Coach James McKirdy is bringing the pro treatment to non-professional athletes by offering the McKirdy Micro Race series with services like personal pacing and bottle service.

We brought James on to tell us all about how he’s helping runners achieve personal bests including:

• What goes into creating a race designed to go fast
• Why he believes it’s important for amateur runners to gain access to these type of services
• How to finally hit a racing goal you might have been chasing for a long time
• How to train for achieving common marathon goals such as breaking 3 hours or 4 hours in the marathon
• What it’s like to compete with a group of runners who are all chasing the same goal
• How to give more opportunities for amateur runners to achieve their own running potential

James is a huge supporter of helping athletes achieve their own potential and we love what he’s doing to make the race conditions for high performance more accessible.

https://mckirdytrained.com/

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This week’s show brought to you by:

Ketone-IQ

You may have read a lot the last few years about the benefits of ketones for endurance performance, such as mitochondrial efficiency and glycogen sparing.

Your body uses ketones for energy typically during fasting, long periods of exercise, or when you don’t have as many carbohydrates.

The problem is that you typically need to severely reduce your carbohydrate intake in order to take advantage of them, which is difficult to sustain, even for the most dedicated runner.

But, thanks to Ketone-IQ you quickly deliver ketones to your bloodstream, putting you into ketosis within minutes without the need to fast, restrict calories or carbs, or exercise away your glycogen stores.

And the academic literature on the effectiveness of ketones for running performance is overwhelming.

For example, a 2021 study demonstrated that the ingestion of ketones improved mitochondrial efficiency by 7% and 2019 study concluded that using ketones significantly enhanced endurance performance while minimizing overtraining.

If you want to see more of the research, head to ketone.com/RTTT

Plus, for a limited time you can save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six pack of Ketone-IQ by going ketone.com/RTTT. That’s K-E-T-O-N-E dot com slash RTTT.

MetPro

Using Metabolic Profiling, MetPro’s team of experts analyzes your metabolism and provides an individualized approach to obtaining your goals.

Your MetPro coach then works with you to consistently make adjustments based on your metabolic data as well as how your plan fits your lifestyle.

MetPro’s coaches are not only educated experts in their field, but they’re empathetic that people have demanding schedules and often stressful lives. They will work one-on-one with you to identify the best nutrition and fitness strategy that is going to work for your personal goals and lifestyle needs.

Get a complimentary Metabolic Profiling assessment and a 30-minute consultation with a MetPro expert at metpro.co/rttt

Michael Brandt founded Ketone IQ after noticing its high metabolic efficiency to make fueling with ketones easier. We’re bringing him on the show to chat all about ketones including:

• How he got started with Ketone IQ
• What are ketones and the differences between Ketone IQ and ketones produced naturally in your body
• The science behind using ketones as an energy source
• How to optimally include ketones as a part of your fueling
• Whether we could see new ketone products on the market in coming years

Ketone IQ promises to provide a new fuel source completely separate from carbs, proteins and fats. We were curious how ketones fit into a well-rounded fueling strategy and wanted to put this show together to help answer that question.

https://ketone.com/

Business Instagram: @ketone

Michael’s personal Instagram: @michaeldbrandt

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• Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram
• Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!
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• GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

Running in groups adds a social element to training but it can be tricky finding a pace that works for everyone involved.

Today’s show is all about getting the most out of training in groups and we’ll speak about:

• How to use training groups to help push harder in workouts or make them feel easier
• What types of runs are better suited to running in groups
• How to keep yourself from going too quick when training with fast runners
• How to adapt workouts to runners with different running goals and fitness levels
• Examples of workouts to try with your friends or running club

Training in groups can provide the extra motivation you need to crush your next workout. All it takes is a little creativity if your friends are much faster or slower than you.

Connect, Comment, Community

• Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram
• Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!
• Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community
• RunnersConnect Facebook page
• GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

Qualia Senolytic

As a masters runner, I am always on the lookout to prevent (or at least slow down) many of the common performance declines that happen with age.

Qualia Senolytic is designed to selectively target and eliminate damaged or dysfunctional cells in the body, which are called senescent cells.

By removing these cells, senolytics aim to rejuvenate tissues, reduce inflammation, and reverse some aspects of aging.

