Eric Clifton was inducted into the American UltraRunning Hall of Fame in 2021.  He was the fastest and most dominating 100-mile trail runner in the 1990s. He has amassed more than 60 ultra wins and his win ratio at the 100-mile distance is staggering 17 wins of his 31 finishes and more than 20 course records.  His strategy was very different from the norm back then.  And get this....He has 19 years of his career where he won at least one ultra. We sit down and talk with Eric about his experiences back in the early 90s and how he went against conventional wisdom to race the way he wanted to race.  He talks about how running saved his life.

Be sure to listen to his complete story on UtraRunning History Podcast.

Davy Crockett, the host of the podcast, "Ultrarunning History" joins us to help us understand our community’s history and helps us better understand our tribe's culture. 

Davy has run over 100 100-mile finishes since starting in 2004.  He is a race director of the Pony Express Trail 50 and 100 in Utah and was recently named Director of the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame.

You can learn more about Davy and his many works at Ultrarunninghistory.com 

Are you new to trail or ultra running? Are you interested in testing the a new distance?  Krissy Moehl wrote the book that can help you. We talk with Krissy about her updated second edition of the book and how it can help you become a better runner. We mentioned a video of Roch Horton talking about the Kroker's Canteen aid station at Hardrock 100

Learn more about Krissy, preorder her book and consider her coaching services HERE 

Are you looking to begin running?  Are you having trouble with consistent running?  Are you wanting to take your running to a new level?  This episode will help.

Adam Kimble recommended the James Clear Book, Atomic Habits, to us a few months ago.  We read it and realized there are many tools in this book that can help us develop habits that will propel us to becoming better runners.  

Here is the episode where Adam introduced us to the book: EP 541: Improving Performance Through the Aggregation of Marginal Gains

In 2022, we will be doing a monthly episode focused on Training Principles.  In this episode, we start with the principle of Quality Training.

We have invited four experts to give their take on quality training:

Sally McRae: strength training = injury prevention
Sally's Web site

Patrick Reagan: disciplined recovery runs
Patrick's coaching site

Adam Kimble: variety
Adam's coaching site

Ian Sharman: have a purpose
Ian's coaching site

David Horton is a 5-time finisher and won the first two Hardrock 100 races.  He has competed in over 160 ultras with 40 wins. He is one of 14 finishers of the iconic Barkleys Marathon.  But wait, he has also set speed records on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Coast Trail and one of the fastest transcontinental runs.  David is a Professor of Health Sciences at Liberty University where he shares his passion for endurance sports with its students and encourages them to aspire to more.

In this episode David shares some of his philosophies and passion for trail running.

David also directs the Hellgate 100k.

Listen to our first interview with David back in 2014 at the Hardrock 100

"You're off to Great Places, today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so...get on your way!" - Dr. Seuss

Trail running is more than exercise, it is moving meditation with nature.

Do you want some of this? Are you considering trail running? You might have some apprehensions.

In this episode we talk with long time trail runners Brian Metzler and Doug Meyer about trail running basics from where to find a trail to running gear, fueling and safety.  Their stories and step by step process will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to begin your journey on the trail.  Already a long-time veteran?  You might be able to recall some of the stories where you learned the importance of hydration, fueling, alluding bears, etc.

Doug and Brian recently published, "Trail Running Illustrated: The Art of Running Free", a great reference for anyone that enjoys or wants to enjoy the trail.

Here are the links to Brian's previous episodes:

• Kicksology: They Hype, Science, Culture & Cool of Running Shoes
• Pack Burro Racing - A Kick in the Ass

 

Bon Courage is an essential French expression for offering verbal support before or during a difficult task.  Similar to the English, "good luck" but with a twist.  Luck is outside of our control, where courage is something we can control.

Returning Guest,Hillary Gerardi, joins us to discuss her philosophy of building courage with "little c's and BIG "C's".  

 

 

 

Our first live recording where Nation Members could join the audience and listen while we record & ask any questions they have for Don, Scott and frequent-guest Andy Jones-Wilkins.

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Ultrarunner and Psychologist, Jill Colangelo, recently published her thesis discussing the relationship of mental health and ultra endurance sports.  Some of you may have even participated in her study!  We discuss how prevalent mental illness is in our sport and how we can balance our passion with healthy living.  You can read her paper HERE.

