Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

Topics Covered

Managing Multiple Injuries (e.g., Plantar Fasciitis & PHT)

• How to prioritize the most debilitating injury using key factors:
  • Severity
  • Duration
  • Irritability
  • Predictability
• Why you should focus on “bang for your buck” exercises (e.g., deadlifts, hamstring curls, calf raises).
• How to combine exercises to target multiple injuries efficiently (e.g., barefoot single-leg deadlifts).
• The importance of progressive overload in rehab — not just maintaining bodyweight work.
• How to stay active during flare-ups and make sure both injuries are improving week to week
• Why Running Can Feel Easier Than Cycling (Despite a Higher Heart Rate)
• How steady-state cardio explains why running can feel smoother than a variable spin class.
• The impact of heat, humidity, and muscle groups used on perceived effort.
• How familiarity with a movement can affect heart rate and effort perception.
• The “central governor theory” — how your brain regulates fatigue and effort.
• Brodie’s personal story: going from marathon runner to struggling to swim 50 meters, and how adaptation and calmness change everything.

What Causes Stitches — and Can You Stop Them?

• Why side stitches remain somewhat mysterious despite many theories.
• Possible causes:
  • Fatigue or imbalance in trunk/core muscles
  • Diaphragm displacement theories (including a strange but possibly effective breathing trick!)
• Why core workouts the day before a run can trigger stitches — and what Brodie learned from experience.
• An invitation for listeners to test and report back on the “left heel drop and exhale” technique.

Should You Rotate Your Running Shoes?

• Difference between rotating the same model vs different brands and types.
• How lighter and super shoes can improve performance — and when they can backfire.
• Using shoes as tools: minimalist for speed and proprioception, stability shoes for recovery days.
• The double-edged sword:
  • Poor transitions = increased injury risk.
  • Gradual adaptation = greater resilience and reduced overuse risk.
• Why shoe variation can distribute load and lower repetitive stress when done properly.

Key Takeaways

• Focus rehab on the most limiting injury first, and keep it progressive.
• Familiarity plays a massive role in perceived exertion between different activities.
• Side stitches may stem from muscle fatigue or diaphragm misalignment — and could respond to strategic breathing.
• Rotating shoes can either reduce or increase injury risk — it depends entirely on how gradually you adapt to each type.

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

In this listener Q&A episode, Brodie dives into four fascinating research-backed topics that every runner should understand — from aging performance to tendon rehab science:

• How running performance declines with age — and the key training interventions to slow it down
• Recovery potential after Achilles tendon rupture or tendinopathy, with or without surgery
• The true accuracy of MRI vs. CT scans for stress fractures and other running-related injuries
• Whether isometric exercises after a run can strengthen tendons and reduce “stress shielding”

Episode Summary

In this “Ask Brodie Anything” edition, Brodie tackles questions from listeners covering performance longevity, injury recovery, and the science behind imaging and tendon adaptation.

🏃‍♂️ 1. Aging & Running Performance

Brodie unpacks the 2019 paper “The Physiology and Biomechanics of the Master’s Runner” by Rich Willy, revealing:

• Performance decline typically begins around age 35, with VO₂ max dropping ~7% per decade.
• Active runners experience slower declines due to training volume and intensity.
• Step length decreases and cadence increases with age, while ankle power and tendon stiffness reduce, leading to slower speeds.
  🧩 Key takeaways:
• Maintain high-intensity interval sessions and training volume.
• Add heavy resistance training (2–3x per week) and plyometrics to preserve tendon stiffness and bone density.
• Use cross-training (ski erg, bike, rower) to build aerobic fitness while reducing joint stress.

🦶 2. Achilles Tendon Rupture: Can You Fully Recover?

Drawing from the 2016 World Congress on Sports Physical Therapy Consensus Statement, Brodie explains that:

• Return-to-sport rates range from 55–90% after 1 year of rehab.
• Surgical cases report 29–87% return, but recurrence rates remain high (27–44%).
• Recovery depends on age, injury severity, and rehab adherence.
  🧠 Brodie emphasizes that full recovery without pain or fear of re-injury is possible — but addressing psychological readiness is as vital as physical rehab.

🩻 3. MRI vs. CT for Stress Fractures

Brodie reviews a systematic review comparing imaging accuracy:

• CT scans: Sensitivity 32–38%, Specificity 88–98% → great for confirming, poor for ruling out.
• MRI: Sensitivity 68%, Specificity 99% → still the gold standard for stress fractures.
  👉 Clinical takeaway: A CT scan can confirm, but a negative CT often still needs MRI.
  Scans should be used only when clinically justified — chronic tendinopathies are best diagnosed via functional assessment, not imaging.