Early research has shown senolytics can…

• Lead to a reduction in systemic inflammation
• Improve vascular function by reducing senescent cell burden in the arteries.
• Enhance muscle regeneration while also increasing exercise capacity and decreasing recovery time
• Lead to significant improvements in joint health

Ready to resist aging at the cellular level? Try Qualia Senolytic and use the code RTTT15 to save 15% off any purchase.

FAST INSOLES: Finally, Truly Custom Insoles Designed for Runners Without a Fancy Lab

If you’ve ever considered custom insoles to help with injuries or pain in your feet, but don’t have access to a running podiatrist or gait lab, then you’re going to want to check out these custom insoles from RUNFAST.

1. Their app uses your iphone’s hidden lidar camera to make a perfect 3d scan of your feet. The scan takes 2 minutes and is super easy to use.
2. Once the app has this perfect 3D scan of your feet and arches, they will begin fabrication of your custom insoles and deliver them right to your door.
3. Even better, the insoles are built specifically for runners, so they’re lightweight, flexible, and made from super-shoe materials.

Not only do you get the support to your arches and reduction to stress on the ball of your foot and heel, but the super-shoe material means they provide an amazing bounce to your stride.

To check out this amazing technology for yourself, head to runfast.co and use the code RC75 to get $75 off plus free shipping.

We’re covering the top news stories in running on today’s show, including a roundup of headlines including:

• Top American performances at the Boston Marathon
• Women’s course records at both the London Marathon and Boston Marathon
• Alex Yee runs the fastest marathon by a pro triathlete
• Tokyo Marathon running out of water cups
• What happened at the first Grand Slam Track Meets
• Faith Kipyegon to attempt breaking the 4-minute barrier in the mile
• And more…

We love the Spring racing season and if you missed some of the big races, this is your chance to hear the highlights all together in one podcast.

Grand Slam Track Schedule: https://www.grandslamtrack.com/events

Breaking 4 Project: https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/breaking4-faith-kipyegon-vs-the-four-minute-mile

McKirdy Micro Races: https://mckirdytrained.com/mckirdy-micro-races/

Connect, Comment, Community

• Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram
• Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!
• Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community
• RunnersConnect Facebook page
• GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

MAS Iron

Outside of training deficiencies, low iron is one of the most common reasons for poor results during workouts and races.

Recent research indicates that almost 56% of male runners and 86% of female runners suffer from an iron deficiency that severely hampers performance.

The problem with eating iron-rich foods or supplementing with traditional iron supplements is that iron is notoriously difficult for the body to absorb and utilize.

In fact, only about 25% of dietary iron found in animal sources is absorbed while 17% or less of the iron from plant sources is absorbed.

But MAS Iron has found a way to combat these absorption issues to ensure you can get the iron you need for health and performance.

By combining the most efficiently absorbed form of elemental iron with clinically proven ingredients to aid in absorption, MAS Iron performs like no other iron product on the market.

In fact, clinical research has shown the combination of ingredients in MAS Iron can quadruple absorption and increase bioavailability by 30%, all while reducing GI issues by 50%.

Check out the research and the results for yourself at masedge.com/iron. Runnersconnect fans will automatically save 20% on any purchase.

MetPro

Using Metabolic Profiling, MetPro’s team of experts analyzes your metabolism and provides an individualized approach to obtaining your goals.

Your MetPro coach then works with you to consistently make adjustments based on your metabolic data as well as how your plan fits your lifestyle.

MetPro’s coaches are not only educated experts in their field, but they’re empathetic that people have demanding schedules and often stressful lives. They will work one-on-one with you to identify the best nutrition and fitness strategy that is going to work for your personal goals and lifestyle needs.

Get a complimentary Metabolic Profiling assessment and a 30-minute consultation with a MetPro expert at metpro.co/rttt

Springtime is here and the new season is a perfect time to update your running wardrobe.

We’re joined by Lynn Bourque, owner of the Runners Shop specialty store in Toronto, Canada with advice on finding gear that will keep you excited to run including:

• What to do with your worn out or winter gear
• When it might be time to replace your old running shoes
• What are the latest running trends in shoes and apparel
• What materials to look for in running gear for warmer weather
• What style trends are popular among runners in 2025
• Recommendations for accessories to add to your Spring running lineup

Support your local running store and our podcast today as we help you gear up for Spring.

The Runners Shop Website: www.therunnersshop.com

Connect, Comment, Community

• Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram
• Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!
• Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community
• RunnersConnect Facebook page
• GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

Qualia Senolytic

As a masters runner, I am always on the lookout to prevent (or at least slow down) many of the common performance declines that happen with age.

