The Natural Running Network Live

Tired of getting injured doing OCR Races? A few things you can depend on, the sky is blue, grass is green and OCR athletes get injured. Out of love for participation in Spartan races and other OCR events, many enthusiastic OCR participants will find themselves suffering from injuries that could have been avoided.  It's a function of eduction and application.  Racing is not training or vice versa.  For over a decade Coach Richard Diaz has hosted running specific clinics that provide a wealth of information through clinical diagnostics, gait training and injury abatement solutions that are self help oriented and extremely effective. Did I mention we dial in your nutrition? Through our Resting metabolism assessment we can clearly define how effective your feeding habits are and show you how to develop a feeding strategy that is easy to follow and will balance your weight without sacrificing muscle! We also reveal your metabolic turn point so that your training intensities are always in control and progressive. If you have not had a chance to attend one of these clinics, we highly recommend that you listen or watch this entire broadcast. If you are interested in learning more about these clinics and upcoming dates, visit https://diazhumanperformance.com Follow this link if you wish to see the video version of this podcast:The Video version  

Running Road VS. Trail So many athletes tell us they don't like running on road because its hard on their bodies. Is it the surface we choose to run on or something more? Coach Diaz sheds light and his opinion on the choice between Trail Running and Road Running. We will also offer some insights on shoe selection relative to task. What's your flavor? Why? Please leave us your comments and by all means... SUBSCRIBE!

Regardless if you are a runner, Obstacle course athlete, Hyrox or even Crossfit, The FLow Method of training will boost your tolerance to fatigue and build your capacity to deal with lactate production, who many see as performance killer.  This conversation revolves around Richard Diaz's recent book, Training the Dark Side. Our goal is to shed some light on frequently asked questions but the solution to truly understand the concepts, we recommend you get a copy of the book. It can be found on Amazon books or directly from Coach Diaz's website in digital download format. Https://Diazhumanperformance.com SHOW LESS  

It is surprising how many athletes i know who are using CBD's for a variety of reasons. The more I investigated the more I came to realize that CBD's are nature's anti-inflammatory solution and that is only the tip of the iceberg! This episode is a very in depth interview with Jay O'Hare founder of Venga Endurance an extremely high quality manufacture of CBD / Cannabidiol products and an Ultra distance runner who gets it. I know a lot of people who either shy away from the idea of taking a hemp based supplement in fear of being "dosed" with THC or just ill informed. This episode is for you! Once you've listened to what Jay and I have to say, you might want to circle back and chase the link: https://vengaendurance.com/ and use my promo code to get a price break! DHP10

Spartan Races are now global and yet, they have been expanding theyre reach by including Trail Running events in tandum with many races around the country.  This year marks the first year Spartan will host a Trail Running Championship with none other than Charlie Engle at the helm.  This is an incredible opportunity for trail runners in that the prize purses doled out will be handsome.  To learn more about the series and where the events are held listen to this episode and visit Spartan Racing online

It starts out seeming like "The Odd Couple" but ends up becoming a training program that has the potential to change the way CrossFit athletes approach their training.  Richard Diaz is recognized in the Obstacle Racing community as world renowned Running mechanic and diagnostican.  Ryan Fischer is arguably one of the best CrossFit athletes in the world.  Together they created a program that is incredibly different but remarkably effective in "Battling the War on Fatigue".  Release only 5 weeks ago and many of the first adopters are reporting personal records in CrossFit workouts that used to leave them flat on their faces!  Give it a listen... If you're intrigued here's wher you can get your copy.   https://www.gymryan.com/pages/endurance-rich-diaz

Before you freak out, no, I am not turning tail on OCR or endurance training programs.  If you follow my work, you know that recently I developed a program in collaboration with Ryan Fischer an extremely talented CrossFit Athlete.  This program has been out for a mere 5 weeks and meeting with rave responses.  An OCR athlete would do well to consider this process as the theme of the project is “Winning the Battle with Fatigue”.  It so happens that an early adopter who has been in the program for said five weeks was kind enough to share his experience thus far.. It's worth a listen because his results are extraordinary.  After you have a chance to hear his review feel free to reach out to him @mathewfreeman or pick up a copy of the program for yourself.  Here is the link: https://www.gymryan.com/pages/endurance-rich-diaz

