The Natural Running Network

“Coach” Richard Diaz and his protege/client – elite Spartan Pro Veejay Jones. In this The First Episode, we discuss changes in Spartan Race course design leading into the 2020 season.  Big changes are afoot! Standardized distances and number of obstacles.  What are your feelings on this massive change? Are you for or against?  Once that’s… Read more → The post Spartan Race standardizes courses for 2020 appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

If success is a measure of suffering, those who braved the course at the Spartan Lake Tahoe World Championships have much to be proud of.  Alison Haase was successful.  She did not only challenge herself by braving the Ultra beast in weather conditions that caused many to bow out, she went on to take the… Read more → The post The Lake Tahoe Ultra Beast – Agony and Estacy appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

It is surprising how many athletes i know who are using CBD’s for a variety of reasons. The more I investigated the more I came to realize that CBD’s are nature’s anti-inflammatory solution and that is only the tip of the iceberg! This episode is a very in depth interview with Jay O’Hare founder of… Read more → The post WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT… CBD’S appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

Before you freak out, no, I am not turning tail on OCR or endurance training programs!  If you follow my work, you know that recently I developed a program in collaboration with Ryan Fischer an extremely talented CrossFit Athlete.  This program has been out for a mere 5 weeks and meeting with rave responses.  An… Read more → The post A Revolutionary Approach to CrossFit Training Revealed appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

Charlie Engle is one of, if not the most entertaining guests we’ve ever had on this podcast and generally has incredible stories to tell. Story telling aside, Charlie Engle has hitched his wagon to The Spartan Trail Running Series. Few are aware of this trail running addition to Spartan Race. If you love to run… Read more → The post SPARTAN TRAIL RUNNING SERIES REVEALED BY CHARLIE ENGLE appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

Hunter McIntyre was the hero of Spartan Racing. He brought color and attitude to the competitions and basically made things fun. Today he has retooled his skills with focus on an attempt at The CrossFit Games. He needed a miracle to get in, he needed to become a different type of athlete to even have… Read more → The post Hunter McIntyre – Unvarnished! appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

What happens when you mix one badass CrossFit athlete with Coach Diaz in The Secret Lab?  Answer: You get a hybrid training program that is sure to set the CrossFit community on fire!  I know what you’re thinking… Coach Diaz and CrossFit?  Had you asked me a year ago if this were ever likely to… Read more → The post RYAN FISCHER – ELITE CROSSFIT ATHLETE appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

There is a reason why your grip fails you and your back hurts when you carry a heavy bag or bucket up a mountain. In this interview I discuss this and many other entertaining topics that have to do with making YOU a better Spartan or OCR Athlete. Julien Pineau, is a world renowned Human… Read more → The post Conversation with a World Class Movement Specialist- Julien Pineau appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

I have always believed that a solid runner will always have a fighting chance as an elite in the sport of OCR. Nell Rojas came on the scene mostly out of peer pressure from her friends many of whom are elites in the sport. The conundrum for Nell is, does she take her eye off… Read more → The post Interview with Olympic hopeful/elite Spartan Nell Rojas appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

I had to think long and hard before posting this particular episode because, for some, it may seem a bit “infomercial-ish”. Once I started the edit process, it occured to me that this is information that many of you may appreciate hearing in that explains a few projects that we have in the works. If… Read more → The post Q&A with Laura Messner and “Coach” Richard Diaz appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

The 2019 Spartan Race season is warming up and most of the elite field are paying pretty close attention on the competition to try and get a sense of who to watch for. In previous years, there had been a stir of optimism regarding the potential of one young athlete-VeeJay Jones. At the conclusion of… Read more → The post ALL EYES ON… VEEJAY JONES appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

If you enjoy a challenge and have done your share of Tough Mudder or Spartan events, it’s time you stepped up to an obstacle course event that was designed by Navy Seals fashioned after they types of challenges they face in Navy Seal training. It’s not too late to register for the Austin Texas event… Read more → The post BONEFROG CHALLENGE -do you have what it takes? appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

One thing is certain, when the elite women’s field contains Rea Kolbl and there are mountains to climb, there is reason for concern.  Rea Loves to climb, the longer the better.  Having won 2 back to back World’s Toughest Mudder‘s and infamous for her 100 mile weekly workouts (without a day off), Rea is always… Read more → The post Interview with Rea Kolbl 2 X Worlds Toughest Mudder Champion appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

This episode sheds light on a training tool and training concepts that can make a tremendous difference in your ability to perform in a Spartan Race, as a runner and an athlete in common.  I speak a lot about the role that stability and mobility plays in athleticism because in the absence thereof, there is… Read more → The post Interview with the Co-Founder of Stick Mobility appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

This is an episode that every athlete needs to hear! If you run, if running is painful, if your running volume is limited by issues with your feet, ankles, knees, hips or back, it’s because you left out some very important elements in your training.  I’ve brought back Dr. Emily Splichal a world renowned Podiatrist… Read more → The post Optimal Running Performance Begins Here! appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

They moved the venue to Georgia, nobody expected the event to be harder than it has been… but it was.  Much harder.  It was cold, very, very cold however still 100 miles were logged among two fierce competitors yet Kris Mendoza prevailed.  This is an interview with Kris just after he’s had a chance to… Read more → The post INTERVIEW with THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST MUDDER CHAMP 2018-KRIS MENDOZA appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

Once again we invited folks to come on the show, pose questions on topics related to Obstacle Course Racing, Running or anything of that nature.  Our guest is Jay Bode of the Overcome and Run Podcast.  Someone you may have seen out on the race courses with his wife Heather.  Jay is planning to run… Read more → The post Questions regarding Running your first Ultra Marathon? appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

Recently I posted an offer for someone to be my guest and to pose some interesting questions regarding training and Obstacle Course Racing.  An old friend/client Beni Gifford reached out with what I felt was some solid questions and here is what he wanted to know: I hear a lot of differing views regarding the… Read more → The post Do You Need an Off Season in OCR? appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

Few people you will ever meet in your life have ever challenged themselves as extensively as Charlie Engle. He is most famous for his “Running the Sahara” in where he and a few other braves souls crossed the Sahara Desert, some 4500 miles of the most unforgiving terrain in the world.  It is never a… Read more → The post Spartan World Championships Podfest Series-Interview #3 The Running Man-Charlie Engle appeared first on The Natural Running Network.

You may not know the name but for sure you’ve heard the many twisted fables credited to the infamous Death Race.  Johnny Waite, for lack of a better term, was an early adopter, having participated and on occasion even won the Death Race. He has acted as Race Director and creator of some of the… Read more → The post Spartan World Championships Podfest Series-Interview #4 The Death Race with-Johnny Waite appeared first on The Natural Running Network.