Run Culture Podcast

What separates a good coach from a great one?

I had the absolute privilege of chatting with Mike Smith, former NAU coach and now leading Nike Swoosh TC, coaching some of the world's best distance runners.

We chatted about Parker Wolfe, Ethan Strand and Nico Young, their transition into professional running, building a great training culture and finding an edge through creativity.

But what I enjoyed most was hearing Mike talk about the human side of coaching.
The importance of listening. Understanding an athlete's fears. Building trust. Having honest conversations. And helping people become more than just better runners.

We also got into what Pat Henner, Jack Daniels and Chris Miltenberg have taught him about humility, friendship and coaching with genuine care.

Mike's a pretty special thinker, but what stood out most was how generous, thoughtful and genuine he was with every answer.

I came away from this one feeling pretty inspired and with plenty to reflect on in my own coaching.

A really valuable listen for any runner, coach or anyone interested in helping people get the best out of themselves.

Huge thanks to Mike for his time and to Chris Miltenberg for making the conversation possible.

🎧 Run Culture Podcast - Episode 208

What if your biggest race-day limiter isn’t fitness- but your mindset?In this episode, Shannon Thompson, a mental performance coach for elite distance runners in Flagstaff, shares practical tools to help you race with less fear and more freedom.We explore: The mountain and the weather - understanding fear and anxiety when racing gets tough. The heart of the race - deciding who you want to be and how you want to show up in the race. A loose race plan - focusing less on outcomes and more on what you can control: staying present and committing to the actions you can take, regardless of how you feel.Packed with insights for runners and coaches at every level. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Explore Shannon’s work: Website: https://shannonthompsonmpc.com/

Focus Sessions: https://shannonthompsonmpc.com/focus-session-series/

Free Session 1: https://shannonthompsonmpc.com/2026-fall-focus-session-series-session-one/

Register for the 7-session summary: https://portal.campnetwork.com/Register/Register.php?camp_id=396864

In Ep 206 of the Run Culture Podcast, Archer Hewett joins host and training partner; Liam Hemmingway and his coach Dane Verwey for a chat about his recent 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games experience!

Over the past 4 years there have been several points where Archie wasn’t sure he wanted to continue 'competitive running'.Fast forward a few years and he’s representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games and finishing 4th in the Men's T20 1500m.Dane, Liam and Archie get into the whole journey - losing the love for running through COVID, finding para-athletics, building confidence, dealing with nerves, training, nutrition and getting his head right when it matters.We also get into the stuff around the racing that you don’t always hear about. Spain. Glasgow. Life on the road. Drug testing at 9:30pm the night before the race. And probably most importantly, finding the people and environment that make you feel like you actually belong.There’s a lot in this one.And Archie’s definitely not done yet.Latest episode of the Run Culture Podcast - out now wherever you listen.

Sometimes you finish a conversation and just sit with it for a while.That was this one with Coach Chris Miltenberg.Chris is one of the most respected coaches in American distance running - currently at UNC, with previous stops at Stanford and Georgetown - but what stood out most in this chat wasn't just the results, the Olympians, or the NCAA success. It was the depth of thought behind how he coaches people.We spoke about what keeps the fire burning after more than 20 years in the college system, why curiosity matters more than ever, and how coaching today is about so much more than workouts, splits, and physiology. Chris opened up about the importance of controlling the narrative, building trust, reducing "energy bleed," and helping athletes stay focused in a world full of noise, comparison, and distraction. There is so much gold in this episode for runners, coaches, parents, and anyone trying to pursue excellence over the long term.We get into:why the best athletes still just want to be coachedhow routines and "living your life like a clock" can change performancewhat great coaches really do beyond the X's and O'show to hold high standards without breaking peoplewhat modern athletes are up against mentally and emotionallywhy consistency in life leads to consistency in training - and eventually racingand how legacy is built not through ego, but through showing up and helping people get better every dayChris also shares honest thoughts on the current NCAA landscape, the challenges facing young athletes, and why he still feels excited to build, learn, and evolve.This one is packed with wisdom. If you're a coach trying to guide athletes well, or a runner trying to stay sharp, grounded, and focused in a noisy world, I think you'll get a lot from this conversation.Listen now to my chat with Coach Chris Miltenberg on the Run Culture Podcast.

For those of us living in a society that increasingly prioritises productivity, speed, efficiency and endless optimisation… this episode of the Run Culture Podcast feels more relevant now than ever.

Honestly, this is still one of my favourite conversations I’ve had on the podcast.

In a world overflowing with AI, ChatGPT, data, metrics, tests, strategies and endless “second-hand information”… I think this discussion with Dr Carl Woods is incredibly important listening.

Carl is a scientist and researcher at Victoria University who explores learning, skill and performance through an ecological and anthropological lens.

One idea from this episode that has really stayed with me:

“Certain non-western societies don’t use words like efficient, rapid or fast to describe expert performance… they use words like cautious, attentive and responsive.” That says a lot.

