Welcome to the Running Explain podcast. I'm Elizabeth, a marathoner, running coach, and answer seeker.

When I became a new runner at the age of 29, I had so many questions, but it felt like I was on my

own to figure all of the answers. So now I'm here to answer all your running questions to help make you a

better, smarter,

faster runner.

There's no question too simple and no topic too complex.

So let's get started.

My guest this week is Laura Norris.

Laura is an experienced multi-certified running coach, content creator, and marathoner.

She's the owner of Laura Norris

running and is coached of her 220 runners from beginning runners to BQ marathoners to 100K

ultra runners. Now the tagline to Laura's run coaching business is let science the shit out of this

run. And it mean like, come on, I couldn't think of a more perfect guest to have on this show

because that is exactly what we're trying to do over here at Running Explain. So without further ado, I present to you the wisdom of Laura Norris. Laura, welcome to the show. I'm excited to have you here. Thank you so much for having me, Elizabeth. I'm really honored and excited to be on. So before we dive into our topic today, the specificity of training, I want to hear about your story.

I want to know how you became a runner and how you became a running coach.

Yeah. So I'll just delve in. I became a runner when I was 18, had just started college.

But prior to that, I had done like a fair amount of other fitness things. I had started doing Pilates and strength

training in high school. Like I had to take an exercise science class in high school. It was either

that or take dance. And I am not coordinated enough to take dance. So I took the exercise science

class and it kind of stuck. So I'd been lifting weights for a couple years. But I'd wanted to get into running for a couple of years and just never given myself the opportunity.

So once I was away at college, they had a gym with treadmills, and I just started, and I took to

it very quickly and just built from there. I didn't race for several years. So other than a few, like, around the campus, charity 5Ks, I didn't race for several years. So other than a few around the campus charity 5Ks, I didn't do a race until about six years later.

...