Today's episode is all Q&A about strength training for endurance runners featuring a guest cohost, Ms. Tina Muir!

Tina is the host of the incredibly popular Running for Real podcast, a past guest here on the Strength Running Podcast, and a former professional runner.

We're discussing many aspects of strength work:

• Do runners need upper body exercises?
• How often should we get in the weight room?
• Is it best to do core training before or after running?
• Is progressive overload in the gym too aggressive?
• Should runners lift to failure?
• Can circuit workouts be used for strength training?
• And a lot more!

The answers to these questions - in much more detail - are also found in Strength Running’s email series about weightlifting for runners. It’s an email a day about the benefits of strength work, common myths that many of us believe, case studies, mistakes to avoid, example exercises, and a lot more.

Sign up today at strengthrunning.com/strength/ and let’s plan your strength training a bit more strategically.

What you’re about to listen to is a coaching call where we talk about Riley’s running background, the types of training he has experience with, and how he can structure the next 4 months of his running to not only finish his first half, but also race it well.

Riley is a member of Team Strength Running, the most affordable virtual coaching group you can join. These behind the scenes coaching call opportunities are only available to team members so if you’d like to learn more about the team, just sign up and I’ll send you more details. I think you’re really going to like it.

Riley and I are also going to talk about the enviable position he’s in right now (you’ll notice how excited I am for Riley because of where he’s at in his life), the types of long runs and workouts that work great for the half marathon, and the obstacles he must avoid this fall if he’s going to stay healthy and run his first marathon.

Us distance runners are used to metering out our effort, cautiously sipping fuel to conserve energy, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

We're creatures of patience, willing to grind for miles and execute a well-planned pacing strategy over the course of a race.

But none of that happens in the 800m.

In the half mile - possibly the "perfect" middle distance event - caution and patience are liabilities. Sipping fuel would be competitive suicide; blasting the after-burners is the only way to race it.

And such a fast, aggressive race demands training that's very different from what distance runners are used to.

In fact, 800m training looks like a blend of sprint and distance work: long runs and speed training, traditional track workouts with more strides, drills, and top-end speed reps.

During my track days, I certainly didn't do any 800m training. But I raced a lot of 800's in a few situations:

• As a second race during a track meet (the 1500m / 800m double is particularly taxing)
• At the end of a season if you haven't qualified for the championship meets
• During a 4x800m relay (putting four distance runners in a relay and watching them struggle with a mid-distance race is especially hilarious)

And while I'm firmly a distance runner (and distance coach), I love the 800m race. It's a beautiful expression of speed.

So I brought a middle-distance coach on the podcast to discuss this distance, 800m training, and how adult runners can get started with shorter, faster races.

Please welcome Tom Brumlik to the Strength Running Podcast (this is an excerpt from Team Strength Running).

Tom is an 800m specialist coach for the District Track Club in Washington, DC. He used to hold the General Manager role as well but is now working exclusively in a coaching capacity.

The DTC was started (and is still directed) by Matt Centrowitz, Sr. (father to Olympic Gold Medalist Matt Centrowitz) and features a range of elite middle distance runners.

Tom is on the podcast today to discuss how an elite running club like the DTC works (its funding, how it recruits members, and its origin) and the intricacies of 800m training.

He'll be answering questions like:

• What kind of mileage levels do 800m runners run?
• How long do these mid-distance runners go for their long runs?
• What speed development workouts are required for 800m training?
• Do runners from sprint or endurance backgrounds fair better in the 800?

We also discuss how to find all-comers track meets (there needs to be more of these!) so you can test yourself at the 800m distance.

Katy Sherratt joins us on the podcast today to discuss the mission of Back on My Feet and the power of running to combat homelessness.

And it is quite powerful! The organization has helped more than 7,000 and every dollar invested into Back on My Feet returns $2.50 to the local community. Talk about a positive return on investment!

In this conversation, we're discussing:

• Why she initially chose to work at Back on My Feet
• What lessons she's learned from using running to combat homelessness
• How running works so well as a platform for self-improvement
• The power of community to help members escape homelessness
• Her history as a runner and what the organization is doing next

Getting up at 5:30 in the morning to run requires commitment. And for those who can commit, they'll be rewarded with a supportive community, housing and employment resources, and other tools that will help them achieve more of their goals - both on and off the road.