Run to the Top Extra Kick Podcast | Answers to Your Running Questions

Characterized by a dull pain behind or around the top of the knee cap, runner's knee (aka patellofemoral pain syndrome) is one of the most common injuries among runners.

Aggravating movements include anything that requires bending the knee, which, ya know, makes running pretty difficult.

Listen in as Coach Sinead discusses the causes, treatment, and prevention for runner's knee to get you back to the grind and ensure it never happens again.

While the marathon can be daunting, it can also make for one of the most rewarding moments of your life when prepared for properly.

The physical and mental strength needed to complete those 26.2 miles takes some time to achieve, and that's why it's important to be patient with the process when you're new to the marathon. 

It's also why doing a marathon buildup without actually running a marathon can serve you well in the long run (pun unintended).

Listen in as Coach Sinead discusses the benefits of training for a marathon without a goal race. 

Training by heart rate? Ever wonder why your numbers don't reflect your perceived effort?

A lot of variables play into this, making it hard to determine the correct paces for you and your goals. 

Listen in as Coach Sinead discusses the ins and outs of heart rate zones and helps you decipher the data. 

If you're among the 25 percent of people who suffer from bunions, you know picking the right footwear is crucial to performance.

You want a shoe with a roomy toe box that also fits your unique biomechanics, and this can be hard to find.

That's why in this episode of Extra Kick, Coach Sinead shares a few of her shoe recommendations as well as some tricks to running pain-free with bunions.

Most of us have been there.

You're a few miles into your long run and feeling great when you begin to sense some irritation on one or both of your feet. 

While blisters are very common among runners, there are several ways to help prevent them from ruining your next long run.

Listen in as Coach Hayley shares her expertise in this episode of Extra Kick. 

Bonking. Cramping. Hitting the wall.

The likelihood of one or more of these happening in a marathon is tenfold when your body isn't properly hydrated, and that's why it's important to determine your nutrition strategy ahead of time.

But when it comes to hydration, which gives us the biggest bang for our buck? Gels or electrolyte capsules?

Coach Hayley explains in today's daily podcast.

Most of us know what an ice bath is, but what about cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is a sophisticated method of cold therapy involving three minutes of skin exposure to temperatures between -200°F to -250°F.

Sounds fun, right?

While certainly fancier than a tub full of ice water, is cryotherapy any more beneficial than a simple ice bath?

Coach Hayley explains in today's daily podcast.

So you've decided on your goal race - the big kahuna.

There's just one small problem: it's more than six months away.

Is it beneficial to do a separate training cycle without racing to prepare for your big goal race down the road, or is it better to sprinkle in some races between now and then?

Coach Hayley explains in today's daily podcast.

It's only natural to lose some speed as we get older, but should you stay away from speed work once you're in your 50s, 60s, and 70s?

The answer is one that will make most older runners smile: no.

With a few training modifications, you can incorporate speed work without getting injured. But how?

Coach Hayley answers that and more in today's daily podcast.

Whether you've just completed a marathon or you've been training consistently for a year, it's probably time to take a break. 

But how do you know when and how much time to take off?

And what should you do during the break to maintain fitness while allowing your body to fully recover?

Coach Danny explains in today's daily podcast!

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