Podcast appearances and mentions of Neely Spence Gracey

"It was pressure I put on myself. Because I saw other athletes and I wanted to be part of that, okay, look, I want to prove that they did the right thing supporting me during my pregnancy, and now I'm going to come back for them." Neely Spence Gracey ran professionally for eight years after a lot of success as a collegiate runner in the D2 program at Shippensburg University. She has two kids, has coached hundreds of athletes through her business, Get Running, and ran FOUR marathons in 2024 alone. In this episode, we caught up with Neely toward the beginning of 2025 and talked about all the things:  Her transition from high school success to collegiate running at Shippensburg University, a D2 program in Pennsylvania Why she started her run coaching business while still running professionally  Her two different experiences with pregnancy and running How she approached getting back to running postpartum with her second kid to try to avoid some of those injuries How long it took her to feel “normal” again on the run, and running and racing postpartum after her professional contracts ended Training between her qualifying race (CIM 2022) and the Olympic Trials in 2024 What she realized while training for the 2024 Olympic Trials marathon Her year of 4 marathons in 2024!  A race recap from her 2:33 at CIM 2024 Her 2025 goals For more from Lane 9, where we talk about REDs, period health, nutrition, and mental health, go to Lane9project.org. To connect with a Lane 9 clinician or coach, click on "Driectory", and to get in touch, click on "Contact". We'd love to hear from you! Follow Neely @neelysgracey on IG.  @Lane9Project on IG and Blue.Sky

In this episode, Amanda, Nick, Carrie, and Cindy discuss the importance of mental skills coaching in athletics, emphasizing the need to coach the whole human. They explore the role of mental resilience, the significance of support systems for injured athletes, and the importance of celebrating milestones in athletic journeys. The conversation also touches on the journey of writing the book 'Rebound' and the various mantras that can help athletes maintain a positive mindset. Ultimately, they highlight the essence of resilience in sports and the need for a supportive community. -------------------------------- (00:00) Introduction and Banter (04:35) The Importance of Coaching the Whole Human (19:38) The Journey to Writing 'Rebound' (24:58) Collaboration and Storytelling in Recovery (26:55) Understanding Athlete Needs (29:43) Mantras for Mental Resilience (35:27) Coaching Mindset and Athlete Support (39:27) Supporting Athletes Through Injuries (47:04) Celebrating Milestones in Athletic Journeys (52:19) The Importance of Resilience in Athletics (58:05) Interview Questions --------------------------------------- Carrie Jackson is a performance and mental training expert, a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, and the author of On Top of Your Game: Mental Skills to Maximize Your Athletic Performance. She's one of the world's foremost authorities on the mental and emotional challenges of recovering from injury. She co-authored the book Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, and is the co-host of the widely regarded podcast The Injured Athletes Club.    With a bachelor's in psychology, a masters in sport psychology, and over 2 decades of experience in sport and performance psychology, Carrie's thought leadership on mental training is the gold standard in the athletic world. Her insights have been featured in multiple media outlets including Runner's World, Outside Magazine, New York Times, Washington Post, U.S. News and World Report, and Huffington Post to name a few.     Carrie works with athletes and exercisers of all levels from recreational athletes to elite and professional athletes competing at national and international levels. Between her one-on-one coaching and team consulting, she has worked with thousands of athletes and coaches on mastering their mindsets so they can perform with less pressure, more consistency, and enjoy the process. Through her coaching programs she brings mindset training tools that help shift focus from anxiety and self-doubt to resilience and confidence impacting business and life too! Athletes experiencing performance anxiety can put so much pressure on themselves that they sabotage their own performance. Carrie is on a mission to help athletes challenge their limiting beliefs, regain confidence in their gifts and fall in love with their sport again.  Cindy Kuzma is a Chicago-based journalist with a specialty in sports, fitness, and health. Her work has appeared in Runner's World, SELF, The New York Times, Women's Running, Chicago Magazine, and many other print and online publications. In addition to Rebound, she's the co-author (with Neely Spence Gracey) of Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart. She's completed 23 marathons and also likes to lift heavy things or fumble awkwardly through yoga classes every once in a while. She studied journalism at Baylor University and has a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, along with additional coursework in anatomy, physiology, and biology. She lives in the Andersonville neighborhood with her husband Matt and two cats/interns, Mushaboom and Tuna. Carrie Website Cindy Website Injured Athletes Club Carrie IG Cindy Kuzma IG ---------------------------------- Contact us: Amanda - ⁠@amanda_katzz⁠ Nick - ⁠@nklastava⁠ Buy Me A Coffee Email - betweentwocoaches@gmail.com

Neely Spence Gracey has represented team USA five times including the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the Pan American Games. In college, she was an 8x NCAA DII National Champion. Neely was the top American at the 2016 Boston Marathon and the 11th American female ever to break 70 minutes in the half marathon. She also set the world record for the fastest stroller mile with a time of 5:24! After taking time away from competitive running to have her two boys, Athens (5) and Rome (2), Neely just ran a personal best time of 2:30 in the marathon and qualified for her fourth Olympic Trials.  Neely has been coaching runners for a decade and has helped 1,000 athletes reach their running goals! In this episode, Neely shares his favorite interval workouts in fantastic detail! You can follow Neely at www.instagram.com/neelysgracey. --- Sponsors ASICS - Check out my favorite footwear brand, and the new Metaspeed Sky and Edge Paris racers that are out and they are amazing! Check them out at www.asics.com. SAYSKY - What makes SAYSKY different from other apparel brands is our will to support sub-elite athletes; those whom we call “everyday heroes” – people who are joggling work, friends, and family, but still have the time and dedication to train hard and have fun along the way. This mentality is what SAYSKY celebrates and something our community can relate to. Also, their gear is insanely durable and will last for years and years. Go to www.saysky.us to see all of their offerings and use code "RAMBLING15" to save 15% on your purchase. Peregrune - I've been using Peregrune supplements, including their Runner Multivitamin and Runner Joint, everyday since 2023 and for good reason. They are NSF and third-party tested. They are also for runner, created by runners. Save 15% on your purchase at www.peregrune.com by using code "RAMBLING" at checkout. Baystate Marathon - "For Runners, By Runners" is the mantra of this fantastic race. They have experienced pacers at the Boston Qualifier times and consistently qualify ~30% of the field as its a fast, flat course with phenomenal on course support. The 2023 Baystate Marathon was ranked #15 in the top 50 BQ marathons by FindMyMarathon.com. Use code "rambling" for $10 any distance at www.baystatemarathon.com. --- Rambling Runner Resources Personalized Coaching - Are you looking to work with a running coach? I am here for you! I've been working with runners of all ages and abilities for five years - from newer runners, masters runners looking to PR, and folks hoping to break 3:00 in the marathon. You can learn more by going to www.mckirdytrained.com, where I coach, or by emailing me at ramblingrunnerpodcast@gmail.com. Rambling Runner Run Club - I am excited to announce a new venture that I've been thinking about creating for over a year. This is a place to interact with fellow runners, catch-up on the latest in the running world, and learn from your fellow amateur runners. In addition, each month I will host conversations, interview people from across the running world, and share interesting and insightful content. Join us here - https://rambling-runner-run-club.mn.co/landing/plans/1433028. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professional distance and marathon runner Neely Spence Gracey has been a competitive runner since she was in her teens and running has been a part of her life since she was born: both of her parents were competitive runners, and her father was an internationally competitive marathoner. In recent years, however, Neely's running focus and motivation has shifted, in large part because she began to balance new priorities. In addition to remaining committed to being an elite level competitor, Neely wanted to become a mom. This story follows Neely's running career from the high highs of her phenomenal 2016 debut in the marathon, through to today, including becoming the mother of two boys, Rome and Athens. Her journey has been full of ups and downs, but as the uncertainties that come with pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding have come to pass, Neely finds herself appreciating running in new ways and finding competitive fun in unexpected places. Along the way, Neely has set a world record in the stroller mile, she's had some epic races at Disney World, and she's earned her way into Olympic Trails Marathon, which will happen February 3, 2024. Keep Up with Neely Spence Gracey Instagram: @neelysgracie Twitter: @neelysgracey Mentioned in This Episode Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart by Neely Spence Gracey and Cindy Kuzma Starting Line 1928 podcast JAMBAR energy bars WRS episode: Jennifer Maxwell: Running to Her Own Beat WRS episode: Maegan Krifchin: An Epic Marathon PR Story Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Twitter: @WomenRunStories Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/

Ready to hit the ground running with an episode that's all about breaking records and finding joy? Our special guest, Neely Spence Gracey is not just an elite runner; she's a Guinness World Record holder, a mom, and a true trailblazer in her field. This champion bolted past the finish line pushing a stroller, setting a new record for the fastest mile run with a stroller. Fasten your seatbelts as we sprint through a conversation that's sure to leave you energized and inspired.We're not just talking about running in this episode; we're talking about the journey. Our guest shares her experiences, from the highs of crushing world records to the lows of facing challenges. We'll hear about her training process, the role her son, Rome, played, and the support she received from Adidas and Guava Family. We also take a look at her refreshing approach to women's running, which includes lacing up in a Moana costume and embracing the fun and whimsy that comes with runDisney events.As we catch our breath, we'll take a coffee break (our guest shares her preferences) and get into her new book. This isn't just a quick read but rather a guide that breaks down goal setting, nutrition, and strength training and even delves into the specifics of female athlete hormones. Get your autographed copy here and don't forget to check out her incredible "world-record-breaking" gear on her Instagram post here.  So, lace up your running shoes and get ready to break records (or at least your personal best) with the inspiring stories and practical tips in this power-packed episode.Support the showJoin the newsletter list to receive updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Want to become a member of Time for bRUNch+ to show your support of the show? Join here.Join the bRUNch bunch on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.

What do you mean we have read another 10 books? Already?! Well then we are due for another reflection on the things we remember, and how all this reading helped us. Here are the books we chat about in this episode:Breakthrough Women's Running, by Neely Spence Gracey and Cindy KuzmaRunning The Orient, by Gavin BoyterRunning Throughout Time, by Roger RobinsonChase That Smile, by Harold CabreraDepression Hates a Moving Target, by Nita SweeneyOn Pace, by Matt FitzgeraldEndure, by Alex HutchinsonCatch Me If You Can, by Filbert BayiRunning With The Kenyans, by Adharanand FinnHow She Did It, by Molly Huddle and Sara Slattery Any feedback or suggestions on this review or any of our other podcast episodes would be greatly welcomed. Leave us a review using your favorite podcast player or contact us on social media.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runningbookreviews/Twitter: https://twitter.com/reviews_runningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningbookreviews/Podcast webpage: https://runningbookreviews.buzzsprout.com  If you have been enjoying the podcast and are wondering how you can help us out, you can now buy us a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AlanSupport the show

Carrie chats with Neely Spence Gracey and Cindy Kuzma! The co-authors of "Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart" discuss their book, their journeys into running, Neely's adventures in coaching, Cindy's adventures in writing and podcasting, and so much more!

