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

When is quitting actually the smart choice? Inspired by New York Times journalist Lindsay Crouse’s new book, The Case for Quitting , we’re talking about something runners often have a hard time doing: knowing when to stop, change course, or as we prefer to call it…pivot. As runners, we’re taught to be persistent. We celebrate grit, consistency, and pushing through when things get hard. But there are times when continuing with a training plan, workout, race, or specific goal is no longer serving us—and recognizing that isn’t weakness. It can be a sign of good judgment. In this episode, we discuss the mental, environmental, and health factors that may signal it’s time to pivot in training and racing. There’s no shame in quitting. And there’s a lot of power in knowing when to pivot.

We are so excited to welcome sports psychologist Dr. Mitchell Greene to talk about the fears we see all the time in runners and, more importantly, how we can learn to work with those fears rather than allowing them to control our training and racing. We’re diving into some of the biggest fears runners face and how to distinguish between being appropriately cautious and being controlled by fear, and why confidence isn't necessarily the absence of fear. Dr. Greene shares practical strategies runners can use to keep fear from dictating their decisions and explains why courage—not confidence—is often what allows us to move forward when we're uncertain, nervous, or doubtful. Check out Mitch’s new three-part Courage Over Confidence for Runners course. The course is $150, and Run Farther & Faster listeners can receive 10% off with code RFF10. Courage Over Confidence for Runners | Greenepsych

You’ve put in the work. The workouts are clicking, your paces are feeling easier, the weather is cooperating, and suddenly you’re wondering if you can do more, should be running more, and/or should be running faster. In Episode 290, we discuss how to protect a solid training cycle all the way to the start line. When training is going well, it can be just as easy to get derailed by emotion as when things are not going as smoothly. Feeling strong can lead runners to push paces, add mileage, squeeze in extra workouts, constantly test their fitness, or decide that their training plan is holding them back. We’re breaking down how to use the positive feedback from a strong training cycle without letting it tempt you into doing too much, and why feeling good is often evidence that your plan is working, not evidence that you need to do more.

As we publish this today, August 21st, we are experiencing the first sub 70 degree morning since June. The summer of 2026 has been ridiculously steamy for so many of us around the world, and our running feels tough as a result. In this episode, we provide ten science-based reasons why your slow, sweaty, and uncomfortable summer runs are serving you well for fall. We also discuss how to optimize your easy days and your speed work to ensure you’re getting the right training stimulus on a particular day. We hope when listening to this episode you are enjoying some cooler temperatures! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

You’ve had a great training cycle…until taper. Your legs feel heavy. You feel a pain you never felt before in your training. You wonder if you will be able to achieve your goal. In this second episode of a two-part series, we’re tackling the most common sources of runner anxiety that arise before, during, and after a race and sharing how we help athletes separate normal racing stress from legitimate concerns. We hope that this episode will give you practical strategies to manage the mental side of racing and build confidence in your process. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

You’ve had a great training cycle…until that one bad workout. Your legs feel heavy. Your Garmin tells you you’re “unproductive.” You miss a few runs, head out on vacation, or start comparing your mileage to everyone else’s, and suddenly you’re questioning everything. In this first episode of a two-part series, we’re tackling the most common sources of runner anxiety that arise during a training cycle and sharing how we help athletes separate normal training stress from legitimate concerns. We hope that this episode will give you practical strategies to manage the mental side of training and build confidence in your process. Join us next week for Part 2, when we tackle the anxieties that show up as race day gets closer. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

If you’ve been staring at your weather app wondering whether you should head out the door or stay inside, this episode is for you. This week, we tackle one of the most common questions we’ve been getting from runners: Should I run when the AQI is high? Remember:consistency wins over single workouts, and sometimes the smartest training decisions are the hardest. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

After a big announcement and a conversation about recent races, we welcome Cat Fitzgerald, PT, of Custom Performance in New York City , for an important discussion about underfueling, Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), and injury risk in runners. Cat explains how insufficient energy intake can affect recovery, bone health, hormones, performance, and the body’s ability to withstand training. They discuss signs that a runner may be underfueling, why RED-S is not limited to athletes in a particular body type or at a particular level, and how runners can better support their training through adequate nutrition and recovery. Cat Fitzgerald is a physical therapist with Custom Performance, a New York–based practice that helps athletes return to sport, build resilience, and stay healthy through individualized physical therapy and performance care. Learn more about Custom Performance at customperformancept.com.

After graduation, travel, and a run-in with a rodent/mammal, we are back with updates, along with some hot weather racing and training tips!

If your running feels stagnant, the problem may not be your training plan at all. In this episode, we break down ten overlooked factors that can quietly sabotage performance, recovery, and consistency. In this episode, we explore the hidden non-running issues that often prevent runners from reaching their goals. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show! Special shout out to our friend, Mitchell Wool, owner of the Bean Bag Catering, who caters small gatherings to large events in the DC area! (www.thebeanbag.com).