What happens when you mix one badass CrossFit athlete with Coach Diaz in The Secret Lab?  Answer: You get a hybrid training program that is sure to set the CrossFit community on fire!  I know what you're thinking… Coach Diaz and CrossFit?  Had you asked me a year ago if this were ever likely to happen, I would have serious doubts.  It took an introduction from Hunter McIntyre to bring Ryan Fischer and I together and I have to say, I was intrigued. Ryan is one of the fittest athletes I have ever met. When you consider the fact that he can deadlift 600 pounds (over 3 1/2 times his weight), clean and jerk 315, run a 53 sec. 400 meters and a 5 min mile. Most rational people would be hard pressed to disagree with me.  This interview is way outside my playground and I love it!  If you're a Spartan athlete, participate in obstacle course racing yet still enjoy intense strength training, this episode is for you!  We reference a few videos we did in The Secret Lab, if you want to see them Go to my YouTube Channel “Richard Diaz” and see these and many more!

This episode sheds light on a training tool and training concepts that can make a tremendous difference in your ability to perform in a Spartan Race, as a runner and an athlete in common.  I speak a lot about the role that stability and mobility plays in athleticism because in the absence thereof, there is only injuries.  Full disclosure I am not sponsored by or paid to introduce these concepts or products on my show.  I personally believe this is a tool that can truly make a difference if you follow the education they provide.  I have invited Dennis Dumphy the cofounder of stickmobility on to share this info with you.

They moved the venue to Georgia, nobody expected the event to be harder than it has been… but it was.  Much harder.  It was cold, very, very cold however still 100 miles were logged among two fierce competitors yet Kris Mendoza prevailed.  This is an interview with Kris just after he's had a chance to recover and collect his thoughts regarding the race frostbite and all!  Another World's Toughest Mudder is in the bag and a new champion has arisen!  Kris Mendoza shares his insights, training prep and much more.

Once again we invited folks to come on the show, pose questions on topics related to Obstacle Course Racing, Running or anything of that nature.  Our guest is Jay Bode of the Overcome and Run Podcast.  Someone you may have seen out on the race courses with his wife Heather.  Jay is planning to run his first official Ultra marathon and had some questions regarding his training approach, recovery techniques and running shoe selection.  This is a good place to start if you are planning a long distance race yourself!

Recently I posted an offer for someone to be my guest and to pose some interesting questions regarding training and Obstacle Course Racing.  An old friend/client Beni Gifford reached out with what I felt was some solid questions and here is what he wanted to know: I hear a lot of differing views regarding the concept of taking an off season and what it might look like, I am curious to get your take on this subject?How does periodization training fit into OCR?If someone (like me) wants to focus on developing “winning” speed for a 3K event such as NORAM, what should be the approach? This is just a sample of what we discussed, to find out my answers and more, you're going to have to listen to the whole episode!

What seemed like completely out of nowhere, Rebecca Hammond came on to the Spartan OCR Elite field and made people take notice.  Its almost unheard of for anyone to walk into the Spartan North American Championship course with only 2 prior events under her belt and cause a stir.  Yet, cause a stir she did.  Taking 2nd place among the most competitive pro's in the sport, she now sets her sights on the Spartan World Championships and no one is laughing.  You'll have to listen to this episode to believe your ears.  Dark Horse you say?  It will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

There never seems to be an end to the questions that hard working OCR athletes have regarding their training and racing, with the help of one of our friends Jennifer Herring, Coach Richard Diaz tries to offer his opinion and advice on these topics: Heart rate seems to need a longer pre-race warm up, why?How do I transition to a zero drop shoe?Why do I have a hard time with my cadence?What is enough aerobic training and what is too much? These and many more!  As a reward for posting the questions, we are going to award one of the people that asked the best question a free Virtual video gait analysis, you need to listen to find out who it is!

