In this episode, we talk with longtime Breaking Muscle contributor Andrew Read. Someone we would call one of the BM “OG.” Andrew has a brand-new book out this week, Run Strong, so we decided to ask him how this book came to be, who would most benefit from reading it, and why it was so important for him to write.
“I spent the last four years learning about running, but it wasn’t just about running, it’s about learning how to integrate it all into life to make it all better.”
If you’ve read any of Andrew’s articles, then you know he is a big proponent of not specializing. This approach not only shows in Andrew’s athletic history – which includes everything from Special Forces to martial arts to kettlebells – but also in how he programs for his clients and the kind of training he advocates. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention he’s also an Ironman and recently graduated SEALFIT’s Kokoro Camp. So Andrew walks the walk, as well. And he’s not just about performance, as a forty-plus-aged athlete himself, his training philosophy strongly emphasizes feeling good and remaining injury free.
“I got to forty and said, okay, so I just want to turn up at fifty the way I am now. I’d be really happy if I got to fifty and I was as fit as I am at forty. And when I get to sixty, if I can be the same as I was at fifty. Fantastic. And the way you get there is by not specializing.”
Hit play below to listen to the podcast and learn more about Andrew’s training philosophy and why he spent the last few years taking a deep, deep dive into running.
- 01:33 – Andrew’s new book Run Strong and why he felt compelled to write it
- 05:35 – Evolution and how we were designed to be runners
- 06:43 – Why there is so much bad information about running out there
- 08:00 – Why you need to train running if you want to do obstacle course races
- 09:15 – What’s in Run Strong and why you need to read the injury section
- 11:09 – Discussion of how Run Strong will help “non-runners” and CrossFit athletes
- 12:43 – Why the run-walk program is the best way to run and stay injury free
- 15:08 – Andrew’s advice on becoming okay with not always going hard
- 18:21 – The real science behind Tabata intervals
- 21:15 – Andrew’s philosophy on mobility and stability work for running
- 24:06 – Perry Nickelston, the RAIL System, and what your big toe has to do with it
- 25:56 – Approaching running like you do the other aspects of your training
- 26:58 – Running technique really shouldn’t be that complicated
- 29:24 – Why running is the single greatest “core” activity on the planet
- 30:53 – Nicole wants to know advice for moms pushing jogging strollers
- 33:17 – Reader Chris H. wants to know what changes to make as we age
- 35:44 – Andrew’s Kokoro experience from last year
- 38:36 – What Andrew is doing differently for his second shot at Kokoro
- 42:00 – How do you fit training, work, and life all together?
- 44:33 – The realities of being forty-plus and being on an athletic decline
- 46:20 – One of the biggest ways to offset aging is to stay active
- 47:36 – Reader Keira N. wants to know how to train both lifting and running
- 49:36 – Reader Jamie H. wants to know how to transition from walking to running
- 52:42 – Give your clients a win before you worry about challenging them
- 53:55 – Andrew’s “sneaky horrible workout plan” coming soon to Breaking Muscle
- 57:05 – The real definitions and purpose of “failure” and “success”
“Succeed or fail, it doesn’t matter as long as you put it on the line and you try, that’s all that really counts.”
Through his years of experience on both sides of the training equation, Andrew has developed and honed his techniques and knowledge. Now, he has taken everything he’s learned about the art and science of running (and why most everyone fails at it) and put it into his new book, Run Strong.
In reading this book, you will learn what to avoid and what to watch for when you take up running. Nobody wants to be sidelined with an injury, so Run Strong puts heavy emphasis on how to stay healthy while you build up your speed and endurance. Click here to learn more about the book and order your copy.