Neely Spence Gracey is not just another online running coach. Running is literally in her blood. Her dad, Steve Spence, was a 2:12 marathoner and won a bronze medal at the 1991 World Championships. Steve coached Neely throughout HS and college before Neely turned pro herself. She finished 13th in the world at the World Cross Country Championships in 2013 and has PRs of 15:25 for 5K, 1:09:59 for 5K, and 2:34:55 for the marathon. She could have walked away from the sport after having two kids and losing a part of her identity in the process but she's still out there coaching and trying to qualify for her 4th Olympic Trials. About a week after recording this podcast Neely ran a 1:12:33 half as part of her comeback. In this episode we discuss her career highlights, how she trained, how she was coached, and her take on various issues related to performance and balancing running with the rest of our lives. —————————If you're enjoying the podcast and want to show your support, please rate or write a review on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/steadfast-running/id1457597546—————————Venmo Tip jar: @jonathan-mederos —————————Watch on YouTube:Check back later (coming soon) ——————————Subscribe to my free newsletter:www.steadfastrunning.weebly.com——————————Join the Facebook Group:https://m.facebook.com/groups/1172744296673959/——————————Join the Strava run club:https://www.strava.com/clubs/1062468Or search for “SteadFast Running”———————————To connect with Neely: Instagram: @neelysgraceyWebsite: https://getrunningcoaching.com/———————————To connect with me (Jonathan Mederos)Instagram: @steadfast_running Twitter: @coachmederosEmail: run12795@gmail.com

Breakthrough Women's Running is a guide written by Neely Spence Gracey and Cindy Kuzma to help get female runners to their next breakthrough in running, regardless of their running ability. The book is divided into 4 parts and covers everything from goal setting to training plans you can follow for the 5k through marathon distances. In between it covers female specific challenges like training at different times during your menstrual cycle, running through pregnancy, and coming back to running post-partum and while breastfeeding. The book also covers a lot of the basics like recovery and strength training.Neely Spence Gracey began running in eight grade and quickly saw success, which deepened her motivation to pursue big goals. At the high school level she won four Pennsylvania state championships. Upon graduation, she attended Shippensburg University (SU) and became an eight-time Division II national champion. During Neely's time at SU, she studied human communication with a coaching minor because she knew she wanted to become a pro athlete and start coaching other runners toward their goals. In 2012 Neely signed her first pro contract and married her husband Dillon, in 2013 Get Running Coaching was born; Neely and Dillon are now also the proud parents of 2 boys: Athens born in 2018, and Rome born in 2021. Neely is inspired by the running community to keep working toward her goals as an athlete, coach, and mother.Cindy Kuzma is a freelance writer, author, and podcaster; a regular contributor to Runner's World, Women's Running, and a wide variety of other sports, fitness, and health publications; and the coauthor of Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger From Sports Injuries. Cindy specializes in covering injury prevention and recovery, everyday athletes who accomplish extraordinary things, and the active community in Chicago. She has run 22 marathons—including seven in Boston—and she never gets tired of plotting her next breakthrough.If you are looking to get a copy of this book, it can be found on the Human Kinetics Website: https://us.humankinetics.com/products/breakthrough-womens-runningIf you are interested in a copy signed by Neely, you can get it on her website:  https://getrunningcoaching.com/shirts/autographed-copy-breakthrough-womens-runningIf you would like to follow Neely, she is @neelysgracey on Instagram and Twitter.Cindy Kuzma can be found at http://cindykuzma.com or on Instagram and Twitter @cindykuzma. On her website you will find a full portfolio of articles, podcast appearances, and books!Big thank you to Human Kinetics for providing review copies of the book. And an even bigger thank you to Neely and Cindy for spending time with us to record the podcast.Any feedback or suggestions on this review or any of our other podcast episodes would be greatly welcomed. Leave us a review using your favorite podcast player or contact us on social media.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runningbookreviews/Twitter: https://twitter.com/reviews_runningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningbookreviews/Podcast webpage: https://runningbookreviews.buzzsprout.com If you have been enjoying the podcast and are wondering how you can help us out, you can now buy us a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AlanSupport the show

In this episode I have the pleasure of chatting with Neely Spence Gracey about her experience running at a high level as a mom, what it was like making the transition into motherhood as a runner, and all about her new book: Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart. Thank you InsideTracker for sponsoring today's episode! For 20% off your InsideTracker purchase, visit https://www.insidetracker.com/fitcookie. To learn more about my Strong Runner Academy Group Coaching Program, visit https://www.fitcookienutrition.com/groupcoaching.

Our first guest is Neely Spence Gracey. She is an American professional long distance runner. She attended Shippensburg University and won 8 NCAA Division II Titles. She was the top American female at the 2016 Boston Marathon. She currently lives and trains in Boulder, Colorado where she is a coach for Get Running Coaching, wife and mother of two children, and co-author of the book Breakthrough Women's Running. In this episode, we talk about Neely's personal history as a runner, her experience and thoughts on coaching, and we dive deep into her book Breakthrough Women's Running where we discuss goal setting, overcoming setbacks, and care of the postpartum athlete. What we talked about: 2:15- Introduction to Neely 3:30- Some of Neely's favorite memories in the sport 8:55- Mistakes that young athletes make 15:20- Her main philosophy as a coach 20:20- Process goals versus outcome goals 23:15- How different life changes have impacted her outlook on running 26:35- Naming her book, Breakthrough Women's Running 29:30- Postpartum running 49:35- Upcoming goals and race plans 52:25- Encouraging athletes to feel their feelings 1:01:40- Where to find Neely's book Show notes: Get Running Coaching Website Purchase Neely's book: Breakthrough Women's Running Neely on Instagram References: Donnelly G, et al. Reframing return-to-sport postpartum: the 6 R's framework. British Journal of Sports Medicine 2022;56(5):244-5. Goom T, Donnelly G, Brockwell E. Return to running postnatal - guidelines for medical, health, and fitness professionals managing this population. 2019. Connect with the Ready to Run Podcast: Ready to Run Podcast on Instagram Ready to Run Website Follow SandyBoy Productions: Sandyboy Productions on Twitter Sandyboy Productions on Instagram SandyBoy Productions Shows: Why is Everyone Yelling? I'll Have Another Podcast The Illuminate Podcast The Herban Farmacy Podcast

In this episode, we recommended the following books: How She Did It: Stories, Advice and Secrets to Success from 50 Legendary Distance Runners by Molly Huddle and Sara SlatteryRunning While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport that Wasn't Built for Us by Alison Mariella DésirBreakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Run Smart, by Neely Spence Gracey and Cindy KuzmanNext Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals through Menopause and Beyond by Stacey Sims and Selene YeagerWe also mentioned Hear Her Sports, specifically the episode featuring Stacey Sims: http://www.hearhersports.com/#/ep123-dr-stacy-sims-author-of-roar/And we mentioned Cherie & Elizabeth Talk Sports: Submit your story for consideration to be included on a future Strides Behind the Mic episode: we're excited to share stories from you, the listener. Each Strides Behind the Mic episode, we will share three listener stories. Please record yourself telling a 1-3 minute story related to the prompt "Share a memorable moment from a recent run" and email it to Strides Forward producer Cherie at clouiseturner@gmail.com.  You can also use the form on our websiteBe sure to include details about why this moment was so memorable. Please share where in the world you were running, and if you want to, please include your name. Have questions about how to record yourself and email your recording, please feel free to email Cherie, clouiseturner@gmail.com. Visit Strides Forward on our websiteCatch up with us on Instagram and Twitter: at both, we're @StridesForward

Ready to focus on a running goal like your first half marathon or a Boston qualifying time? This podcast is for you! Dimity and co-host Sarah Wassner Flynn talk to two running experts: Neely Spence Gracey and Cindy Kuzma, co-authors of just-released Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart, a comprehensive how-to guide on finding your own breakthrough as a runner. Among other things, the conversation covers: —The ideal timeline for achieving a goal (hint: it's likely longer than you think!); —How setbacks often set you up for a breakthrough; —Why social media can actually be advantageous as you consider goals and dreams; and —The progress we're (slowly) making towards giving pregnant runners sound advice. When you shop our sponsors, you help AMR. We appreciate your—and their—support!   Feel supported: Save 15% at Handful.com with promo code HandfulAMR15 Pretty as…: Save 15% off your first order using promo code AMR at Framebridge.com Hop to it: Save 25% off your first purchase at jiminys.com/AMR25 and use code AMR25 at checkout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When I first got pregnant, I was like, ‘Oh, it's just like a big injury. You slowly lose fitness, and then you eventually have to stop altogether. And then you take some time off, then you get back to it once you're healed and recovered.' And I was pretty far off. I feel like it definitely was a different process, because you are physically changing and emotionally changing and mentally changing on top of not being able to run. On the other side of it, I feel like I came out a different person.”   About a year after Neely Spence Gracey's first son was born, she found herself in a difficult spot. What she'd envisioned as a swift, strong return to running wasn't going as planned. She was injured, anxious, and while she loved Athens with all her heart, struggling to balance the demands of being a pro athlete, coach, and new mom.   Now, she has two sons—Rome was born in June 2021—and a whole new perspective. While she's still rebuilding from her second pregnancy, she now knows the process may take longer than she'd planned. But she's OK with that; her competitive fire still burns, and she's committed to taking care of herself and her family even as she keeps her sights set on big goals.   Neely is the co-author—with Cindy—of a new book called Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart. In the book, and in this week's episode, she talks about what a breakthrough means, and why standout performance might look different in different phases; how injury and pregnancy both alter an athlete's identity; and how to keep making progress toward your goals no matter what life throws at you.   New this season: We're asking listeners to support the show directly, which you can do at buymeacoffee.com/rebound. Make a one-time donation or download extras like webinar recordings and resource sheets. Or, you can join as an ongoing member; for $10 a month, you'll get goodies like podcast extras, live monthly Q&As with Carrie, and discounts from great companies like Fluid Running, Lever Running, Netic Health, and Reflex Health.      You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show.   Resources/links: Neely's website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook  Neely's book, for which Cindy is co-author: Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart   To access more resources for injured athletes: Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook! Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback   DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.

We're talking with Neely Spence Gracey today all about her story as a mother, professional runner, entrepreneur and now author. She shares a lot about her journey back to racing after her first and then how things got a little diverted after finding out she was pregnant with her second. She shares what she learned the first time around to make her second pregnancy better. She's also sharing about her new book "Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big Train Smart" which launches April 30, 2022. You can visit this link to purchase it! https://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Womens-Running-Dream-Train/dp/1718206917/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BWM6O2YYW1B0&keywords=breakthrough+running&qid=1649394481&sprefix=breakthrough+runnin%2Caps%2C389&sr=8-1

Neely Spence Gracey is a professional marathoner for Adidas, a business owner and coach (Get Running Coaching), the author of the new book Breakthrough Women's Running, and a mom of two. We talk about how having less time has been surprisingly helpful for her running, how training by effort has relieved her race anxiety, how she appreciates each phase of life as it comes, and how you don't need the ideal conditions for success. This interview was done as research for the book I'm writing about the mental lessons learned and practiced in running and motherhood. I'm sharing these recordings so you can come along in this book writing process with me! Learn more at mindovermilespod.com. Original music by Joseba Brit.

Neely Spence Gracey and Cindy Kuzma know a thing or two about setting and achieving goals.  Neely is a three-time Olympic Trials qualifier and has her sights set on qualifying for the Trials in 2024.  She was the top American at the 2016 Boston Marathon and has broken 70 minutes in the half.  Cindy is a writer, author and podcaster who has helped countless athletes come back from injury with her book Rebound and her Injured Athletes Club podcast. They've teamed up to write Breakthrough Women's Running: Dream Big and Train Smart, drawing on their personal experiences and those of the successful women runners they interviewed.  Their objective is to help women achieve their running goals and to recognize the ways that those goals can - and should - change throughout their lives. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode289. Thank you to Athletic Greens, Allbirds, and InsideTracker for sponsoring this episode. AG1 is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients to help strengthen your immune system. It's simple to make and it tastes good! Go here to get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D and five FREE travel packs with your subscription. Allbirds is all about doing things better, like collaborating with Adidas to create a performance running shoe, the FOOTPRINT.FUTURECRAFT, with only 2.94kg CO2 per pair.  Their products are made from natural and recycled materials, and best of all, they know who they are. They are confident in what they do, and are changing the entire running industry before our eyes. You can see their entire collection on their website, and since the FOOTPRINT.FUTURECRAFT is still in limited supply, you can subscribe to our weekly newsletter and we'll let you know when they become more widely available. Have you not been feeling yourself lately? Gone down a lot of avenues but haven't really found clear solutions? That is where InsideTracker can come in for you.  I have trusted this company for years to show me where I may be lacking and if I need a few tweaks here and there. I count on InsideTracker to help me decipher the science behind it all. Go here to get 25% off site wide. Thanks for listening! We know there are so many podcasts you could listen to, and we are honored you have chosen Running For Real.  If you appreciate the work that we do, here are a few things you can do to support us: Take a screenshot of the episode, and share it with your friends, family, and community on social media, especially if you feel that the topic will resonate with them.  Be sure to tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram If you are struggling through something a guest mentions, chances are others are too, and you will help them feel less alone.  Leave an honest review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player. Your ratings and reviews will really help us grow and reach new people. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe?  You can find out here. "Thank you" to Neely and Cindy.  We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Meet May Shek! May first started running in 2009 after moving to Canada for work as a way to expand her friend group. In this episode, we talk about how May went from hating PE to loving running, why she signed up for her first marathon, why finding the right coach is important - FYI she is currently working with Get Running Coaching Services and pro runner coach Neely Spence Gracey - and why paying it forward is important. Instagram - @mayshekrun Strava - May Shek SHOW SOCIAL Instagram - @runnersofhou Instagram - @vickyoddi Facebook - Runners of HOU Facebook Group - Runners of HOU Friends Twitter - @runnersofhou Sign up for the newsletter!