For more information or to talk with Jill visit her web site.

 

The central governor theory is based around the premise that the brain will override your physical ability to run and “shut the body down” before you're able to do serious or permanent damage to yourself.

Dr. Joe Uhan, founder of Uhan Performance in Eugene (Physical Therapy, Coaching, Running Analysis) and is studying manual therapy fellow-in-training at Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Topics we cover in part 2:

• The central governor has a purpose and we have to listen to it.
• Learned pain patterns
• You become more sensitive to common pain points. Your governor becomes hyper sensitive, and more threatened.
• Can you "synthetically mask" the central governor? 
• Does the governor actually know whats going on? 
• Can your central governor fail you? Can that work to your advantage?
• Can you train your central governor with Psychology?
• PMA goes a long way.
• What's happening to the governor when we have peaks and valleys in our run?
• Maybe it's a committee of governors...
• What is the something that all the top runners have in common that amazes you?

We referenced the article Joe wrote in irunfar

The central governor theory is based around the premise that the brain will override your physical ability to run and “shut the body down” before you're able to do serious or permanent damage to yourself.

Dr. Joe Uhan, founder of Uhan Performance in Eugene (Physical Therapy, Coaching, Running Analysis) and is studying manual therapy fellow-in-training at Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Topics we cover in part 1:

• What is the central governor
• What the central governor does. Tries to determine how much output can the body give without catastrophe.
• The central governor depends on all systems of the body. There's the role of the different peripheral systems and then the central brain. Everyone's Different.
• How close to catastrophe does the central governor shut down the body?
• How can we have a better relationship with our governor.
• Which is easier to train; the peripheral systems or the brain?
• Does the central governor fall out of shape?

We referenced the article Joe wrote in irunfar

Adam Kimble and Strava Co-Founder, Mark Gainey, were recently talking about Eliud Kipchoge's attempt at the sub 2-hour marathon.  They focused on every little detail that his team worked on improving. These small improvements can make a big difference.  How can we implement this strategy in our lives?  

British Cycling Team Performance Director, Dave Brailsford, did this with the team back in 2003 turning their mediocre winless team into a powerhouse of competitors with his philosophy of the "aggregation of marginal gains": tiny margins of improvement in everything they did.

Read more about the British cycling team from James Clear HERE

Check out Adam Kimble's new running journal, "Chasing Twilight" he wrote with Connor Crouch and Jim O'Brien

Learn more about Adam by checking out his web site and his coaching site, Run On Dirt Coaching.
Adam's social channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Check out this super 30-day trial to Open, a mindfulness studio

Trail Runner Nation friend and frequent guest, Dr. Phil Maffetone, helps us understand that health isn't a simple byproduct of fitness; that fitness can be improved with better health.  He explains how we can become healthier and more fit athletes.  We refer to an article, "Athletes: Fit but Unhealthy".

Other references:

• Get the Maffetone App HERE
• Take the 2 Week Test
• Get a taste of Dr. Maffetone's best articles HERE

Keep listening past the credits for a song from Phil's most recent album, Outlier. Learn more about Phil Maffetone's MUSIC

We had a fun Bonus Miles discussion with Phil that you can access as a Patreon Ambassador level or higher.

Support the podcast by supporting these great partners:

• Athletic Green's AG-1
• XO Skin's 'Socktober' sale.  Use code 'TRN15' for discounts on non-sale items
• Native Deodorant and use the code 'Trail' for 20% off your first order
• Other deals here

Previous episodes with Dr. Maffetone:

• Get Stronger with Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Why is Weight-Loss so Difficult Even for Runners? Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Daydreaming is Healthy for Runners
• Dr. Phil Maffetone Unplugged
• Dr. Phil Maffetone was RIGHT all along!
• Take Your Shirt Off and Get Some Vitamin D - with Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Phil Maffetone: How can Rhythm Improve Your Efficiency?
• Breaking the 1:59 marathon with Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Dr. Phil Maffetone - Building a Better Athletic Brain
• Phil Maffetone transcribed!
• Eat to Win with Dr. Phil Maffetone.
• Dr. Phil Maffetone - Speed up by slowing down

 

