Run Farther & Faster — The Podcast with Coaches Lisa Levin and Julie Sapper

After watching Alysa Liu skate with pure joy to win gold, we were inspired!

What if we trained and raced the Boston Marathon the same way?

This week, we welcome 13-time Boston marathoner and longtime friend, Ken Trombatore, to break down a practical roadmap for training and racing Boston with joy and gratitude.

Whether your’re chasing a PR, running your first Boston, or simply want to experience Boylston Street with gratitude instead of tension, this episode will help you allow more joy into yo...

In this episode, we break down thirteen powerful, practical, and often overlooked ways to elevate your performance at the Boston Marathon—starting now!

We cover how to make your long runs mimic the unique Boston course profile, why mastering your late start timing can make or break your day, and how to build both the uphill strength and downhill efficiency this course demands. From nailing marathon pace on hilly terrain to practicing real-world fueling strategies (yes, even the scary ones), we share tips you can implement immediately.

Whether you’re a...

If winter miles feel disproportionately hard, you’re not imagining it. Extreme cold changes how your body works and it’s easy to lose confidence in your training.

In this episode, we break down why running in cold temperatures feels harder, even when fitness hasn’t changed. We explore the physiological reasons and how to adjust training intelligently in extreme cold without derailing your plan or forcing paces that don’t make sense. We cover smart modifications for long runs, marathon pace work, and speed sessions, including when to shift to effort-based training, slow paces ap...

Winter weather has a way of blowing up even the most carefully built training plans—and testing our patience right along with it.

In this episode, we talk about how to navigate training when snow and ice make it impossible (or unsafe) to stick to the plan as written. We break down how to adapt workouts without losing fitness, when to swap, shorten, or skip runs, and how to rethink consistency during unpredictable conditions. More importantly, we explore the mindset shift required to stay grounded, motivated, and confident when circumstances are out of your co...

We’re thrilled to welcome Brad Stulberg back to the podcast! Brad, who was featured in episode 183, is a bestselling author, coach, and one of today’s leading voices on sustainable performance and well-being. Frequently featured in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, his newest book, The Way of Excellence—out January 27—explores what it really means to pursue excellence in a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming.

In this conversation, we dig into how Brad defines excellence (hint: it’s not just about winning or grinding harder), and how runners can apply...

In this episode, we sit down with Rena Elmer, mom of 11 , Olympic Trials qualifier, and 2:35 marathoner, to talk about her running journey and pursuing big athletic goals while growing her family.

We discuss resilience, time management, Boston Marathon tips, faith in the process, and the power of showing up for yourself even when life is full. Whether you’re a runner, a parent, or someone chasing a goal that feels just out of reach, Rena’s story will leave you inspired to rethink your limits and keep going!

We love...

Goodbye MyPlate and Hello Food Pyramid. The food pyramid is back —but what does it actually mean for runners? In this episode, we talk with our most frequent guest, registered dietitian, Amy Goldsmith, to break down the newly released food pyramid for runners.

We talk through how the updated recommendations—the positive and negative—impact athletes and what runners should prioritize for training, racing, and recovery. Amy also clears up common misconceptions and explains how energy needs differ for runners versus the general population.

Amy Goldsmith, RD, has worked with h...

Happy New Year! We are so glad to be back podcasting! In this episode, we break down impactful running trends of 2025 and what they taught us about training smarter, staying healthy, and keeping the sport joyful.

From the rise of AI-driven training plans and Garmin obsession, to the continued shift toward fueling awareness, and longevity-focused running, we look at what actually helped runners improve and what quietly led to burnout or injury. We also talk about the cultural side of running in 2025 and why easier paces need to gain more respect on Strava.

We don’t have a car to give away, like Oprah, but we do have a list, like Oprah, of our Favorite Running-Related Things for 2025!

We hope that you enjoy this list as much as we enjoyed creating it. For a full list with links and discount codes to the items we mentioned, head over to our Instagram and check out the Favorite Things link in our profile.

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Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head ov...

We are thrilled to welcome longtime Run Farther & Faster runner, Dr. Kimberly Baer, a talented runner, dentist, mom and awesome human.

