Matt Fitzgerald is a 2:39 marathoner, acclaimed author, triathlete, nutritionist, and running coach. His most recent book is The Comeback Quotient, available now.
The subject of his book is both timely and personal, as Matt is currently working through being a COVID long hauler. He first got coronavirus in March of 2020, got healthy, but then 6 months later started getting long haul symptoms. He’s still mostly unable to run, which makes this conversation so pertinent to him.
In this conversation we’ll be talking about the 3-step process for recognizing reality, digging yourself out of any hole that you might find yourself in, and getting back on track.
You can immerse yourself in other content focused on mental strength, too:
For more resources, check out the free guide to mental toughness for runners.
We discuss some of my favorite and recurring topics:
Links & Resources from the Show:
A big thanks to Elemental Labs for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. And you can get a free sampler pack of 4 flavors and 8 individual packets when you pay $5 in shipping.
Elemental Labs' products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day.
The citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium.
There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense.
They just released their first new flavor of 2021, their most requested flavor, watermelon salt. So check out Elemental Labs to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.
Thank You InsideTracker!Our show is supported by our longtime sponsor InsideTracker. Today, more than ever, it's essential that we’re making the right decisions to keep our bodies healthy. To help us be resilient, prevent over-training, and optimize our running to get the most from it.
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292. How to Control Intensity and Get in the Right Mindset Before a Big Race
291. Dr. Justin Ross on Mental Toughness, Psychological Skill-Building, and Confidence
290. Olympian Nick Symmonds on Obsession, Growing YouTube to 1M Subscribers, and Being an Entertainer
289. Hamstring Health Masterclass: Strength Coach Kyle Davey on Preventing Hamstring Injuries
288. How to Set Massive PR’s in Your 40’s (a behind-the-scenes coaching call - rerun)
287. Comedian Laura Green Jokes About Strava, Podcasters, Catcalling, and More
286. Ultrarunner Dylan Bowman on What Makes Trail Running Special (and its future)
285. Weightlifting Q&A with Coach Matt Chittim (Imposter Syndrome, Lifting Heavy, and More)
284. How to Schedule Running with Unconventional Work Hours
283. New Runner Q&A (Heart Rate, Strength, Mileage, and More) with Mark Kennedy
282. Marathon Myths, Half-Truths, and Mistakes with Author and Coach Sam Murphy
281. Fasting, Blood Sugar, and Diabetes with Sports Dietitian Meghann Featherstun
280. How to Keep Improving As a Master’s Runner (a new coaching call!)
279. World Mountain Running Champion Grayson Murphy on Long-Term Injury Recovery
278. Off-Season vs. Base Building: How to Structure Time Off
277. How to Build and Grow Running-Specific Confidence
276. Running & Power: Exploring ‘Mechanical Output’ with David Roche
275. Stability Training the Right Way, with Physical Therapist and Researcher Jay Dicharry
274. Training Fundamentals, “Full” Marathons, Road vs. Trails, and more (with Travis Macy)
273. A Behind-the-Scenes Coaching Call on How to Escape a Rut
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