Qualia Senolytic is designed to selectively target and eliminate damaged or dysfunctional cells in the body, which are called senescent cells.

By removing these cells, senolytics aim to rejuvenate tissues, reduce inflammation, and reverse some aspects of aging.

Early research has shown senolytics can…

• Lead to a reduction in systemic inflammation
• Improve vascular function by reducing senescent cell burden in the arteries.
• Enhance muscle regeneration while also increasing exercise capacity and decreasing recovery time
• Lead to significant improvements in joint health

Ready to resist aging at the cellular level? Try Qualia Senolytic and use the code RTTT15 to save 15% off any purchase.

Pique

We’ve done quite a few podcast episodes on the performance benefits of caffeine.

But, if you’re like many runners I know, pre-run coffee often leaves you with jitters or stomach issues.

That’s why I was so excited when I found Nandaka by Pique—the ultimate coffee alternative designed to power your runs, your training, and your recovery.

So, what makes Nandaka different?

Most so-called “coffee alternatives” don’t actually provide functional energy. But Nandaka is built for endurance

Unlike coffee, which spikes your energy and leaves you crashing mid-run, Nandaka fuels you with steady, sustained endurance—no spikes, no crashes, just clean energy that lasts.

Nandaka provides its caffeine from fermented probiotic teas, which provide a slow-release caffeine that prevents jitters and gives you sustained release for those long runs workouts.

It also contains cordyceps mushrooms, which help boost VO2 max, delivering more oxygen to your muscles for better endurance

Plus, the probiotic teas mean no digestive distress like you often get with coffee.

If you’re tired of running on fumes—or worse, running on coffee crashes—it’s time to make the switch.

Right now, Pique is offering 20% off for life AND a free Starter Kit with your first purchase.

Go to Piquelife.com/run and start running on real energy today.

Your legs, your lungs, and your PRs will thank you

Just about every runner has made the mistake of going too fast on a recovery run and paid the price. There’s a lot of things that we know we should do as runners and still get them wrong.

Coach Jeff brings his years of coaching experience to the show to share why runners make these 5 easy to fix mistakes:

• Overdoing recovery runs
• Ineffective strength training
• Rationalizing not having enough time
• Running through injury
• Eating the wrong fuel before and after training

You might think this list looks basic, and you’d be right. Even veteran runners screw up the easy stuff sometimes and fixing them can help you to make massive performance gains.

Marathon training is hard, so don’t screw up the easy stuff.

Training Pace Calculator: https://runnersconnect.net/long-and-easy-run-pace/

Connect, Comment, Community

• Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram
• Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month!
• Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community
• RunnersConnect Facebook page
• GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT!

This week’s show brought to you by:

MAS Iron

Outside of training deficiencies, low iron is one of the most common reasons for poor results during workouts and races.

Recent research indicates that almost 56% of male runners and 86% of female runners suffer from an iron deficiency that severely hampers performance.

The problem with eating iron-rich foods or supplementing with traditional iron supplements is that iron is notoriously difficult for the body to absorb and utilize.

In fact, only about 25% of dietary iron found in animal sources is absorbed while 17% or less of the iron from plant sources is absorbed.

But MAS Iron has found a way to combat these absorption issues to ensure you can get the iron you need for health and performance.

By combining the most efficiently absorbed form of elemental iron with clinically proven ingredients to aid in absorption, MAS Iron performs like no other iron product on the market.

In fact, clinical research has shown the combination of ingredients in MAS Iron can quadruple absorption and increase bioavailability by 30%, all while reducing GI issues by 50%.

Check out the research and the results for yourself at masedge.com/iron.

Runnersconnect fans will automatically save 20% on any purchase.

Previnex Joint Health Plus

Joint Health Plus from Previnex is clinically proven to reduce joint pain, joint stiffness,and improve joint flexibility in 7-10 days.

In fact, it is clinically proven to be up to 5 times more beneficial than glucosamine and chondroitin alone or in combination.

I saw immediate results when I started using Joint Health Plus and that’s why I reached out to Previnex to see if we could put together an offer for you guys.

If you’re suffering from joint pain or simply want to get a jump start on protecting your joint health as you get older, head to runnersconnect.net/joint and use the code RTTT15 to save 15% on your first order.