Episode 50: Ultrarunning for Normal People with Guest Sid Garza-Hillman

In this episode of “All Things Endurance Podcast,” host Rick Prince chats with Sid Garza-Hillman, an ultrarunner, author, nutritionist, and ultra race director. Sid discusses the mental barrier many people experience when thinking about participating in an ultramarathon, as well as how training for and racing an ultramarathon can change one’s perspective on life for the better.Below are the specific areas that Rick and Sid chat about during this episode:        Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?What was the catalyst for writing your book?Do you find that most “normal” people don’t think they can do an ultramarathon?What are some life lessons that training for and competing in an ultramarathon teaches?What are some of the key factors that make ultrarunning (especially trail ultrarunning) different from road running?How does a “normal” person with a job, family, etc., find time to train for an ultra?You note in your book that finishers of ultras often realize that they are capable of more than they ever imagined. Do you feel that, for many people, participating in an ultra is a life-enhancer?At UESCA’s ultrarunning conference, the sense of community and camaraderie was palpable. Do you find that the sense of community is just as important, if not more important, than the running aspect for many ultrarunners?If someone is thinking of running an ultra, what are several reasons they should go for it?You noted that you had a positive shift in your life due to ultrarunning. Could you explain more about this?To learn more about Sid and his book, Ultrarunning for Normal People, please visit: www.sidgarzahillman.comFor $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75

 In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with Natasha Swartley, a wilderness EMT, trail race medic and ultrarunner. Rick and Natasha discuss the importance of self-autonomy as it relates to endurance athletes, and specifically athletes that are often by themselves in trail-based environments. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Natasha chat about during this episode: Could you tell our listeners a bit more about your background?Due to the increased popularity of trail/ultrarunning, as well as gravel cycling which often takes athletes into remote sections, how important is self-autonomy and secondarily, why is no one really teaching this information to endurance athletes?I’m guessing that a lot of ultra athletes assume that if you’re in a race, there will be assistance in most all areas, but this is not the case. Could you elaborate on this?Should endurance athletes assume that aid station volunteers have the requisite training to handle any medical issue/emergency?What are the most important things to understand and appreciate about self-autonomy as it relates to being an endurance athlete?For an endurance athlete, what are some of the most important things for them to have on their person when venturing out in training or racing?Getting lost is a big fear of most people. What should an athlete do if they become lost in the woods?Is GPS reliable in remote areas? If not, what is a back-up?How important is education as it pertains to self-autonomy and what resources are available to endurance athletes looking to learn more about this?Could you tell our listeners more about your business as it relates to self-autonomy and blister care/management?To learn more about Natasha, please check out her IG accounts: @thortrailracemedic and @wonderlostunicorn 

In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with Brandon Noble and Piotr Skrzypczyk of Foot Wave. Brandon is an orthopedic clinician and lower extremity biomechanical educator. Brandon, Piotr and Rick discuss various aspects of lower extremity mechanics and specifically how to keep runners’ feet healthy. Below are the specific areas that Rick, Brandon and Piotr chat about during this episode:  1.     Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?2.     Why do runners spend so much time “recovering” everywhere except the feet—the first point of contact for every mile?3.     What are the earliest signs a runner’s feet aren’t recovering well before pain shows up—and how can a coach spot it in stride, cadence, or workout consistency?4.    How does foot fatigue quietly change mechanics up the chain (ankle → knee → hip), and what’s the simplest field test to catch it early?5.     What’s the difference between “tissue recovery” (soreness, irritation) and “movement recovery” (how you load and move)—and why do runners often treat the first while ignoring the second?6.     When a runner has recurring hot spots, arch irritation, or “beat up feet” after easy runs, what’s your decision tree—load, shoe fit, strength/mobility… and when does adding an insole become a smart step?7.     What does a realistic “feet-first” recovery routine look like—something a busy runner can actually do in 6–8 minutes a day to impact the entire movement chain?8.     How should runners think about the balance between building capacity (strength/mobility) and reducing stress (surface choices, footwear, and light support tools like insoles) to keep training consistent?9.     What are the most common mistakes runners make when trying insoles—switching too fast, pairing with the wrong shoe, ignoring fit/volume—and how can coaches help them trial support safely?10.  Where do insoles belong on the intervention ladder—as a temporary bridge to keep training quality high, a comfort tool for high-volume blocks, or something more individualized?11.  If you had to define “better recovery” in measurable terms—pace stability, long-run tolerance, next-day soreness, weekly mileage consistency—what should runners track to know an intervention (including insoles) is actually working?12.  Could you talk a bit about Foot Wave?To learn more about Foot Wave, please visit:www.footwave.comUESCA Certification Course Discount Offer: For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75

