Running Longevity with Jeff Korhan (Jeff Korhan)

It’s important to set realistic running goals and follow a race strategy to achieve them. 

Strategy is often confused with planning. Strategy is determining in advance what must be true to achieve your goals. In addition to training, you may need to make lifestyle changes, such as getting more sleep and being intentional with nutrition. 

Planning is simply scheduling the implementation of your strategy. As you train, you should track and evaluate your progress. To get started with your plan, have an open mind and be honest with yourself.  

#1. Mentally Prepare Before The Race

Every runner has doubts when a race approaches. Remind yourself that doubts and fears indicate this is important to you. After all, you’ve trained for months and want to translate that into your best performance.

#2. Practice Your Race And Backup Plans

Develop and mentally rehearse a plan a, b, c, and so on for every race. This offers multiple, ready-to-go paths to a favorable result. Failing this preparation forces a decision with a mind that is busy managing running mechanics and tactics.

#3 Use A Race Day Checklist And Timeline

One of the keys to easing your mind on race day is having a routine you’ll follow from the moment you wake up. This should include how you’ll fuel and hydrate, specific types of stretching, applying sunscreen and anti-chafing lubrication, and so on.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the Follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab.

Runners of all ages struggle with committing to strength training. Yet, the time comes when the regular reminders they get from sore ankles, knees, and lower backs pushes them to it.

If I could only do one strength exercise, it would be reverse sled pulls. 

Unlike some strength exercises, it’s almost impossible to get hurt. If the weight is too heavy, you cannot pull it, so there’s no risk. A general guide is working up to pulling half of your bodyweight for 15-20 minutes.

Think of backward walking as a light version of sled pulls. You are not pulling any weight but are still working the same muscles that counterbalance the muscles we regularly use for running.

With or without weight, walking in reverse builds muscles that we seldom use, but that counterbalance those that we sometimes overuse when running. Walking and pulling a sled in reverse work muscles and ligaments differently than moving forward, thereby promoting balanced development across our joints.

Resources: 

The ATG Equipment List - The reverse sled pull strap is the one I prefer.

Freak Athlete - Source for pull strap and sled.

History of backward sledding

Ben Patrick's story about backward walking benefits

If you are enjoying this podcast, I'd appreciate a review on iTunes or Spotify. Just go to runninglongevitylab.com and navigate to the "Rate Show" tab. 

The scientific understanding of fascia is still evolving, and we are discovering that its role is quite complex, but for now, the general understanding is this: 

Fascia is band or sheath of connective tissue that separates and binds together muscles, organs, and other soft structures of the body. Some have described it as a Saran-wrap like layer that holds these soft-tissue elements together.

It’s like a thin skin that holds organs and muscle tissues together, protecting them from internal and external forces. To accomplish this, it must be healthy, receiving proper hydration, nutrients, and stimulation just like any other tissue.

As a practical matter, it’s important to get to know about fascia issues because many of them can be resolved quickly. The problem is fascia issues can masquerade as pulled or strained muscles, and the protocol for recovery is typically rest. Whereas fascia recover is an active process.

The recommended practices for addressing these restrictions in increasing order of aggressiveness are: 

1. Foam rolling
2. Spiky ball rolling
3. Muscle and fascia flossing
4. Graston technique

All these practices should be followed up with static stretching of 3-5 minutes after every run for at least two months. That’s typically what’s necessary to achieve the greatest recovery and gains.

I hope this episode helps you get more joy out or running free of injury. It’s truly one of the great discoveries I made that allowed me to advance my running goals.

If there is anything you would like me to address in future episodes, please go to runninglongevitylab.com and subscribe to our newsletter so we can keep in touch. 

Now, get out there and enjoy your next run! I’ll be running the Mesa Marathon this coming weekend and will share some updates in the next newsletter.

Since recommitting to road running and racing at age 59, I’ve extensively researched and tested methods for avoiding pain and injuries. As the audience for Running Longevity Lab has grown, I’m often asked for my routine for avoiding injuries. You will get that in this 1^st of a 3-part series.

My routine keeps evolving and will likely continue to do so. When I discover something new, I give it a try. I recommend you do the same. Your training is a laboratory of sorts. Use it to find what works best for you.