We share a deep love of all things running with our dear friend, Cherie Louise Turner, and decided to get together and talk running and podcasting. Here is part 2! Cherie is the host of Women’s Running Stories and a competitive masters runner. In this episode we talk about our own running journeys. Enjoy this fun and lively conversation! Mentioned in this Episode Blanche Moila on WRS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blanche-moila-comrades-marathon-inspiring-change/id1495427631?i=1000473773849 Lisa on WRS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lisa-levin-over-25-years-racing-and-still-as/id1495427631?i=1000735267498 Julie on WRS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/julie-sapper-returning-to-marathons-post-acl-tear/id1495427631?i=1000735267620 Chérie Louise Turner on Run Farther & Faster: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-166-exciting-boston-marathon-update-with/id1438350876?i=1000605849254

We share a deep love of all things running with our dear friend, Cherie Louise Turner, and decided to get together and talk running and podcasting. We had so much fun! Cherie is the host of Women’s Running Stories and a competitive masters runner. In this episode we talk about our podcast journeys as women with running podcasts, and we talk about some of the trends we're seeing in the running world. We also have a brief conversation about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We had so much fun in this episode that we decided to save talking about our own running and racing for a part 2, which we will publish next week. Enjoy this fun and lively conversation! Mentioned in this Episode Blanche Moila on WRS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blanche-moila-comrades-marathon-inspiring-change/id1495427631?i=1000473773849 Lisa on WRS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lisa-levin-over-25-years-racing-and-still-as/id1495427631?i=1000735267498 Julie on WRS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/julie-sapper-returning-to-marathons-post-acl-tear/id1495427631?i=1000735267620 Chérie Louise Turner on Run Farther & Faster: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-166-exciting-boston-marathon-update-with/id1438350876?i=1000605849254

We loved co-hosting another live show at the Boston Marathon with our co-host Cherie Louise Turner, host of Women’s Running Stories. Our phenomenal guests this year did not disappoint. Two days after our live show, Mary and Lisa raced the Boston Marathon. Amazingly, Mary was the third woman to cross the finish line on Marathon Monday, finishing in 2:20 at age 37! Lisa crossed the finish line in 2:32 at age 47! More about Mary and Lisa: In addition to being internationally competitive runners, Mary and Lisa also have careers outside of running, and they are moms: Mary is the founder of the Nala Track Club for girls in Kenya, and Lisa is a banking executive. We were excited to explore not only the expertise these athletes possess in running, but also their experiences and perspectives as role models, leaders, and moms. Among the topics we asked Mary and Lisa about: how their running and non-running careers have influenced each other; how they approach and structure their training while managing obligations outside of running; how they manage stress and expectations, particularly in competitive situations; and much more. We also learned about their running backgrounds and their leadership roles outside of running. You will be inspired! Mary Ngugi-Cooper first started running in primary school, and has been competing internationally for 20 years. Among her many accomplishments, Mary earned a bronze medal in the 5000 meter event at the world junior championships in 2006, and then in 2014 she earned silver at the world half marathon championships. In 2016 she won the prestigious Houston Half Marathon, and in 2019 she debuted in the marathon here at Boston. With this year's running, Mary has competed in the Boston Marathon a total of seven times: she has always finished within the top 11 runners, and with this year's 3rd place finish, she's been on the podium for a total of three times: in 2021, 2022, and this year, 2026. These days, Mary, who is now 37, continues to compete at the highest level of the sport, going after her own personal goals and also to inspire the girls she coaches, as well as her daughter. Lisa Weightman has a long career as a marathon runner: she’s represented Australia at that distance four times at the Olympics—her first Olympics was in 2008. Lisa has won several marathons, including the Melbourne Marathon and Nagano Olympic Commemorative Marathon, and she’s been on the podium twice at the Commonwealth Games. Lisa continues to compete at the highest level of the sport, now at 47 years old, and she has a passion for, as she says, demonstrating that perseverance leads to real change and leadership is about leaving a lasting legacy. How to Keep Up with Mary Ngugi-Cooper and Nala Track Club Mary on Instagram: @maryngugi Nala Track Club on Instagram: @nalatrackclub How to Keep Up with Lisa Weightman Instagram: @lisaweightman Ways to Connect with Run Farther and Faster Instagram: @runfartherandfaster Facebook: facebook.com/RunFartherFaster Website: runfartherandfaster.com Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Website: womensrunningstories.com WRS Instagram:⁠⁠ @womensrunningstories⁠⁠ Website:⁠⁠ womensrunningstories.com⁠⁠

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 tapering during our busiest weekend of the year. 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. Please follow, share and review our show!

In this episode, we break down everything you need to know to run your best Boston Marathon—from race-week preparation to smart execution on race day. With Boston around the corner, we walk through how to approach the course with confidence: how to handle the early downhill miles, when to start respecting the Newton hills, and how to adjust your effort so you don’t leave your race on the first half of the course. We also cover pacing and how to stay mentally locked in from Hopkinton to Boylston. We dig into the details that matter most in the final days before the race: tapering mindset, fueling and carb loading, weather considerations, and how to avoid the most common mistakes runners make in the final 10K. You’ll also hear practical tips on race morning logistics, gear choices, and how to respond when the race inevitably feels harder than planned. Whether it’s your 1st or 20th Boston,, this episode is designed to help you show up prepared, patient, and ready to execute your best race. Join us for our live show at the Expo on Saturday 4/18 at noon and our shakeout run in Boston on Sunday, 4/19 at 8:30 at a new location—338 Newbury Street in front of Trident Booksellers. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website.