 In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with Dr. Andrew Fix, a physical therapist and orthopedic clinical specialist. Rick and Dr. Fix discuss the efficacy of recovery tools, as well as the basics of recovery and common mistakes he sees endurance athletes make. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Dr. Fix chat about during this episode:1.     Could you tell our listeners a bit more about yourself? 2.     There are near endless recovery tools available today including foam rollers, percussion guns and compression boots… to name just a few. From a macro point of view, do you think that tools have long term effects, or is the benefit more from an acute standpoint? 3.     Do you think that a lot of athletes forget about the basics of recovery (i.e., sleep, rest days, eating well, etc…) and instead focus on recovery tools? 4.     What is the science behind cold plunges and saunas, as there seems to be conflicting information about the efficacy of them. 5.     Do you think a lot of athletes try to ‘self-treat’ injuries/niggles with recovery modalities versus seeing a professional such as a PT? 6.     While I’m sure that it’s largely individually-based, if an athlete was going to purchase three recovery tools, are there three that you would say that provide the most value? 7.     What are the top mistakes that you see athletes make with respect to recovery? 8.     What are some recovery myths/protocols that athletes are still using today that don’t have the evidence to support their utilization? 9.     Lastly, as the body functions as a systemic point of view, do you often see athletes self-treating a particular body part with a recovery modality that likely isn’t the root cause of the pain/discomfort? What would your advice for these individuals?To learn more about Dr. Fix’s practice, please visit:  www.physioroomco.com For $75 off a UESCA certification, use code ATE75 

In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with Dr. Ashley Shrader, founder and owner of RISE Functional Medicine. Dr. Shrader is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Institute of Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner. Dr. Shrader and Rick discuss various aspects of gut health including physiology, systemic influence on the body, high carbohydrate intake, strategies to positively impact gut health… and more!If you’ve ever been interested in learning more about gut health, consider this a must listen!Below are the specific areas that Rick and Dr. Shrader chat about during this episode:  1.       Could you please tell our listeners a little bit more about yourself?2.       We often hear that gut health is important, but in my experience, it is still not often viewed as important as other areas of health. Why do you think that is? Is it a lack of information or something else?3.       Endurance athletics and gut issues seem to go hand in hand – especially for ultra distances. Could you elaborate more on why this is the case?4.       Often gut issues tend to be thought of solely with respect to GI issues, but it can impact a lot of other areas of performance as well such as recovery and fatigue. Could you discuss some of those areas?5.       As you work with a lot of endurance athletes, do you find that there are common root causes of gut issues amongst endurance athletes?6.       There is currently a super high carb trend in endurance athletics. What are your thoughts on this from both health and performance standpoints and regarding performance, how would an athlete train their gut to handle high carb intake?7.       What are some good general and practical strategies that endurance athletes can adopt to enhance their health and performance?8.       If an athlete is experiencing issues that they think might be related to their gut health, what step(s) should they take?9.       Could you please tell our listeners a little bit more about your business, RISE Functional Medicine?To learn more about Dr. Ashely Shrader and RISE Functional Medicine, please visit:www.risefxmed.com

In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with Chris Lee, founder and owner of Kinesis. Chris is a strength and conditioning specialist with a focus on working with endurance athletes, both amateur and professional.  Rick and Chris discuss the rise in popularity of strength training amongst endurance athletes, as well as the key benefits of strength training, how to set up a home gym and how to integrate strength training into a cardiovascular-based program. Below are the specific areas that Rick and Chris chat about during this episode:1.     Could you tell our listeners a little bit more about yourself?2.     In the past, strength training was only really done in the off-season, if at all. Why do you think there is renewed focus on strength training for endurance athletes?3.     Do you think the recent focus on longevity plays a role into the interest in strength training?4.     Specific needs aside, if an athlete could only do 5 exercises, which ones would you suggest and why?5.     Most of us know what the main benefits of strength training are. However, what are some other benefits that aren’t as common knowledge (ex: durability, stiffening tendons, etc…)?6.     A lot of endurance athletes are not sure how to successfully integrate strength training into a cardiovascular program without it negatively impacting their cardio-based training sessions. Any advice in this area?7.     What equipment would you recommend to an athlete looking to build their own gym?8.     While there is increased strength training adoption amongst endurance athletes, a lot of endurance athletes are still not doing strength training. Why do think this is?9.     Could you tell our listeners a bit more about Kinesis?To learn more about Chris Lee and Kinesis (physical location and the Kinesis app), please visit:www.kinesisintegrated.com 