By now, everyone is aware that OCR is here to stay. Some thought it to be a fad, if that's true, I know of over 13,000 dedicated athletes in one single group who might argue the point. What I believe to be true is that the everyday athletes and fitness enthusiasts who have been drinking the Kool Aid and making it out to races around the world are what makes the sport, not the gifted few who reside on the podium at the key races.  I asked Ameer Haroun, the director of all things Spartan 4dash0 on with me to share the story.  How he and his cadre were able to build a social media group and racing presence of over 13,000 members strong in less than 3 years.   If you love Spartan Races races and want to attach yourself to like minded people who share your enthusiasm, you need to hear this episode!

Coach Diaz, who also happens to be the host of this podcast has asked VeeJay Jones  Elite Spartan Pro to return to share some insights on training. Learn a few valuable tips on cutting precious time from your racingGet a sneak peak into the infamous Tuesday Morning Training Sessions  Learn how to get a ton of quality training done in less than an hourLearn about a new online training plan is in the works guaranteed to bring your running skills to an incredible level next season Finally we'll share some details regarding the 2019 Opening Season Super Clinic to be held on Coach Richard Diaz's home turf along with testing, evaluations and lecture time at The World Famous Secret Lab.  Along with this episode is a video of what happens in the Off site Training Lab that is not so secret!  #youcantwinifyourunlikeshit

My good friend Matt Fitzgerald is back with a new book The 80/20 Triathlon.  This training principal is a winning formula for most any endurance sport and I highly recommend that all of my listeners pay attention to this episode.  It works for OCR too!  Once you understand how important it is to partition your training with a high percentage of aerobic conditioning and when and how to apply intensity you'll start to see progress in all aspects of your program. Ya gotta go slow to get fast!

Not everyone has a chance to visit Coach Diaz at his “Infamous Secret Lab” those who do generally end up performing beyond expectation.  I thought it might be fun to have one of my clients share his experience and allow you to not only hear his thoughts on the visit but see what went down with the associated video clip that accompanies this episode.  Of course, the only way you'll see it is if you visit the home site of this podcast: www.naturalrunningnetwork.com

It's a pretty well known fact in most running circles that heel striking and over striding leads to injury. Many runners have made the shift to forefoot running and in doing so have migrated to zero drop shoes.  Unfortunately for many, this transition has not come easy and has lead to a variety of new problems such as debilitating calf and achilles soreness. Coach Richard Diaz addresses these concerns, and offers some advice on how best to approach this transition and sheds light on the likely culprits that lead to these problems, what to do when these problems arise along with an opinion on the decision regarding zeros drop as a shoe selection.  Is zero drop right for you? How long should this transition in running style take?  When obstacle course racing, should you train in one style of shoe and race in another? These answers and more in this episode.

We decided to take more questions on training was we often do, our favorite this time relates to our children in sports.  Are we doing the right things to encourage their enjoyment, desire to compete? Are we trying to live through our kids and causing more harm then good?  Coach Diaz has had years of experience in this arena and shares his insights. He also touches on his preferred shoe selection for racing OCR, heart rate training and how to fit it all in if you have a life and a 40 hour work week.  As a bonus, we share what it will take to get you a date with Zoe!    

The Bone Frog Challenge Race series aere obstacle course races designed and directed by Navy Seals.  These obstacle course races are gaining widespread popularity on the eastern seaboard due to their quality and unique challenges many drawn from Navy Seal Training.  Richard Diaz has invited Brian Carney, former Navy Seal and founder of the Bone Frog Organization to share what makes these events so unique. If you enjoy Spartan Races or Tough Mudder, you'll love The Bone Frog Challenge!  Learn more... www.naturalrunningnetwork.com  www.bonefrogchallenge.com  

Back to back OCR events 100 miles apart and I hit them both to show support for a few of my athletes in Veejay Jones and Hunter McIntyre. I invited a few talented athletes in Mike Ferguson and Race course expert Steve Hammond on the show to share their views on the weekends competition. The Rock Stars this weekend were Rea Kobal, Ryan Woods and Hunter McIntyre.  Tune in to get our views on two distinctly different challenges. Learn more... www.naturalrunningnetwork.comwww.diazhumanperformance.com