💪 4. Isometrics After Running: Useful or Overhyped?

Referencing tendon researcher Keith Baar, Brodie discusses “stress shielding” — when tendons redirect load away from damaged fibers.

• Post-run isometrics (3×20–30s holds) can help load fatigued tendons more evenly.
• But for true tendon remodeling, progressive heavy slow resistance remains essential.
• Alternatives like “creep loading” and time-under-tension exercises can also reduce stress shielding — no need to be fatigued to gain benefits.

🧩 Key Takeaways

• Stay strong as you age — resistance and high-intensity training slow decline.
• Achilles rehab success depends on gradual loading, not just surgery.
• MRI beats CT for stress fractures; be strategic about when to scan.
• Isometrics help, but heavy slow load is still the cornerstone of tendon rehab.

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Willy et al. (2019): The Physiology and Biomechanics of the Master’s Runner
• 2016 Consensus Statement on Return to Sport after Injury (World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy)
• Diagnostic Accuracy of Imaging Modalities for Lower Extremity Stress Fractures
• Keith Baar: Stress Shielding and Tendon Adaptation episode

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

Marathon PB Tactics & Strategy with Brian Hanley

Most runners spend months focusing on training plans, mileage, and workouts… but when race day comes, they often just “wing it” when it comes to pacing. In this episode, we dive deep into the science and psychology of marathon and half marathon race strategy with Dr. Brian Hanley, senior lecturer in sport and exercise biomechanics at Leeds Beckett University.

Brian shares his expertise on why even the best training adaptations can be wasted without a smart pacing plan, and how recreational runners can use proven strategies to maximize performance, avoid blow-ups, and run smarter on race day.

🏃‍♂️ What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why even pacing (or equal effort) is the gold standard—and why most runners get it wrong
• How to balance physiology and psychology on race day to avoid starting too fast
• The difference between pacing at the elite level vs. recreational running
• How weather, terrain, and heat affect pacing—and practical ways to adapt
• The role of pacers in reducing cognitive load and helping you stick to your plan
• Why women often pace better than men in marathons
• How to use training and shorter races to dial in your goal pace
• The importance of self-reflection and avoiding the “fundamental attribution error” after a race

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

In this episode of the Run Smarter Podcast, Brodie dives into the latest running research released over the past month. As always, the goal is to cut through the myths and confusion to bring you evidence-based strategies to improve your performance, prevent injury, and run smarter.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode 🏃‍♂️📚

1. Cadence & Injury Prevention
   • A new systematic review on how running cadence influences biomechanics and injury risk.
   • Why a 5–10% increase in cadence can reduce knee impact forces by ~20%.
   • How cadence changes affect running economy, injury risk, and sustainability over time.
2. Training Volume & Marathon Performance
   • Insights from the 2022 Boston Marathon survey.
   • Why higher yearly training volume and more quality sessions (speed work) are linked to faster race times.
   • How slightly reducing training frequency/volume in the 4 months before race day may improve results.
3. HIIT Frequency for Recreational Runners
   • A six-week study comparing 1, 2, or 3 weekly HIIT sessions.
   • Why two HIIT sessions per week seems to strike the best balance between adaptation, recovery, and adherence.
   • The surprising improvements seen even with just one session per week.
4. Plantar Plate Injuries
   • A narrative review on diagnosing this under-recognized but common source of forefoot pain.
   • Key clinical tests (like the drawer test and toe purchase test) and why MRI remains the gold standard.
   • How to distinguish plantar plate injuries from similar conditions such as Morton’s neuroma or stress fractures.

 Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

On this Q&A episode of the Run Smarter Podcast, Brodie tackles a range of listener-submitted running questions—covering everything from calf pain management to the best time to reintroduce speed work during tendon rehab. Drawing from both research and clinical experience, he provides practical, evidence-based strategies you can apply directly to your training.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Calf Pain & Cadence Adjustments – Why increasing step rate can help, and what other factors (like load, recovery, and footwear) you need to balance for lasting relief.
• Tendinopathy Rehab – Should you introduce speed workouts or back-to-back run days first? Brodie outlines safe progression strategies to avoid setbacks.
• Strength Training for Runners – The four cornerstone exercises every runner should be doing, including recommended rep ranges and frequency for performance and injury prevention.
• Post-Marathon Motivation – What to do after the high of race day wears off, how to reflect on your performance, and strategies to find your “next thing.”

