The Runna Podcast

Training's going well, so why do you feel so flat? Three weeks out from marathon day, peak week can make getting fitter feel exactly like getting worse.

In the second episode of our mini-series building to New York, Coach Anya sits down with Savannah Sachdev (@savannahsachdev) for a peak week check-in. They talk about what the biggest weeks of marathon training actually feel like, and why feeling exhausted doesn't mean your fitness is slipping.

Savannah is known for her relatable, hilarious running content and her daily run streak. She's lining up in New York, where she ran her very first marathon, and she gets honest about dreading the 28K, going in probably the least fit she's been, and why her progress right now isn't about speed.

With Anya deep in her own biggest weeks, they unpack how to tell if peak week is working and why you're suddenly so hungry. It's a good listen if you're in your own toughest block right now, or just curious what the hardest part of marathon training really feels like.

In this episode:
🧠 Peak Week Reality: why getting fitter can feel like getting worse
😬 The Long Run Dread: why the biggest weeks feel scary
🍞 Fuelling Peak Weeks: food as motivation, and malt loaf over gels
🎮 Gamify It: how three 7Ks got her through a treadmill long run

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've ever skipped a rest day because it felt lazy - this episode was made for you.

This week, Coach Anya sits down with Runna athlete and Olympian Colleen Quigley for a short, sharp and very actionable Coach on Call episode all about rest and recovery. Colleen shares how she spent years pushing through when she should have stopped. Now she calls rest days non-negotiable - so what changed?

They get into the difference between complete rest and active recovery, how to read your body before you dig yourself into a hole, and why the rest day isn't a break from training - it's where the training actually lands.

"You do the workout. And then the rest day is letting it sink into your bones."

In this episode:
🛌 When to take a rest day: Reading your body, your block and your wearables
💪 The science of recovery: Muscle repair, cortisol reset and why bones take longer than muscles
📊 Active recovery vs complete rest: The difference and when each one is right
🏊 What an Olympian does: Colleen's go-to recovery options and why she swears by them
🧠 The mental reset: "You are more than just a runner" - and why that matters

Want to give Runna a go?
🆓 Try it FREE for 2 weeks with code: PODCAST26
👉 https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26

📱 Follow for more running content:
Instagram → @runna
TikTok → @runna

📺 You can watch our episodes too! → @therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sticking to your marathon training plan but still doubting you can finish? Five weeks out, the novelty of training can start to fade and self-doubt can creep in.

Coach Anya sits down with Carson Gillaspia (@CrustbyCarson) to talk about what this stage of marathon training actually feels like - the honest setbacks, what’s working, and why trusting the work you’ve already done can sometimes be the hardest part.

Known as @CrustbyCarson, Carson’s food and running content has made waves across the internet. He’s spent the last few years championing both the pursuit of the perfect sourdough loaf and long-distance running as tools for mental wellbeing. Now, as he trains for his fourth marathon, he opens up about the doubts that surface as race day gets closer.

As Anya builds towards her own start line in New York, they get into the reality of being five weeks out, how to handle those inevitable wobbles in confidence, and the coaching lessons that can help you trust the foundations you’ve already built.

In this episode:
🎉 Last Year's New York: too many high-fives, not enough pacing
💛 Running for His Grandad: training through grief, and what it's given him
🧠 The Self-Doubt Nobody Warns You About: why "on track" doesn't always feel like it
📈 The 10% Rule: building mileage and speed without overloading

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26

📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please note: this episode contains references to suicide and mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a healthcare professional for support.

Fergus Crawley attempted to take his own life ten years ago. This year, on the anniversary of that day, he set a Guinness World Record for 10 Ironman-distance triathlons in 10 days, across 10 UK cities, raising money for CALM.

This week, Anya sits down with the hybrid athlete to talk about the three concussions that ended his rugby career, the years he spent telling no one what he was going through, and the day in Cardiff, eight days into his Ironman challenge, when he genuinely thought it was over.

In this episode:
🏉 Rugby to Rock Bottom: three concussions in four weeks, and the void that followed
🧠 Rock Bottom & Recovery: his 2016 suicide attempt, and eighteen months of silence
💪 Why Endurance Helps: five reasons training supports mental health, without being a substitute for it
🌍 Project TENacity: the Guinness World Record he kept quiet until it was done

🎧 New episodes every Friday with Olympians, World Record holders, and inspiring voices from the running community.

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST26: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26
📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doing everything right but not seeing the results? You're not alone, and it's rarely about trying harder.
This week, Coach Steph and Anya unpack the four most common reasons a runner's training plateaus: unclear goals, the "grey zone" trap, under-recovering, and skipping strength work, plus practical fixes for each one.

What You'll Learn:
🎯 Why you need a real goal, not just a vague one
⚖️ Why your easy runs probably aren't easy enough
😴 The three things that actually drive recovery
💪 Why strength training could be the missing 6% edge

Covering everything from goal-setting and easy pace discipline to sleep, nutrition and strength work: this is the perfect guide for anyone who feels stuck at the same pace no matter how hard they train.

Want to give Runna a go?
🆓 Try it FREE for 2 weeks with code: PODCAST26
👉 https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST26

🎧 Take this on your next run → https://linktr.ee/runnapodcast

📱 Follow for more running content:
Instagram → @runna
TikTok → @runna

📺 Watch more episodes → @therunnapodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.