Veejay Jones is the youngest athlete to win a Spartan Race overall and is currently a member of The Spartan Pro Team. He is also an athlete coached by Richard Diaz.  In this episode, we discuss the prospects winning against the competition at the NBC Spartan Series season opener in San Jose California on March 24th, 2018. This season, Veejay has posted two wins and a second place finish in Spartan Race elite competition with his last event being 2nd (by just over a minute) behind Cody Moat last years Spartan world Champion. Veejay shares his insight relating to the contenders he'll face and his hopes of eventually making his mark as a pro in the sport.

Have you been talked into making a change in your diet? Decided to go Vegan, Paleo or Keto? Did someone sell you on the promise of weight loss and greater performance as a benefit of making this radical change in your diet? Are you hoping to become “fat adapted”?  Richard Diaz asked Matt Fitzgerald, author of The Endurance Diet, Diet Cults and Racing Weight to come on and share some thoughts on the topic of fad dieting.  Before you do anything you may regret learning into you're “A” race, you may want to hear what he had to say.

Ever wonder about the use or potential benefits of wearing compression wear in a Spartan Race or Tough Mudder? Does it help circulation while running, does it help with recovery? Whats your take on the subject?  Zoe Szczepanek asks these questions of Coach Richard Diaz. Be warned these are opinions and they may not be shared or validated by any of the manufactures in question. Many claims are made on the increase of circulation, recovery and injury abatement, you be the judge. Learn More at www.naturalrunningnetwork.com   

The most common questions presented to me (Coach Richard Diaz) is “what Running Shoes Should I Buy”?  One would expect that my answer might be to name off a particular brand.  In this episode, we try to address the How to and what to look for when looking to purchase your next pair of running shoes so that you the inquisitive OCR athlete or Runner can make a better informed decision.  One that makes sense for you, beyond all the marketing hype you have to sift through.  The answer may surprise you or maybe not.  If you've been a follower of this podcast, you may already know the answer.  If not, it pays to listen as Zoe Szczapanek poses the questions and Richard Diaz provides his opinion.  This was a fun episode! Learn More... www.naturalrunningnetwork.com   

Have you ever asked yourself… "Am I doing too much, training too hard too often?” In this episode, Richard Diaz interviews Lennard Zinn and Chris Case the authors of - The Haywire Heart a book that reveals… How too much exercise can kill you, and what you can do to protect your heart. We all take pride in our athletic accomplishments, participating in Spartan Race and Tough Mudder, Ultra Marathons etc., we work hard to achieve lofty goals. This interview will make you pause and think which was my goal, not to scare you to death but to simply consider the consequences of pushing your body to hard too often.

Kirk DeWindt is the real deal. He may have done his stint on reality TV on various episodes of The Bachelor but when it comes to athletic prowess, Kirk is ready to bring it.  He has had some success early in Spartan Race events but this is the year he intends to show the world what he's capable of.  Of course, I had to dig to satisfy my curiosity regarding the reality show experiences so regardless what may be your curiosity where Kirk DeWindt is concerned this is an unvarnished interview with “The Bachelor turned Spartan”.

Meet Zoe Szczepanek, the new co-host to the Natural Running Network Podcast. Anyone who has attended a Spartan Race or Tough Mudder has most likely seen her.  What you may not know is that she has an on going battle with a debilitating hip injury associated with her lust for competition.  Zoe comes clean and shares her story, how she was injured, The mistakes she's made and how she has taken an aggressive approach n her road to rehabilitation so that she can get back to running and the sport she loves, intelligently and for years to come. www.naturalrunningnetwork.co

One of most favorite things to do and most popular for our audience is to answer questions!  At the end of the day, most obstacle course racing athletes who tune into our show do so to pck up training tips and pearls of wisdom.  What could be better than to come ont our show and pose your questions live?  If you're too shy, simply write your questions down on our social media feeds @zoeszcz or @diazhp and we'll try to address them during the show. The best questions qqualify to win a free Virtual Video Gait Analysis by Coach (Me) Diaz, a $175.00 value.  if you love Spartan race or Tough Mudder, even if you just love Running.  You don't want to miss this show!

