Natasha Wodak on Marathon Strategy, Race Day Mindset & Making Running Fun | Live from Toronto

Recorded live at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Expo, this episode of The Marathon Handbook Podcast brings together hosts Michael Doyle, Katelyn Tocci, and Alex Cyr with special guest Natasha Wodak, Canada’s marathon record holder. Natasha shares her biggest lessons from years at the top of the sport—how she plans race strategy, adapts to tough conditions, avoids rookie mistakes, and keeps running joyful even at the elite level. We also cover highlights from marathon weekend in Toronto, the “Don’t Trip Mile,” super shoe debates, and pre-race rituals. Listen for: practical marathon tips, race-day mindset shifts, and an inside look at Canada’s top marathoner’s approach to running. A special thanks to Asics for sponsoring our live podcast in Toronto! Chapters: 00:00 – Live from Toronto: The Marathon Handbook Podcast 01:00 – Highlights from Toronto Marathon Weekend 03:30 – Natasha Wodak joins the show 09:45 – Natasha’s first marathon story (Toronto 2013) 12:00 – Leaving and returning to the marathon 16:00 – Rookie mistakes & advice for first-timers 18:00 – Marathon pacing and patience 20:00 – How to race in tough weather 25:00 – Using the crowd and keeping motivation high 27:30 – Making running fun again 30:00 – Breaking down the Toronto Marathon course 33:45 – ASICS super shoes and training insights 39:00 – Natasha’s pre-race routine and mindset 42:00 – Closing thoughts & race weekend send-off 📩 Questions about training, race previews, or to send us your hot takes? Email us at podcast@marathonhandbook.com. 🎤 Leave us a voice memo for our mailbag episodes: marathonhandbook.com/podcast 📸 Instagram: @marathon.handbook 📘 Facebook: @marathonhandbook 📰 Join 265,000+ runners getting our daily newsletter: marathonhandbook.com/newsletter 👍 Like, subscribe, and drop your questions in the comments. 🎧 Audio version available wherever you get podcasts + watch the video version on Spotify. 📺 Subscribe on YouTube for weekly running deep dives. Photo: Todd Fraser/Canada Running Series #MarathonHandbook #NatashaWodak #TorontoWaterfrontMarathon #RunningPodcast #MarathonTraining #RunningMotivation #ASICS #MarathonTips