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and Dr. Ryan Green are runners, experts on running form AND owners of specialty shoe stores.  We enlist their help to teach us how to choose the right shoes:

1. Find a credible store and fitting expert
2. Step & Feel
3. What is the right size?
4. Use all your senses to feel the fit
5. Orthotics?
6. Color matters
7. Magic will happen when you take off your shoes

References:

• Contact Dr. Green at his web site or visit his web site: Varsity Running
• Dr. Mark's Run for Your Life Podcast
• Dr. Mark's book, "Run for Your Life"

• Holowka, N.B., Wallace, I.J. & Lieberman, D.E. Foot strength and stiffness are related to footwear use in a comparison of minimally- vs. conventionally-shod populations. Sci Rep 8, 3679 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21916-7

  Cudejko, T., Gardiner, J., Akpan, A. et al. Minimal shoes improve stability and mobility in persons with a history of falls. Sci Rep 10, 21755 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78862-6

Make sure you watch his 8:25 Video that show the principles of natural running.

Be sure to spend some time learning at The Natural Running Center web site.

Visit Two Rivers Treads running store either in person or call them and ask them some questions!

One of the new devices for athletes that is getting some buzz are continuous glucose monitors (CGM), a small adhesive patch with a tiny filament embedded in the flesh.  This device is designed to track your blood sugar levels.  Could this be the next technology that helps runners avoid bonking?  Author, runner and regular TRN guest, Alex Hutchinson recently tried out one of these devices and shares his experience.  Read his recent article, "A Real-Time Fuel Gauge for Endurance Athletes" in OutsideOnline 

Alex Hutchinson is an avid runner and author.  We did a series of podcasts on his book, Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance

• What Defines our Limits - with Alex Hutchinson

Follow Alex on Twitter

Check out Sweat Science

 

Most of us inevitably recruit a team that support our running.  This could be a running partner, coach, crew, pacers, etc.  One key teammate that you might consider is an Athletic Trainer.  

Guest co-host, Krissy Moehl, shares her experience with having someone on her team that helps maintain her body through activation, recovery and treatment.

Kerry Gustafson is owner of Prime Sports Institute, an athletic training facility providing a team approach to health care in Bellingham, Washington.  Kerry explains that athletic trainers are the "point guard" for your care.  Traditionally these athletic trainers are found on the sidelines of collegiate or professional sports teams.  Now their services are available for the amateur runner!

To find an athletic trainer near you, try Go4Ellis. 

Check out Prime Sports Institute's online Yoga for runners program or call for a remote consultation.

Follow Prime Sports Institute on 
Instagram
Youtube

Support Trail Runner Nation by becoming a Patreon supporter

Andy Jones-Wilkins joins to talk about seven simple rules to consider for a successful long run.  This list is not comprehensive and we may have follow up episodes.

 

1. Don't run a single hill (the definition of a hill varies by fitness level)
2. Run all downs, (unless the hill taxes the knees, quads, or risk a fall)
3. Start early with a purposeful walk/run rhythm.  Keep the body fresh, do not put yourself in a catch up position.   EVERY time you shift from a run to a walk, use this mantra, "Walk with purpose!"   Walking with a purpose is effective and a strategy.  
4. Manage the aidstations, show up with a plan. .  Let a volunteer fill your hydration. Next, take care of your gear and medical.  Select your fuel, eat it as you walk out.  (No loitering)   You cover an enormous amount of ground when you purposefully walk.  
5. Monitor anything that feels slightly off; calories, hydration, electrolytes, salt on face, salt on shirt, color of urine, cramping, stomach, apply lube to anything hot (chaffage) and listen to negative mental chatter.  Negative chatter is your body's way of telling you that you need to change something, if you push through the early warning sign, catastrophe is around the corner.
6. Give yourself permission to back off your effort and recapture anything that isn't working or needs correcting. Most issues can be solved by backing off the pace.  Give it time and you can return to your gameplan.  SCOTT has a story for this one
7. Trust your math.  Stay with your plan.  Worrying requires energy.  You need that energy to finish the run.   (Do all the math before the run)And share it with your crew/pacer

Don's video from Moab 240 we mentioned

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

 

Trail Runner Nation began in November of 2011 with a singular purpose or WHY: To share knowledge with our Nation of runners that will help them become better runners, run longer. In this candid conversation, Don and Scott talk about how this WHY was formed and how it has guided the podcast: from choosing guests and topics.