“Why can't I do it all? Why can't I be a mom, a really good mom, be the mom that I want to be, and also be an athlete, a really good athlete, the athlete I want to be?” The last time professional runner and coach Neely Spence Gracey was on the Ali on the Run Show, she had just run her first postpartum marathon after having her son, Athens. She ran a 2:44 at the Houston Marathon and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in the process. A year and a half later, a lot has happened in Neely's life — including another baby! On this episode, Neely offers updates about what it was like running the Marathon Trials last year and what life for her family was like during the pandemic. She talks about getting pregnant, in spite of having an IUD at the time, while she was training for The Marathon Project, and talks honestly about what that surprise was like. Neely talks about her pregnancy run streak, about giving birth to Rome on June 14, and about what postpartum life as a mom of two has been like so far. THE LAST TIME NEELY WAS ON THE SHOW:  Episode 42 Episode 201 SPONSOR: UCAN. Click here and use code ALI for 20% off your entire UCAN order! What you'll get on this episode: On the transition from one to two kids (5:15) All about the names Athens and Rome (7:00) On getting pregnant with an IUD (9:30) What Neely's pregnancy was like (16:55) How Neely recovered from running the Houston Marathon and prepared to run the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2020 (20:30) What the pandemic was like for Neely's family (28:00) What running was like during Neely's pregnancy with Rome (33:50) What labor and delivery was like with Rome (38:00) On experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety (46:45) On returning to running after having Rome (51:45) What's next for Neely? (58:00) What we mention on this episode: Rome's birth story Follow Neely:  Instagram @neelysgracey Facebook Twitter @neelysgracey Blog Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you're enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

This episode features an amazing conversation with Neely Gracey, professional runner, business owner/running coach, and mother of 2! We chat about her experiences with running and pregnancy, one planned and one unplanned during a time of professional running and what this meant for her. We also reflect back on her running in college and importantly discuss her relationship with food throughout the years. Neely shares with us 4 key nutrition messages that have helped her body recover well, run strong, enjoy ice cream with the kids while still keeping performance a priority!   Neely began running in 8th grade, and quickly saw success which deepened her motivation to pursue big goals. It started at the high school level where she won four Pennsylvania State Championships. Upon graduation, she attended Shippensburg University, and became an eight time DII National Champion. During Neely's time at SU, she studied Human Communication with a Coaching Minor because she knew she wanted to become a pro athlete and start coaching other runners towards their goals. In 2012, she signed her first pro contract, and in 2013 Get Running, LLC was born. The business has continued to grow, as has Neely's family, with the addition of a son, Athens, in 2018 and son Rome in 2021. She believes coaching helps inspire her to keep working towards her goals as a runner, coach, and mother. Neely is a 3 time Olympic Trials Qualifier. She was the top American at the 2016 Boston Marathon and is the 11th American female ever to break 70 minutes in the half marathon. Connect with Neely On Instagram @neelysgracey and her run coaching business: www.getrunningcoaching.com This episode is brought to you by the Female Athlete System of Transformation: Click here to Book a Call & learn more Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com

What has been your personal timeline coming back from pregnancy? Were you anxious to get back out on the road or into the workplace? Or did you feel like you could have been happy never leaving the house again? Did you feel pressure to do things that weren’t “just being a mom?” Or did you have mother’s guilt as soon as you left your child in the care of someone else? However you felt, and whatever you ultimately decided to do, it was perfectly okay. As we have seen in the past, many elite mother-runners receive a lot of pressure to get back to running as soon as the baby leaves the womb. This isn’t anything odd for any mother in the United States where women receive less paid time off for maternity leave than any of the other 40+ richest countries in the world. In fact, companies in the US are required to give mothers exactly zero paid time off after becoming mothers. The lowest country after the US? 8 weeks. This can be a difficult culture and corresponding mindset to overcome when returning to life after pregnancy. The fact of the matter is, you aren’t returning to who you used to be after you’ve had a baby. Once you’ve had a child, you are a completely new person. This is something Neely Spence has reiterated as an elite runner who has competed on a national level before and after having her son Athens. Neely started running in 8thgrade and didn’t stop until she became pregnant with Athens. After her pregnancy, Neely managed to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Trials, but her course back to elite running wasn’t without bumps. Read on to learn about Neely’s journey. You Are a New Person When Neely decided to begin running after having Athens, she built up very slowly. Her first workout was ten reps of walking for one minute, running for one minute. Later she started running two minutes for every minute of walking. Neely also avoided doing any workouts for the first six months, taking her progress slow enough to “never hate running.” Eventually she was running without breaks and preparing for races. Still, she says she could have taken things slower. This being her first child, the only thing she could compare her hiatus from running to was previous injuries. Seems to make sense, right? Both require you to stop running for some time, and both affect your body. But childbirth is completely different than a running injury. “When you come back from an injury, you’re still your same person,” says Neely, “When you come back after having a baby, you are not the same at all. You are a completely different person. Learning what that person needs and how that looks is much more challenging because it’s different to each individual.” Not only does your body change, but your entire life changes. As soon as Neely began doing speed workouts, Athens began teething. He went from sleeping like a baby, to, well, sleeping like a baby. Neely felt great building up to those workouts, but the added intensity combined with less sleep wasn’t the best combo. Not long after Neely suffered from shin splints, an injury she hadn’t had since high school, which is common after pregnancy because of the balance shift from carrying a baby. Then shortly after that Neely fractured her femoral neck (the top part of the femur that connects to the hip). This was another reset that Neely went through due to her pregnancy. In the end it took Neely well over a year after having a baby to get back to the type of training she hoped for. Getting back to running turned out to be a completely new experience, something Neely 2.0 had to learn from ground zero. Be Confident in Your Journey When asked about her plans to grow her family, Neely confidently reported that she is not planning on having another baby until she accomplishes her running goals. Of course, she loves Athens and can’t imagine life without him, but she also knows what is best for her. Returning to running after pregnancy taught Neely that everyone has a unique path, one that they should be proud of. Whatever your story, be confident in your journey. No one is quite like you. No one has had the experiences you have. Find your path and take each step forward with certainty. Resources: Neely’s Website Neely on Twitter Neely on Instagram   Thank you to my wonderful sponsor Tracksmith, Generation UCAN, and Athletic Greens for sponsoring this episode of the Running for Real Podcast.   Tracksmith is a Boston based running clothing company that truly cares about the quality and care of their running clothes. Running can be a demanding lifestyle for our clothes, they definitely go through the wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers truly work with the finest materials and think of you as a runner in mind with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel. You can get 15% off your first purchase, click here and enter code TINA.   Generation UCAN has been with me through a lot of my races and in my every day life. This product has been my go to nutritional product for marathon training and racing when I was getting all of my best times. It gives you a steady energy without the sugar, so there are no sugar high or crashes! Use code  TINAMUIR25 for 25% off.   Athletic Greens is a simple and easy way to get 75 vitamins, minerals, and whole food source ingredients. Just to help my immune system be stronger and greater! It is so simple to do and it taste good as well. Now you can get a free travel pack with 20 servings with your first purchase, Visit here to learn more!   Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode. To share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below. Join the Running for Real Facebook Group and share your thoughts on the episode (or future guests you would like to hear from) Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. To help out the show: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews will really help me climb up the iTunes rankings and I promise, I read every single one. Not sure how to leave a review or subscribe, you can find out here. Thank you to Neely, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.

Neely Spence Gracey is not only a superstar runner, she's a superstar person. I met Neely many years ago at the Skirt Sports Half Marathon. She was a young, aspiring runner who was fortunately unsponsored at the time and looking for a training race. I gave her a skirt and a free entry and she won the race handily! I felt like she was a baby just getting ready for a big adventure. Today Neely has a baby! She's also an Adidas sponsored athlete, a world class marathoner, and a hands-on, passionate coach of runners of all levels. I have always appreciated her positive outlook, something that I think we need now more than ever.  Today we talk about: Becoming a runner Breakouts, Burnout & Comebacks The importance of changing things up Her untraditional start to marriage Coaching the coach Pregnancy and running "Life as you know it will end. 100% But for the better" Positive mindset power And so much more For more Neely: Her website: https://www.neelyruns.com/ Follow her on social @neelysgracey

Neely Spence Gracey has running in her blood--her Olympian dad, Steve Spence, was running the Boston Marathon the day she was born and her mom ran that day too! She became a four-time state champion in high school and went on to turn pro after college.  She has qualified for the Olympic Trials three times, but due to injury, hasn't been able to toe the line and race for a spot. Until now. On this episode of Run To The Top, Claire talks with the 2:34 marathoner about journey she has experienced for the past year and a half. From injury, to pregnancy, to qualifying for the Olympic Trials in Atlanta this weekend, she shares it all. Not only that, Neely shares her wisdom for staying focused and healthy; the same tips she gives the athletes she coaches herself. Neely has a wonderful attitude and tremendous insight to performance athletes. We can't wait to cheer her on in Atlanta!   Questions Neely is asked:   3:30 What made you change your mind to go for the Olympic Marathon Trials? 9:34 How was your mental state while you were injured? 12:12 What do you think makes a good coaching relationship? 14:52 What was your experience running through your pregnancy and how do you coach your runners who are pregnant? 21:54 Do you think you will come back stronger post-pregnancy? 23:47 Do you have any stroller-running tips? 26:05 How did you use Walk/Run to ramp back up post-pregnancy? 30:01 How did it feel from an ‘ego’ standpoint to be Walk/Running? 32:45 What are your goals for Atlanta on February 29th? 34:21 What advice would you give yourself back when you started running and weight training? 35:48 What is the best gift running has given you? 37:18 How can people connect with you? Quotes by Neely:   “I was just hoping that either it was going to happen or I was going to be far enough off that that it wasn’t realistic. Because , I did not want to be one of those very heartbreaking, tragic stories of the people who have just missed it by a few seconds.”   “As a coach, I try to really educate my athletes and help them learn about their bodies and build up their confidence and their own intuition of what they should be able to do and what they shouldn’t do.”   “There’s times where you have to push through, there’s times where it’s not a lot of fun. But, there’s also that really key line of when to push and when to not. It’s always better to err on the ‘not’.”   “The biggest thing is every person is so different. That doesn’t change whether you are pregnant or not, whether you’re a male or a female, each athlete is so unique.”   “When we try and force things, when we try and rush things it’s never going to go well. My goal for the year is to not ride that red-line at all, to be really conservative, to listen to my body, to rest when I need to rest, to not force a workout just because I think I have to, to not run that extra 2 miles at the end of a long run if I’m feeling fatigued.” Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel   Mentioned in this podcast:  Run To The Top Winners Circle Facebook Community RunnersConnect Facebook page Use Coupon Code: RUN10 for 10% off Halo Headbands Follow Neely on: Instagram Facebook Twitter neelyruns.com We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top. The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use. The more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, the more I can reach out to and get top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!  

