When Does Running Get Easier?

Slow runs can feel counterintuitive, but they’re an essential part of building endurance. Aly and Kristine break down what makes a run truly easy, why effort matters more than pace, and how slowing down can help you recover and build mileage. Plus, a few lessons from their own marathon training and practical tips for resisting the urge to speed up—from running by time to leaving your watch behind.

The New York City Marathon is one of the toughest courses in the world– we're walking you through it mile by mile, sharing where to hold back (don’t pass anyone on the Verrazano Bridge), where to soak up the crowds in Brooklyn, why the quiet 59th Street Bridge is the best reset of the day, and how the ten-ten-ten pacing plan sets you up for Fifth Avenue. Plus a warning about the longest mile of your day: the walk out after the finish.

Jeff just ran Berlin and Chicago two weeks apart and says he never hit the wall. Allie isn’t buying it. They break down what the wall actually is, from running out of fuel to starting too fast to heat, plus a Berlin study finding men were twice as likely as women to hit it. Hear their fueling tricks, pacing advice, and why “bank equals bonk.”

You just crossed the finish line. Now what? We break down the “one day of recovery per mile” rule, the four-week “reverse taper” that rebuilds your volume from 30% to 60% to normal, and why jumping back too soon is how injuries sneak in. We also share their own post-race rituals, from hot-cold-hot baths to compression boots to a Galloway-style walk/run, plus a cautionary tale about running two marathons in two weeks.

Physical therapist Dr. Winnie Yu joins Allie breaks down the real green-light, yellow-light, red-light system for running injuries — from runner's knee to stress fractures, and makes the case for strength training as the single best injury-prevention tool. Bonus: practical advice on shoe rotation and knowing when it's time to actually stop and see a professional.

Why do long runs feel so hard? One runner shares three surprising (and slightly controversial) tricks that transformed her long-runs and her relationship with endurance training.

A sports dietitian breaks down everything runners need to know about fueling — from strategic carb-loading (not just pasta night) to race-day gel timing, hitting 75g of carbs per hour, and fast post-race recovery. She also tackles the topic every runner secretly wants covered: preventing GI distress by training your gut like a muscle. Put this into practice: How to Fuel Your Runs: Nutrition Tips for Training and Racing

A ultramarathoner, certified run and nutrition coach, and lupus survivor, Mireille Siné, joins the show to talk training through chronic illness, rebuilding from ground zero after autoimmune flare-ups, and why she treats sleep (7+ hours, consistent bedtime) as non-negotiable. She also breaks down realistic marathon timelines for beginners, easy meal prep for runners, spotting the difference between training fatigue and a flare-up, and the value of real-life running community over social media's highlight reel. Tips: How to Fuel Your Runs: Nutrition Tips for Training and Racing

He's 60 and training for his first marathon. In this episode, we chat with runnine newbie, Paul Smith, about prepping for the NYC marathon, fueling with Pop-Tarts, learning to pace himself, and why he got cleared by his cardiologist first.

Does running ever actually get easy? Allie and Jeff break down the science of how long it takes your body to adapt — from feeling adaptations in as little as two weeks to tendons needing 8-10 weeks (or longer) to catch up. They also get personal, talking injury comebacks, why patience matters most for older runners, and the eternal mystery of the "runner's high" neither of them has ever felt.