We credit this clarity to a book by Simon Sinek, "Start with Why". We highly recommend it to everyone that might be looking at life or projects that are a little blurry. As an appetizer, please watch Simon in his 18-minute Ted Talk from 2010.

Please consider supporting these great partners of Trail Runner Nation that sponsored this episode:

 

• Janji
• UCAN

 

Kilian Jornet, 33, is one of our generation's greatest endurance athletes.  He is a six-time Skyrunner World Series champion, and has stood atop the podium at trail races around the wold, most notably the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, Western States Endurance Run, and Hardrock Hundred Mile Run.  Jornet has set fastest known times on mountain peaks from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc and holds numerous ski mountaineering records.

Guest Hosts Anna Frost and Stephanie Howe speak with Kilian from his home in a quiet Norwegian village where he lives with his wife, noted trail racer Emilie Forsberg, two daughters, a labradoodle, eleven sheep and a menagerie of farm animals.

You will find that Kilian is humble and thoughtful.  You will find out where he ranks a 24-hour track run on his "fun scale".  He is passionate about our environment and brining up his family and teaching future generations about how to keep the planet safe.

Check out Kilian Jornet Foundation

Please check out our partners for this episode:

• XO Skin
• UCAN
• PATH Projects

One thing most runners have in common is that we will inevitably puke: literally and figuratively.  How do you react to these situations?  Dr. Rob Bell is a certified Mental Performance Coach with years of academic research and real-life coaching experience.  He will help us to put these situations into perspective, frame them and then use them to propel us to improved performance and fulfillment.

Dr. Rob Bell's seventh book, Puke & Rally: It's Not About the Setback, It's About the Comeback

Check out

• Dr. Rob's web site
• Puke & Rally web site
• His podcast, "15 minutes of Mental Toughness"

Find him at

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube

Thank you for all our partners.  This episode is brought to you by 

• XO Skin
• Goodr

If you like this episode and would like to support us with a gel or two, visit our Patreon link

Badwater 135 mile race is dubbed the world's toughest footrace.  It begins at the lowest elevation in the USA (280 feet below sea level) and runs over three mountain ranges in the blistering heat of Death Valley, climbing 14,600' to end at the portal to Mt. Whitney.  Some of the greatest ultra runners have run this race.  This was Sally McRae's second attempt.  In 2018 she finished a personal-disappointing seventh place.  This year she won and won big.  She joins co-host Krissy Moehl to discuss her training journey, what drove her to the win and how she is recovering.

Joe Grant has run and raced around the world and created some amazing adventures in his home state of Colorado.  Guest hosts Anna Frost and Stephanie Howe find out more about what makes Joe tick and why he feels running is an art.

• Joe's move, The Middle Way
• Find out more about Joe's adventurous life
• Joe's adventure to bike to and then summit all of Colorado's 14ers (peaks that are over 14,000' in elevation)

 

• Anna's web site
• Anna's Trail Run Adventures
• Stephanie's web site
• Stephanie's Threshold Expeditions

Mimmi Kotka is a world class runner that lives part-time in the Chamonix Valley with her husband Toni and dog Enzo, giving tours of the mountains at Run the Alps.  Mimmi has won or been on the podium at a number of major trail races around the world. That list includes first place at the 101 km CCC and 121 km TDS races in Chamonix, France. She is a member of the Swedish National Ultrarunning Team.

Mimmi isn’t just a trail runner, either. She also has an advanced degree in Nutrition, and is a partner in Moonvalley. She has a fun sense of humor, and always has interesting insights to share on trail running.

Mimmi joins Anna and Stephanie to talk about her passions, her unconventional lifestyle and her struggle and triumph over RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport)

• Stephanie's web site
• Stephanie's Threshold Expeditions
• Anna's web site
• Anna's Trail Run Adventures

Make sure to get your FREE sample pack of UCAN by clicking HERE

Check out the trail-designed PATH Projects gear

This week's podcast (Friday) will be hosted by two of our favorite guests, Anna Frost and Stephanie Howe.