After providing some key taper advice, we welcomed back a very special guest, Darren Sapper (Julie’s husband), who has spectated the Boston Marathon ten times. Darren provides guidance on getting to the spectating spots and how to navigate Boston while with kids. We appreciate Darren’s support of the podcast and our running and coaching pursuits. Thanks to Darren for joining us. Darren’s coordinates for spectating spots: Mile 6.5 in Framingham: 16 Concord St, Framingham, MA 01702 (north side of the route, runner’s left) Mile 13 in Wellesley: 13 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02482 (north side of the route, runner’s left) Mile 20 in Newton: 638 Commonwealth Ave, Newton, MA 02459 (south side of the route, runner’s right) Join us for our shakeout run in Boston on Sunday, 4/19 at 8:30 at a new location—338 Newbury Street in front of Trident Booksellers. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

We’re so thrilled to welcome back the legendary Dave McGillivray, who has served as the Boston Marathon race director since 2001. Dave breaks down the key changes to this year’s race, offering clarity into what runners can expect with six waves, rather than four, and how to adjust accordingly. Dave also offers course insight and guidance, along with how he’s training for his 54th consecutive Boston Marathon, which he will run with his three children and astronaut Sunita Williams. As taper begins and nerves set in, Dave shares thoughtful words of encouragement to help runners stay patient, confident, and ready to embrace race day. More about Dave: Dave is the founder and president of DMSE Sports, Inc., a full-service event-management organization. McGillivray has directed or consulted on more than 1,400 events throughout the world including the Boston Marathon, the Beach to Beacon 10K, the ASICS Falmouth Road Race, the Mount Washington Road Race, the Olympic Marathon trials, and the Olympic Games. Dave is also the founder of the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation, which seeks to inspire and empower youth to increase physical activity, expand literacy, and build community and self-esteem through running, reading, and acts of kindness. Dave has completed 173 marathons, including 53 consecutive Boston Marathons. In 1978, he completed an 80-day trek across the United States, running the 3,452 miles from Medford, Ore., to Medford, Mass. to benefit the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dave is on Instagram @dmsedave. Join us for our shakeout run in Boston on Sunday, 4/19 at 8:30 at a new location—338 Newbury Street in front of Trident Booksellers. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

This week we are joined by Run Farther & Faster runner, Beth Colling, who at age 57 ran a 3:43 at the Tokyo Marathon, earning her Six Star Medal. But Beth’s journey to that finish line was anything but straightforward. Just one year ago, after a life-altering health setback, she wasn’t sure she would ever run another marathon. Instead of stepping away from the sport she loves, Beth turned that uncertainty into opportunity. Through patience, determination, and the support of her community, she rebuilt her fitness and confidence—ultimately crossing the finish line in Tokyo in 3:43, tying the personal best she set four years earlier. Beth lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she trains with an incredibly uplifting group of masters women who help make the miles joyful and meaningful. She shares how that community, along with a renewed perspective on gratitude and resilience, shaped her comeback. Beyond running, Beth is an accomplished attorney with more than 25 years of experience who has traveled to six of the seven continents, working with organizations to help create infrastructure in developing countries. She’s also a mom of three, who originally began running longer distances after the birth of her third child as a way to carve out a little space—and sanity—amid the chaos of a busy household. In this episode, Beth reflects on perseverance, purpose, and the power of believing that your best days might still be ahead. Join us for our shakeout run in Boston on Sunday, 4/19 at 8:30 at a new location—338 Newbury Street in front of Trident Booksellers. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

This week we’re joined by Allison Mercer, a Team USA ultrarunner, championship competitor, and thoughtful voice in the running community, to unpack the controversy that unfolded at the 2026 USATF Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta. Allison is an accomplished distance runner who has represented the United States at the ultrarunning world championships and competed at national championship events herself. Allison is also a leader in the Atlanta running community and served as the three-hour pacer for the marathon event, which occurred on the same day. On race day in Atlanta, chaos erupted in the closing mile when the lead vehicle directed the front pack of women — including Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat — off the correct course. The mistake dramatically altered the outcome of the national championship and raised serious questions about race organization, athlete fairness, and accountability.  In response, Allison wrote a widely discussed op-ed for Outside Run analyzing the incident and the reaction that followed. Rather than simply assigning blame, she explored the deeper structural issues behind championship road racing — from course control and race operations to governing-body policies — while urging the running community to pursue accountability without losing perspective on the people involved. In this conversation, Allison brings her experience as an athlete and community leader to share how we can better respond to mistakes in our community. We appreciate Allison’s insight! You can find Allison on Instagram @onewomandanceparty Follow us on Instagram and Facebook Interested in hiring a coach? Email us at julieandlisa@runfartherandfaster.com or head over to our website. Please follow, share and review our show!

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 your training, just like Alysa.