A Running Doctor's Unorthodox, Dogma-Defying, Minimalist Approach To Running Fast And Injury-Free.

Ben Greenfield (0:01)

In this episode of the Ben Greenfield Fitness Show.

Mark Cucuzzella (0:04)

When I'm trying to get people to learn how to jog, I want them to run springy. So, you know, they're going to have a really short stride, lance off, make little noise, you know, get their cadence up at least 170 I really don't care how fast they go, they're just learning a little different mechanic of movement. Yeah, and have fun, you know, if it's giving you a good response, you wake up every day and you feel good and you're enjoying what you're doing. It's not too technical, it doesn't cost you a lot of money, you know, and it fits into your day. You know, if you're not finding joy in it, I think we all can have all the technical knowledge, but it's not going to sustain.

SPEAKER_3 (0:36)

He's an expert in human performance and nutrition, voted America's top personal trainer and one of the globe's most influential people in health and fitness.

His show provides you with everything you need to optimize physical and mental performance. He is Ben Greenfield.

Ben Greenfield (0:59)

Whatever it is for you that's the natural movement, get out there. When you look at all the studies done, studies that have shown the greatest efficacy.

SPEAKER_3 (1:11)

All the information you need in one place, right here, right now. On the Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast.

Ben Greenfield (1:34)

The Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast Thank Hey, folks, it's Ben Greenfield, and I gotta tell you, as you probably know, I'm all about unorthodox, dogma-defying approaches, especially when it comes to fitness. And my guest today is a running doctor who definitely fits that bill. As a matter of fact, I wanna tell you his bio, taken straight from his website.

This guy's name is Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, and I have absolutely no clue. As a matter of fact, I'm just going to have you talk right now, Mark. Did I pronounce your last name right?

Mark Cucuzzella (2:06)

Right on, yep. Got it the first time, Ben.

Ben Greenfield (2:09)

I'm doing pretty well with these last names these days. So Cucuzzella, but we'll just call you Dr. Mark if you're cool with that.

Mark Cucuzzella (2:15)

I'm good with that, that's easier.

Ben Greenfield (2:16)

Otherwise, this could turn to a very long podcast.

So here's what Mark's website says. In the beginning, there was darkness, and runners seemed lost, confused, chronically injured, always experimenting with bigger as better footwear as a potential remedy. Then a new less is more approach emerged, a radical way of thinking led by a handful of scientists, athletes, coaches, and a charismatic bestselling author. They looked backward to the past for inspiration. Soon a healer, an educator came forth. Collectively, they would become the shepherds to a flock of broken down, often sidelined runners accustomed to wearing conventional running shoes. This thing reads like the Bible.

As it were, this health conscious individual lived in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the oldest town in the state and just up the road from Harper's Ferry. His name is Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, a family physician and an elite runner who in his early 40s can still reel off sub 240s at the Boston Marathon. Mark has a singular vision regarding the need to spread the gospel of natural and minimalist running to the masses. And Mark, I know you've got a little running store there called Two Rivers Treads in Shepherdstown, and that's a fixture in the natural running community. You get a lot of coaches, athletes, trainers, physical therapists, bloggers, runners. A bunch of people come to you for advice. I've heard you on other podcasts. I've checked out your website, which is the naturalrunningcenter.com, and you've got good stuff. So I figured I would get you on the show, and we could talk a little bit about some of what you describe as the mind-draining dogma and reckless bias in the current running industry.

Sound good?

Mark Cucuzzella (3:57)

Sounds good, Ben. We should get on the show.

Ben Greenfield (4:00)

Cool. Well, this is kind of a tough lead-off question.

But what exactly is your philosophy and your training when you have a runner that you can mold?

Mark Cucuzzella (4:11)

I think I'm a physician. So my first goal, Ben, is to try to make sure people are healthy. And that's really our ultimate goal, is to create health for the long term. So I put people into different groups. I mean, if I'm working with someone who, you know, high school athletes, they want to win the state championship, so really, performance is their primary goal. So we're going to work a little differently than, you know, we have a local couch to 5K. I mean, these folks, most of them are trying to reverse their diabetes, and they're just trying to become healthy. So I want them to just have joy and fun and stay pain free. I mean, I think there's a lot of overlap because, you know, I think, you know, when we're all happy and joyful, we run well, and, you know, when we run well, we're happy and joyful. So I think there's more similarities than appear on the surface between performance and just running for health.