Some may remember Kim's story from last year. She ran the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and ran her lifetime PR there in a time of 3:21. Unfortunately, during that race, she stepped in a pothole and broke her foot--she still has no idea how she finished! As a result, Kim spent several months after the Chicago Marathon NOT running to allow her broken foot to heal with an eye toward her next goal...

Wow what a joyful morning at the Marine Corps Marathon! In this episode, we share a common theme among our most successful runners this season (and what defines success, as it’s not always about time).

After providing last minute Marine Corps Marathon race tips, we welcomed Alan Stroshine, who is the race director of the Clarence DeMar Marathon Weekend. Alan is a lifelong resident of Keene, New Hampshire, and member of the Keene Elm City Rotary Club, which organizes the race weekend events, including the marathon, half marathon, Kids DeMar, and Super Seniors.

Alan shares his journey from runner to race organizer, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create meaningful and memorable race experiences for the marathoners who toe the line in Keene each year.

After Julie shares an exciting update, we take a deep dive into the common patterns we’ve noticed among runners who achieve their marathon goals. Whether you’re chasing a PR or aiming to finish strong, this conversation will help you recognize the building blocks of a successful marathon.

You can find us on Instagram and and Facebook. Looking for coaching? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com to set up a coaching call. Thanks for listening!

Lisa does it again! In this episode, Lisa shares how she navigated a hot summer of training to then run a hot fall marathon behind a…well…interesting runner. Lisa crossed the finish line of the Clarence DeMar Marathon in 3:13, winning fourth woman overall, and first in her age group. She shares all of the details of her training and racing, including fueling. Whether you are training for a marathon or avoiding one at all costs, you will learn from Lisa’s recap!

You can find us on Instagram and and Facebook. Looking for coachi...

We are so thrilled to welcome American record-holder and now author Keira D’Amato to discuss her brand-new book, Don't Call It a Comeback: What Happened When I Stopped Chasing PRs, and Started Chasing Happiness. Keira shares candid insights into her unconventional journey in running—from stepping away from the sport to becoming one of the fastest marathoners in U.S. history—all while balancing motherhood, a career, and her signature sense of humor.

In our conversation, Keira talks about what inspired her to write the book, the lessons she hopes readers (and runners of all...

In this episode, ,we unpack the official acceptance announcements for the 2026 Boston Marathon—and the surprising cutoff time that left thousands of qualified runners out of the race…again.

Julie shares her own experience of being just nine seconds short of the cutoff, reflecting on the sting and plans moving forward.

We’ll dive into the numbers behind this year’s acceptance statistics, explore why the cutoff landed where it did, and offer practical takeaways for those planning their next BQ attempt.

You can find us...

In this episode, Julie opens up about her race at the Grand Rapids Last Chance BQ.2, a marathon that didn’t go according to plan.

She reflects on:

This is an episode for runners who’s ever had to wrestle w...

How do GLP-1 medications affect training, performance, and recovery? In this episode, we talk with our most frequent guest, Amy Goldsmith, RD, who breaks down the science of GLP-1s, explores the unique challenges they pose for endurance athletes, and shares practical strategies for balancing medication benefits with running goals.

Amy Goldsmith, RD, has worked with hundreds of athletes in her practice, Kindred Nutrition. Amy specializes in sports nutrition and eating disorders and hosts the podcast, Don't Be Foodish. Amy focuses on meeting all her clients where they currently are and focusing on education...

We are back and excited to bring some life and running updates. We hope that this episode resonates with so many of you!

Thanks for listening. If you are inclined to leave a five star review, we would be so grateful!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Questions? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website (www.runfartherandfaster.com).

Please follow, share and review our show!

Lisa recaps her incredible and inspiring week at the National Senior Games and why aging is a privilege!

Thanks for listening. If you are inclined to leave a five star review, we would be so grateful!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Questions? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website (www.runfartherandfaster.com).

Please follow, share and review our show!

Author, Ultrarunner, Triathlete, Marathoner, and OG Run Farther & Faster Runner, Jeffrey Weiss joins us on the show this week to talk about his incredible running trajectory—from walk/run to the Comrades Marathon—and every event in between.