Pre-Bedtime Routine

Running for most of us is a day-to-day experience. So our preparation is fluid. I’ve discovered dynamic stretching before bedtime produces significant benefits for the next day’s run.

When sleeping our metabolic systems slow down. This allows our body to respond to the day’s training so we can make productive gains. 

You want to get fresh blood circulating through your body and activate the systems that flush out debris from the day’s workout. This also reduces inflammation and relaxes the body for sleep.

Here’s a sample of the exercises I usually perform, and typically in this order.

1. Child's Yoga Pose
2. Supine back twist (lying on back w/knees to chest)
3. Tibialis raise - Video example for #3, #4, #9
4. Calf raise
5. Foam rolling
6. Reverse Table Yoga Pose
7. Sitting in deep squat
8. Sitting on legs (supported as necessary)
9. ATG split squat
10. Cossack squat

Suported ATG split squat (with yoga block)

Another version of the cossack squat

If you are enjoying this podcast, I'd appreciate a review on iTunes or Spotify. Just go to runninglongevitylab.com and navigate to the "Rate Show" tab. 

This Running Longevity episode will break down the optimal running foot movement and provide exercises to bulletproof your feet. 

Our feet are one of our greatest sources of injuries. Many of the muscles, tendons and ligaments in your feet extend up to your ankles, knees, and hips. Thus, any weaknesses or imbalances are transferred up the chain to create more imbalances. 

Studies show that nearly all of us have foot issues because we’ve worn shoes that have progressively compressed our toes and foot tissues, thereby limiting our ability to function properly. Most runners know this and now wear shoes with a wider toe box. 

More recently, a new issue has surfaced: The increased stack heights in running shoes creates a cascading effect that demands good mechanics and strong, flexible feet to control that force. 

This force happens to be up to 8 times your body weight. Our feet are designed to handle it, but higher stacked shoes challenge our ability to control it. Every athlete knows that speed and strength are only assets when you can control them.

This episode breaks down the four key phases of the running movement as they pertain to our feet. 

1. Foot Strike
2. Pronation Phase
3. Transition to Supination
4. Toe Off

You'll also learn four exercises to strengthen and mobilize your feet for optimal running.

Resources: 

flexor hallucis longus muscle - Wikipedia

Ep 296, Foot Health: Peter Attia, MD & Courtney Conley

ATG Zero Workout from the Ground Up - This includes three of the exercises mentioned in this episode, with the fourth below.

 Exercise to mobilize outer foot tissues for proper foot pronation

Mobo Board - training tool to develop foot strength and mobility 

Running Longevity with Jeff Korhan is a podcast for people who want to experience the joys and benefits of running in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. Expect inspiring stories and science-based practices from like-minded runners and longevity experts. Join us to enhance your running journey and discover the remarkable aliveness and longevity this sport promises.

We’ll go in depth with the following topics: 

1.    Training methods and practices, such as heart-rate training and how to avoid overtraining.

2. Nutrition tips for health, longevity, and running efficiency, and how to properly fuel for races.

3.    Injury prevention and rehabilitation, cross-training for strength, stretching, how to increase mobility, and more.

4.    Running gear, such as how to choose and use running shoes that are right for you.

5.    Sleep, rest, and recovery, and lesser-known strategies such as relative rest

6.    How to stay motivated, the running mindset, and why it is so important. 

7.    Longevity and healthspan, how running can add decades to your lifespan, and more importantly, how it will add more life to those years, better known as healthspan.

Whenever possible, I’ll back everything up with scientific research so that you can investigate further if that’s how you are wired, as I am. 

You’ll discover that it’s possible to get faster or go farther and enjoy running in your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. 

It’s truly a remarkable feeling and it doesn’t matter if you’ve been a runner your whole life or are just getting started.

If you’d like to get more tips like this, please subscribe to Running Longevity on iTunes or Spotify. Better yet, go to runninglongevitylab.com to get the newsletter for additional insights and advice. 

Enjoy your next run!

Nutrition is a sensitive topic, and I respect that. We all have our beliefs, habits, and food preferences. My purpose is not to change your diet, but to help you make the best choices for your desired lifestyle as it relates to running and longevity. 