In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with Dr. Marco Altini, founder of HRV4Training. Dr. Altini is a coach and data scientist who specializes in heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is a metric that is useful to endurance athletes as it can by proxy, assess an individual’s fatigue and stress. In this podcast, Rick and Dr. Altini take a deep dive into what exactly HRV is, its strengths and weaknesses in relation to the application for athletes, and how to interpret HRV data.Below are the specific areas that Rick and Dr. Altini chat about during this episode:1.       Could you please tell our listeners a bit more about yourself?2.       What exactly is HRV and why is it an important metric to assess and track?3.       Do wearables accurately track HRV? And what is the gold standard for assessing HRV?4.       Is HRV affected by age or gender?5.       Is HRV highly individualistic? And is there a median HRV that is considered normal for different ages? 6.       Should an athlete change their training based on their HRV? And moreover, is a low HRV – especially over several consecutive days a cause for alarm?7.       What are most common things that affect ones HRV?8.       Do you recommend correlating HRV with other data points and if so, for what purpose?9.       What limitations are there in assessing HRV, and are there any areas of HRV research that are not conclusive or more research is still needed?10.  Tell us about your app, HRV4TrainingTo learn more about Dr. Altini and his app, please visit:www.marcoaltini.comwww.HRV4Training.com

In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with Laura Healey – the senior manager of Research & Sport Science at Puma. In this podcast, Laura discusses the science and make up of super shoes, as well considerations regarding their use and application.  Below are the specific areas that Rick and Laura chat about during this episode:  1.       Could you please tell our listeners a little bit more about yourself?2.       Is there an exact definition of a ‘super shoe,’ or more specifically, are there any aspects of a shoe that are needed to make it a ‘super shoe?’3.       First there was the focus on barefoot/minimal footwear, which is often attributed to the ‘Born to Run’ book. Now the over-cushioned ‘super shoe’ seems to have largely replace the minimalist focus. Could you discuss this transition from one extreme to another?4.       Is there one aspect of super shoes (i.e., foam, carbon plate, etc…) that is responsible for the increase in performance, or is it largely an equal combination of all aspects?5.       Due to the height, are over-cushioned shoes less stable when running around tight turns?6.       Initially, super shoes were viewed as only racing shoes. However, has that changed to the point where a lot of people also train in super shoes?7.       Without giving away any proprietary information, what are some of the key considerations that go into making a super shoe?8.       Price aside, are there any reasons why someone might not want to purchase super shoes?9.       Is there any research out there that discusses if super shoes increase, decrease or have no effect on injury rates? Or is it still way too early to have statistically significant data on in this area?10.  Aside from the usual fit recommendations, are there any other considerations or guidelines that a runner should be aware of when trying on super shoes?  To learn more about Puma and to check out their shoes, please visit: www.puma.com 

In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host Rick Prince chats with Nicole Dobransky. Nicole is the founder of Runner Rising, a business focused on helping individuals start and scale their endurance sports coaching practices. Below are the areas that Rick and Nicole chat about during this episode:  1.       Could you please tell our listeners a little bit more about you and why you started Runner Rising?2.       What are some the biggest mistakes that you see new (and seasoned) endurance sports coaches make when it comes to marketing their coaching businesses?3.       ‘Content is King’ is often a phrase used in regard to online marketing. Does this hold true for endurance sports coaches and if so, what are some key considerations to be aware of when creating content across various mediums?4.       What role do you see AI playing in helping endurance sports coaches acquire athletes to work with?5.       If a coach is brand new, what are the first steps that they should take to build their business?6.       If you had to pick the top 3 most impactful things that a coach can do to get athletes, what would they be?7.       A lot of coaches struggle with wearing all of the hats in their coaching business. What advice would you give to a coach that is struggling to grow their business because they are too busy managing all of the aspects of running it?8.       Could you tell us a little bit about how Runner Rising helps coaches find new athletes to coach?9.       Any tips for a coach that is looking to take their coaching side-gig to a full-time endeavor with respect to increasing their athlete roster?To learn more about Nicole and Runner Rising, please visit: https://runnerrising.com/ 

In this episode of ‘All Things Endurance Podcast,’ host, Rick Prince chats with licensed clinical psychologist and founder of The Coaches Collective, Dr. Lara Pence. In her daily practice, Dr. Pence primarily works with elite athletes and executives to level up their performance. The Coaches Collective is a community of coaches that Dr. Pence works with to help to them transform their athletes into the best version of themselves. Below are the areas that Rick and Dr. Pence chat about during this episode: 1.       Could you please tell the listeners more about yourself and the Coach Collective?2.       What are some of the most common things that you have found that hold coaches back from reaching their potential?3.       Do you think that coaches often don’t recognize what truly is holding them back and associate their lack of growth to other things?4.       What are some of the most important traits for coaches to have?5.       How important is the role of community in the success of a coach?6.       In an age of so much information (right and wrong) being fed to us – especially on social media, how important is trust in the coaching relationship and what are some ways for coaches to build trust amongst their athletes and athletes possibly looking to hire coaches?7.       Imposter Syndrome is quite prevalent in new and seasoned coaches. Are there any strategies that coaches can implement to help overcome it?8.       On your website, you denote that you meet coaches where they are at. How important is this concept in both coaching and life?9.       What are some common traits of high performing coaches?To learn more about Dr. Pence and The Coaches Collective, please visit: https://drlarapence.com/coaches