Trail Runner Nation

Get out your dictionary and slow down the playback on your MP3 player! Ben Greenfield, fitness expert and top ranked Iron-Man triathlete teaches about

• Cold Thermogenisis
• Exercise throughout the day
• How Fasting can help you turn your body into a fat-burning machine
• How to "Grease your Groove"
• The importance of breathing correctly

Ben can be found on four of his own podcasts:

• Endurance Planet
• Git Fit Guy
• Ben Greenfield Fitness
• Rock Star Podcast

You can also find other valuable articles and tools on many of his web sites:

• Ben Greenfield Fitness
• Quick and Dirty Tips
• Endurance Planet
• Pacific Elite Fitness
• Rock Star Triathlete Academy
• Super Human Coach Network

Here are some of the links to information that we talked about

• Fasting e-book by Dr. John Berardi
• "Running on Air" book by Budd Coates
• Nose Breathing Benefits by Dr. John Douillard
• Cold Vest
• Power Lung
• Elevation Training Mask

"Race Course in Review" by Vasque Running Shoes

Take the Tailwind Challenge at: Tailwind Nutrition

Check out the cool headlamps made for trail running at Petzl

What if there was a nutrition training program that is NOT a calorie-deficient diet, NOT low-carb / Atkins-like, NO need to count calories, and requires NO special foods or supplements?

Our favorite nutritionist, Sunny Blende, teaches us how to train our metabolism: increase our fat burning enzymes so we can be efficient running machines!

• Sunny's Metabolic Efficiency article
• Phil Maffetone's 180-Formula
• Bob Seebohar's book "Metabolic Efficiency Training"
• Matt Fitzgerald's book "Racing Weight Cookbook"
• Vitargo and Ucan
• Outro Song by DJ A Smooth

Other Podcasts with Sunny:

• Unbreakable review with Sunny Blende
• Ultrafuel for Ultrarunners - Sunny Blende
• Fueling for your first Ultra - Sunny Blende
• Metabolic Efficiency Training with Sunny Blende and Tim Flemming
• Sunny Blende - Fueling In The Heat

"Race Course in Review" by Vasque Running Shoes

Take the Tailwind Challenge at: Tailwind Nutrition

Check out the cool headlamps made for trail running at Petzl

Listen to the Geigerrig Cadence review.  This hydration pack comes with the VERY cool pressurized hydration bladder that eliminates any sucking.

Bladder: 50 oz., quick-release valves for drinking tube and pressurization tube for easy refill and bladder removal, slide top for easy refill, cleaning and drying.

Fabric: Poly Mesh – Stretch, Breathable, Light Weight

Length: 15.5"

Width: 13"

Weight: 1.15 lbs

List Price: $145

comes with optional inline filter

The New Balance Minimus HI-REZ is the closest thing to barefoot running that I have worn. It is a mere 3.7 oz, zero drop shoe with great flexibility and ground feel. Retail: $120

Listen to the New Balance Minimus HI-REZ shoe review.

Do you want to look like Scott Warr?  Where these cool Recofit compression calf sleeves

Trail Runner Nation's Southern California corespondent, Jimmy Dean Freeman, joins the Nation to discuss new year's resolutions and goal setting.

Stuff we referenced:

• Vanessa Rodriguez wrote for Active.com, "7 Ultrarunning Myths That Hold you Back".
• "Mind the Gap" from Jimmy's blog.
• Ted Video: Derek Sivers: "Keep your goals to yourself"
• Never too old to start: Fauja Singh, the guy who ran his first marathon at age 89!
• Helen Klein, now 91, started running at age 55. She is the oldest woman to run a sub 24-hour 100-mile race. She finished the Grand Slam at age 66.

Here are SOME steps we came up with to achieving your running goals:

1. Set the goal - don't worry about the myths that hold you back or what other people say
2. Identify the obstacles that might get in your way - plan how you will overcome them
3. Break the goal into smaller, more realistic goals
4. Do something everyday that get you closer to that goal
5. Adapt the plan as necessary
6. Celebrate along the way

Check out our new sponsor's, "Race Course in Review" by Vasque Running Shoes

Take the Tailwind Challenge at: Tailwind Nutrition

Check out the cool headlamps made for trail running at Petzl

Dr. Robert Portman is and exercise scientist and coauthor of three books,

1. Nutrient Timing
2. The Performance Zone
3. Hardwired for Fitness

and has authored hundreds of articles on how nutrition can improve fitness, health and athletic performance.

Dr. Portman teaches us that there are five macro-nutrients that an endurance athlete needs to know how to use: Water, Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats, and electrolytes. By knowing WHEN and HOW MUCH to use the macro-nutrients, we can raise our performance, avoid bonking and G.I. distress.

Once we understand how to utilize these macro-nutrients, there are micro-nutrients that can further tweak and enhance our performance.

Over the last 30 years, Dr. Portman has reshaped sports nutrition and the development of energy products with proven performance and recovery benefits, including: Endurox R4, Accelerade and now Body Glove SURGE, an energy shot for endurance athletes.

Unsure of how much hydration and nutrition to use on your next workout? Check out The Portman Calculator: easily compute your hydration and nutrition needs for a workout or race.

Here are some other interesting articles that Dr. Portman has written:

• Sleep your Way to a Better Race Time
• The Myth of Long Acting Carbohydrates
• The Muscle Recovery Mediator

Check out our new sponsor's, "Race Course in Review" by Vasque Running Shoes

Take the Tailwind Challenge at: Tailwind Nutrition

Download a free audio book at Audible

With over 20 books written for the endurance athlete, Matt Fitzgerald is one of the sport's leading authors. Some of his other best sellers are:

• Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance
• Iron War-Dave Scott, Mark Allen, & the Greatest Race Ever Run
• The Runner's Body: How the Latest Exercise Science Can Help You Run Stronger, Longer, and Faster

Matt talks to us about his book, "Run-The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel". Some topics include:

• Should a dose of suffering be included in your training?
• The Black Box of ingredients that you open on race day
• How to learn to train your body by listening to it

Follow Matt on Twitter or on Facebook

Take the Tailwind Challenge at: Tailwind Nutrition

Check out the cool headlamps made for trail running at Petzl

Italian Nation Member, Monica, paints a picture of Italian trail running! Monica lives in the middle of some amazing mountain running. She explains trail running culture, race demographics and gear choices of Italian runners. One of the forty-seven ultras in 2014 is the Tour Des Geants, a 330 KM (205 mile) race with a 150 hour time limit.

Book a trip to Italy and Corri di più!!

Class is in session. Dr. Mark talks about

• Cadence: what is the most efficient, how to determine yours, does it make a difference if you are tall or short?
• Breathing: what is the most effective way to breath? How to practice and what are the benefits?
• How long does it take to change body composition?
• Treadmills
• What are the latest trends in running shoes that he saw at 2013 The Running Event

Here are some valuable links:

• Dr. Mark's video on the "Natural Running Principles"
• Natural Running Center
• The self propelled treadmill: Samsara Fitness' Trueform Running University
• Healthy Running
• Two Rivers Treads running store
• Dan Lieberman's new book, "The Story of the Human Body"

Take the Tailwind Challenge at: Tailwind Nutrition

Check out the cool headlamps made for trail running at Petzl

Download a free audio book at Audible