So, let’s discuss a couple of foods with unique properties. One is a food that most of us wouldn’t even consider a food. The other is a category of vegetables with unique longevity properties.

Let’s start with the category because you know these vegetables, but the seldom discussed category is what sets them apart.

#1. Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are a category that includes broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. They are all composed of glucosinolates, sulfur-containing compounds unique to this family of plants.

When consumed, glucosinolates are broken down into cancer-fighting properties. So, if you plan to age long and well, these foods should interest you.

#2. Flaxseed

Flaxseed is not what most people would consider a food, but that should change once you understand its nutritional profile. You should purchase flaxseed crushed, in a meal form, to readily access its benefits. 

a. Rich Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids 

Flaxseed is one of the richest plant sources of Omega-3s. These are the essential fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own, so they must be obtained from the diet. 

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation and muscle and joint pain, while speeding up recovery time. That alone should be enough for runners to consider adding it to their daily diet.

b. Plant-Based Source of Good Fats 

Flaxseed replenishes the good fats that are vitally important for endurance. These good fats also contribute to our HDL cholesterol – that’s the good cholesterol that maintains healthy blood pressure, and lowers triglyceride levels.

c. Source of Cancer-Fighting Lignans 

Flaxseed is one of the best sources of lignans, which are cancer-fighting plant compounds with antioxidant properties.

Lignans have proved beneficial for reducing, and more importantly, reversing both breast and prostate cancer. 

Flaxseed is high in all but one of the nine essential amino acids our bodies need for protein synthesis. 

The effects of nutrition are cumulative, and higher value foods matter. For example, research proves that eating healthy foods such as broccoli side by side with less than healthy foods will negate some of thier negative effects. 

If you would like to study flaxseed and cruciferous vegetables further, you’ll find more resources than you can imagine at nutritionfacts.org.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the Follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab.

If you are beyond 50 years, it’s likely you’ve been taught to perform squats incorrectly. The standard was to never go deeper than legs parallel to the ground. Anything deeper than that was said to “ruin your knees.”

Stopping knee flexion at that pressure point creates unnecessary stress for the knees, lower back, and other joints. Thankfully, more people are discovering that full flexion of all joints is healthy.

During compression, such as squatting, synovial fluid is squeezed out of the cartilage. During decompression, such as standing up from a squat, the fluid is drawn back into the cartilage, bringing with it oxygen, nutrients, and lubrication.

Just about any movement that activates the knees, ankles and hips is going to activate this process. However, the ATG split squat takes this to new levels.

Here is a photo of an Olympic lifter supporting significant weight while set in a deep, single leg split squat. Source: medium.com 

And here is a lightly supported ATG split squat. In both examples, the calf is covered by the thigh. This is the measure of a well executed split squat. 

If you are enjoying this podcast, I'd appreciate a review on iTunes or Spotify. Just go to runninglongevitylab.com and navigate to the "Rate Show" tab. 

I have enjoyed the benefits of these tools for years, but have no affiliation with the companies that provide them. See below for links to the respective providers. 

The two handiest tools for traveling are the Naboso ball and the mini-roller. Those and a stretch band for muscle flossing take care of just about anything. 

#1. Naboso Neuro Ball  - This is a massage ball that resembles a standard lacrosse ball, except that it is slightly softer and more pliable, and that it is surrounded with flexible nubs that are useful for soft tissue massage.

#2. Yoga block - Most yoga blocks are made of foam. The one I use is solid and heavier with a pliable cork outer surface, making it much more durable and useful for support. I use them daily for supported split squats and similar exercises, such as Cossack squats.

#3. Half-round foam roller - The half-round foam roller is exactly what the name suggests, an odd duck. It looks like a normal foam roller that has been cut in half lengthwise. So, obviously it doesn’t roll, and that’s its advantage.

#4. Mini roller – If I had to choose one tool to travel with, it would be either this tool or the Naboso ball. I purchased this compact, mini-roller years ago for massaging the plantar tissues on the bottom of my feet. It has nubs like the Naboso ball that break up tissue restrictions and encourage blood flow.