Be sure to check out these links to their coaching and their events coming up:

• Stephanie's web site
• Stephanie's Threshold Expeditions
• Anna's web site
• Anna's Trail Run Adventures

It is no surprise that world-class athletes couldn't get to their level without a strong mental game. It could be argued that you need a strong mental game to push beyond your personal limits to a new plateau. 

Recent research reveals exactly how they do it - and now we can learn that formula and incorporate it into our athletics and other areas of our lives.

Noel Brick, PhD, research phycologist of endurance athletics and Scott Douglas, contributing writer for Runner's World, co-authored the titled book and help us understand how we can learn from these athletes to improve our performance on and off the trail.

Last week to register to win 1 of 10 pair of BOA Fit System powered La Sportiva Cyklon shoes.

Get 15% off XO Skin gear HERE by using code TRN at checkout

We invited Ryan Montgomery on our podcast to do a "Golden Nuggets" episode. Like some trail runs take interesting twists and turns and you end up discovery new and exciting vistas, our conversation turned to a fun and educational place. Our Soundman Ryan did a great job editing in the fragmented discussion. We hope you enjoy and will share it with other.

Ryan Montgomery started his running career in middle school while living in Alaska and continued throughout high school. He ran his first marathon at age 15! Ryan discovered trail running while attending college in Utah and quickly became a top performer. He has broken the 13-hour mark for running the 100-mile distance in 2019 at the USATF National Championships and will be representing Team USA in the 24-hour World Championships in 2021. Ryan is also an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.

Ryan runs for Altra and coaches with Mountain Endurance Coaching.

Register to win a pair of La Sportiva Cyklon shoes powered by Boa Fit Systems

Make sure to get your FREE sample pack of UCAN by clicking HERE

Check out the trail-designed PATH Projects gear

After our Western States 100 Prognostication episode, we kept the recording button pushed and this is the discussion.  We get a short race report from AJW on his Bighorn 100 race last weekend. 

Ambasedor Level Patreon members get all our bonus miles.

Western States 100 is the first high profile race that is being held since the pandemic cancelled racing around the world.  We sit down with Andy Jones-Wilkins to get his take on this year's race.  There will be 320 amazing stories from each of the starters.  We highlight some of the ones that you might want to watch unfold.

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Make sure to get your FREE sample pack of UCAN by clicking HERE

Register to win a pair of La Sportiva Cyklon shoes powered by Boa Fit Systems

Get 15% off your order at XO skin using the code TRN

This is an important episode and we are fortunate to have a friend, Cory Reese, join us to talk about depression.  Cory is an accomplished ultra runner and author of three books:

• Nowhere Near First
• Into the Furnace 
• Stronger than the Dark

Cory introduces us to his friend and physiology expert (and ultra runner), Catherine Van Tassell, social worker, PA with experience in psychology at the University of Utah.  She is also a master trainer for iFIT Mind.

This episode should help everyone listening.  If you suffer from depression, know someone who is, wonder if you are, or just want to help anyone that might need it.  This podcast is for you.  

If you are in need of help, please reach out to your family friends or running community.  We love you and want to help.  If you have thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 anytime 24/7.

Get your free UCAN sample pack here.

This is the first of a new series of episodes called NuggetCast.  Andy Jones-Wilkins joins us to explain what a NuggetCast is and to help kick off the first episode.

This episode's nuggets are:

• Train the mind
• Throw out the ego
• Be Prepared

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

We all love a good story about trail running. In Dean Karnazes' latest book, "A Runners High - My Life in Motion", he tells stories that you will easily draw you in and might remind you of similar situations that you might have been in. The stories will make you laugh, questions our sanity as runner, and make you think about life and running.

Listen to Dean's previous episode, "Who is Dean Karnazes?"

Dean is an accomplished author of four other best sellers:

• UltraMarathon Man - Confessions of an All-Night Runner
• 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days - and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!
• Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss
• The Road to Sparta: Reliving the Ancient Battle and Epic Run That Inspired the World's Greatest Footrace

To learn more about Dean, visit his web site: Ultramarathonman.com

This past year has broken from the normal and thrown some curveballs, challenges and outright disappointments to our lives inside trail running.  We thought it would be a good discussion to talk about the state of The Nation, the trail running community that we all enjoy and love.

