisible armor of safety on the roads and trails. Whether you are running at dawn, hitting remote trails, or navigating busy city intersections, safety isn’t about training in fear—it’s about being proactive. We dive deep into the tactical adjustments that protect your space, from the "360-degree bio-motion rule" for traffic visibility to protecting your situational awareness from being compromised by technology and predictable routines.We also break down real-world protocols for handling high-stress encounters, including how to handle charging dogs, the critical steps to take if you are physically attacked, and how to defend yourself from environmental threats like cumulative UV exposure. Plus, we look at the actual CDC data on wildlife risks—including the surprising stats on rabies in the U.S.—to give you perspective and peace of mind. Tune in to learn how to stay smart, stay sharp, and ensure you always make it back home for your next run.Key TakeawaysTraffic Safety: Never assume a driver sees you. Run against traffic, make direct eye contact at intersections, and use reflective gear on your wrists and ankles so drivers recognize your movement instantly.Crime Prevention: Ditch noise-canceling headphones for bone-conduction models, vary your training routes to avoid being predictable, and use live-tracking safety features to share your coordinates.Animal & Environmental Hazards: Never run from a charging dog; stand your ground and use your gear as a barrier. Protect yourself from hidden threats by treating UV rays as a cumulative injury and applying a sweat-resistant SPF 30+ before you head out.Connect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournal • • Follow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

In our latest Your Story, Your Why feature, D.C.-based runner Lauren Waldron shares how the sport became an unshakeable contract with herself while navigating high-stress public sector roles and tumultuous personal transitions. From buying her first pair of Hoka Gaviotas to setting fierce personal guardrails—culminating in telling an unsupportive partner, "You don't deserve to be at my start line," right before her first marathon—Lauren's journey highlights the profound intersection of running, boundary-setting, and community. After overcoming patellar tendinitis and pushing through a chaotic race morning at her first World Major in Sydney, she dialed in her training with coach Andrew Lomancello to slice a massive 20 minutes off her time at the New York City Marathon just two months later. Today, whether logging early miles or analyzing footwear technology like the Mizuno Neo Vista 2, Lauren views every 4:00 AM alarm as a joint mission with her dog Henry to unapologetically chase greatness.Connect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

As marathon runners, we think we understand endurance, pacing, and the tech that drives our sport. But what happens when you take the legs out of the equation and replace them with Formula 1 engineering, 3D-printed hard gloves, and highway-speed descents?In this episode, I sit down with an absolute titan of endurance sports: Marcel Hug, the "Swiss Silver Bullet." He is a 12-time Paralympic Gold Medalist and the most dominant athlete across the Abbott World Marathon Majors. Marcel just matched a historic milestone by winning his eighth London Marathon, and I wanted to bridge the gap between our running community and his world.We skip the fluff and go straight into the sports science. Marcel breaks down why he can race 8 to 9 marathons a year when we can barely survive two, how he navigates extreme downhills at 80 km/h (50 mph) without a steering wheel, and how his custom-molded carbon chassis ensures zero energy loss. If you love high-performance gear, brutal physiology, and the elite mindset, this conversation will completely change how you view marathon speed.The "Silver Bullet" Trademark: How a simple Christmas gift from his junior coach became a global symbol of dominance.The 9-Marathon Season: Why the smooth, cyclical physics of a push-rim chair allow wheelchair athletes to race nearly ten marathons a year with minimal joint impact.Technical Analysis (Chassis vs. Shoes): While we look for energy return in foam, Marcel looks for zero energy loss in his rigid, custom-molded carbon fiber seat.Punching at 20 MPH: The material science behind 3D-printed hard gloves and how athletes "hit" the push-rim rather than grabbing it.The Wind Tunnel Discovery: Why F1 aerodynamics forced a shift from solid disc wheels back to open-spoke wheels.The Strict Mindset of a Champion: A rare look at Marcel's internal dialogue when pushing the absolute limit entirely alone at the front of a Major.My Favorite Moment: "In a daily wheelchair, you grab the wheels with your fingers. With racing gloves, you punch the rim. Every single ounce of energy from your upper body has to go directly into forward movement." — Marcel HugConnect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607Connect with Us:

In this incredibly inspiring episode, we sit down with two-time world record holder and iFIT coach Ashley Paulson to talk about breaking boundaries, defying age limits, and crushing self-limiting beliefs. We dive deep into her remarkable journey from building her endurance as a young mom teaching fitness classes to earning a professional triathlon card in her 30s after her fourth child. Ashley takes us behind the scenes of her magical and emotional world record feat—running 100 miles on a treadmill at the Boston Marathon Expo—and explains why she thrives off feeding from the crowd's energy. Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or just looking to move your body, her reminder that "you built yourself this way" will inspire us all to shed our egos, stop placing limits on our capacity, and find out what our bodies are truly capable of achieving. Tune in now to get your weekly dose of sparkles and unstoppable energy! Chime in below: What's one big goal we've been too afraid to try? 👇Connect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

Ever wondered why your best ideas strike mid-run, or why you feel calmerafter a tough workout? In this week’s episode, we are joined by psychotherapistand triathlon coach Nestor Rivera to bridge the gap between physical effort andmental health.We dive deep into the biology of the "runner’s high"—movingbeyond just endorphins to explore the calming power of endocannabinoids. Plus,we discuss why running serves as such a powerful tool for neuroplasticity andcreativity, and why it can sometimes be the perfect companion to professionaltherapy.Whether you are navigating pre-race anxiety, looking for strategies to"chunk" your next marathon, or trying to beat the post-race blues,this conversation is packed with actionable insights for your mind and body.Connect with Us:Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastConnect with Us:Follow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

What happens when a high-school vice president and mother of four decides to see how fast she can truly go? In this episode, we sit down with Maria Luevano, a powerhouse educator from Chicago who transformed from a casual runner into an athlete chasing the Olympic Marathon Trials.Maria opens up about her roots moving from Mexico to Chicago, how her fellow educators sparked her running journey in 2016, and the crucial role community played in her rapid progression. We dive deep into the unique cultural dynamics she navigates as a Latina athlete, breaking traditional family expectations around women in sports, and how she balances elite-level training with raising four kids and leading a Jesuit school. This is a masterclass in community, fierce ambition, and rewriting your own narrative.Connect with Maria: Instagram @maluevano If Maria's story inspired you to level up your own goals, drop us a review on Apple Podcasts and share this episode with a training partner! Who is the most influential person in your local running community? Let us know in the comments.💬 Share Your Thoughts

Summer isn’t just a season; it’s a high-stakes training block. In this episode, we break down the science of marathon heat training and why you should view these humid months as the "Poor Man’s Altitude." We move past the marketing hype to explore the physiological reality of thermal stress, plasma volume expansion, and why your watch data needs a serious reality check when the mercury rises.In this episode, we cover:The Physiology of the Heat: Why your heart rate changes which isn't a loss of fitness, blood plasma volume and how you can take advantage of that. Safety & Red Lines: The critical differences between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and how to spot the "hidden" dangers of hyponatremia.The Gear Audit: We demystify fabric technology—why GSM (Grams per Square Meter) matters more than branding, the science behind polyester vs. nylon, and why going shirtless is actually less efficient than wearing high-performance UPF 50+ gear.Actionable Protocols: How to calculate your personal sweat rate, the 1000mg-per-liter sodium rule, and the "slushie" pre-cooling method to buy yourself an extra 10–15 minutes of threshold performance.The Effort-First Override: Why you should ditch "Current Pace" on your watch, embrace the 15–40 second per mile "heat tax," and how to use run-walk cycles to stay under your critical temperature ceiling.Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastConnect with Us:Connect with Us:Follow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607

Cupless racing is gaining momentum, with Chicago now introducing refill stations at the Chicago 13.1 and Chicago Marathon to curb the millions of single-use cups discarded at major events. Don't worry, your disposable cups are still there, this is a test, but while the transition raises valid concerns regarding runner gear and congestion, industry experts suggest these are solvable design challenges. Listen in, or Read more, including a full interview on our website marathonjournal.comOur website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marathonjournalFollow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607Our website: https://www.marathonjournal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningpodcastConnect with Us:Connect with Us:Follow us on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/30798607