#5. Pso-rite – The original Pso-rite product is a rigid plastic device that you lay on in the prone position. Two vertical fins shaped like an open hand with fingers pointing upward apply pressure deep inside the groin area to reach the psoas, just as a massage therapist would do with his or her hands.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the Follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab.

There is no gear more important to this sport than running shoes that translate our skill and training into productive outcomes. Running shoes protect and support, but those qualities are secondary to making us faster, stronger, and less prone to injuries.

To put this into perspective, this means if the right running shoes make you better, the wrong shoes can do exactly the opposite. Shoes are like a lever. They translate your skill and training into something more. They are a tool that must be properly paired for the job at hand.

Let’s get one thing out in the open. Many runners do not train for strength and mobility, even though they know they should.  So, the market responds to this habit by making stability a priority. That’s a non-starter for many runners like me who want a flexible, roomy, light and responsive shoe, one that is faster too if you are ready for it.

Learn more about proprioceptive awareness and how to apply it to choose the right shoe cushioning for you.

I hope this episode helps you buy running shoes that will enhance your running experience. If there is anything you would like me to address in future episodes or our newsletter, please go to runninglongevitylab.com and subscribe. That way we can keep in touch too.

I read every kind comment and I never take them for granted. I love everything about this sport and will continue to share what I’ve learned as long as there is an audience that’s interested.

Now, get out there and enjoy your next run!

It’s that time of the year when more of us are likely to encounter hot and humid conditions. My feeling is you should not completely avoid these conditions, because you may encounter them again at an important race. Thus, it’s helpful to learn how you adapt.

In his bestselling book, Why We Run: A Natural History (originally titled Racing The Antelope), author Bernd Heinrich explains why early humans were successful in tracking antelopes that are clearly faster than humans. 

Animals with fur have limited cooling capabilities. In contrast, our largest organ is our skin, and its ability to perspire allows us to thermoregulate and stay cool for extended periods of exercise. 

Having recently moved to South Florida where heat and humidity are unavoidable this time of the year, I can affirm that over time we can indeed adapt to heat and humidity by following sensible practices.  

I've broken these practices into three categories.

1. Staying cool

• Shade
• Clothing
• Hydration & electrolytes

2. Tolerating heat 

• Playful exercises
• Segmenting workouts
• Leg cramp supplements

3. Safety

• Sunscreen
• Skin protection supplements
• UV Index

If you are enjoying this podcast, I'd appreciate a review on iTunes or Spotify. Just go to runninglongevitylab.com and navigate to the "Rate Show" tab. 

Enjoy your next run!

Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense its position, movement and action. It involves the coordination of sensory feedback from nerves within the muscles, tendons, and joints, as well as from the inner ear’s balance systems.

This system allows us to move without having to consciously think about our environment or the movements we are making.

However, when we give greater attention to our body’s signals, it informs our training for making real-time adjustments … and that reduces injuries and enhances running performance.

Try this the next time you are running into a strong headwind. Our impulse is to fight the wind, which is only going to make it push back even harder. Instead, listen to your body’s signals and adjust. Use the techique of deliberate play to train this skill in a challenging and fun way.

Hidden Potential: The Science Of Achieving Greater Things, by Adam Grant

Run Like A Pro: Elite Tools And Tips For Running At Every Level, by Matt Fitzgerald and Ben Rosario

If you’d like to get more tips like this, please subscribe to Running Longevity on iTunes or Spotify. Better yet, go to runninglongevitylab.com to get the newsletter for additional insights and advice. 

Every runner knows that they need to do strength training to minimize and recover from injuries. This is especially critical for older runners who lose muscle mass with age. The older you are the more important strength training becomes for your running practice.

Many runners say they have no time for strength training. They wonder how to fit it into their schedule. This isn’t surprising because most training plans for runners do not include strength training.

When I returned to competitive running seven years ago, I came across Jay Dicharry’s book, Anatomy For Runners. Jay is well-known as one of the top physical therapists for runners and other endurance athletes.

I was fascinated with how he broke down strength training to the cellular tissue level. He methodically explains how holding a stretch for a minimum of three minutes is equivalent to what happens when we load muscles with weights. The muscles, ligaments and other tissues experience micro tears that initiate the building process.