Neely Spence Gracey is a professional runner for Adidas. She was a stand out DII runner for Shippensburg University where she was coached by her dad. She made her marathon debut at the Boston Marathon in 2016 where she was the top American, she ran the New York City Marathon the same year where she placed 8th in a PR of 2:34:55. Neely and her husband welcomed their son, Athens, in the summer of 2018 and Neely just ran her firat poatpartum marathon at Houston, qualifying for the Olympic Trials Marathon on the last day of the qualifying window! Things We Talk About In This Episode - Neely's pre-pregnancy training - Her coaching business Get Running - Her experience with running through pregnancy - Her experience returning to running postpartum - The mother-runner community - Her training for and OTQ at the Houston Marathon a few weeks ago - How her training for the Trials is going Looking forward to seeing Neely in Atlanta later this month and her journey to 2024. --- Follow Neely on Instagram Follow Lauren on Instagram Follow Abby on Instagram --- This episode is sponsored by Lily Trotters. Get 25% off your order at lilytrotters.com with code "UPANDRUNNING"

"There was an incredible amount of pressure that I acknowledged and then just kind of wanted to tuck away in the back of my mind and not pay attention to, because if I let that take over, I would’ve been scrutinizing it, and it would’ve gotten in my head, and I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did."   Rick Powell was the official 2:45 pacer at the 2020 Houston Marathon, who led a group of several dozen women hoping to qualify for the Olympic Trials. On this episode, Rick — a former Marine and current attorney who was fresh off a 2:31 finish at the Steamtown Marathon — reflects on his experience in Houston.   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your Aeropex wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Why Rick wanted to be the OTQ pacer in Houston (5:55) On the magnitude of the day for the women (14:30) On getting advice from the CIM pacers before the race (21:00) What it was like being the only pacer for the 2:45 group (25:30) What it was like at the start of the Houston Marathon (34:20) What happens when people fall off the pace group (39:55) What it was like pacing Neely Spence Gracey (48:25) The impact this experience had on Rick (51:00)   What we mention on this episode: The CIM Pacers on Episode 196 of the Ali on the Run Show Starla Garcia on Episode 200 of the Ali on the Run Show Neely Spence Gracey on Episode 201 of the Ali on the Run Show   Follow Rick: Instagram @rjp1210   Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava   Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play   SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

Welcome to a new monthly series on the Rambling Runner Podcast: Ramblings on the Run with Ali & Matt. Every month, Ali Feller — host of the Ali on the Run Show — and I will come together to talk about running industry news, our own running, and things we're loving right now, and answer listener questions. In this episode, we talk about our recent interviews with Neely Spence Gracey, all things Olympic Trials, Amy Cragg News, and what podcasting is like behind the microphone. Previnex is a supplement brand that I trust, use, and have greatly benefited from. They source the highest quality ingredients in the most clinically effective and beneficial forms. Previnex manufactures to the highest standards possible, testing every ingredient, every step of production and every finished product. Visit www.previnex.com and use coupon code Runner15 to save 15% on your first order. Is your recovery holding you back from taking it to the next level as an athlete? That’s where TuneUP CBD comes in. TuneUP was born out of this need for a line of quality CBD products geared to the needs of athletes. Right now, they have a special code for the listeners of this podcast with code RAMBLING for 10% off orders at www.tuneupcbd.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Welcome to a new monthly series on the Ali on the Run Show: Ramblings on the Run with Ali & Matt. Every month, Matt Chittim — host of the Rambling Runner podcast and the Road to the Olympic Trials show — and I will come together to talk about running industry news, our own running, and things we're loving right now, and to answer listener questions about running and podcasting. It's something new we're trying, so let us know what you think and what you want more (or less!) of. On this episode, we talk about each of our recent interviews with professional runner Neely Spence Gracey, the hype surrounding the upcoming Olympic Trials marathon, and what podcasting is like behind the microphone.   What we mention on this episode: Neely Spence Gracey on Episode 201 of the Ali on the Run Show Neely Spence Gracey on Episode 40 of Road to the Olympic Trials "Amy Cragg Is Very Much Still in It, Thank You for Asking," by Sarah Lorge Butler for Runner's World   Follow Matt:  Instagram @rambling_runner Rambling Runner podcast Road to the Olympic Trials podcast Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"I wasn’t ready to run a marathon to my standards, and I did it anyway, and I was able to meet that goal, I was able to check off a goal, and I haven’t been able to do that in a long time."   Neely Spence Gracey just ran her first postpartum race since having her son, Athens, in 2018. She ran the Houston Marathon — and qualified for the Olympic Trials by running a 2:44. Not a bad return to the races! But Neely's journey to the OTQ hasn't been easy. On this episode, she talks about her pregnancy and postpartum running expectations vs. her reality, which included a series of injuries and other issues that kept her sidelined despite her best efforts to remain strong and healthy. She also talks about new motherhood, rest day-related anxiety, and why she stopped weighing herself.   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your Aeropex wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: How Neely is feeling post-Houston Marathon, and why this marathon — her slowest — was also her proudest (2:30) Neely talks about running during pregnancy, and her postpartum running experience (6:30) Neely opens up about her nonlinear return to running (23:45) Neely shares how her perspective about taking rest days has changed over the years (34:45) Neely recaps her 2020 Houston Marathon experience (40:45) Neely’s message to new moms trying to get back on the run (58:00)   What we mention on this episode: Starla Garcia on Episode 200 of the Ali on the Run Show Neely Spence Gracey on Episode 42 of the Ali on the Run Show FITsplint ReCoreFitness.com "Neely Spence Gracey Is Ready to Chase the Olympic Trials Standard at Houston" by Taylor Dutch for Runner’s World   Follow Neely:  Instagram @neelysgracey Facebook Twitter @neelysgracey Blog Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play   SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

Neely Spence Gracey is back! Neely ran 2:44:03 at the Houston Marathon to qualify for her third Olympic Trials. This was her first race since she gave birth to her son Athens over a year ago. It’s been a long way back for Neely, who was one of the best runners in the U.S. from 2015-17. In this episode, Neely displays her typical candor in discussing the injuries and hurdles she overcame to get to Houston, how her mentality changed after breaking her leg last summer, and how she approached Houston with an atypical build-up. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week's guest is Neely Spence Gracey. Neely is a professional marathoner for Adidas, and we covered a wide variety of topics in this episode including: -balance -mental training and coming back from a hard race -her entry into the running world -Top American at Boston 2016 -motherhood and pregnancy -sponsorship and childbirth -social media as a pro athlete -much more! Neely can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/neelysgracey and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/neelysgracey/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/forthelongrun/support

"If you are struggling, it does not mean that you are failing. It does not mean that you’re doing something wrong. It just means that you are coming up against some hurdles, whether they’re physical or mental or emotional, and it’s important to listen to those and try and understand what’s underneath them. But by no means do they imply that you’re not going to achieve your goal. You just need to see them as part of the process. Struggle is just as important as the elation and the sense of fulfillment that we all get after a great workout or a PR." David Willey spent 14 years at the helm of Runner's World magazine. But after announcing his departure from the brand in 2017, David went off the grid. On this episode, David's back on the grid, opening up about what made life for the past two years "outlandishly fun, intentionally challenging, unexpectedly hard and depressing, and newly regenerating." David talks about his time at Runner's World — the highs, the lows, and the part of the job that had him ambushing runners on live television during the New York City Marathon — and talks about his take on the brand now. He talks about his old dog and his new dog (we both shed a few tears there), his battle with Lyme Disease, and how he fulfilled his decade-long dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: How David got the job at Runner’s World, and why it was a dream job (3:45) David looks back at his favorite Runner’s World covers, stories, and adventures (10:00) Why David left Runner’s World after 14 years (18:40) All about David’s “Moonshot Marathon” (24:30) Why David says Runner’s World readers get so heated online (32:20) What it’s like interviewing runners live on the course during the New York City Marathon broadcast (35:20) Does David still read Runner’s World? (43:15) David looks back on his time with his dog, Trucha, and his book proposal in the works (45:30) On an unexpected battle with Lyme Disease (56:30) David’s message to runners who are struggling right now (1:05:10) What we mention on this episode: Runner's World covers through the years Mary Wittenberg on Episode 98 of the Ali on the Run Show Joe Holder Julia Lucas "A Very Good Dog" — David's editor's letter about his dog, Trucha Camp Canine The Runner’s World Show podcast The Human Race podcast The Hive Life podcast Neely Spence Gracey on Episode 42 of the Ali on the Run Show Bayshore Marathon Follow David: Twitter @davidmwilley Send dog photos to davidmwilley67@gmail.com Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

The pilot episode features an interview with pro marathoner, Hive Gold athlete and new mom Neely Spence Gracey, who had her first child, a son named Athens, this past July. In 2016, she won two half-marathons and finished as the top American at the Boston Marathon. Spence Gracey had planned to run through her pregnancy but ended up having to take six-months off from running, which she found to be surprisingly difficult and disorienting. She talks openly about her struggles and how she overcame them, and also about her post-pregnancy comeback, how being a working mom has changed her approach to just about everything, and how great it feels to be an athlete again. A second segment, called “Fuel School,” shares nutrition strategies for before, during and after a big race from several half-marathoners from the Hive. There’s also a conversation with Katie Black, who manages the Hive, explaining how the community works and what makes it so special.

Episode 120: Neely Spence Gracey has been on the podcast several times, but we have not caught up with her since she had her baby Athen's. In this episode, we talk about what it was like having to take so much time off, what the comeback process has been like and we talk about her future goals including the 2020 Olympics Marathon.    1:00 What has been going on Athen's born Chases dog in the walker Leaving for training runs hard 2:23 You ran for over a decade without time off, what was it like shutting it down Been running from 8th grade 15 years never had more than a couple weeks off Ran for a while but got pain early on Thought would run a lot longer Went through an identity crisis Decided to mentally take a downtime Once accepted it was in a better place 6:47 When did you know it was time to start training again 6-week post appointment asked OB if could go for a run and they said yes Did 10x run one minute and walk one minute Every other day for a month would increase it a little Took a month before made a 4-mile run Was no information out there on how to come back Core was shot had to rebuild 10:32 You do a lot of core and strength exercises, how much did you focus on that 6-week core program Have a certain routine needed to do Did it 4 days a week and each week was different 14:20 When you started running was there any separation issues or did you run with a stroller? Husband ran with me pushing the stroller Athen's was not happy being left with others Early runs without him were difficult 18:54 Been back running seven months Been long road back Way behind expectations, been longer than thought it would be Had taken 6 months off Shin splints which never had before Miles are behind where hoped to be At 50-55 miles a week, half of normal Cross training 3-5 hours a week 20:32 How did you work through the shin splints? Weight was a little higher than normal Not as efficient stride as used to Ran on more roads and sidewalks Calf muscles got really tight A lot of stretching, dry needling, massages, cupping Ice massages  Once stopped flaring up so much added in strength work Did a lot of hard workouts on the bike for a while 24:46 Do you have a target race plan? No goal race yet Starting to talk about it Most likely will do a fall marathon With new Olympic standards puts pressure on running a marathon 27:40 With new qualification standards do you choose races differently? Need to go for a faster time on a fast course Weather also plays a factor 28:53 What are your thoughts on Olympic Standards? Disappointed how it will impact smaller countries  Taking field from over 200 to about 80 is a big cut It is an original Olympic event Could have been a middle ground that wasn't so drastic But they are the rules so we will live with it and control what we can 30:57 Where are you at with your training and workouts a week now? Now doing 2 workouts and a long run a week Been doing that for about 6 weeks now 12x400 workout and then 6 weeks later was doing 20x400 faster at altitude   Can see big improvements in progression runs 37:00 Boston Marathon is next week any predictions? Excited about American Women Many Boulder women I have been running with and they are ready 39:30 Are you still coaching? Yes have 22 athletes running Boston next week Added a coach to the team Stayed connected to running while couldn't run Work with some mother runners on the comeback     Resources Runner's World Coming Back After Pregnancy  RecoreFitness.com 6-week program Neely Coaching Neely on Instagram Neely on Twitter NeelyRuns@Gmail.com      