Faye Stenning is arguably the fiercest competitor on the Spartan Race circuit. Aside from her racing career, she runs a successful OCR coaching business.  To her credit, her openness to step outside her experience to learn from her colleagues provided some powerful insight for her leading into the 2018 OCR Race Season. Faye recently attended Richard Diaz's OCR Run Clinic in Southern California in this episode Faye shares her opinion as it relates to this experience and visit to "The Secret Lab".  This also marks the introduction to our new Co-Host Zoe(whats her name)Szczepanek who we are pleased to have onboard.

Its been weeks since our last podcast, forgive me.  I had a big birthday and left the country to celebrate followed by a few weeks on the road putting on running clinics but... We're Back!  In this episode (to be continued in the next episode) we discuss: What it feels like to hit the wall in a Marathon and how to avoid it.First steps in prepping for the new OCR season, what to do and why.Its a relatively short episode but we're coming back to nail the New Season topic in just a few days, don't miss it!

The Natural Running Network has consistently delivered cutting edge information for endurance athletes for a bit over 5 years with over 300 episodes doled out weekly.  As a show of gratittude we decided to host a Black Friday "Best of Episodes" contest. The winners will recieve gifts ranging from free entry into diaz human performance's OCR Run Clinics (valued up to $500) and gift certificates to Human Octane, the finest OCR Training and Racing apparel.  Three episodes were elected, during this show we will announce the winners and play snippets from these three episodes.  If you are a fan of our podcast, you'll enjoy hearing three of the best by popular demand. #naturalrunningcoach  #diazhumanperformance  #humanoctane

What do you get when you mix an American flag with a Canadian? You get an US “Ay” instead of a USA!  Team US-Ay members Miguel Medina and Austin Azar join us to share thoughts on their 2nd place finish at Worlds Toughest Mudder and the conversation goes way of point. For example, whats the dating scene look like for the studdly Canadian?  Will he move to the States? Listen to shared comments about the state of Worlds Toughest Mudder given the shift in prize purses and a whole lot more.  Honestly, this was a fun conversation.  I dare you to listen and keep a straight face!

It may seem like a heavy statement to say “The Fittest Runner I've Ever met” but in all the years of assessing the fitness of athletes (over two decades) this runner, Blue Benadum has consistently tested off the charts in a VO2max test, I'm talking over 85 mls/kg/min!  To put this in perspective,  a score that high would rank in the top 1% of the fittest athletes in the world. This does not necessarily mean the top performer in a category but, Blue is no slouch. He won the Lake Tahoe Triple Marathon (3 consecutive marathons over 3 days) with an average finish of under 2:55 each. At the conclusion of the final marathon (which was the fastest) he executed 100 air squats and 100 pushups on there finish line!  This weekend he'll participate in an IronManTriathlon with less than 9 weeks of preparation on a borrowed bike.  You got to hear the entire story~

I've often spoke of the importance of dedicating time to MSD sessions in each training week. They will not only keep you sharp, fine tune your running skills but if you're not already doing them, it may be the reason you can't seem to break through your performance plateau's. If you are currently dong what you've been told are speed workouts at the track and you are not doing or don't understand the nature of the motor skill development drills explained in this podcast, all of your hard work will ultimately yield little progress. The process I'll explain in this episode, taken to heart has the potential to bring your performance to the next level and well beyond expectation.  If you're a runner, if you compete in Spartan Races or Tough Mudder, you do not want to miss this episode.  

The beginning of this episode starts out with some high opinionated commentary about the state of OCR, bad decisions made by Tough Mudder, followed with curiosities regarding the direction taken by Spartan Race.  Once thats done, Shan Kahn and I discuss the importance of getting the numbers right with training; how much volume to take on, the intensity, how heart rate plays into all of this when planning for a race, diet and a lot more!  If you stick through the opening chatter, you'll get some good advise to help you train smarter, not harder!

It may seem like a play on words but Allison Tai is one Tough Mudder in every sense of the phrase.  Just recently coming off of the win at The Spartan Ultra Beast World Championships this year (2017), she is setting her sites on the win at The Toughest Mudder World Championship in a matter of weeks.  Her story is one of fables, having been taken out by a car while riding her bike, suffering a broken back, hip and arm to return to ultra endurance racing is simply amazing.  We talk with Allison about her goals, her desire to break 100 miles at WTM and the competition. 

Did you barely survive or thrive when crossing the finish line this weekend at Spartan Race World Championships Tahoe? Richard Diaz and Shan Khan dive into what was seen from those finishing the race, how ankle stability and foot strength is crucial to these distances, when and how you should start training for an endeavor like this, how grip intensive it was along with talk about what the live feed and the weekends event does for the future of OCR, and much more. Does single malt Scotch really help out the pre-race prep? You won't want to miss this.

The Obstacle Course Racing Season has a few big events over the next few weeks with Spartan World Championships this weekend, followed by OCR World Championships and Toughest Mudder but once these events wind down, what then? Are you planning an Off Season?  What will that look like, will you take a few weeks, months off to recover and prepare?  What will you do instead of racing or is it your plan to continue racing where ever you can find a venue?  Shan Khan and I visit this topic and discuss the options.  If you have put in a solid year of racing this episode is for you,

Before Natural Running was Vogue, before Born to Run, there was Pose Running. Almost cult like, Dr. Nicholas Romanov had spent a lifetime studying the way we should be running. Much of what he created is difficult to refute. It was fun to have a chance to discuss his theories and compare them to my own.  This interview was conducted over 2 years ago but I thought it was worth bringing back out for those who have not heard it. Enjoy!

Aside from hosting this podcast, Richard Diaz is one of the most saught after running mechanics in the world of Obstacle Racing.  Many of the elite professional athltetes from the sport count on him for advice and training support, too many to mention.  Durning this episode, he and his co host Shan Khan plan to accept live callers and field questions. Topics include: Running gait issues... how to transition from heel striking to forefoot runningStride length vs cadenceDealing with nagging injuries and preventionheart rate specific trainingHydration and feeding strategiesand much much more... ?The Spartan World Championships and Worlds Toughest Mudder Championships are right around the corner, If you are competing in these or other similar events, ere's your chance to gain some expert advice!  www.natruralrunningnetwork.com

He seems to come out of nowhere, when people start to wonder where he's been, then like a wrecking ball, he destroys the competition.  Tough Mudder recently released its CBS debut of the new format in OCR competition, Tough Mudder X coined as the toughest mile on earth and offered $25,000 in a winner take all event.  Hunter made short work of the preliminary and then bettered his time by nearly a minute in the finals to take home the cash.  Then on to The US OCR Championships and once again Hunter succeeded over a highly competitive field to win both the short and long course events.  

Stefanie Bishop is the real deal. Last year she literally ran away with the WORLDS TOUGHEST MUDDER CHAMPIONSHIP, this year as a tune up she participated in THE WORLD ADVENTURE RACING CHAMPIONSHIP.  Never heard of it?  Feature yourself and a team of companions with a map and compass braving 450+ miles through some of the most tortuous terrain and weather conditions imaginable with a goal of completion in 6 days. That's how Stef gets her kicks.  Learn more about this adventure and her plans to defend her title and secure the prize money by pushing past 100 miles in 24 hours of hellish obstacles.

We often speak of “proper running” and when we invoke this term, its often met with controversy. Its time to put the quibbling to bed. Our guest, Dr Irene Davis is one the most respected authorities on the subject of running biomechanics. She does not pull her punches when it comes to running and what she refers to as “Running Evolution”. For many, this interview will be hard hitting and will at minimum, cause the heel strikers to pause and reflect not only on the way they approach their running but on running shoe selection.  Who is Irene Davis? Dr. Irene Davis is the founding Director of the Spaulding National Running Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School. She received her Bachelors degree in Exercise Science from the University of Massachusetts, and in Physical Therapy from the University of Florida. She earned her Masters degree in Biomechanics from the University of Virginia, and her PhD in Biomechanics from Pennsylvania State University. She is a Professor Emeritus in Physical Therapy at the University of Delaware where she served on the faculty for over 20 years.  Dr. Davis' research has focused on the relationship between lower extremity structure, mechanics and injury. She is interested in the mechanics of barefoot running and its effect on injury rates, and is a barefoot runner herself. Along with gait analysis, her research encompasses dynamic imaging and modeling. Heres a brief overview of what will be discussed: Barefoot running, should you do it, where and how often?Running shoe design, whats the right shoe to wear?Is it okay to heel strike?What is the preferred approach, heel, mid or forefoot stride?

Nothing is more disheartening to an Obstacle Racer than an ankle inversion sprain weeks before that next big “A” race. Join Richard Diaz and his guest Dr Steve Capobianco Medical Director for Rock Tape as they discuss an easy ”do it yourself” treatment that can save you from serious down time away from training and racing. We'll also discuss joint mobility and how this technique can be used to enhance range of motion. #rockfloss #diazhumanperformance

I did this interview about a year ago but I wanted to bring it out of the archive because Doc Kaufman has some great advice for grip strength, dealing with blisters and basically everything you need to know about getting a good climb on! For those who are not paying attention; Doc Kaufman is part of  "The Wolf Pack" a team of professional climbers who were a dominating force on "American Ninja Warrior". Noah and I traded interviews, I on his show and he on mine. He was fascinated with the sport of Obstacle Racing and is a life long climber and E.R.  Physician. Suffice to say; he knows a bit about injuries and how to treat them.

For  years I've spent countless hours trying to unravel the truth behind what is considered to be proper running mechanics. Over the past 5 years I've been fortunate to have one the most innovative podiatrists in the world to use as a sound board. Dr Emily Splichal the founder of Evidence Based Fitness is back on with us again to share her knowledge and this time, we did deep and provide answers to the questions I am often posed with. How do I deal with my nagging (fill in the blank) running related injuries?Is there a right and a wrong way to run?What exercises are best to develop my core strength and much more… If you are a runner, an obstacle course athlete or even a fitness enthusiast, you can't afford not to listen to the podcast!

As many of you fans are aware (if you follow the sport of obstacle racing), Tough Mudder came out of the box with a new product... Tough Mudder-X which was a stadium style short course, action packed, high intensity event. The field was tight and packed with stud and studettes from the OCR and Cross-Fit communites. The promo was relatively hush, hush but now that its done and the program is slated to air on CBS in August we can talk a little about it.  Given the winners were posted all over social media, I think its safe to offer a congratulations to my friend and client, Hunter McIntyre for taking the win. Before you get too excited, this episode does not cover the race. It is an interview I did with Hunter a few months prior.  I felt it might be interesting to revisit his mindset leading into this new event.  Full disclosure: we knew of this event at the time of this initial broadcast.

If you want to perform optimally in a Spartan Race, Tough Mudder or any Running event for that matter; it's important that you address the WAY you run before you concern yourself with HOW MUCH you run. There is quite a bit of confusion that exists in relation to running stride frequency vs. heart rate. It seems for many to attain a desired higher cadence can only come with a greater less efficient cost of work. Coach Diaz has asked his wing man Miguel Medina to join him as he attempts to shed light on proper running mechanics and unravel the cadence/heart rate frustration.

I love Peanut butter and Jelly. Jelly's nice but never as tasty as when its combined with its soul mate peanut butter.  Every Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, or any obstacle course style athlete knows that to be successful in the sport you need to be a proficient as possible as a runner. Of course, if you can't navigate through the obstacles without failure, this too is problematic. In this podcast, Yancy Culp, the founder and principle coach for Yancy Camp and I (Coach Richard Diaz) have come up with what we feel is an excellent opportunity for those that seek solutions to these aforementioned challenges.  You'll need to listen to the show to find out what it is!