Run Free Podcast

In this episode, Ryan rejoins the podcast to talk about hill training with Jay and Chad. Topics include why hills are a beneficial tool for all runners, physiological benefits of hill training, mental benefits, different types of hill workouts and how to implement them for various goals. Chad and Ryan both trained hills by running repeats of the snow summit ski resort in the high school running years and are big believers in hill training for a strong body and a strong mind.

In this episode we talk in depth with Shannon Thompson, Performance Psychologist, about how to train our minds so that we can perform better and have more enjoyment in the process. Shannon works as a vocational consultant with a wide range of clients, including elite, professional endurance athletes from around the world, and the Division I teams at Northern Arizona University. Her approach is science based, philosophical, and spiritual. She draws upon empirical research and the literary arts to help each individual find their professional path and perform at his or her best consistently.

Hari Mix, CEO of Calorify, was a top level runner at Stanford and has a deep passion for alpinism. His experience in his extreme athletic endeavors and observations made through his work at Calorify has provided critical insights to the role of metabolism in helping or harming our athletic endeavors.In this episode, we share about our own experience with Calorify, the first at home metabolic test using a method called “doubly labeled water”. Let’s just say we were impressed with how accurate the reading was on metabolic output and caloric intake, and we think these insights will be a powerful resource for runners who feel puzzled with their nutrition.

In this episode we talk with one of America's top performing ultra trail runners Tim Tollefson. Tim shares lessons he's learned over his career from racing the US Olympic Marathon Trials to the rugged trails of UTMB (ultra trail mont blonc). We discuss his internal struggles with body dysmorphia and how he has gone from being so self conscious that he would hide from other runners out on the trails to courageously creating community in the form of his own race the Mammoth Trail Fest. Tim's story is a beautiful demonstration of how the struggle we experience in ourselves can manifest into love, acceptance, and empathy for others.

In this episode of the Podcast we chat with CJ about his training philosophy and how he has become one of America's fastest marathoners. CJ placed 6th place on a very challenging Olympic Trials course in 2020 and is a top contender heading into the 2024 Trials. CJ is known for high mileage, crazy hard long runs, and an open minded view on training protocols.

In this episode, Ryan and Chad pick up where they left off chatting about Chad's 2:12 marathon debut along with updates on training heading into the 2023 Boston Marathon. This conversation goes in depth into the subject of suffering in a Marathon and strategies for having a better marathon experience.

In this episode Ryan does a Podcast takeover where he interviews brother Chad about his recent marathon debut at the Mesa Marathon 2023 where he finished with a time of 2:12:47. Ryan has been coaching Chad on his journey towards the 2024 Marathon Olympic trials, giving us a little inside view into the relationship of athlete and coach. In the first of this three part series, we go over tips for runners looking to run their first marathon along with lots of laughs, and thoughts on how to better approach our running from a mental health stand point.

In this episode we sit down with our Run Free Nutrionist Jo Butler. In this conversation we go over fad diets to avoid, recommendations for various nutrients, and the psychology surrounding diet. This episode is packed full of wisdom for anyone wanting to better improve the way their diet impacts their performance, health, and mental well being.

In this Episode we sit down with Run Free athlete, Nathan Deeter, to talk about the lessons he has learned from his sobriety and how he applies those same principles to achieve success in his running, business, and personal life. 

In the latest episode of the Run Free Podcast, we share a conversation with one of our original coaching staff and professional runner, Courtney Barnes. Courtney raced professionally on the track for many years prior to making a transition to trail running. Courtney retired from trail running for a brief period of time, finding that the external change didn't remedy the internal challenges she was facing. In this conversation, we talk about her journey and how she has come back to trail running with a fresh perspective, the lessons she learned and how we can be healthier, happier runners.