The key to this is micro-dosing your strength training to make small, but consistent gains in strength and mobility. Using only body weight, you are loading the muscles and extending your range of motion to just slightly beyond the comfortable range. That range is extended with each session.

There’s one more aspect to this practice. You can start with support, such as holding onto a railing or wall, then advance to no support as you heal and get stronger. Ultimately, you add load with dumbbells or another form of resistance to progressively gain even greater strength and mobility.

Over a period of months those teeny, little gains accumulate. As a result, you'll be able to add more load with additional reps, sets, and weights, typically dumbbells, to take the training to the next level.

Recommended Exercises

1. Deep, butt to the floor squats – There is no exercise more powerful than this for runners. If you can get and stay in a deep squat for 3 minutes daily, progressing from support to no support, you’ll notice your foot, ankle, knee and hip strength and mobility skyrocket within a few months.

Video example exercises 2, 3, 4 below

2. Toe raises – with legs extended and legs slight bent. There are two muscles in the calves, so you’ll need both exercises to train the respective muscles.

3. Tib raises – this exercise counterbalances toe raises. The tibia anterior is in front of the calves. It’s a frequently neglected muscle that absorbs much of the impact of running.

4. The ATG Split Squat – This is a single leg, deep squat that strengthens knees, hips and ankles. It’s compression of the knee joint activates synovial fluid to get it circulating throughout the joint to protect it from the demands of running.

I hope you find value in this episode. If you have questions, please reach out to me by first subscribing to our newsletter at runninglongevitylab.com. After that you can hit reply to start a conversation. 

In this episode we break down the practices successful elite and amateur runners are using to fuel before, during, and after marathons and the longer training runs leading up to them.

 This seems to be a sensitive topic for some people, based on conversations in online running groups. This may be partly due to misunderstandings with respect to the science, which is always evolving. More importantly, I can appreciate that people do not want to be judged by what they put into their bodies.

So, my purpose with this episode is to contribute to that conversation, with the hope that it will give you more clarity. Personally, I find the science behind nutrition for training and racing to be fascinating. However, I’ll admit that there are biases, and we should respect everyone’s right to weigh the information and make their own choices.  

 Suggested Resources:

What Are The Real Signs Of A Healthy Gut? A Users Guide

12 Rules For Gut Health 

Run Slow To Run Fast And Free

I hope you find value in this episode. If you have questions, please reach out to me by first subscribing to our newsletter at runninglongevitylab.com. After that you can hit reply to start a conversation. 

Now go out there and enjoy your next run!

If you are a lifelong runner, you may remember the days when you were young and nimble, and warming up wasn’t necessary. However, as we get older, warming up becomes vitally important for preventing injuries and maximizing performance.

These are your goals when warming up:  

#1. Warm up the entire body. Growing up you learned jumping jacks in school. That’s one example of a low-impact, full body movement to warm up the body.
#2. Activate running muscles and soft tissues by simulating running movements. We’ll talk about that in detail.
#3. Load joints to redistribute synovial fluid to them for lubrication and shock absorption.

When you warm the body, activate muscles, and load the joints, you are putting the “use it or lose it” theory to work. The more you do this, the better your body works. 

Ultimately, you are working up to some version of a squat. Why? Well, it is often said that running is a series of single-legged squats. For this reason, your routine should include single leg movements, but at a minimum, everyone’s routine should include one universal exercise, the ATG squat. 

With practice, just “sitting” in the squat position with your butt on the floor can be both restful and restorative. 

I like to do these squats several times daily and for several minutes at a time. Frequency keeps the fluids activated, doing their job to minimize stiffness and inflammation.

 If you’d like to get more tips like this, please subscribe to Running Longevity on iTunes or Spotify. Better yet, go to runninglongevitylab.com to get the newsletter for additional insights and advice. 

Enjoy your next run!

***

Video example of full depth squats and reverse table stretch/bridge  See video side notes for additional details. 

Regular aerobic exercise that builds and maintains healthy mitochondria is key to sustaining longevity. Known as our body’s engines or powerhouses, mitochondria are responsible for converting fuel into energy that powers our daily activities.

Global metabolic health expert, Inigo San Milan, PhD, suggests a minimum of 3 hours of weekly aerobic exercise, sometimes known as Zone 2 activity, to achieve the maximum longevity benefits.

