The Natural Running Network Live

As a coach, it is my belief that if you take the responsibility to lead athletes you should have a firm grasp on how to care for them, at the best and worst of times. RockTape has served as an incredible asset in my work for over a decade and this man is principally responsible for this education.

NIke had invested a fortune to bring one of their Elite runners to the finish line of a marathon in under 2 hours. Eliud Kipchoge did just that. Of course, Nike monopolized on the event by creating a "special" racing shoe for him to wear which will pay them back a 1000 times over. The question is... IF Eliud Kipchoge was paid to attempt the Marathon record Barefoot would he ave been able to better or at least match his amazing finish time? Blue Benadum and I discuss.

Tired of getting injured doing OCR Races? A few things you can depend on, the sky is blue, grass is green and OCR athletes get injured. Out of love for participation in Spartan races and other OCR events, many enthusiastic OCR participants will find themselves suffering from injuries that could have been avoided.  It’s a function of eduction and application.  Racing is not training or vice versa.  For over a decade Coach Richard Diaz has hosted running specific clinics that provide a wealth of information through clinical diagnostics, gait training and injury abatement solutions that are self help oriented and extremely effective. Did I mention we dial in your nutrition? Through our Resting metabolism assessment we can clearly define how effective your feeding habits are and show you how to develop a feeding strategy that is easy to follow and will balance your weight without sacrificing muscle! We also reveal your metabolic turn point so that your training intensities are always in control and progressive

Running Road VS. Trail So many athletes tell us they don't like running on road because its hard on their bodies. Is it the surface we choose to run on or something more? Coach Diaz sheds light and his opinion on the choice between Trail Running and Road Running. We will also offer some insights on shoe selection relative to task. What's your flavor? Why? Please leave us your comments and by all means... SUBSCRIBE!

Regardless if you are a runner, Obstacle course athlete, Hyrox or even Crossfit, The FLow Method of training will boost your tolerance to fatigue and build your capacity to deal with lactate production, who many see as performance killer.  This conversation revolves around Richard Diaz's recent book, Training the Dark Side. Our goal is to shed some light on frequently asked questions but the solution to truly understand the concepts, we recommend you get a copy of the book. It can be found on Amazon books or directly from Coach Diaz's website in digital download format. Https://Diazhumanperformance.com SHOW LESS  

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 Venga Endurance an extremely high quality manufacture of CBD / Cannabidiol products and an Ultra distance runner who gets it. I know a lot of people who either shy away from the idea of taking a hemp based supplement in fear of being "dosed" with THC or just ill informed. This episode is for you! Once you've listened to what Jay and I have to say, you might want to circle back and chase the link: https://vengaendurance.com/ and use my promo code to get a price break! DHP10

Spartan Races are now global and yet, they have been expanding theyre reach by including Trail Running events in tandum with many races around the country.  This year marks the first year Spartan will host a Trail Running Championship with none other than Charlie Engle at the helm.  This is an incredible opportunity for trail runners in that the prize purses doled out will be handsome.  To learn more about the series and where the events are held listen to this episode and visit Spartan Racing online

It starts out seeming like "The Odd Couple" but ends up becoming a training program that has the potential to change the way CrossFit athletes approach their training.  Richard Diaz is recognized in the Obstacle Racing community as world renowned Running mechanic and diagnostican.  Ryan Fischer is arguably one of the best CrossFit athletes in the world.  Together they created a program that is incredibly different but remarkably effective in "Battling the War on Fatigue".  Release only 5 weeks ago and many of the first adopters are reporting personal records in CrossFit workouts that used to leave them flat on their faces!  Give it a listen... If you're intrigued here's wher you can get your copy.   https://www.gymryan.com/pages/endurance-rich-diaz

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 OCR athlete would do well to consider this process as the theme of the project is “Winning the Battle with Fatigue”.  It so happens that an early adopter who has been in the program for said five weeks was kind enough to share his experience thus far.. It’s worth a listen because his results are extraordinary.  After you have a chance to hear his review feel free to reach out to him @mathewfreeman or pick up a copy of the program for yourself.  Here is the link: https://www.gymryan.com/pages/endurance-rich-diaz

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 happen, I would have serious doubts.  It took an introduction from Hunter McIntyre to bring Ryan Fischer and I together and I have to say, I was intrigued. Ryan is one of the fittest athletes I have ever met. When you consider the fact that he can deadlift 600 pounds (over 3 1/2 times his weight), clean and jerk 315, run a 53 sec. 400 meters and a 5 min mile. Most rational people would be hard pressed to disagree with me.  This interview is way outside my playground and I love it!  If you’re a Spartan athlete, participate in obstacle course racing yet still enjoy intense strength training, this episode is for you!  We reference a few videos we did in The Secret Lab, if you want to see them Go to my YouTube Channel “Ric

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 only injuries.  Full disclosure I am not sponsored by or paid to introduce these concepts or products on my show.  I personally believe this is a tool that can truly make a difference if you follow the education they provide.  I have invited Dennis Dumphy the cofounder of stickmobility on to share this info with you.