Jeff started running in 2010 when he joined our very first running group at the JCC of Greater Washington. He quickly found his passion and progressed to triathlons, marathons, and ultramarathons. Now, fifteen years later after countless athletic endeavors, Jeff wrote a memoir about his fitness journey called Racing Against Time: On Ironman, Ultramarathons and the Quest for...

With so many running coaches out there, finding a coach can be overwhelming. In this episode, we discuss how to determine whether you even need a coach, and, if so, what factors to consider when selecting a coach. We also suggest what to ask a potential coach and some red flags to look for when interviewing a coach.

Thanks for listening. If you are inclined to leave a five star review, we would be so grateful!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Questions? Email us...

The BAA released some significant adjustments to its qualifying standards and we are back to discuss it all and break it down(hill).

Thanks for listening. If you are inclined to leave a five star review, we would be so grateful!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our NEW website (www.runfartherandfaster.com)!

Please follow, share and review our show!

In this coaching episode, we share tips on how to train for an early fall race on fewer weeks of training. We know so many runners are gearing up for an early fall race, so we wanted to provide tips on how to recover from a spring marathon and successfully transition to training for an early fall marathon.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our NEW website (www.runfartherandfaster.com)!

Please follow, share...

We were so thrilled to welcome one of our amazing Boston Marathoners, Lauren Hitchens, to the podcast.

Lauren is an experienced marathon runner, having completed ten marathons since 2016, including all six Marathon Majors. She set her PR of 3:38:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, qualifying her for the 2025 Boston Marathon, her first. In spring 2024, after successfully running the Tokyo Marathon,

Lauren experienced pain in her foot that has taken her on a journey of seeking a path to healing that has required multiple expert opinions, an unconventional approach to training for...

We are so thrilled to welcome Sari Winick, a seasoned masters marathoner and triathlete, to the podcast, who shares how she balanced a breast cancer diagnosis with training for the 2025 London Marathon.

Sari, 53, has been working with us for several years. After achieving consecutive marathon PRs and slowly chipping away at her time to get closer and closer to a BQ with a PR exactly a year ago, we knew she would get there and looked forward to coaching her to prepare for the London Marathon In 2025.

Then, just...

After some updates about the London Marathon and our post-Boston Marathon recovery, we share a live recording from Sunday, April 20 at the Boston Marathon Expo. Once again, we co-hosted this event with Cherie Louise Turner, host of the Women’s Running Stories Podcast.

This year's panel was titled Mental Strategies for Mastering the Marathon, and it featured exceptional masters marathoners Stephanie Bruce, Erica Stanley-Dottin, and Dot McMahon.

These exception runners shares wisdom and experience on strategies for developing mental strength and resilience, mental approaches to the marathon, how to build confidence when yo...

Less than 24 hours after we raced, we recap! We ran, we conquered, and now…we sore! Highlights include—some interesting and new logistics, our fueling plans, and how we handled moments of self-doubt while racing this race for our collective 35th time. We know this course, yet each year, we learn something new about the race and ourselves. Congrats to all who ran this storied course on Patriots’ Day! You did that!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head o...

While carb loading on candy and Gatorade, we wanted to share a recap of our Boston Marathon weekend so far. We discuss our Expo Panel, Shakeout Run, and meet-ups, all of which were full of surprises-some good and some not so good- and remind us to control the controllables.

For those listening before the big dance, Go Crush Your Race! See you on the flip side!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head...

In our previous episode, Episode 243, we broke down the Boston Marathon course mile by mile. In this episode, we break down Boston Marathon weekend hour by hour so you know where to go, what to eat, when to leave for the buses, and how to maximize your time before the race to ensure that you have plenty of energy during the race. Even if you’ve run Boston before, we guarantee you’ll learn something new.

Join us for our shakeout run on Sunday, 4/20, at 9 at Brewer Fountain, and later at 1 on the Expo Live...

