Host Brad Kearns welcomes the amazing Sara Hall to the show, fresh off her stunning lifetime best and #6 all-time American performance of 2:22 at the Berlin Marathon. At age 36, Sara proclaims that she is both fitter and healthier than ever. This show is full of tidbits and reflections that will help you become a better runner and a better person. Sara discusses overcoming her string of injuries to achieve her recent breakthrough and the risks associated with elite-level training. Her insight that “you just need the pounding” is an interesting counter to the popular notion that you can “hack” peak endurance performance with HIIT workouts, or that recovery entails sitting around. In fact, an easy day for Sara is two hours of running (2 workouts) at 7-8 minutes per mile at high altitude in Flagstaff, AZ.

 

Sara talks about what she’s learned and the support she’s received from her husband Ryan Hall, retired Olympic marathon runner and still US record holder at 2:04.58, Listen to his show on this channel to learn the amazing story of their adopting four Ethiopian children in 2015 and raising them in the USA. Sara talks about the balance between trying to eat the healthiest, cleanest diet and the reality of the raw fuel requirements for elite training. She talks about training at altitude for years, variation in training approach among elite athletes. Her comments on overcoming fear of failure and loving yourself how you are, without regard to results in competition, can actually unlock higher levels of peak performance because you are free to take risks and go for it! A great show with an inspiring runner dedicated to her faith and her charity called the Hall Steps Foundation.