We have provided much advice on energy gels and how best to fuel your body, so let’s switch it up and talk about “fuel for your mind.”
We love running and other forms of endurance sports. That’s why we do it, to begin with. Still, at one time or another, we’ve all had to get through a long workout (especially on the dreadmill and cycling on a trainer) when motivation is low.
I’ve found that a good podcast episode is an excellent way to help break up the monotony. Here are five running and endurance sports podcasts that I listen to regularly.
The Free Trail Podcast with Dylan Bowman
I began listening to this podcast since its inception almost three years ago. Host Dylan Bowman, a trail runner of the highest echelons, gets some of the best guests in the endurance world. From race preview and the media in endurance sports to interviewing champion runners and his entrepreneurship journey, Bowman is one of the most articulate and inspirational podcast hosts in the running space.
A few episode recommendations:
KoopCast
Host Jason Koop is one of the best trail running coaches in the world. The show provides a nice balance of nerdy sports science and fun personal anecdotes. The episodes are full of gems on training, nutrition, the latest news in running, and more.
Obviously, being a renowned coach, he can book incredible guests. I’ve only recently started listening to this podcast, so I haven’t explored the archive, which consists of 148 episodes.
Here are my episode picks:
Billy Yang Podcast
Billy is a talented outdoor filmmaker as well as a thoughtful, eloquent podcast host. Many of the episodes are very inspirational, and the common theme is often gratitude. It’s a very enjoyable listen, and you always come away feeling better about running and life in general. The one knock is the episode schedule is erratic. Sometimes a couple of episodes a month, and sometimes none.
My recommended listen:
The Singletrack Podcast
Host Finn Melanson is a understated speaker and keeps it short with his questions and opinions, which I love because it gives the guests more mic time. Great, great guests, by the way! For the week leading up to UTMB, he conducted interviews with some of the fan favorites, which is how I discovered this podcast.
Here are my episode picks:
Sweat Elite Podcast
I first became a fan of their youtube channel, where they show the workouts of elite track and marathon runners in a very raw and authentic way. The podcast is just as good.
I wouldn’t say the hosts are the most articulate, but the guests are always incredible, and the episodes are insightful. They have recently upgraded their recording equipment, so the sound quality has vastly improved.
This is their wonderful youtube channel
My favorite episodes:
The Real Science of Sport Podcast
Sports scientist Professor Ross Tucker and veteran sports journalist Mike Finch cover a wide range of sport disciplines, debunks myths, and breaks down topical issues in the world of sports.
You’ll like this one if you want to get nerdy and have sports science explained in plain English.
Here are two episodes I’ve particularly enjoyed:
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Did you set goals for 2022? Lose weight? Run a half marathon? Break your 5K PB? A worthy goal and a smart fueling plan go together like peanut butter and jelly. Here are some helpful articles to help you train and fuel smart.