In this episode, Alison introduces the concept of understanding running from both a physiological and practical perspective, using her own recent personal experiences as a foundation. She shares a story about a painful injury she sustained while commemorating her late daughter’s birthday, which kept her from running and pushed her back into therapy. This experience led her to reflect on how runners often respond to stress or setbacks by overdoing it—leaning into productivity rather than rest. She emphasizes the importance of balance and introduces the concept of training “dials” rather than “switches,” where variables like volume, sleep, nutrition, and life stress should be carefully adjusted rather than ignored or maxed out. The overall message so far is about tuning your training intelligently to stay within your body’s window of tolerance and avoid burnout or injury. Alison highlights the importance of joy in running, noting that reducing pressure can often lead to better performance and deeper fulfillment. She closes by introducing changes to her Women’s Running Academy, now structured to offer foundational strength training followed by adaptable programming that supports consistent, injury-free progress for women runners.

Resources Mentioned:

• Women’s Running Academy Membership: Smart, run supportive strength training for female runners.

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