After running from Hopkinton to Boylston 33 times collectively, we share our observations and tips for navigating the iconic Boston Marathon course. In this episode we break down the course mile by mile and share how to approach the race. Learn about each town, each mile, and, in the case of Newton, each hill, to ensure that you run your best race!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our NEW website (www.runfartherandfaster...

Brendan Aylward has devoted his life to making fitness accessible to everyone, and this year, for the second year in a row, he will be racing with Jacob Wyman as a Team Hoyt Duo at the Boston Marathon. While Brendan’s race times are certainly impressive (he and Jacob have a marathon PR of 2:55), what’s even more impressive is Brendan’s commitment to inclusion in sport.

In this episode, Brendan, the founder of Unified Health & Performance and AdaptX, shares how his involvement in the Best Buddies program in high school led to a career...

Eleven-time Boston Marathoner, Pat Okker, started running at age 51. After her first 5K, she learned to love a sport that she once hated with passion! Now, as Pat trains for her twelfth consecutive Boston Marathon, Pat shares her tips and the many lessons she learned along the way.

We’ve been coaching Pat since 2019 and have been honored to be a part of her journey.

We hope you enjoy this episode! After sharing how a scammer hacked our Facebook page, we share tips for Boston Marathon runners with six weeks to go. We also announce some exciting dates. We will be at the Cherry Blossom Expo on 4/5 at 1 hosting a panel with Alisa Harvey, Perry Shoemaker, and Kerry Allen. Then, on Marathon SUNDAY, we will be hosting our annual shakeout run and a live podcast show with Cherie Louis Turner at the Boston Marathon Expo at 1. We hope to see many of you at one or all three of these events!

We are so excited to welcome masters runner and New York Times investigative reporter/Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Dave Fahrenthold! Before investigating nonprofits and DOGE for the New York Times, Dave covered President Trump during his first term for the Washington Post. Most importantly, Dave is an accomplished runner, who has achieved a PR in every distance over the last 18 months!

Dave shares how he balances his exciting and stressful career with his training and provides tips on how we can consume the news without being consumed by the news.

...

We loved our conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Karr, DPT and physical therapist for Precision PT and the Atlanta Track Club.

She graduated from the University in Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, and then went on to complete her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Emory University.

Elizabeth has experience treating neuromusculoskeletal conditions throughout the lifespan and has a passion for helping people with active lifestyles return to the activities they love. Elizabeth also has experience as a Well-Being coach, using motivational interviewing and goal-setting to help...

We so enjoyed our conversation with Claire Shorenstein (MS, RD, CSSD), a board-certified Sports Dietitian and distance runner. Claire is the owner of Eat for Endurance, a remote private practice through which she helps athletes fuel

for performance. Claire also hosts the Eat for Endurance Podcast.

In this episode, Claire provides simple fueling tips for masters runners to optimize their fueling. She also shares common signs of underfueling and how we can ensure that we are eating enough before, during, and after our runs.

Claire can be...

Fifteen years ago this week, we started coaching a little run program at the JCC of Greater Washington.

Now, after coaching over 1,000 runners, we’ve learned a thing or two that we want to share with all of you!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @runfartherandfaster.

Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our NEW website (www.runfartherandfaster.com)!

Please follow, share and review our show!

Cristina Burbach, a top-ranked DC area runner and sub-3 marathoner, shares how she continues to set new goals for herself as a masters runner and para athlete. Cristina shared her running journey and how her diagnosis has helped her stay motivated and competing at a high level, including winning the para-athlete division at the 2024 Boston Marathon.

Cristina’s unparalleled enthusiasm for running, coupled with her ability to set new goals in the face of a tough diagnosis, are inspiring! Cristina can be found on her blog, http://wellimtryingtorun.blogspot.com/

...

Kellie Redmond, cross country coach, owner of T.E.A.M. FIT, and the Run Farther & Faster strength training coach, shares how she overcame her own mind chatter to race competitively again after experiencing a cardiac event.

Kellie generously shared her health odyssey with us, which will undoubtedly help others who may or have already experienced similar symptoms. and then shared how, at age 55, she’s running faster than she has in years! We are beyond grateful that Kellie is with us today to share her story, and we appreciate her willingness to share he...