Key Takeaways

• Running injuries often come down to load vs. recovery balance. Tweaking cadence, training intensity, or footwear can shift stress away from vulnerable tissues.
• In tendon rehab, symptom tolerance and gradual progressions are key—starting with strides before intervals.
• When it comes to strength training, lifting heavy (safely) has the greatest impact on running performance.
• After a big event like a marathon, self-reflection on what you loved (and what you didn’t) is the best guide to your next goal.

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

In this episode, Brodie Sharpe sits down with Sara to share her inspiring journey of overcoming Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy (PHT) after struggling with it for several years. Sara's story is filled with ups and downs, from navigating misdiagnoses and passive treatments to discovering the power of strength training and the mind-body connection. Whether you’re currently battling PHT or looking for guidance on chronic pain, this episode offers valuable insights and hope.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:00 – Introduction to today’s episode and Sara’s success story
• 00:33 – Background on Sara’s PHT journey and how it developed over the years
• 01:07 – Sara shares the onset of her symptoms dating back to 2009
• 02:34 – The chronic resurgence in 2017 and the role of life transitions
• 03:54 – Seeking treatment: from passive treatments to sports medicine
• 05:49 – Ineffective treatments: PRP, dry needling, and acupuncture
• 06:48 – Diagnosis of PHT and later gluteal tendinopathy
• 08:15 – Attempting different procedures: Tenex, injections, and shockwave therapy
• 09:43 – The mental and emotional toll of chronic pain
• 10:41 – Finding Brodie’s podcast and beginning strength training
• 12:18 – The importance of slow, heavy progressive strength training in recovery
• 14:13 – Balancing treatment approaches and avoiding unnecessary interventions
• 16:29 – Returning to running: overcoming fear and rebuilding confidence
• 19:22 – A pivotal moment: discovering ‘Think Away Your Pain’ and the mind-body connection
• 24:27 – The impact of personality traits on chronic pain and recovery
• 27:53 – How stress and responsibility play a role in pain persistence
• 31:36 – Understanding the emotional component of pain and its management
• 34:27 – Key strategies for overcoming hypervigilance and overanalysis
• 37:45 – How to shift treatment strategies when progress plateaus
• 41:02 – Sara’s current status: running again and symptom management
• 42:51 – Final advice for PHT sufferers and key takeaways

Key Takeaways: 
✔ Passive treatments like PRP, dry needling, and injections may not provide long-term relief for PHT. 
✔ Strength training, specifically slow, heavy progressive loading, is a crucial foundation for recovery. 
✔ Addressing the mind-body connection can be a game-changer in managing chronic pain. 
✔ Hypervigilance and fear of movement can perpetuate pain—learning to reframe these thoughts is essential. 
✔ Recovery is a journey—adjusting your approach when progress stalls is key to success. 
✔ Stress and personality traits (perfectionism, responsibility, self-criticism) can influence chronic pain.

Resources Mentioned:

• Sara's email: [email protected]
• Think Away Your Pain – David Schechter
• Healing Back Pain – Dr. John Sarno
• Emily's TMS Instagram
• Dan’s YouTube Channel: Pain Free You

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

O₂ max is often thrown around as the holy grail of endurance performance—but how much does it really matter, and how can you train it effectively? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Will O’Connor, exercise physiologist, endurance coach, and experienced researcher, to break down the science, myths, and practical strategies behind VO₂ max.

We cover what VO₂ max actually measures, whether your Garmin or Coros watch is giving you reliable readings, and the key workouts proven to raise your aerobic ceiling. Will also shares valuable insights into how long it takes to lose fitness when you’re sidelined with injury, and why efficiency and running economy might matter more than the raw VO₂ number.

If you’ve ever worried about your fitness dropping during time off, or if you’re curious about how to truly get faster by training smarter, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• What VO₂ max really represents and how it’s measured in a lab
• Why running economy and fractional utilization matter more than a single number
• How accurate VO₂ max data is from wearables like Garmin
• Proven interval sessions to raise your aerobic ceiling
• The difference between short, sharp efforts vs. 4-minute intervals (and when to use each)
• How quickly fitness declines during injury or downtime
• The importance of deciding: are you training or are you rehabbing?
• Why performance—not your watch’s algorithm—is the true indicator of progress

Guest Bio – Dr. Will O’Connor
Will holds a PhD in Sport & Exercise Science, specializing in performance metabolism and physiology. With hundreds of VO₂ max tests under his belt, published research, and years of coaching endurance athletes, he brings a unique balance of scientific rigor and practical know-how. He also runs the Performance Advantage Podcast and creates evidence-based training content on his YouTube channel, helping runners and triathletes worldwide optimize performance.