We discuss:

- the overload of “second-hand information” in modern sport.

- why lived experience and “inhabitant knowledge” still matter deeply.

- embracing uncertainty and the wisdom of not always knowing.

- slowing down enough to properly attend to the environment around you.

-what actually defines mastery, expertise and skill.

A lot of truly skilled performers aren’t just great information collectors - they’re deeply attuned to context.

They know what to pay attention to, when to act, and when to patiently wait.

I genuinely think this is one worth sitting down with over the weekend.

Thanks again Dr Carl Woods for such a fascinating conversation. It honestly feels even more relevant today!

A few years ago, US run coach; Brad Hudson told me to read 'Peak' by Dr. Marc Bubbs - and it genuinely changed how I think about performance.

So it was pretty special to finally sit down with Marc.

For those who don’t know him - Dr. Bubbs is a performance nutritionist who’s worked with Olympic athletes and pro teams (including Canadian Olympic programs), and he’s spent years in high performance sport figuring out what actually moves the needle.

We got into the stuff that matters:– why your training session isn’t the main event… it’s the other 22 hours.

– how sleep, nutrition and life stress quietly drive performance (or hold it back).

– why most runners are either overthinking or under-fuelling.

– and how the best athletes just keep nailing the basics, over and over again.

No gimmicks here. Just really solid thinking that’ll probably make you reflect on what you’re doing day to day.

If you’re chasing improvement — or just feel a bit stuck — I think you’ll get a lot out of it.

Have a listen.

You can find more from Dr Marc Bubbs at www.drbubbs.com, his podcast: The Performance Nutrition Podcast, or on Instagram and YouTube.

Have you ever been curious what actually happens at the top end of the sport?This week I sat down with Alex Ostberg - professional assistant coach at Nike Swoosh Track Club in Eugene under Jerry Schumacher - fresh off Charlie Hicks’ phenomenal 2:04:35 at the Boston Marathon, one of the fastest American performances we’ve seen..... to be honest… it’s not what most people think.It’s not reckless - but it’s definitely not always, 'lets play it safe' either. It’s high risk, taken at the right time. Years of consistency, massive aerobic bases, fundamentals done properly… and then when it’s there - they lean in. Not stupidly, just enough. We get into what elite athletes are actually like - the habits, the mindset, the monotony, the discipline - and why the best in the world are usually just the best at doing the basics over and over again. No secret sauce. Just timing, patience, and getting the most out of the fitness they’ve built.Alex also shares how he sees coaching at that level - like a GPS. The athlete’s driving, he’s just guiding. Knowing when to push, when to pull back, and protecting the one thing that matters most… consistency. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to get to that level - this one will hit.Full episode now live on the Run Culture Podcast.If you’re keen to hear more from Alex Ostberg, check out his Substack newsletter The Rundown or listen to him on The Running Effect Podcast.

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EPISODE 201 IS LIVE!

This week I’m joined by Sonia Savage from @balanced_life_nutrition to chat about something that probably deserves way more attention in running circles: gut health.

The bias amongst runners when it comes to performance is to over index the 'work' proponent of training...it's visible and linear thinking would suggest 'train harder = win easier' ...but as Sonia explains it's a bit more complex than that...the gut can heavily influence energy, recovery, immune function, hormones, mood and how well you actually adapt to training.

We get into:

• why the gut is often called the second brain

• how gut health affects serotonin, dopamine and focus

• the link between the gut, iron levels and inflammation

• why some runners keep getting sick or flat after big efforts

• good vs bad bacteria, fibre, probiotics and food diversity

• common gut irritants like gluten, dairy and processed sports nutrition

• practical ways to improve gut health without overcomplicating it.

Plenty in this one for runners who want to understand the bigger picture a bit better — not just how to train hard, but how to actually absorb the work and stay healthy enough to keep improving.

Listen now on the Run Culture Podcast.

If you want to reach out to Sonia or find out more be sure to go to: @balanced_life_nutrition

How does a team go from never making NCAA Nationals… to becoming D2 national champions?
That’s what I wanted to understand in this episode, when I sat down with Wingate Head Coach @poldomenechf
In 2021 Wingate had never made the national championships. Two years later they won the whole thing.
What fascinated me wasn’t just the result- it was the system behind it.
We talked about building belief in athletes who weren’t big recruits, the role of aerobic development and threshold training, and how they’ve created a culture where athletes just keep improving year after year.
We also spoke about the NCAA pathway for young runners- something a lot of Australian athletes are curious about.
There’s a lot of wisdom in this one. If you enjoy conversations about coaching, development, and the culture of distance running, I think you’ll really enjoy this episode. Out now on the Run Culture Podcast.
Episode 200 I might add!! Now, that's 200 conversations more wiser than when I started this project.
If you enjoyed this chat and are interested to find out more or follow Wingate College's progress over the coming years be sure to go to @wingatexctf