Andy Jones-Wilkins joins us to talk about some of the changes and what that may mean to our sport.

Links of interest:
Ultrarunner Magazine's article from 2017 written by 9 important races in the US, "Why We Won't Pay: UTMB, ITRA and the 'Pay For Points' Racket" 

AJW's Taproom article, "Forty-One Years at the American River 50 Mile: The Longevity of Tim Twietmeyer

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

This week on Trail Runner Nation, we have a special edition of our podcast. UTMB race co-founder Michel Poletti joins us from Chamonix, France, along with four other guests, from Bellingham, Washington, to Boulder, to Chamonix. The topic? A new partnership announced today between the iconic triathlon brand and what is perhaps the world’s most famous trail race.

Trail Runner Nation was one of the first media outlets in the world to receive the news. We taped this show Tuesday night, Chamonix time, and held it until the embargo expired at 4 am east coast time, Thursday, May 6.

We’ll continue to cover this story in future podcast episodes, as it evolves. For now, you can check out highlights of our conversation on our Trail Runner Nation Youtube Channel, and read a summary of highlights in this blog post on our web site.

What’s your opinion of this news? The Trail Runner Nation conversation continues in the new Trail Running Community at Ultrasignup. Check it out HERE.

Our Guests:
Michel Poletti is one of the founders of the UTMB race, along with his wife Catherine. Prior to that he ran a technology company, and organized an international hang gliding contest in Chamonix. He is an avid trail runner who for many years would run the 121 km UTMB TDS race with a radio so he could both race and help manage the event. He lives in Chamonix, France. 

Krissy Moehl is a Patagonia-sponsored trail runner. She won the first edition of UTMB in 2003, and won again in 2009. She coaches trail runners and is author of the book, Running Your First Ultra. Find out more at krissymoehl.com. She joins us from Bellingham, Washington.

Hillary Gerardi has set course records around the world on highly technical skyraces. She recently established a woman’s record on the Haute Route ski from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland. She is sponsored by Black Diamond Equipment. Originally from Vermont, she lives in Chamonix full time now and joins us from there. 

Brian Metzler is one of the founders of Trail Runner Magazine and continues as a Contributing Editor. He is co-author of the upcoming book Trail Running Illustrated and writes for numerous magazines and websites. He joins us from Boulder, Colorado. 

Adam Chase is President of the American Trail Running Association, Captain and Manager of the Brooks off-road running team, and co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running. He has been freelance writing about running for several decades. He joins us from Boulder, where he practices law when not trail running. 

Show highlights from the Trail Runner Nation Youtube Channel

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc

Continue the discussion in the Ultrasignup Community

UTMB Through the Eyes of its Creator, Part 1
UTMB Through the Eyes of its Creator, Part 2

This is an "Out and Back", encore episode that we recorded in 2016 with Dr. Stephanie Howe. She had recently finished her PhD in Nutrition & Exercise Physiology at Oregon State.  She has taken her passion of running and transformed it into a career as an exercise physiologist, coach and sports nutritionist.  She joins The Nation to discuss:

• How to fuel during a run or race
• Appetite hormones
• Pallet fatigue

She then shares her Simple Rules:

• Eat real food
• Chill out the day before a race
• Be nice

This is an encore episode with Courtney Dauwalter that we recorded back in February 2018.  We hope you enjoy the timeless wisdom that Courtney shares with The Nation.  

Courtney Dauwalter rejoins The Nation after earning a golden ticket into the 2018 Western States 100.  She has won her last six races and was overall winner at three of those.  She has been the first human to cross the line at 10 of the races she started including a 10 hour buffer between second place at the 2017 Moab 200.

Courtney talks about her "old school" method of training which includes a more intuitive focus rather than a specific training program.  Part of this includes consistency and adhering to AJW's "10-minute rule"

Previous podcast with Courtney

The Dalai Lama has said, "The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.”

East Coast Correspondent joins The Nation to talk about consistency and discipline. Sometimes it is very easy to set goals and get started. For many, failure can come just as easy if we set too high of expectations. We talk about ideas and tactics that have helped us when there are 6 reasons not to get the work done. Sometimes it means doing something so minuscule that it is just a bit more effort than doing nothing at all. These small wins help us psychologically and physically to get a step closer to our desired outcome.