If you are unfamiliar with the concept, Zone 2 is the 2^nd of 5 ascending heart rate levels we all experience during intense exercise. The desired outcome of Zone 2 activity for runners is our bodies prioritizing fats (fatty acids) over carbohydrates as fuel. This is vital for endurance events such as marathons.

The purpose of Zone 2 training is consistently achieving your Maximum Aerobic Threshold heart rate, that level or zone where you are: 

#1 Building stronger mitochondria

#2. Training your body to preserve glycogen stores 

Suggested Resources

Calculating Zone 2:

1. = maximum heart rate x .70
2. = .70[HR max – HR rest] + HR rest
3. = pace at which conversation is comfortable

Training (mostly slow) to run (kinda) fast 

I hope you find value in this episode. If you have questions, please reach out to me by first subscribing to our newsletter at runninglongevitylab.com. After that you can hit reply to start a conversation. 

Now go out there and enjoy your next run!

If you are enjoying this podcast, I'd appreciate a review on iTunes or Spotify. Just go to runninglongevitylab.com and navigate to the "Rate Show" tab. 

Tapering is gradually reducing training volume while maintaining intensity in the final weeks before a race. This allows the body to recover from fatigue and stress while retaining fitness and sharpness for race day. Most experts agree on a taper period of 3 weeks for a marathon, and proportionately less for shorter races. 

This is a how-to episode that addresses three tapering secrets in the order one would typically focus on them. However, my recommendation is to keep all three in mind throughout your taper.

#1. Maintain Intensity and Reduce Volume

You want to reduce your mileage by 20-25% during the taper. For many runners, this would be something like 40-50 miles at three weeks out, then 30-40 the following week, and 20-30 for race week. Then, and this is important, make those reduced miles quality miles by maintaining intensity.

The overall taper effort should be enjoyable. Make this a playful period, a celebration of your hard work, and a preview of how you will perform on race day. The intensity keeps your mind and muscle fibers fresh. The reduced mileage allows muscles, joints, and connective tissues to fully recover.

Examples of reducing volume but maintaining intensity are trimming your marathon pace tempo run from 6 to 4 miles, or possibly a pair of 2-mile tempo segments with a 1-mile jog between them. The goal is to lock in the feeling of running at the tempo pace without taxing the body more than necessary.

#2. Replenish and Refresh Your Body and Mind

The body and mind work together as one. You cannot be sharp on race day if you are mentally fatigued. Since a marathon is more mental than physical, be intentional about relaxing your mind during the taper.

Get to bed earlier and take naps. Practice some yoga and meditation. Race anticipation can create anxiety, but that anxiety can be managed by giving your mind and body what they need, hydration, nutrition, rest and sleep. Focus on those functions and protect your mental state by doing what gives you confidence.

Finally, be sure to practice easy body movements to lubricate tissues and encourage blood flow that circulates nutrients and flushes out metabolic wastes. For more on this, check out this podcast’s Episode #11.

#3. Visualize and Rehearse Race Strategy and Readiness

This is the ultimate secret to your racing success. The months of training are nothing more than potential gains. You must take the additional steps of translating them into real gains with planning.

This is what professional runners do. They practice daily visualization to put their minds at ease, imagining different scenarios and how they may play out. The science is clear about this – our minds don’t distinguish between visualization and direct experience. So, if more experience is valuable, you can get it with visualization.

How do you want to feel on race day, strong, fresh, and confident? One way to practice this is to view your taper workouts as sections of your race. For example, slow miles reflect the beginning of the race, tempo miles the middle, and faster intervals the closing stretch. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab. 

My goal with this podcast is simple: Help you achieve your running goals, regardless of your age, experience, or level of skill. So, let’s get into this week’s expert tip.

One of the toughest lessons for runners is learning to slow down when training so that our bodies can adjust to its demand.  

Experts agree you want to run at least 30% of your miles SLOW. Here are the top three reasons why. 

1.  Running slow proves your body’s capacity for using oxygen efficiently 

2.   It teaches your body to prioritize burning fats before glycogen, which are more metabolically efficient.

3.   Running slow dramatically reduces injuries. 

If you’d like to get more tips like this, please subscribe to Running Longevity on iTunes or Spotify. Better yet, go to runninglongevitylab.com to get the newsletter for additional insights and advice. 