Neely Spence Gracey is back for another episode with the Chasing Bravery Podcast! As always, Neely was a joy to chat with and was totally up front and genuine about the highs and lows of pregnancy so far...oh wait...spoiler alert for those of you who didn't know- Neely is expecting her first baby in August. Neely and i also chat a bit about her impressive professional running career, her contract with Adidas, and so much more! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chasing-bravery/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chasing-bravery/support

Welcome to episode 81 of the Final Surge podcast where today we welcome back Neely Spence Gracey to the podcast to talk about Boston. Boston is less than a week away and we talk to Neely about what a first-time runner should consider when heading to Boston and we take a look at some of the top names on the men's and women's race. We even get Neely to predict the winners of both races. Neely uses the Final Surge platform in her coaching, if you are interested in getting coached by Neely head over to NeelyRuns.com.   You were the top American Women at Boston in 2016, you want to explain why you are not running this year? Pregnant  Due August 4th Boy How will the weather affect the race? It can change the morning of the race, so be prepared for it to change last minute If it is a little rainy like they are predicting, are those good conditions for a good fast race? Personally, I would like it The wind will be a bigger factor What should first-time runners know about the course? Look up Boston Marathon Preview video  Need to track pace and be ok with being off at times, take the average not the moment pace Easy to get caught up and go to fast in the first few miles Use first 3 miles as a warmup run Men's Elite Marathon Is there someone you think can knock off the defending champ Geoffrey Kirui? Anything can happen on marathon day Can never predict, but a good chance he won't win Last year Galen Rupp was runner-up and came back and won Chicago, what do you think the chance is of him winning and running a fast time? Galen is a racer, he will let others do the work early and take over late Kirui may push the pace early or he may be the one who waits for Rupp to make a move Don't count out Lelisa Desisa or 2016 winner Lemi Berhanu Who will win the men's race?  Lesisa Desisa On the women's side, this is a really deep field. How will this play out? This race is going to be exciting I think Molly Huddle will perform big Desi and Shalane have more experience One of the wild cards is Jordan Hasay, how do you see her playing a factor? She is back and knows what to expect She is used to the big spotlight She has had 2 really good marathons She is young and has been doing impressive things She is a wildcard We have some veterans with experience in Deena Kastor and Kellyn Taylor, can one of these vets step up and surprise people? Deena is back and you can never count her out Kellyn has been chipping away at her goals and making performance gains each year. She has stayed healthy the last year and coming off a good fall season Flanagan is coming off of NYC, can she repeat that at Boston? You always need to get a little lucky on race day She will be ready to race Edna Kiplagat is the defending champ, is she going to be hard to knock off? She knows what she needs to do to win and will make them work Who is someone we need to keep an eye on in the women's race? Serena Burla She races a lot overseas Running fast in the last year Her first big race since cancer surgery  Who will win the women's race? Kiplagat  What other advice do you have for runners to enjoy the weekend? Spend time to enjoy the experience They treat everyone like royalty Maximize the weekend NeelyRuns@Gmail.com NeelyRuns.com Neely on Twitter Neely on Instagram  

Neely is an American Distance Runner, running Professionally for Adidas. She’s had a thing for the 5K most of her running career, but in the past few years has taken... The post Episode 111: Neely Spence Gracey appeared first on Lindsey Hein.

Welcome to episode 80 of the Final Surge Podcast where we welcome medical doctor Josh Emdur to the show. Josh has an interesting practice, he works for SteadyMD which changes the way the people interact with their primary care physician. Imagine, instead of calling your primary care doctor for an appointment you texted them and shortly thereafter you were talking to your doctor via a video chat. Dr. Emdur's practice does just that and he specializes in working with runners. You can find him at SteadyMD.com/running. Josh is doing some interesting thing around medicine for runners If you could tell us how you got started as a runner? 8 years ago as became a parent Played soccer, lacrosse was always a better runner than a player As a physician and parent in Boulder turned to running Ran Rock n Roll marathon in San Diego in 2011 and set sights on Boston Wasn't until he hired a coach that he had his big breakthrough What was it working with a coach that really changed things? Had qualified for Boston, but never fast enough to get accepted Didn't understand what it meant to run easy and the 80/20 rule You are online at SteadyMD.com/running can you tell us what this site is about? Been a family doctor for the last decade Concierge medical service for runners How does that work, how do you treat patients virtually? Medical school taught 80% of diagnosis is in history This allows you to take the time to get to know them and their history and goals Subscription service outside of health insurance Build a 1-on-1 relationship with the client Constant communications with patients  I’ve seen on your social media that Neely Spence Gracey uses you, being in Boulder are you working with a certain level of runners or anyone? Athlete doctor Athlete care network A new way to handle primary care with someone who understands runners Works with some coaches and athletes as part of their team Work with any athlete trying to help them get to their goal You have mentioned you are more like a primary care doctor for athletes.  Why do I need a primary care physician when it seems specialist is more of the trend these days? Primary care doctors look at the big picture Can you practice in any state? Have to be licensed in every state Currently licensed in 26 states You are obviously using technology to make this work, what do you with the future of healthcare technology such as all the data that Apple Health is grabbing, Do you or can you use and monitor that? The current system is not working High deductible systems are not working, discourage care Here they have access to a Doctor  Fan of GoodRx It seems that technology is lowering the costs for just about everything in our lives these days, but the one place it is not lowering is our healthcare costs. Healthcare costs total about 18% of our GDP last I saw, without getting into the politics of health care and ObamaCare, do you see subscription services like this as a future way to lower costs? It doesn't cost a lot of money to take good care of people 5 minutes with primary care physician does not move the needle It takes time with patients to dig deeper If someone is already paying obscene amounts for health insurance why would they spend the $79/mo on this too? Runners pay a lot for health insurance and don't even use it because not happy with the experience  Get on a higher deductible plan and use this to help with basic health goals People are not used to paying to go see the Doctor, takes time to get used to, but paying for expertise  I don't go to the doctors often, I don't think I have been to a Dr. in at least 7-8 years. Last time I was there I had an appointment and all I remember is it took almost an hour longer before I was able to see the doctor. How would an appointment work with you online? Video chat, HIPAA compliant The first appointment is over an hour going over history, that first visit is important to get to know who caring for If received a prescription from you would insurance cover it? Yes I wake up this AM and not feeling well and want a consultation, how long would it take to get an appointment? Text through the app and will be able to see the same day What does an appointment with you look like? Check vitals Get a history of what is going on Come up with a treatment plan What do you think is running related injuries vs general health issues for your clients? 50/50 Most start with running injuries but then develops into a general relationship I wake up on a Tuesday morning with a race this weekend and I am feeling something coming on. You are off on your vacation for a couple weeks rock climbing in South America, what happens if i need service while you are gone? We have other doctors in practice that fill in You mentioned you can be a team member with an athlete and their coach, can you give me an example of how that would work? Have an athlete who is coached by a McMillian coach using Final Surge which I can see the information and notes of We were able to catch an injury issue early when it was just a stress reaction, not a stress fracture Came up with diagnosis and back at it  Final Surge 5 questions in under a minute Favorite endurance/running book? - Born to Run Current trainers you are wearing? - Newton  Favorite race? - Boston or any race where people are excited to be there Favorite recovery meal or recovery drink? - Cholocate Milk Your favorite workout - Anytime pushing myself usually on trails  Resources SteadyMD/Running Website SteadyMDRunning on Twitter SteadyMDRunning on Instagram    

Two weeks ago we released part 1 Nealy Spence Gracey of our interview with Neely Spence Gracey, and now up…part 2. Neely Spence Gracey (in her own words): In 2016, Neely debuted at the Boston Marathon and was the first … Continue reading →

Neely Spence Gracey (in her own words): In 2016, Neely debuted at the Boston Marathon and was the first American finisher (9th over all) in 2:35. Later that year, she took it a step further with a 2:34 and 8th place finish at the NYC … Continue reading →

Learn more about Neely Spence Gracey, Professional Runner for Adidas, soon-to-be mom and a special guest at our Strong Runner Chick Retreat this summer of 2018! Neely was born into this sport, literally. Her dad (Steve Spence, 1992 Olympic marathoner and 1991 World Champs Bronze Medalist) was running the Boston Marathon on the day she was born. She grew up in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and in 8th grade set some big goals for herself, which led her to run for Shippensburg University, where she broke several records and was named conference athlete of the year for every season she competed. She is an eight-time NCAA Division II Champion and still holds two NCAA records. In 2016, Neely debuted at the Boston Marathon and was the first American finisher in 2:35. Later that year, she took it a step further with 2:34 and 8th place finish at the NYC marathon, following up with several 2017 victories. She is excited for what the next year will bring as she pauses her running career to start a family. She ultimately hopes to build towards the 2020 Olympic year. Today, Neely lives in Boulder, CO with her husband Dillon and their Vizsla, Strider. They are happily entrenched in the running community. Between training, and competing, she enjoys coaching her team of athletes through her Get Running coaching business. Questions we ask Neely include: How did you get your start in running? Your dad was an Olympic Marathoner and World Championship Bronze Medalist...wow!! Since running was such a major part of his life, did you ever feel pressured to continue in his footsteps? Tell us about your experience running as a girl in Shippensburg, PA. What was it like being homeschooled? Many teens have the desire to attend university elsewhere, but you decided to stay in your hometown. What was your reasoning behind this? What was your collegiate running experience like? How could it have been better? What was it like to have your dad as a coach? We would love to hear about your top American finish and 13th in the World in the 2013 World Cross Country championships in Poland! Several bouts of illness and injury have kept you from competing in the past (most notably at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials). How did you physically and mentally combat these unfortunate circumstances? What advice do you have for others dealing with injury or illness? In 2016, you makes your debut at the Boston Marathon coming in as the top American and ninth overall. What was this experience like for you? Recently you announced that you will be welcoming an addition into your home! Congrats! What does this mean for you, Dillon, and Strider? Do you hope to continue to run? What is currently making you thrive? What does being a Strong Runner Chick mean to you? How can listeners/readers connect with you? Also: are you currently accepting new running coaching clients? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strong-runner-chicks/support