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 recover and collect his thoughts regarding the race frostbite and all!  Another World’s Toughest Mudder is in the bag and a new champion has arisen!  Kris Mendoza shares his insights, training prep and much more.

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 his first official Ultra marathon and had some questions regarding his training approach, recovery techniques and running shoe selection.  This is a good place to start if you are planning a long distance race yourself!

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 concept of taking an off season and what it might look like, I am curious to get your take on this subject?How does periodization training fit into OCR?If someone (like me) wants to focus on developing “winning” speed for a 3K event such as NORAM, what should be the approach? This is just a sample of what we discussed, to find out my answers and more, you’re going to have to listen to the whole episode!

What seemed like completely out of nowhere, Rebecca Hammond came on to the Spartan OCR Elite field and made people take notice.  Its almost unheard of for anyone to walk into the Spartan North American Championship course with only 2 prior events under her belt and cause a stir.  Yet, cause a stir she did.  Taking 2nd place among the most competitive pro’s in the sport, she now sets her sights on the Spartan World Championships and no one is laughing.  You’ll have to listen to this episode to believe your ears.  Dark Horse you say?  It will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

There never seems to be an end to the questions that hard working OCR athletes have regarding their training and racing, with the help of one of our friends Jennifer Herring, Coach Richard Diaz tries to offer his opinion and advice on these topics: Heart rate seems to need a longer pre-race warm up, why?How do I transition to a zero drop shoe?Why do I have a hard time with my cadence?What is enough aerobic training and what is too much? These and many more!  As a reward for posting the questions, we are going to award one of the people that asked the best question a free Virtual video gait analysis, you need to listen to find out who it is!

By now, everyone is aware that OCR is here to stay. Some thought it to be a fad, if that's true, I know of over 13,000 dedicated athletes in one single group who might argue the point. What I believe to be true is that the everyday athletes and fitness enthusiasts who have been drinking the Kool Aid and making it out to races around the world are what makes the sport, not the gifted few who reside on the podium at the key races.  I asked Ameer Haroun, the director of all things Spartan 4dash0 on with me to share the story.  How he and his cadre were able to build a social media group and racing presence of over 13,000 members strong in less than 3 years.   If you love Spartan Races races and want to attach yourself to like minded people who share your enthusiasm, you need to hear this episode!

Coach Diaz, who also happens to be the host of this podcast has asked VeeJay Jones  Elite Spartan Pro to return to share some insights on training. Learn a few valuable tips on cutting precious time from your racingGet a sneak peak into the infamous Tuesday Morning Training Sessions  Learn how to get a ton of quality training done in less than an hourLearn about a new online training plan is in the works guaranteed to bring your running skills to an incredible level next season Finally we'll share some details regarding the 2019 Opening Season Super Clinic to be held on Coach Richard Diaz's home turf along with testing, evaluations and lecture time at The World Famous Secret Lab.  Along with this episode is a video of what happens in the Off site Training Lab that is not so secret!  #youcantwinifyourunlikeshit

My good friend Matt Fitzgerald is back with a new book The 80/20 Triathlon.  This training principal is a winning formula for most any endurance sport and I highly recommend that all of my listeners pay attention to this episode.  It works for OCR too!  Once you understand how important it is to partition your training with a high percentage of aerobic conditioning and when and how to apply intensity you'll start to see progress in all aspects of your program. Ya gotta go slow to get fast!

Not everyone has a chance to visit Coach Diaz at his “Infamous Secret Lab” those who do generally end up performing beyond expectation.  I thought it might be fun to have one of my clients share his experience and allow you to not only hear his thoughts on the visit but see what went down with the associated video clip that accompanies this episode.  Of course, the only way you’ll see it is if you visit the home site of this podcast: www.naturalrunningnetwork.com