Enjoy your next run!

Today we will address what to do after running to fix your pain points and put the brakes on what’s causing your injuries. 

If you missed parts 1 and 2, please check them out for context and continuity. They include practices that will help you reduce pain before and during your run. 

Post Workout Nutrition

The first thing you should do after every workout is hydrate and refuel. 

Refueling within 2 hours after a run with high-quality carbohydrates and proteins is crucial for optimal recovery. This practice helps replenish glycogen stores, supports muscle repair, and enhances overall recovery. 

Post Workout Rehabilitation

This may be the most important practice for avoiding injuries. We’ve touched on it in previous episodes, but let’s break it down so that you understand not just what to do, but why. 

When you have injuries that lead to chronic muscle or joint problems, it’s because the tissues have not fully returned to their original state. What used to be perfectly aligned muscle fibers are now a tangled mess. This is further complicated by the surrounding fascia tissues, which are in a similar state. 

The tissues have healed, but not as they once were. They need to be “remodeled” to return them to as close to their original state as possible. This is a time-consuming process of stretching to the point of plasticity, slightly beyond the tissue breaking point. 

Maintaining A Running Journal

The final post-running recommendation is keeping a running journal. The act of recording your workouts is a time-honored practice. It’s a ritual that will ensure your running longevity.

I recommend using an app such as Evernote or Notion that you can access anywhere. You’ll discover what matters to you over time and your entries will evolve to accommodate your needs.  

The essentials I record are mileage, overall pace, and weather conditions. Over the years I’ve added average heart-rate to get a sense of my fitness. More recently I’ve added the percentage of time in Zone 2, another fitness indicator you can learn more about in Episode 8.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the Follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab for that.

Thanks so much for joining me today.

Be safe out there and enjoy your next run!

When you think about it, everyone has been a runner at some point in their lives. 

So, when people say to me, “I’d like to get started running.” What they really mean is getting their current body reacquainted with running after years of being busy with other activities, such as raising a family and building a career. 

If there is one truth about running ability, it’s this: Use it or lose it. 

This becomes more important as we age. In addition to the loss of fitness and mobility, our metabolic systems naturally decline. This is inevitable, but you can regain much of what you have lost and more. It’s takes time and work, but it’s worth it. 

Before we get to how this works, I want you to remember two key points that every runner should respect when they start running again:

1. Blood flow
2. Body Awareness 

Blood flow is why you warm up before running. Getting the blood flowing activates all kinds of beneficial processes. Running increases blood flow too, but you need to get it moving first to moderate the transition to running.

Then, do it again after every run. We call this cooling down. 

Sometimes you will hear professional runners say their bodies are “accepting” their training. This means they are making gains and experiencing minimal discomfort. The key to this is moving the body before and after every run to move those fluids to where they can do their job.

Body awareness is vital when returning to running. Just focus on being aware of your body and the signals it’s sending you, without judgement. This is known as proprioceptive awareness.

Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense its positions and movements. We discussed this in detail in Episode 4: Proprioception: Your Self-Coaching Friend And Guide

 If you are enjoying this podcast, I’d really appreciate a review on iTunes or Spotify. Just go to runninglongevity.com and navigate to the “Rate Show” tab. 

Enjoy your next run! 

Legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge has this to say about a frequently asked question: Do you always feel motivated to run?  “I struggle with motivation sometimes, but I always try to have a positive thought, that I will enjoy the run.”

That’s great advice because we all face the same challenge. We get tired of the running routine. The challenge isn’t so much about boredom, but that our minds are drifting.

Keep Your Head In The Game

If it’s hot or humid, we recall perfectly cool days and compare them with this one. Resisting those outside thoughts is often referred to as keeping your head in the game. 

It's easy to fall into the habit of running junk miles. When you run mostly junk miles, your running lacks purpose. We rationalize that we are getting the job done, even if we are not enjoying the process.

The problem is that having fun is one of the best ways to maximize your running potential. 

Unless you answer to a coach, then you are the boss of your running. To stay motivated, commit to a structured training plan with tempo runs, intervals, and easy, regular, and long runs.