Here is the link to Scott's Tedtalk that he couldn't remember. Christine Carter teaches about her "better than nothing" philosophy that helped her become a runner after failing initially.

Check out these previous episodes with similar topics
- EP 458: Motivation vs. Discipline
- Grit: That Space Between Giving Up and Going All In

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Leadman*, ultrarunner, sports dietitian and former olympic athlete coach, Bob Seebohar says that we should, "eat to train, not train to eat". Our fueling is as important in our training as aerobic and anaerobic training. Bob even wrote the book on it, Metabolic Efficiency Training, Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat

He discusses the simple methodology he prescribes to athletes to help them improve their nutrition and fuel burning with periodization and the simple "hand method" of fueling.

Bob owns and runs eNRGPerformance in Colorado, but consults virtually around the world.

Check out these links:
- BirotaFoods.com
- AllAroundSnackCo.com

*Completing all six Leadville endurance events in 7 weeks

Alex Hutchinson rejoins The Nation to help us understand the latest research as it relates to endurance sports.  We discuss:

• What Marathoners (and Badminton Players) Think About
• Yes, Walking is Sometimes Faster Than Running Uphill
• Don't Judge a Runner's Efficiency by Their Stride
• Scientists Weigh in on the Great Trekking Pole Debate

Listed to our podcast series with Andy Jones-Wilkins and Magda Boulet as we discuss each chapter of Alex's Book, Endure: Mind,Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance:

• Podcast #1: The Unforgiving Minute, The Conscience Quitter, Heat, Belief
• Podcast #2: The Central Governor Theor, Pain and Training the Brain
• Podcast #3: Oxygen, Fuel, and Zapping the Brain
• What Defines our Limits - with Alex Hutchinson

Follow Alex on Twitter

Check out Sweat Science

 

 

 

Our Coaches, Krissy Moehl , David Roche and Ian Sharman are back to answer questions that YOU asked on our TRN hotline. This episodes questions come from

• Collin from Memphis, TN
• Doug from Chamonix, France
• Bailey from the White Mountains of New Hampshire
• Matt from Minnesota
• Jen from the UK (but residing in France)
• Lori from Ft. Worth, Texas

Links to stuff Don committed Scott to put in the show notes

• Megan Roche as guest on the Running for Real Podcast
• Three-Minute Mountain Legs with David Roche
• Eight-Minute Speed Legs with David Roche

David's stuff:
- David and Megan’s coaching at SWAPRunning (SWAP stands for Some Work, All Play).
- Their book, the Happy Runner
- David and Megan’s new podcast, “Some Work, All Play”

If you have a question for the coaches on a future episode, please call and leave a message at +1 530-492-5006

We continue our discussion about being a mom and trail running with Sally McRae, Anna Frost, and Stephanie Howe.

Download Part 1 HERE

Learn more about these amazing moms/athletes:

• You can find out more about Anna Frost's coaching and her jewelry at her website

• Make sure you check out Stephanie's web site for coaching or nutritional consultation.
• Sally can be found HERE for coaching and inspiration

We reconnect with Andy Jones-Wilkins to play one of our favorite podcast games, Drop Bag. We each pull a "relevant" topic out of our drop bag and discuss. Here are some of the stuff we talked about:

• Link to Ultrarunning Magazine's article by Bob Crowley, "Head, Heart and Soul: The Future of Trail Running" If you want a deal on Ultrarunning Magazine click HERE
• Link to AJW's Trail Love Letters
• Stan Jensen's Run 100s website
• Christine Carter's TedTalk, "The 1-Minute Secret to Forming a New Habit" and Brad Kearn's Morning Routine and his podcast

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Have you ever woken up and groaned as you fought with yourself to get out the door to run? You are not alone. That is in our biology. We evolved to want to conserve energy. The idea of exercising is only something that we've been doing relatively recently. Dr. Daniel Lieberman's new book, Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding is a great read.

Evolutionary biologist, Dr. Daniel Lieberman joins us to discuss what this means for us as passionate runners. Dr. Lieberman wrote the 2004 article, Born to Run:

Here is the video Dr. Mark Cucuzzella mentioned.

Please check out Dr. Mark's running store, Two Rivers Treads and his podcast.

