Mile 18: The Lower Body

Most runners think their legs are the stars of the show, but when something breaks down, it’s usually not the legs themselves that are the problem. In this episode, we unpack Chapter 18 of The Runner’s Paradox and look at the lower body through a smarter lens: the pelvis, hips, knees, and feet as a connected system, not isolated parts.

We explore how subtle issues like anterior pelvic tilt, glutes underactivation, or stiff ankles can quietly erode running efficiency. We also look at why knee pain is often a symptom of problems elsewhere, and how foot mechanics play a bigger role than most people think.

With practical insights from the clinic, current biomechanical research, and real runner stories, we break down what it really means to “run from the hips”, and how to tell if your lower body is helping you run better, or just holding things together until something gives out.

Based on The Runner’s Paradox by Ying. Find out more at therunnersparadox.com. Listen during your next run and pay attention to what’s really doing the work.

Mile 17: The Upper Body

Everyone talks about cadence, footstrike, stride length. No one talks about your shoulders. Or your jaw. Or the way your chest collapses when you’re tired, dragging your breath and form down with it.

This episode is about what happens above the waist.

We’re unpacking Chapter 17 of The Runner’s Paradox: a conversation about structure, not style. Because posture isn’t just about how you look when you run.

It’s about how force travels through you. It’s about that invisible link between shoulder tension and hip drop.

We’re asking: Is your upper body holding you up, or holding you back?

Get the book at therunnersparadox.com. Remember to run upright, aware, and let your posture do the listening.

Mile 16: On The Road

Most runners think strength is built in the gym. But what if true strength has less to do with lifting heavy, and more to do with how well your body holds itself together when everything else starts falling apart?

In this episode, we unpack Chapter 16 of The Runner’s Paradox and challenge the conventional wisdom around strength. This isn’t about the quads or glutes. It’s about systems: how your nervous system fires under fatigue, how your tendons absorb and release force, how your body re-organises under load, and how rest, ironically, can sometimes make you weaker.

We explore the difference between pushing hard and holding form, between building tissue and building trust in your body. Drawing on new perspectives in biomechanics, injury science, and coordination theory, this episode reframes strength as a relationship — not just between muscle and motion, but between you and your own durability.

Based on The Runner’s Paradox by Ying. Learn more at therunnersparadox.com. Best experienced mid-run, right when you’re questioning what your body can still hold.