Welcome to episode 73 of the Final Surge Podcast. We have had some great runners on this podcast. Neely Spence Gracey, Nick Willis, Nick Symmonds, Dathan Ritzehein, Kim Conley and more, but maybe none has had a bigger influence on the running scene, especially the American running scene like today's guest. Today we welcome American mile record holder, Alan Webb. Alan retired from running in 2014 and has not been seen much around the running community since then, but that is about to change. Alan is part of a group starting a new coaching service called RunDoyen. We talk to Alan about the goals of the business and how you or anyone else can get personalized coaching from him and other professional runners. We also spend a little time talking about his training and the state of American middle distance running. Please remember to share this podcast on social media.    Before we get to some questions about your career, let’s find out what you have been up to for the last three years. How is the truck repair business? Business has been great There is a new site and Twitter account popping up called RunDoyen. It has listed yourself, Tara Welling, Ryan Vail, Aaron Braun, Jessica Tonn and more. A tweet said you are launching a new concept that reinvents the way the running community connects. Can you tell us what this project is? Coaching site, schedule time with one of the coaches Video chat Final Surge training logs Message board system Access to professional runners Will it be a monthly membership service? Purchase Time Purchase Training Plans No monthly fee, packages that are over the course of a training block What type of training plans are you offering? Mile to marathon Not limiting to one distance, offering variety If someone is interested in working with you in a mile program, what is the timeframe? Customized to individual Would prefer more time 2-3-6 months to develop Looking to build relationships long-term What was it about this idea that got you excited to get involved in it? Easy to use packaged online system Can help people around world to work with different people What else can people expect? Drills, strength training, other things integrated into the training plan Communication between athlete and coach on daily basis Athlete tells us what is going on so we can make adjustments What type of feedback are you looking for with communications from your clients? What actually got done How you are feeling, how run went Any questions they have for the coaches Video appointments for communications too Are nutrition and physical therapist you have listed on site included? Different packages Can schedule time with other specialists These are well-known professionals, what type of client you will be working with? We are all looking for variety More geared towards non-professionals People looking to improve We know your work ethic and how hard you hit it on your workout days. What is your coaching philosophy? There are times you need to hit it hard, but also time for recovery Recovery balance is important Recovery helps keep you healthy Will you personally be working with someone who wants to run a longer distance like a marathon? Yes, looking forward to it When you ran you were known as someone who liked to hit the weight room and hit workouts hard. Was that something specific to Alan Webb or would you incorporate this into your athletes you are working with too? That was specific to me More important for me as a miler than a marathon runner Strength training is important, but specific to athlete Amount/intensity needs to adjust to event/athlete We had Jonathan Marcus on recently and talked about some of your workouts, will be dusting off your training logs to bring some of those back? Some of it for sure Will be adapted to the athlete/event Some of the basic workouts are great, fun, tough One of the workouts was a shorter 100's do you remember what your paces were? 400-800 goal race pace Really fast going hard Hardened to faster pace to take edge off the mile Do you have all your old running logs? Lost some, but have many of them  A few high school years have a few lost Have quite a bit It has been three years since you retired if you could paint a picture of what that time has looked like? Tore ALC so personal running has taken a dive 2 and 5 year old are handfuls, but going great Wife Julia getting ready to run her first marathon Do you have any running goals for the future? Would love to run a marathon Would be just to get through it Nick Symmonds is my inspiration Have to get ACL fixed first You are arguably the greatest US middle distance runner of all time. So when you looked at retiring, why truck repair? Good growth market Enjoyed learning a new skill and been fun I want to ask you about the mile. When Steve Scott set it, it stood for 25 years before you broke it in 2007. And now it has been another decade and no one has touched it. Why do you think this has been so hard to break? It is a fast time Have to be on and everything go right To stay at the level is difficult, tough to get there You ran 3:46, that is a well respected time. Is American middle distance running progressing the way it should be? Yes, we are progressing the right direction We are getting medals in major championship races We are seeing on a consistent basis success in big races Big pipeline coming up High School runners are now breaking 4 minutes on a regular basis What do you think has been the biggest reason for the resurgence? Internet makes it easier to be a track fan What advice do you have for young high school runners? Persevere and don't worry about people running faster Different runners develop at different ages You had times in your career that you were plagued by injuries. Looking back at it now is there anything you think you would have done differently? Would have added in more recovery Would have been a little more conservative in workouts Better perspective Final Surge 5 questions in under a minute Favorite endurance/running book? - Perfect Mile Current trainers you are wearing? - Nike Structure Triax Favorite race? - American Mile Record Favorite recovery meal or recovery drink? - Spaghetti  Your favorite workout - 800's, 8x800 Resources RunDoyen on Twitter RunDoyen Website Alan Webb on Twitter Alan Webb American record mile race

Neely was the first professional athlete that I interviewed with, and she was so sweet to be as patient as she was with the fact that I was clearly starstruck. I think we all have our weaknesses, or biases should I say when it comes to the individuals we admire. To me professional runners are superstars. Throw me in an interview with Jennifer Anniston-no problem- ask me to have a conversation with any human who has held an American flag behind them while wearing racing flats and spandex....whole different story. For those who don't know, Neely is a professional distance runner for Addidas. She has historically competed in distances from the 5000 to the marathon. She twice represented her country at the  IAAF World Cross Country Championships and was the top non-African runner in 2013. She also ran at the 2011 Pan American Games She attended Shippensburg University and won eight NCAA Division II titles while there. She ran her first half marathon in 2013 then made a marathon debut at the 2016 Boston Marathon, where she was the top American. Neely currently lives in Colorado with her husband and their dog Strider. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chasing-bravery/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chasing-bravery/support

I am thrilled to welcome Adidas-sponsored professional marathoner Neely Spence Gracey to the Ali on the Run Show! Neely lives in Boulder, CO, with her husband and their Vizsla, Strider. Neely was born to be a runner—literally. She was born on Marathon Monday while her dad was running the Boston Marathon. (He ran a 2:16:40 and finished in 19th place, and went on to make the 1992 Olympic team and become a world championship medalist.) On this episode, Neely talks about what it was like growing up in a running family—including the time she joined her grandma for a Turkey Trot and out-kicked her when the finish line came into view! She also shares what it was like being home-schooled for most of her life, and opens up about how running went from something she did because her parents did it to something she really discovered for herself. Neely made her marathon debut at the 2016 Boston Marathon, where she ran a 2:35:00 and finished ninth (and was the first female American finisher), and followed it up with a 2:34:55 finish at the 2016 New York City Marathon, where she finished eighth. (If you’re gearing up to run the NYC Marathon in a few weeks, get ready to take notes: Neely offers her best tips for tackling the tough course!) Neely also opens up about how both she and her husband have Lyme Disease, and she talks about the challenges they’ve both faced with the unpredictable disease. She shares how she deals with injuries as a professional runner and how she stays mentally strong at every point in her training, and dishes out her best advice for the everyday runner. Stuff We Mention on this Episode: Shippensburg University: http://www.ship.edu/ Boston Marathon: http://www.baa.org/ Adidas: http://www.adidas.com/us/ Get Running: https://www.neelyruns.com/meet-the-coaches/ Bart Yasso: http://www.bartyasso.com/ IGeneX: https://www.igenex.com/ ElliptiGO: https://www.elliptigo.com/ Runner’s World cover story: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/young-american Competitor magazine cover story: http://running.competitor.com/2016/03/boston-marathon/neely-spence-gracey-takes-on-boston-in-marathon-debut_147289 New York City Marathon: https://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/ Rock ‘N’ Roll Arizona: http://www.runrocknroll.com/arizona/ Momentum Jewelry: https://momentumjewelry.com/ Iron Doggy Hands-Free Leash: https://irondoggy.com/ BolderBOULDER 10K: http://www.bolderboulder.com/ Gwen Jorgensen: https://www.instagram.com/gwenjorgensen/ ProForm 9000 treadmill: https://www.proform.com/treadmills/pro9000 Meb Keflezighi: https://marathonmeb.com/ Meb Keflezighi video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzL67lVbULE Follow Neely: Instagram @neelysgracey: https://www.instagram.com/neelysgracey/ Twitter @neelysgracey: https://twitter.com/neelysgracey Blog: https://www.neelyruns.com/blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neelyruns/ Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1: https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aliontherun/ Twitter @aliontherun1: https://twitter.com/aliontherun1 Blog: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/13333410 Thank you for listening to and supporting the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Spread the run love!

Neely Spence-Gracey has been a friend of mine for almost 10 years, and I knew she would make a great guest on the show, as she is always very inspiring for runners of every level. If you don't believe me, just check out her HUGE fan base! Neely was born while her dad was running the Boston marathon (who was an Olympian by the way!), which means it was her destiny to end up as a runner. She has achieved a lot of running success over the years, including 8 national titles during college, and running some smoking fast times in distances from the mile up to the marathon, but she has also been through her fair share of struggles. A few years ago, Neely could not catch a break, she shares her story of three broken bones and Lymes disease all within a few years, but she persevered, and stayed positive during the eight months it took for her fitness to come back. For that, she was rewarded and ended up faster than ever. Neely shares the story of that time, as well as what she learned about injuries and seeking answers when the unknown is driving you crazy. Strength training has been a huge part of staying healthy since that time (now, you know I am a fan of that part), and you can make it part of your routine too. We talk about how Neely uses mantras during her training, and what she learned about reframing to believe that you can achieve what you set out to do. She is another run by feel girl (go effort scale!) and lets her body tell her what she is ready for that day. If you are currently injured and struggling to see how you will ever get back to where you were, this episode will motivate you to stay positive, find balance, and believe that you can, and will return, better than ever. Today's Guest Neely Spence-Gracey is a professional runner for Adidas who has represented the USA on two world teams, and has PRs of 15:27 in the 5k, 1:09 in the half marathon, and 2:34 in the marathon. You might think life is easy for elite runners, but Neely has been through a lot of setbacks, struggles, and moments of doubt that led her to this point. If you need inspiration that you can come back from injury, this is it. What You Will Learn About Why Neely chose to go to Shippensberg University and keep her dad as her coach. Why Neely gets strange looks when she is doing her pool workouts (and it's not from the workout!) How the ElliptiGO turned her life around and helped her qualify for a world team when she was injured by helping her get through a tough time. Neelys best advice for dealing with injuries How to use mantras to practice mental training during workouts to use in races, and how to come up with a mantra that is effective for you Why strength training is critical to maximizing recovery and staying healthy Why Neely did not race Boston marathon this year Neely's #R4RPowerPose Inspirational Quotes Running has been a part of my life, and I was destined for this career path. The struggles along the way have shaped and defined who I am. How we are going to be most successful is if we are happy and in a place we feel supported, we have a team we work well with, that there is a good group dynamic, and we have a coach we can really trust to guide us, that’s how we are going to be the best and maximize ourselves. Where you feel at home is where you are going to run the best. Running is a brutal sport. It is amazing when things are going great, but it is horrible when things aren’t going well, and it impacts every aspect of our lives. That is the hardest part about being injured, is that it is so isolating. You are already upset because you can't run and I am a social runner, so that was my social time...all these things that used to be such a positive part of my life are just taken from me. With each injury, I learned more about myself. The body will heal itself, but you have to give it the ability and opportunity to do it. We get faster by stressing the system in different ways, it is the same with strength training, you can't do the same thing over and over. At some point during a race, every single person is going to have that moment of decision, of where you have to keep pushing even though your body is saying stop. You are tired, you still have a long way to go, and you have to find a way to work through that and make it to the finish line. If you practice mantras in workouts, you can apply them to races and you will see success. If you live a life where you feel like you are lucky and things happen to you, they do, and its all because your outlook on life is not putting energy into the negative sides. We all have good days and we all have bad days, but if you are focusing on the positives, things are always going to look so much better. Focusing on what you can control is the key. Injuries are never ideal, but when something flares up, being smart from the get-go is key, because pushing through never results in a positive outcome. Resources Mentioned Neely's website Neely's Twitter Neely's Instagram ElliptiGO Upstart Kombucha Irondoggy leash Kentucky Kombucha Neely and her coffee taper Coffee Taper video with Chris Heuisler Thanks for Listening! I hope you enjoyed today's episode.   Enter the Running for Real Giveaway Win one of FIVE marathon or half marathon training programs from my husband/coach/brains behind my running accomplishment; Steve. You can win a 16 week training plan with suggestions on how to individualize it for your personal running goals. Enter by:  Leaving a rating and review on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. Taking a photo/screenshot of your rating and review Emailing me podcast@tinamuir.com with your screenshot, and you will be entered to win. Contest ends on May 5th.