Resources & Links

• Connect with Will on YouTube: Dr. Will O’Connor
• Visit his website: drwilloconnor.com

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

In this episode, Brodie chats with Dr. Phil Hayes — senior lecturer at Northumbria University, sports scientist, and highly experienced running coach — about his role as co-editor of The Science and Practice of Middle and Long-Distance Running. Phil’s academic expertise in exercise physiology and decades of coaching experience give him a unique perspective on bridging cutting-edge research with practical training wisdom.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Behind the Book: How the project came about, Phil’s collaboration with Rich Blagrove, and why they felt a science-based resource for runners was missing from the market.
• Physiology Insights: The limitations of purely metabolic models of performance and why neuromuscular factors and fatigue resistance are vital for understanding endurance.
• Critical Speed Testing: How to use field-based protocols to estimate your maximum sustainable speed, set training zones, and guide performance predictions without a lab test.
• Training Load Monitoring: Why mileage alone can be misleading, and how tools like session RPE, TRIMP scores, and workload ratios help prevent injury and manage progression.
• Consistency Over Intensity: Why avoiding training spikes and maintaining a sustainable workload is key to long-term performance gains.
• Strength & Conditioning: How targeted, year-round S&C work prevents injury, improves resilience, and supports running efficiency.
• Structured Programming: Building both macro- and micro-level training structure to balance hard and easy sessions, and why logging your training is crucial.
• Race Preparation: Adopting a “own the start line” mindset, using checklists, and practicing tapers before key events to refine your approach.
• Tapering Principles: Reducing volume while maintaining intensity in the final weeks before a race, and why individual experimentation is essential.
• Fundamentals First: How focusing on the basics—training structure, S&C, recovery, and balanced intensity—outperforms chasing “magic workouts.”

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

In this month’s research breakdown, Brodie dives into four fascinating studies every runner should know about. From bone health and marathon pacing to hamstring flexibility and recovery tools, these findings reveal how science can help you train smarter and avoid common pitfalls.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Bone Health in Distance Runners
  Why running alone isn’t always enough for strong bones, and the crucial roles of nutrition, vitamin D, strength training, and recovery. Learn the red flags—like stress fractures and missed periods—that signal compromised bone health.
• The Science of Negative Splits in Marathons
  How running the second half faster than the first can preserve glycogen, improve thermoregulation, reduce cardiac drift, and even protect your biomechanics. Plus, practical training strategies to master pacing discipline.
• Hamstring Flexibility & Performance
  A small but insightful study shows how hamstring tightness may reduce quadriceps strength—but doesn’t necessarily affect speed or endurance. What this means for your strength balance, mobility work, and injury prevention.
• Foam Rolling vs Massage Guns for DOMS
  Which recovery tool actually works? Foam rolling improved muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness faster than rest, but neither reduced soreness compared to doing nothing. Find out what this means for your post-run recovery routine.

Key Takeaways for Runners:

• Fuel properly—low energy availability harms bone health.
• Strength training twice a week boosts bone density and performance.
• A slight negative split is often the optimal marathon pacing strategy.
• Hamstring flexibility supports strength balance but doesn’t guarantee speed gains.
• Foam rolling may help restore function, but don’t expect it to erase soreness.

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

In this powerful conversation, Brodie Sharpe sits down with physical therapist, running coach, and lifelong runner Steph Mundt to explore her remarkable journey from repeated bone stress injuries and dangerously low bone density to becoming a stronger, healthier, and faster runner.

Steph opens up about her history with disordered eating, how Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) impacted her bone health, and the wake-up call that led her to overhaul her training and fueling strategies. She shares exactly what worked — from nutrition changes to targeted strength training and plyometrics — and why bone health should be on every runner’s radar, not just those who have experienced stress fractures.

Whether you’re looking to prevent injury, improve performance, or run for decades to come, this episode delivers science-backed strategies and inspiring lessons for all runners.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Steph’s early running journey and how a desire for speed led to under-fueling and multiple stress fractures
• The truth about RED-S and its impact on hormones, recovery, and bone density
• Why running alone is a poor bone-building stimulus (and what to do instead)
• The specific strength training and plyometric exercises Steph used to rebuild her bone density
• How often to train, and why timing matters for bone adaptation
• Fueling strategies and key nutrients for strong bones
• Why all runners — even those without bone health issues — should focus on building and maintaining bone strength
• The mindset shift from chasing short-term PRs to prioritizing longevity and consistency in training

Links & Resources

• Follow Steph on Instagram: @stephmundt.dpt
• Steph’s Coaching & PT Services: Volante PT & Performance