Summer Running Camp, Part 5: Race Day Walk-Through

Written by Doug Hay

With this week’s Equinox came the end of summer … and the official closing ceremony at the NMA Summer Running Camp.

If you missed the first four weeks of camp, here’s what we covered:

After much consideration, Matt and I felt there was no better way to wrap things up than to head to the races.

In this week’s episode we share a complete race day walk-through. From port-o-potties to pacing, we present the whole picture and how to manage it.

Oh, and there’s a special treat at the top of this episode, so crank it up.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

The days leading up to your race — what you need to know
What to eat on race morning
Port-o-potties … how to handle the lines
Are pacing groups helpful?
Dealing with the marathon bonk

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What We Wish We Knew In College (About Food, Exercise, and Life)

Written by Doug Hay

Back to school. Back to school. To prove to dad that I’m not a fool …

For students, early September means one thing: The end of summer and the beginning of a new school year.

I have fond memories of the first day back to school, especially in college. Nerves were high, but so was the excitement of new classes, roommates, experiences, and friends.

And I can speak for both Matt and I when I say that we had a lot of fun during our college days … and that we made many stupid mistakes.

In today’s episode we think back to those mistakes, and share the fitness, nutrition, and life lessons or advice we wish we’d known in college.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

Brown rice … not fried rice
Why running a terrible marathon was Matt’s best decision ever
Doug’s weekly gym mistake
The books we wish we’d read in college
An easy way to eat healthy (even in a dining hall)
The life lessons we wish someone had told us

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Summer Running Camp, Part 4: Advanced Marathon Training and Racing with Coach Jason Fitzgerald

Written by Doug Hay

Throughout the first three weeks of summer running camp Matt and I have focused almost entirely on running topics for beginners:

This week we decided to switch things up a bit by exploring the differences between training for a marathon as a beginner, and training for your second, third, or forth marathon.

To do so we’ve invited one of the biggest running geeks we know, Jason Fitzgerald, a running coach and founder of Strength Running.

He shares advice on advanced marathon training, marathon specific workouts, and how to take your racing to a new level.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

The difference between your first and third marathon
Measuring your workload
The best workouts for a faster marathon
Why you should run more races
The perils of track workouts for marathoners
Pacing on race day

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Summer Running Camp, Part 3: How to Prevent Running Injuries

Written by Doug Hay

The weather might be cooling off, but Summer Running Camp is still in full swing.

During the first two weeks of camp we covered establishing a running routine and proper running form. Both fundamentals of sustainable running.

This week we cover a topic most runners pretend doesn’t exist (until it’s too late):

Injuries and injury prevention.

For many runners, injuries have become commonplace. They find themselves with a new injury each season, or battle the same aches and pains year after year.

But that doesn’t have to be the standard — in fact it shouldn’t be. There is such a thing as injury-free running, and in today’s episode we’ll help you find it.

So lace up those running shoes and head towards the lake. Camp has officially resumed for the next 55-minutes.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

Are injuries just a part of running?
Why most beginners get injured
When it’s important to warm-up before a run
Eating after a run — should you calculate nutrient ratios?
The forgotten recovery tool
How to adjust your training after an injury
The great ball-bag debate

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10 Vegan Foods We Couldn’t Live Without

Written by Doug Hay

Everyone has their staples … the foods or meals they turn to week after week.

But how many of your staples do you rely on simply because of convenience, and how many are foods you would truly never want to give up?

In today’s episode Matt and I discuss their top 10 favorite vegan food we couldn’t live without. The foods, sauces, meals, and drinks we rely heavily on week after week for both nutrients and pleasure.

And believe it or not, hummus didn’t make the list.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

Are there foods we really couldn’t live without?
Sauces and homemade dressings we always have on hand
Matt’s favorite pasta dish
A simple way to get your G-BOMBS

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Summer Running Camp, Part 2: Running Form

Written by Doug Hay

Get your lake gear ready, it’s time for week two of Summer Running Camp!

During the first week of summer camp we discussed building a consistent running routine. This week, we move on to proper running form.

Most of us learned to run as children, playing tag, sports, and chasing friends around the neighborhood. But it isn’t until we get older — and start running for exercise — that running form even becomes a consideration.

At it’s worst, your running form can leave you injured, but proper form will help with your overall running economy, reducing effort and fatigue while increasing speed.

So what are the basic principals of proper running form?

That’s what we cover in week two of camp.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

Why proper form starts with your head
The forward lean … why is it so hard?
The form technique that changed Matt’s running forever
Midfoot vs. heel striking
Doug’s big announcement!

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The (Fourth) Big Q&A Episode

Written by Doug Hay

My favorite part of being the co-host of No Meat Athlete Radio is the connection Matt and I make with listeners.

Writing for the blog is great, but being inside your earbuds feels different. It’s as if you get to know us better, and in return you reach out and we get to know you better.

Win, win.

And one of the best ways we get to hear from you has been through the Big Q&A Episode series. If you’ve missed them, check out parts one, two, and three now.

Today we’re back with another edition, and this time we answer questions on long bike ride nutrition, blood pressure, protein, and knoxing.

Don’t know about knoxing? We didn’t either …

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

Benefits to running on an empty stomach?
The big supplements question
Losing and gaining weight on the vegan diet
What to do when your sport requires non-vegan equipment
How to fuel for a long bike ride

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How We Use Summer for Motivation and Reset

Written by Doug Hay

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy — am I right?

Summer means warm weather, fresh veggies, and vacations. All the things we loved as young kids and still love today.

But for Matt and I, the mid-year months also provide an opportunity for renewed motivation and reset.

Maybe it’s the fresh food. Maybe it’s the simple desire to look good at the beach. Whatever it is, we’re both making changes this summer.

In today’s episode we discuss the power of the summer season, and how to use it to set new health, fitness, and nutrition goals to round out the year.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

Why a mid-year reset?
How access to fresh vegetables changes our diets
Matt’s new daily food routine
Motivation for fall races
Running and eating your way through vacation

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Summer Running Camp, Part 1: Building Consistency

Written by Doug Hay

Summer has officially arrived, which can only mean one thing:

Summer Camp … No Meat Athlete style.

Today’s episode is the first in a new summer series on the fundamentals of running. First topic, building a consistent running routine.

As Matt and I planned this series, it quickly became clear that before we can talk about running form, speed, or nutrition, we have to start with consistency. Running and training consistency is at the core of any progress within the sport, but is often ignored, specifically by beginners.

In this first week of Summer Running Camp, we discuss why consistency is so important and how to develop a sustainable routine, even before you begin training for a goal race.

Here’s what we talk about in this episode:

Consistency as a running fundamental
Why the time of day you run matters
The habit side of running routines
Writing your own training calendar
Does running damage your knees?

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12 Monthly Running Challenges for Your Strongest Year of Running Ever

Written by Matt Frazier

It’s a new year, which can only mean one thing … new goals, resolutions, and habits. Normally that would be the case for both me and Doug. We’d set specific goals, and work like crazy to reach them. But this year, when we sat down to plan out this episode, something weird happened. Neither of […]