Use Deliberate Play 

Adam Grant explores deliberate play in his book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. Deliberate play injects fun into skill-building activities. This transforms working out into a source of joy, and that maximizes productive outcomes.

NBA superstar Steph Curry uses deliberate play. He’ll invent games like scoring 21 points in a minute to help him practice his footwork speed and agility. Every time he works that drill, he improvises to find different ways to score the points, and that makes every day different, fresh and productive.

That’s the difference between play and practice.

Listen to the episode to learn how structured training builds physical and mental strength. You'll also discover ways to add variety to easy runs with deliberate play. 

Running Drills

Here's a short video on A-skips and other running drills. 

Here are skipping drills with emphasis on technique. 

Mick Jagger skipping during concerts. It's subtle, so you have to look for it. At 81 years, he's a great example of running longevity. 

Personal Best Running, by Mark Coogan

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the Follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab.

Thanks so much for joining me today.

Be safe out there and enjoy your next run!

Everyone wants to run, but many resist the work it takes to run safely. As we age, we must be intentional about movement to keep our bodies in a state of readiness for activity.

Warming Up

Let’s start with warming up. In the previous episode, we discussed a pre-bedtime routine that moves the body before sleeping. This makes the next day’s pre-running routine go that much smoother and faster.

The routine is the same for warming up, but with greater intensity. 

Here are the exercises I usually perform. Try them out to find what works best for you. 

1. Child's Yoga Pose
2. Supine back twist (lying on back w/knees to chest)
3. Tibialis raise - Video example for #3, #4, #9
4. Calf raise
5. Foam rolling
6. Reverse Table Yoga Pose
7. Sitting in deep squat
8. Sitting on legs (supported as necessary)
9. ATG split squat
10. Cossack squat

Another version of the cossack squat

Naboso Neuro ball for massaging and loosening foot plantar tissues.

Hindu Squat for elevating heart rate and activating muscles for running.

Suported ATG split squat (with yoga block)

Running Drills

Here's a short video on A-skips and other running drills. 

Here are skipping drills with emphasis on technique. 

Mick Jagger skipping during concerts. It's subtle, so you have to look for it. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the Follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab for that.

Thanks so much for joining me today.

Be safe out there and enjoy your next run!

All your training works together to produce desired results.  Runners respect this and do their homework on training plans, nutrition, and the nuances of running shoes, to name a few.

Yet, when was the last time somebody asked you about your sleeping habits? Maybe it's because that’s considered too personal. However, it’s something we should inquire about because it’s vitally important for maximizing the value of all the other inputs.

#1. Establish Your Baseline 

Only you know how many hours of sleep you really need. This may not be possible on weekends before early morning long runs, but a late morning or afternoon nap should come close to making up the difference.

#2. Respect Your Limitations 

Getting in bed by a specific time sets the routine and conditions your sleep system. Later than that compromises the quality of your sleep, thereby resulting in some fatigue the next day. 

Find what works for you and refine your practice as necessary.

#3. Back Away from Media 

The goal is to tune into your body and mind before bedtime. Light stretching or yoga are ways to encourage this. For non-practitioners, the primary purpose of yoga and meditation is bringing your attention inward. 

For more details on body awareness, check out this podcast’s Episode 11. 

#4. Consider Natural Supplements 

Magnesium Threonate and L-Theanine are two supplements commonly recommended for improving sleep.

Magnesium Threonate has the unique quality of crossing the blood-brain barrier, which provides additional benefits – one of them is improving sleep quality. L-Theanine is an amino acid commonly found in tea leaves, particularly green tea.

Please do your research and/or consult with a physician familiar with your medical history before taking these or any other supplements.

5. Avoid Time Awareness 

Time awareness creates anxiety. Just changing your environment may be enough to reset, but doing some stretching or yoga will help to reconnect the mind with the body.

My view is that struggling to sleep means the mind and body are disconnected. Your mind is somewhere else, it’s distracted. So recenter it. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe by going to runninglongevitylab.com and clicking on the Follow tab. If you have another minute, please consider leaving a review on Apple to help new listeners find the show. Just click the Rate Podcast tab.