The Running Explained Podcast

Dr. Marie Witt is BACK for her fifth time on the podcast (aka the Five-Peat!), and this episode is a little more casual and a whole lot of fun. We’re talking about… well, a little bit of everything:

– Gummy bear fueling and why sour candy hits different
– What happens when your miles slow way down in the summer heat
– Shoes, Hobbiton, Regency costumes, and other delightful detours
– The “minimum effective dose” approach to strength training
– And why doing less is often the smartest move a runner can make

We talk about the pressure to do more, what it really means to be consistent, and how to respect your body without losing your goals. And yes, we get a little nerdy, because obviously. It’s us.

If you need a reminder that running is supposed to be fun, that you don’t have to earn your worth in mileage, and that play is part of the process... this one’s for you.

💥 LAST CHANCE: ROAD TO RACE DAY KICKS OFF AUG 4!
If you’re training for the Philly Half or Full and want personalized coaching, a supportive group, expert guidance, and race weekend fun—this is it! Don’t miss your chance to join.
👉 runningexplained.com/roadtoraceday

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🔗 Links & Resources:

Check out her FREE Achilles Recovery Toolkit!

This week, I'm joined by the one and only Jon Levitt, host of For the Long Run and Long Run Labs, endurance athlete, and resident expert in both running and running-adjacent banter.What starts as a lighthearted chat about favorite running shoes (RIP Pegasus 34), run fuel (blue raspberry forever), and dream races (Tokyo, anyone?) turns into a deeply thoughtful conversation about what it means to push yourself to the edge... and what happens when you go past it.We dive into:🎯 The anatomy of a moonshot: Was the Breaking4 Project to break 4 minutes in the mile by a woman a marketing stunt or a meaningful milestone?🧠 The shared psychology of suffering: Why elite runners and mid-packers alike know what it feels like to “bleed” in the third lap💥 What makes a mile so compelling (and painful) to run and watch🥵 Downhill marathons, Boston qualifiers, and the not-so-free speed myth💬 What we talk about when we talk about toughness, exclusivity, and why not every goal should be easyPlus: a very scientific game of “Strava Caption or Shenanigans,” Taylor Swift references, and a reminder that running a hard mile might just change your life.🧭 Resources & Links:Follow Jon on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/jwlevittListen to For the Long Run and Long Run Labshttps://shorturl.at/i7pRU

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🏃‍♀️ Running Explained is here to help you run smarter, get faster, and feel more confident in your training. From trusted education to real-world coaching support, we’ve got what you need: no fluff, no gimmicks, just evidence-based guidance that works.

🎙 Podcast & Blog: Free, accessible, no-BS running education

📨 The Weekly Stride: Your favorite running newsletter

📲 The Run Club App: Training plans + strength work in one place

📋 Downloadable Training Plans: Built for real life and real results

🏅 1:1 Coaching: Personalized guidance with expert support

🔗 Start here → ⁠⁠⁠runningexplained.com⁠⁠⁠

We’re going back to basics—because let’s be honest, most runners are still underfueling!

In this special anniversary episode, I’m bringing back the very first guest I ever had on the show: Registered Dietitian and running coach Cortney Berling to talk (again) about RUNNING NUTRITION 101!

If you’ve ever wondered…

• Should I eat before my run? Why? When? What??
• How much fuel do I ACTUALLY need during long runs?

• Why is post-run fueling so dang hard?

• And wait... am I underfueling even if I’m not losing weight?

This one’s for you.

We cover:

🥯 Pre-run fueling (yes, even early morning runs!)

🔋 In-run fueling strategies & how to train your gut

🍳 What post-run nutrition should look like (even when you're not hungry)

⚡ Fueling myths that won’t die

🧠 Why underfueling might be the real reason you feel overtrained or stuck

Whether you’re training for your first 5K or your 100th marathon, this is a conversation every runner should hear.

Mentioned in this episode:

Cortney’s Instagram: @eatwell.runbetter

Learn more at eatwellrunbetter.com

Our original episode from Season 1!

"s1/e02 Running Nutrition with Cortney Berling, RD"

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🏃‍♀️ Running Explained is here to help you run smarter, get faster, and feel more confident in your training.From trusted education to real-world coaching support, we’ve got what you need: no fluff, no gimmicks, just evidence-based guidance that works.

🎙 Podcast & Blog: Free, accessible, no-BS running education📨 The Weekly Stride: Your favorite running newsletter📲 The Run Club App: Training plans + strength work in one place📋 Downloadable Training Plans: Built for real life, not perfection 🏅 1:1 Coaching: Personalized guidance with expert support

🔗 Start here → ⁠⁠runningexplained.com⁠⁠⁠

This week, I’m joined by a runner who brings a ton of insight and real-world experience to the table: Dr. Logan Sherman, sports chiropractor, marathon champion, and chairman of the BMW Dallas Marathon.

We get into a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime in performance circles: SLEEP. Not just “get more of it,” but why it matters, what it actually does for your body, how to use it as a training tool (not just a recovery tool), and how your wearable data might be telling you more (or less) than you think.

Logan shares his journey from being an overweight middle schooler nicknamed "Jelly Roll" to becoming a sub-elite marathoner and 2015 Dallas Marathon champion, and how his relationship with running, racing, and recovery has evolved through different seasons of life.

We talk about:

• Why sleep is foundational for performance, recovery, and injury prevention

• How to adjust your training when your sleep is trash (without panicking)

• What HRV and breath rate can tell you about your recovery

• Using data without obsessing over it (yes, even when your Whoop says you're 50% recovered on race morning)

• The emotional side of race day, sleep anxiety, and learning to let go of perfection

• And why it’s okay if your fueling sometimes looks like mac & cheese off your kid’s plate

If you’ve ever struggled with balancing sleep, life, and training, Logan's perspective is one you're going to appreciate!

In this solo episode, I'm FINALLY tackling one of the most important (and least sexy) topics in training: training load. What it is? Why should you care? And how can you make sure you're living in the "juuuuuuust right" zone!

Most of us are so focused on paces and mileage (or kms) targets that we miss the bigger picture: how much stress your body is actually experiencing and accumulating from your training. And if you’re stuck in a cycle of “train hard → crash → repeat,” this episode is especially for you.

I break down everything from acute vs. chronic training load, to how wearable devices, like your Coros running watch, calculate your load using things like "TRIMP" and heart rate, and to how to use heart rate variability (HRV) as a recovery gauge. We’re talking spreadsheets, ratios, metrics, and yes: how your “just right” is totally different than someone else’s!

• What training load actually means (and what it doesn’t)

• How to avoid the dangers of "too much too soon" (even if your mileage says you should be OK)

• Why intensity (and training intensity distribution) is more important than distance alone

• How the acute:chronic ratio of your training load tells you when you’re on the onramp to the highway to the danger zone

• What the 10% “rule” misses (and why it’s not always that simple!)

• The difference between “I ran 10 miles!” and “I worked HARD for 10 miles!”

• Tools like TRIMP, TSS, and HRV: what they tell you and how I use them

• The deets on my own quick & dirty training load spreadsheet before I had fancy tools

• Why managing training load is especially important for self-coached runners!!

  
  

TOP SOUNDBITES:

“Your body doesn’t track distance; it tracks stress.”

“That hero week you’re so proud of? It might be the reason you need a nap for the next 10 days.”

“This is about learning what ‘just right’ looks like for you—because too much breaks you, and too little stalls you.”

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🌟 This episode is brought to you by my friends at Coros, who make amazing watches ⌚ that have all the tools you need (with none of the fluff) to manage your training like a pro, no matter WHAT your goals are!

If you're looking to upgrade (or you’re just tired of guessing), check out the Coros Pace 3 (that's what I wear!), and don't forget to use code RUNEXP at checkout for a FREE second strap when you buy your watch! 🌟

🖱 Coros.com

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