Welcome to Episode 18 of the Final Surge Podcast. Our guest today is Steve Magness. Steve is a former high school prodigy, the author of the well respected book Science of Running and a coach at the University of Houston and to several professional runners. We talk about everything from training the extremes, race strategy, breaking through plateaus, tapering and psychology or racing. Most of our listeners probably know who you are, but let’s give any who may not know your background. Can you tell us about how you got started running? You made that huge jump your senior year can you tell us about that and what changes you made to have that breakthrough? What was your training like your first three years of high school? Your book the Science of Running is one of those books that I think every coach, no matter how experienced should have on their books shelf. But I understand you are working on a new book, what can we expect from that one. You took over coaching at your alma mater University of Houston a few years ago. As a college coach, who is getting in high school runners, what are you noticing about the high school athletes you get as far as their training and what they may be lacking? You have a kid who has plateaued, say a 4:30 miler. When he hits a level where he is not improving any longer, this is when you need to change a stress? When you have a group of 30-50 kids sometimes that balance is hard. What advice would you have for coaches with larger programs on what they should be looking for in each runner to see if they training needs to be changed up for some kids. There is a debate among some in the high school distance ranks. The old volume vs intensity. One argument is they are young so work on their speed development and the other camp is they should be working on their aerobic capacity and leave the speed for the next level. Of course, the truth as always is probably somewhere in the middle. But I think both camps work on both, the intensity camp may be more of a 35 mile a week program with 2-3 days of really intense work while the volume camp may be more 50-55 miles a week with a lot more tempo work, but what advice would you have for high school runners and coaches? Let’s look at a week for a high school kid, how would you structure a week of workouts? This is another question from a high school coach. Actually, the same question came in from two coaches. He is getting ready to start prepping for his qualifying and state meet. They would like to know what percentage of volume do  you cut back. When do you start that? When does you have your last, hardest workout of the season? You have a podcast Magness and Marcus, which as a coach is my favorite podcast because there is some talk about training, but a lot of talk about actually coaching. I'm curious, how much time do you guys spend talking coaching outside that podcast? When you are working with your mid pack cross country runners, you are not talking to them about strategies to win a race, so what coaching advice are you giving them on a race plan, what does that conversation look like? You have been coaching for a few years now at a very high level. If you could go back and give advice to yourself when you started coaching high school, what advice would you give a younger Steve? Recommended Reads from Steve  One of your athletes, and one of our favorite Final Surge runners Neely Spence Gracey is going to be running the NYC marathon here shortly, how is her training looking? Episode 9 LINK A question from twitter, we have a listener who has been putting in great training over the last year with great training runs. But on race day they are having sub-par performances in the 10k-Marathon races. Occasionally will have a good race so their fitness level is there, they are just not racing well. I know it could be a lot of things, but can you give this runner some general areas to look into to racing better? Another question from twitter, when you are looking at recruits, what are you looking for in an athlete? scienceofrunning.com/recommended-reads Favorite running book? - Once a runner Current trainers you are wearing? - Asics Favorite race? - 1/2 Marathon Favorite recovery meal or recovery drink? - Chocolate Milk Your favorite piece of running equipment that is not your shoes? - Timex non-GPS watch Steve's website Steve on Twitter

Welcome to episode 9 of the final surge podcast. This week it is our pleasure to talk to professional runner and coach Neely Spence Gracey. Neely recently made her marathon debut and finished as the top American women in Boston. We talk about her recent coaching change, her coaching career and how she is using Final Surge to help grow her business. We also find out what she has planned for 2020. 1:10 Our first question that we always start with our guests is always how did you get your start in running? - Interesting fact, Neely was born while her father Steve Spence was running the Boston Marathon. 2: 25 You were a successful high school runner and probably could have run at just about any college, why did you decide to go to a D2 school over a D1? - Neely stayed close to home at Shippensburg University. 4:05 If you were sitting down with a classroom full of high school runners, who are deciding where to run in college, what advice would you have for them? - Neely thinks a visit to the school is important. 4:55 We know being a professional runner is not always the most lucrative career, so when you finished your college running career what was the decision process like when you decided to become a professional runner? - Neely had a unique experience by growing up around professional runners. 7:10 About a year ago you made the switch to start working with Coach Steve Magness, how is that transition going? - Neely has a unique situation where her husband works with Magness. 8:15 Most of our listeners probably know Steve from his book Science of Running. How has the training changed under Steve? - Variety in workouts is one of the biggest changes that Neely has experienced under Magness. 10:50 What is your weekly mileage and how long is your long run now? - Neely has topped out at just over 100 miles. This has changed in the last year as she has moved to marathon training. 11:35 This year you decided to make your marathon debut at the Boston Marathon where you were the top American women over running at the Olympic trials. What went into that decision? - This was not Neely’s original plan. Her original plan was to run the Trials, but things do not always go as planned. A couple of questions from Twitter 13:25 Do you have any specific events in mind for 2020 Olympic cycle? - Neely hopes to be competing for a spot on the 2020 Olympic Team. 15:25 Do you run with strider and if so how far? - Strider is her dog who is a little over a year old. Neely and Strider - Photo by David Bracetty. 16:50 You recently started coaching how is that going? - Neely currently has 35 clients. 18:00 Are you coaching people face to face or are you doing more internet coaching? 18:10 How are you using Final Surge in your training and your coaching? - Neely has been almost able to double her business because of the use of Final Surge. 19:30 Do you accept anyone or are you looking for a certain type of person and how would someone know if they are a good fit to work with you? - The one common factor for Neely’s clients is they are highly motivated. 20:40 If someone wanted to reach out to you and find out about your coaching services how could they best reach you? GetRunning@outlook.com. 21:20 So what is next, any fall or spring marathons coming up? Not mentioned in this interview, but since the interview was recorded, Neely has announced she will be part of a star-studded NYC marathon program in November. 22:40 Neely with Strider, and her sunglasses Rapid Fire… 5 questions in under 1 minute Favorite running book or blog - Lauren Fleshman Current trainers you are wearing - Adidas Energy Boost Favorite race or race distance - Bolder Boulder Favorite recovery meal or recovery drink - Egg sandwich on a bagel Your favorite piece of running equipment not your shoes - Sunglasses You can find Neely at  Twitter Instagram Website      

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-335 – Neely Spence Gracey Breaks out at Boston!  (Audio: link) [audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4335.mp3] Link Team Hoyt Boston 2016 Campaign -> MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - Hello and welcome to episode 4-335 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  Bear with me, we are going to get to the great show including a piece on the re-emergence of effort based training in the poplar zeitgeist and a really good interview with Neely Spence Gracey who is making her professional marathon debut at Boston this year.  And I'm capping it off with a super-thoughtful post on mistakes not to make in life that is just in time for graduation season. But – before that -This week I've got another milestone announcement for you.  I've been toying with this idea for years and I finally got the breathing room to put it into action.  When I looked at the value of this podcast to you over the last 8 years and 300+ episodes it is in the content, meaning the words and the interviews, and the audio I create from them.  That's my value add in the process.  The revelation I had is that even though I am perfectly capable of it, there is no unique or differentiating value to me twiddling with my website or editing the audio or the countless other admin tasks that something like this takes. So I asked myself, “Hey, Myself, how can I do less of that stuff and more of the good stuff?” and the answer was to automate the rote stuff.  I had some down time at the beginning of this year and pulled together a great team of virtual assistants to do some of the time consuming production work for me.  We're about 3 episodes in and it's working fairly well.  The next phase of this project to automate is now ready.  I had my website redone to support a membership option.  I wanted to give people who had the ability to and wanted to a chance to help me cover the costs of all this stuff without having to resort to cheesy commercials or half-hearted sponsorships.  I also didn't want to take anything away or put existing stuff behind a paywall.  Bottom line – there's a membership option to get extra cool stuff and support the content but we're not charging for or taking away any of the existing content or archival content. Here's the pitch… Remember RunRunLive is and always has been free and listener supported.  To keep it that way we now are offering members' only content. By signing up for a membership, you will get… Access To Exclusive Members Only audio Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! (This week I put up my Stu's 30k race report! ) Exclusive Access to Individual Audio Segments from all Shows Intro's, Outro's, Section One running tips, Section Two life hacks and Featured Interviews – all available as stand-alone MP3's you can download and listen to at any time. We will consider other benefits as they are requested by you, because when you're a member it's all about you! On top of that, consider how much it costs: $4.99 a month. That's roughly the price of a couple Expresso Luv Gu gels a month. And unlike GU, we won't give you a sugar overdose or rot your teeth. So not only will you be part of the RunRunLive community and be getting cool extras, you'll also be healthier and happier. But the real value is that you will be helping this community continue to provide the content you love.  And as a member you can directly influence the stories we tell, the research we do and the people we interview.  We're all in this together. So if you like what we're doing here at RunRunLive, please consider becoming a member. Membership is cheap, for a monthly donation that breaks down to roughly around the price of 1/25th of a pair of running shoes each month you can help keep RunRunLive free and independent. Go to my website and click on the subscribe button. … I'm glad to say my training is still going well.  I had another big build week that capped off with a 3 hour long run.  I'm in a good place mentally and physically because instead of ruing the run I was quite looking forward to it. I queued up my favorite podcasts and ran 4 loops of my home 5 mile loop.  Another good sign was when I got to the last loop I realized I'd be about 10 minutes short so I decided to run up to the top of the telephone tower hill –the driveway is on the course.  So, yeah, 18 or so miles into the run I decide to throw in another big hill to make up some time.  Then when I got to the end of the run, near my house I had the 3 hours but was about a 1/3 of a mile short of 20 so I kept going for another 3 minutes to get the 20.  Wasn't sore or chafed or damaged at all after.  All very good signs. This weekend I'm racing one of my favorites – the Eastern States 20 Miler.  Coach has gone easy on me so I can have fresher legs going into it and treat it as a pacing exercise. I'm confident I can negative split it and beat my target marathon goal pace.  It's a flatter course, but there's always some wind coming off the ocean.  It will be a good test and I'm looking forward to it. Then I taper into Boston.  I got my bib number and coral placement and I'm all the way in the back and that is going to be a challenge.  I've got 4,000 charity runners to get around to get my BQ.  That's probably worth 4-5 minutes of race time before I can break free.  I'm so far back this year that I'm considering just waiting before I cross the start mat and giving everyone a 10 -20 minute head start. Whatever happens it will be an adventure. … I've always said that training well does not guarantee your race time. Training well only gives you the opportunity.  Doing the work is not a guarantee of success. Doing the work is how you buy the ticket to get to the starting line with the potential to have a good or even a great day. There was a baseball movie in the 90's called “Major League”.  The storyline was a team of reprobates, misfits and has-beens comes together to beat everyone's expectations and win.  One of the characters was the has-been pitcher Eddie Harris (played by actor Chelcie Ross).  I think about Eddie Harris when I'm racing now.  He had lost his power and speed but he managed to strike people out with the tricks and veteran guile.  That's where I am now.  I don't have the power or speed.  I can't recover as fast.  I can't afford to skip any of the ancillary activities like strength training and stretching.  I can't skip workouts and expect to just ‘show up and race'.  But, I know my machine.  I know how to race.  I've got the confidence and poise to coax good performances.  And I'm ok with that.   On with the Show! Section one - Running Tips Effort based training - Voices of reason – the conversation Neely Spencer Gracey – Elite Marathoner Eight time division II national cross country champion and professional runner… Runner's World article ->   Email: getrunning@outlook.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/neelyruns Twitter: @neelysgracey Instagram: NeelySGracey Garmin Connect: neelysgracey Map My Run: neelysgracey PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS Runner-up at USATF Club XC Nationals 2011 4th at the BUPA Grand Prix Edinburgh, Scotland 2012 Runner-up at USATF 5k Road Champs 2012 Third at USATF 10k Road Champs 2012 USATF Athlete of the Week 11/14/12 Chiba Japan Bronze Medal Ekiden Relay Team 2012 First ever American Zatopek 10k Champ 2012 5th at USATF XC Nationals 2013 Top American and first non-African (13th) at the World XC Champs 2013 5th at USATF 5k Road Champs 2013 Queen of the Mountain and 6th overall at MRR 2014 5th and top non-African at Campaccio IAAF XC 2015 Runner-Up at Gasparilla Half Marathon 2015 (Olympic Trials qualifier) Section two 9 Mistakes you don't have to make - Outro My friends, members or not, you have reached the end of yet another free and listener supported RunRunLive Podcast – Episode 4-335 has made its successful professional debut. The coming 3-4 weeks are just going to be a blur for me and it's going to carry through May and into June.  I've got a multi-day meeting in Chicago next week.  Then April 18th is the Boston Marathon and I'm in the best shape and have the most confidence in my training that I have had for about 5 years.  You'd think that would make me less nervous.  Just the opposite.  When you haven't trained well there's no stress because there is no expectation. I have trained well and now all I can do is screw it up!  There will be some full on sleepless nights and psychotic episodes over the next couple weeks! April 24th is our 25th anniversary Groton Road Race. We've set up the virtual race if you want join from afar – just go to – Hope to see you there. Rolling into May I've got a multiple conferences and meetings in New Orleans, Atlanta and Phoenix.  I'll be on the road a lot and looking to run the canyon while I'm in Phoenix.  Not sure what my next goal will be.  I'm feeling a bit achy from road racing.  Whatever it is it won't be road racing!  Unless, of course I blow my qualifier try at Boston.  Then I might have to lift that heavy bag of training to my shoulders again, but I'm getting good at that.  I got some pushback on my dog joke from last time.  Apparently the goldens and labs were insulted by my comments. I apologize for that, but I never would have thought they had the mental capacity to be insulted.  I'll try to be my sensitive. … Closing comments Buddy woke up limping around the house today.  He has something wrong with a front paw and I'm going to take him to the vet in a bit.  I want them to look at that other fatty lump on his hip and maybe get that taken out because it seems to be really getting in the way of his running.  We're a pair of old guys limping around the house complaining about aches and pains.  I don't have any muscle or tendonitis problems this cycle.  Coach gives me enough rest and I've been attentive to my yoga and core strengthening.  I do have some goof pain.  I caught a toes in the dark on the trail one night.  I was emerging from the trail into a parking lot and the snow plows had pushed an unexpected piece of curbing into the path.  I came down on my palm and tore a nice hole.  Palms don't heal well.  Then coach gave me a recovery bike spin workout.  It was one of those nice days so I took Fuji-san off the fluid trainer, pumped up the tires, greased all the moving bits and headed for the rail trail.  In the process I had to swap the skewer on the back wheel because the trainer requires a specific skewer – it's the rod through the axles that has a quick release lever on it.   Well, I must not have clamped the back wheel on well enough.  There I was in traffic, balancing at a stop sign, I stood up in the peddles to go and the back wheel comes out of the frame and seizes.  Of course I'm clipped in so I do that embarrassing death roll into the bushes.  I took a piece of gravel and tore a nice hole in my knee! Fast forward a couple days and I'm out running in Los Angeles.  I decide to try to make it to the beach and turn my 1 hour run into a 2 hour run.  Now since it was only supposed to be a 1 hour run I didn't put any lube on.  It's hot for me in LA so I was sweating and I wore all the skin off of a part of my body that sticks out.   There I was last week.  In the best shape of my life and no running injuries, and I managed to manufacture a hole in my hand, a hole in my knee and a super uncomfortable bit of personal chafing. So, yeah, the universe is in balance… – and l'll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -

The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-335 – Neely Spence Gracey Breaks out at Boston!  (Audio: link) [audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4335.mp3] Link Team Hoyt Boston 2016 Campaign -> MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - Hello and welcome to episode 4-335 of the RunRunLive Podcast.  Bear with me, we are going to get to the great show including a piece on the re-emergence of effort based training in the poplar zeitgeist and a really good interview with Neely Spence Gracey who is making her professional marathon debut at Boston this year.  And I’m capping it off with a super-thoughtful post on mistakes not to make in life that is just in time for graduation season. But – before that -This week I’ve got another milestone announcement for you.  I’ve been toying with this idea for years and I finally got the breathing room to put it into action.  When I looked at the value of this podcast to you over the last 8 years and 300+ episodes it is in the content, meaning the words and the interviews, and the audio I create from them.  That’s my value add in the process.  The revelation I had is that even though I am perfectly capable of it, there is no unique or differentiating value to me twiddling with my website or editing the audio or the countless other admin tasks that something like this takes. So I asked myself, “Hey, Myself, how can I do less of that stuff and more of the good stuff?” and the answer was to automate the rote stuff.  I had some down time at the beginning of this year and pulled together a great team of virtual assistants to do some of the time consuming production work for me.  We’re about 3 episodes in and it’s working fairly well.  The next phase of this project to automate is now ready.  I had my website redone to support a membership option.  I wanted to give people who had the ability to and wanted to a chance to help me cover the costs of all this stuff without having to resort to cheesy commercials or half-hearted sponsorships.  I also didn’t want to take anything away or put existing stuff behind a paywall.  Bottom line – there’s a membership option to get extra cool stuff and support the content but we’re not charging for or taking away any of the existing content or archival content. Here’s the pitch… Remember RunRunLive is and always has been free and listener supported.  To keep it that way we now are offering members’ only content. By signing up for a membership, you will get… Access To Exclusive Members Only audio Member only race reports, essays and other bits just for you! (This week I put up my Stu’s 30k race report! ) Exclusive Access to Individual Audio Segments from all Shows Intro’s, Outro’s, Section One running tips, Section Two life hacks and Featured Interviews – all available as stand-alone MP3’s you can download and listen to at any time. We will consider other benefits as they are requested by you, because when you’re a member it’s all about you! On top of that, consider how much it costs: $4.99 a month. That’s roughly the price of a couple Expresso Luv Gu gels a month. And unlike GU, we won’t give you a sugar overdose or rot your teeth. So not only will you be part of the RunRunLive community and be getting cool extras, you’ll also be healthier and happier. But the real value is that you will be helping this community continue to provide the content you love.  And as a member you can directly influence the stories we tell, the research we do and the people we interview.  We’re all in this together. So if you like what we’re doing here at RunRunLive, please consider becoming a member. Membership is cheap, for a monthly donation that breaks down to roughly around the price of 1/25th of a pair of running shoes each month you can help keep RunRunLive free and independent. Go to my website and click on the subscribe button. … I’m glad to say my training is still going well.  I had another big build week that capped off with a 3 hour long run.  I’m in a good place mentally and physically because instead of ruing the run I was quite looking forward to it. I queued up my favorite podcasts and ran 4 loops of my home 5 mile loop.  Another good sign was when I got to the last loop I realized I’d be about 10 minutes short so I decided to run up to the top of the telephone tower hill –the driveway is on the course.  So, yeah, 18 or so miles into the run I decide to throw in another big hill to make up some time.  Then when I got to the end of the run, near my house I had the 3 hours but was about a 1/3 of a mile short of 20 so I kept going for another 3 minutes to get the 20.  Wasn’t sore or chafed or damaged at all after.  All very good signs. This weekend I’m racing one of my favorites – the Eastern States 20 Miler.  Coach has gone easy on me so I can have fresher legs going into it and treat it as a pacing exercise. I’m confident I can negative split it and beat my target marathon goal pace.  It’s a flatter course, but there’s always some wind coming off the ocean.  It will be a good test and I’m looking forward to it. Then I taper into Boston.  I got my bib number and coral placement and I’m all the way in the back and that is going to be a challenge.  I’ve got 4,000 charity runners to get around to get my BQ.  That’s probably worth 4-5 minutes of race time before I can break free.  I’m so far back this year that I’m considering just waiting before I cross the start mat and giving everyone a 10 -20 minute head start. Whatever happens it will be an adventure. … I’ve always said that training well does not guarantee your race time. Training well only gives you the opportunity.  Doing the work is not a guarantee of success. Doing the work is how you buy the ticket to get to the starting line with the potential to have a good or even a great day. There was a baseball movie in the 90’s called “Major League”.  The storyline was a team of reprobates, misfits and has-beens comes together to beat everyone’s expectations and win.  One of the characters was the has-been pitcher Eddie Harris (played by actor Chelcie Ross).  I think about Eddie Harris when I’m racing now.  He had lost his power and speed but he managed to strike people out with the tricks and veteran guile.  That’s where I am now.  I don’t have the power or speed.  I can’t recover as fast.  I can’t afford to skip any of the ancillary activities like strength training and stretching.  I can’t skip workouts and expect to just ‘show up and race’.  But, I know my machine.  I know how to race.  I’ve got the confidence and poise to coax good performances.  And I’m ok with that.   On with the Show! Section one - Running Tips Effort based training - Voices of reason – the conversation Neely Spencer Gracey – Elite Marathoner Eight time division II national cross country champion and professional runner… Runner’s World article ->   Email: getrunning@outlook.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/neelyruns Twitter: @neelysgracey Instagram: NeelySGracey Garmin Connect: neelysgracey Map My Run: neelysgracey PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS Runner-up at USATF Club XC Nationals 2011 4th at the BUPA Grand Prix Edinburgh, Scotland 2012 Runner-up at USATF 5k Road Champs 2012 Third at USATF 10k Road Champs 2012 USATF Athlete of the Week 11/14/12 Chiba Japan Bronze Medal Ekiden Relay Team 2012 First ever American Zatopek 10k Champ 2012 5th at USATF XC Nationals 2013 Top American and first non-African (13th) at the World XC Champs 2013 5th at USATF 5k Road Champs 2013 Queen of the Mountain and 6th overall at MRR 2014 5th and top non-African at Campaccio IAAF XC 2015 Runner-Up at Gasparilla Half Marathon 2015 (Olympic Trials qualifier) Section two 9 Mistakes you don’t have to make - Outro My friends, members or not, you have reached the end of yet another free and listener supported RunRunLive Podcast – Episode 4-335 has made its successful professional debut. The coming 3-4 weeks are just going to be a blur for me and it’s going to carry through May and into June.  I’ve got a multi-day meeting in Chicago next week.  Then April 18th is the Boston Marathon and I’m in the best shape and have the most confidence in my training that I have had for about 5 years.  You’d think that would make me less nervous.  Just the opposite.  When you haven’t trained well there’s no stress because there is no expectation. I have trained well and now all I can do is screw it up!  There will be some full on sleepless nights and psychotic episodes over the next couple weeks! April 24th is our 25th anniversary Groton Road Race. We’ve set up the virtual race if you want join from afar – just go to – Hope to see you there. Rolling into May I’ve got a multiple conferences and meetings in New Orleans, Atlanta and Phoenix.  I’ll be on the road a lot and looking to run the canyon while I’m in Phoenix.  Not sure what my next goal will be.  I’m feeling a bit achy from road racing.  Whatever it is it won’t be road racing!  Unless, of course I blow my qualifier try at Boston.  Then I might have to lift that heavy bag of training to my shoulders again, but I’m getting good at that.  I got some pushback on my dog joke from last time.  Apparently the goldens and labs were insulted by my comments. I apologize for that, but I never would have thought they had the mental capacity to be insulted.  I’ll try to be my sensitive. … Closing comments Buddy woke up limping around the house today.  He has something wrong with a front paw and I’m going to take him to the vet in a bit.  I want them to look at that other fatty lump on his hip and maybe get that taken out because it seems to be really getting in the way of his running.  We’re a pair of old guys limping around the house complaining about aches and pains.  I don’t have any muscle or tendonitis problems this cycle.  Coach gives me enough rest and I’ve been attentive to my yoga and core strengthening.  I do have some goof pain.  I caught a toes in the dark on the trail one night.  I was emerging from the trail into a parking lot and the snow plows had pushed an unexpected piece of curbing into the path.  I came down on my palm and tore a nice hole.  Palms don’t heal well.  Then coach gave me a recovery bike spin workout.  It was one of those nice days so I took Fuji-san off the fluid trainer, pumped up the tires, greased all the moving bits and headed for the rail trail.  In the process I had to swap the skewer on the back wheel because the trainer requires a specific skewer – it’s the rod through the axles that has a quick release lever on it.   Well, I must not have clamped the back wheel on well enough.  There I was in traffic, balancing at a stop sign, I stood up in the peddles to go and the back wheel comes out of the frame and seizes.  Of course I’m clipped in so I do that embarrassing death roll into the bushes.  I took a piece of gravel and tore a nice hole in my knee! Fast forward a couple days and I’m out running in Los Angeles.  I decide to try to make it to the beach and turn my 1 hour run into a 2 hour run.  Now since it was only supposed to be a 1 hour run I didn’t put any lube on.  It’s hot for me in LA so I was sweating and I wore all the skin off of a part of my body that sticks out.   There I was last week.  In the best shape of my life and no running injuries, and I managed to manufacture a hole in my hand, a hole in my knee and a super uncomfortable bit of personal chafing. So, yeah, the universe is in balance… – and l’ll see you out there. MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks -