Running for Health vs. Running for Performance: Can You Have Both?

Tread Lightly Running Podcast

Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris

November 15, 202536 min
Running

Running for Health vs. Running for Performance: Can You Have Both?

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Episode Notes

Thank you to our sponsors:

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In this episode, you will learn:

✅ Is there such thing as too much running?

✅ On the colon cancer and running study

✅ Is too much running bad for your heart?

✅ Does running help with mood disorders and mental health?

✅ Age-related declines

✅ Creating a training plan for running for health

Field Tests for our Listener Question:

  • Cooper test: After a 10-20 min warm-up, run as far as you can in 12 minutes. Record distance and enter into this calculator.
  • 1.5-mile run test: After a 10-20 min warm-up, run as fast as you can for 1.5 miles. Record distance and enter into this calculator.
  • Lactate threshold test. After a 10-20 min warm-up, run 30 minutes as fast as you can (self-paced, even effort). Your average pace over the final 20 minutes is your velocity at second LT (60-min race pace) and your average HR over the final 20 min is your LTHR.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:

🎧 How Much Does VO2max Actually Matter (3 Oct 2025)

🎧 Heart Rate Variability and Resting Heart Rate: Do These Metrics Matter for Runners (25 July 2025)

🎧 Hybrid Training as Health Training with Dr. Alyssa Olenick (6 Sept 2024)

References:

🔬 https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/244806

🔬 https://www.onlinejacc.org/content/75/1/60

🔬PMID: 28450347

🔬 PMID: 26301178

🔬 PMID: 25128074

🔬PMID: 31691927

Let’s stay connected:

➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/

➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.co