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How to Stay Mentally Loose and 'Is Cross-Training Essential for Runners?' - The Running Podcast Review: Episode 3

James Williams
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Would you like to save time by getting a summary of some of the best podcast episodes that can help improve your running?

Then this new podcast review series is perfect for you!

This is a summary of the latest podcasts I’ve listened to with information that can be applied to running.

You can see a full list of the podcasts I listen to, and the books that have inspired me, here.

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  1. A FREE training plan template -  Which will save you time, money and effort when creating your plans

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1) Rory McIlroy - How to Stay Physically Tight and Mentally Loose - On The ‘Trained’ Podcast by Nike

What Was it About? - Over the course of his golf career, Rory has learned that the more resilient you are and the more you understand that winning is a by-product of setting small, tangible goals, the better you will perform.

Throughout this episode, Rory tells you about his dedication to positive self-talk, and being an advocate for holistic fitness.

Why Did I Enjoy It? - Even though Rory McIlroy is in a completely different sport, I think that there are lots of things that can be applied to ultra-running. Especially when you are hearing from the best athletes in other sports, talk about broad concepts like psychology.

This was also a fascinating interview with someone who was at the absolute top of their sport and has struggled to find that form again. But still has a positive, resilient mindset.

Where Can You Listen to It?

2) The Barkley Marathon Review - On ‘The British Ultra Running Podcast’

What Was it About? - James Elson and Dan Lawson have both recently taken part in huge events.

James had taken on the legendary Barkley Marathon, whilst Dan had attempted to set the fastest known time (FKT) on the 600km Jordan Trail.

In this episode they both told stories about each of their incredible adventures.

Why Did I Enjoy It? - Getting an insight into the performance of top runners is always very beneficial for how you can change your own approach to major events.

And what made this even better was the huge size of the events they both took on.

Where Can You Listen to It?

3) ‘The Big Fat Fix’ - On The ‘Human Performance Outliers’ Podcast

What Was it About? - Dr. Aseem Malhotra is a Cardiologist, best selling author, researcher, and Professor of Evidence-Based Medicine.

In this episode, he explained his theories on nutrition, including high-fat, vegetarian, vegan and others.

You can see some of his work in the The Big Fat Fix

Why Did I Enjoy It? - Although Dr. Aseem seemed to have a similar approach to me on diet (higher fat and lower-carb than standard), he seemed to be a lot more balanced on his view than many other people I’ve listened to.

I also enjoyed it because it was a brand new podcast for me!

Where Can You Listen to It?

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4) Is Cross-Training Essential for Ultra Runners? - On The ‘Science of Ultra’ Podcast

What Was it About? - Runners need to run. Ultra-marathon runners need to run a lot.

But could your you be more effective by spending more time cross-training?

The ‘coaches corner’ episodes of the ‘Science of Ultra Poscast’ are where a question is asked to the panel of elite ultra-runners and they each give their verdict.

They’re always full of great debate and lots of very useful information.

Why Did I Enjoy It? - Simply, I always enjoy these ‘coaches corner’ episodes!

The debate across a number of different people is always interesting and so different to many of the other podcasts I listen to, where it’s often one person giving their opinion.

Where Can You Listen to It?

5) The Paradox of Passion - On ‘The Rich Roll Podcast’

What Was it About? - “There is both good passion and bad passion. And what direction your passion takes is largely up to you.”

But is a life propelled by passion always the best course of action?

The answer, it turns out, is complicated.

Passion can be a gift. But only if you know how to properly channel it.

The same drive that fuels breakthroughs — whether they’re athletic, scientific, entrepreneurial, or artistic — can be every bit as destructive as it is productive.

This episode is a wide-ranging exploration into the very nature of passion. Chock-a-block with scientific takeaways & experiential insights.

Why Did I Enjoy It? - I’d consider myself to have a passion for running. But I also recognise that this can be both a good and a bad thing.

This episode brought up some really thought-provoking moments about how to view your passion. And how not to let is impact your life as much.

Where Can You Listen to It?

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Save Time, Money and Effort by Claiming Your Free Training Plan Template

Join hundreds of other athletes who get amazing benefits, simply by providing your email.

  1. A FREE training plan template -  Which will save you time, money and effort when creating your plans

  2. The best training and racing advice from across the web - I send these articles out every month, exclusively, to email subscribers

  3. Early access to exclusive offers and deals - I send out the best discounts and offers to email subscribers first, before anyone else

See this form in the original post

What Should You Read Next?

Unleash Your Alter-Ego - On the Podcast Review: Episode 2

Find out how I could Help You Improve Your Performance through coaching

Use these 5 shorter training sessions to improve your ultra-running performance

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