Run for Fun with Leigh Spann

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - The Run for Fun digital show and podcast made its debut on November 23, 2022. Since then, Leigh Spann and Coach Maria have broadcast 92 episodes to help runners enjoy their runs. Some episodes focused on eating enough food to support the exercise as well as keeping runs slower to stay injury-free. A few episodes checked in with local doctors to discuss sleep routines, hormones, and how to keep knees and ankles healthy. The show spent several months training a new runner to race a 5K and set up a Strava virtual running group to answer questions and create an engaging community.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - In this week's episode of Run for Fun, we take a look at that daily cup of coffee and how caffeine impacts running and exercise. Leigh Spann and Coach Maria discuss caffeine with registered dietitian Jennifer Patricca. Patricca explains that caffeine can have different effects on different athletes. Some have positive results; some experience no change, and others have some negative effects.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - In this week's episode of Run for Fun we focus on data. Specifically, the data that many runners and non-runners get from their smartwatches. Leigh Spann and Coach Maria discuss what the different criteria mean and how to interpret the data. Runners training with Garmin or Apple Watch data is relatively new, so it can be a lot to understand.

TAMPA, Fla.(WFLA) - In the days after Hurricane Helene, this week's Run for Fun episode is about running and disasters. While this storm is the most immediate disaster for many in the Southeast, a disaster can be job loss, the death of someone close to you, or anything that disrupts your life. Leigh Spann and Coach Maria chat about how to adjust your expectations around these times and not let running be an additional stress factor.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - In this week's episode of Run for Fun, we chat with a freshman member of the Florida Southern Cross Country team in Lakeland. Daniel Welling grew up in Polk County. He was born premature, and he weighed less than two pounds at birth. Welling was also diagnosed with an inoperable brain cyst that required a shunt in his head to manage. In the end, that diagnosis would keep him from playing most sports.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- In this week's episode of Run for Fun, we focus on kids and running. It is important to keep kids active, but it is also important the activity happens when kids are developmentally ready for it. Joining Leigh Spann and Coach Maria for this discussion is pediatrician Dr. Melinda Murphy. She's an associate professor of pediatrics at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and director of pediatric hospital medicine at Muma Children's Hospital at Tampa General. They talk about ways to encourage or allow your child to run at appropriate ages.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - In this week's episode of Run for Fun, we discuss fall goals and how to set yourself up for success. Especially in Florida, the summer heat can make runs feel difficult and slow, but as the humidity begins to drop, paces can increase. Coach Maria explains how she helps clients start to increase their speed in the cooler air, so they are ready for fall races. Leigh Spann and Coach Maria discuss how to choose a race in Florida or other parts of the country that best suits the training runners put in over the months of hot weather.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - This week on Run for Fun, we chat with Nels Matson. The ultramarathon runner from Bradenton, FL is setting off on a record-breaking run across the country. His plan is to run 3000+ miles from sea to shining sea across America, and his goal is to do it in less than 42 days.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - In this week's episode of Run for Fun, Coach Maria answers questions from runners. We solicited questions and concerns from listeners, and Coach Maria goes through some of them with expert advice. Because runners are often alone or run with small groups, questions about training, injuries, recovery, etc may go unanswered. Leigh Spann and Coach Maria want to open the conversation in this episode to get those questions answered.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - In this week's episode of Run for Fun, the focus is on what to do when you get sick. Olympic runner Noah Lyles made headlines when he raced just two days after testing positive for Covid. The rules allow athletes to make the decision if they want to participate even with a positive test, but it showcases how much runners want to push through illness when it comes to racing. Many runners like the consistency of their daily run and try to stay healthy enough to stick to that regime. Inevitably, the sniffles or a cough will happen, and Coach Maria and Leigh Spann discuss how an illness can impact daily runs.