How do you adapt to the changes the body goes through during and after pregnancy? We talk with three mothers: Sally McRae, Anna Frost, and Stephanie Howe about their expectations and experiences.

You can find out more about Anna Frost's coaching and her jewelry at her web site.

Make sure you check out Stephanie's web site for coaching or nutritional consultation.

Sally can be found HERE for coaching and inspiration.

For the Bonus Miles, subscribe to our Patreon Channel at the Ambassador level or higher.

We have made this BONUS MILES with Dr. Phil Maffetone is free this week. If you missed the original episode, get it HERE.  

If you want to hear all the bonus miles, please consider supporting TRN on our Patreon Channel at the Ambassador level or higher.

Check out his new book: Get Strong: The natural, no-sweat, whole-body approach to stronger muscles and bones

Get the Maffetone App HERE

Take the 2 Week Test

Get a taste of Dr. Maffetone's best articles HERE

Phil Maffetone's MUSIC

We have made this BONUS MILES with Will Fortin and Richard Kresser free this week. If you missed the original episode, get it HERE.  

If you want to hear all the bonus miles, please consider supporting TRN on our Patreon Channel at the Ambassador level or higher.

What are the differences when you are racing at the front of the pack v. back? Richard Kresser and Will Fortin join us to help us understand. Richard finished 1st in the 2016 Bigfoot 200 and then turned around the next month and swept the Tahoe 200 course with good friend Will Fortin. We discuss each experience and which he enjoyed more. Will adds an additional perspective as an aid station captain at Bigfoot where they have to stay open for over 50 hours!

Check out the 2 previous episodes with Richard: How to Race in -25° and Snow and Chasing Volcanoes

Here is the video of Richard's Tour de Volcanoes. Richard also puts on skim races in Washington State HERE

Cover Photo by Howe Stern

With few races being held it takes creativity to create your own challenge. In this episode we talk to a few runners that did just that.

Mike Foote and Rob Krar set an amazing FKT on a Grand Canyon R2R2R crossing in the frigid temps of December 31, which included a naked swim across the Colorado River TWICE! You can see their video HERE. You can find out more about Rob's camp and coaching HERE. You can check out Mike's mountain races at The Rut or at The Runner's Edge.

But you don't have to be so elaborate in your planning to have an adventure. Cory Reese shows us that it just takes a simple idea. His challenge was a 23-mile route connecting all eight Mavericks (convenience store) around his town with the added challenge of eating something unhealthy at each! You can find Cory each month in Ultrarunning Magazine as a columnist and check out his book, Nowhere Near First:Ultramarathon Adventures From The Back of the Pack

We have made this BONUS MILES with Pam Reed and Adam Kimble free. If you want to hear all the bonus miles, please consider supporting TRN on our Patreon Channel at the Ambassador level or higher.

Pam Reed and Adam Kimble have run in some of the most extreme weather conditions. They join us to talk about the challenges and a lure of running in extreme heat and extreme cold.

Pam Reed Bio:

• First person to complete a 300-mile run without sleep (in slightly less than 80 hours)
• 2003 set the women's record for the USATF 24-hour track run
• Only woman to have won Badwater 135 outright (did it twice!)
• Author of the book, "The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to Ultrarunning Greatness"

Adam Kimble Bio:

• Discovery Channel's "The Wheel" contestant
• Winner of two self-supported multi-stage races
• podium finisher at three 100-milers
• 2016 ran from California to Georgia in 60 days
• 2017 FKT running the length of Great Britain with Kris King
• Check out his coaching site, Run On Dirt Coaching
• Adam's social channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

 

The recording after the recording.  Bonus Miles is the recording that you can listen to if you support TRN at the Ambassador or Business level our Patreon Page

Check out the other benefits and MORE are coming soon!

Are you ready to turn over a new leaf and want to experience the trails? There is much to learn on your new adventure and you are going to LOVE IT!

Our Coaches, Krissy Moehl , David Roche and Ian Sharman are back. They share with us personal stories from their past that helped them learn to become better runners.

Links: Michelle Jenneke dancing before her race & US Olympic Luger, Kate Hansen dancing before her run.

You can find out more about Krissy:

• Krissy Coaching services
• Krissy’s book, “Running your First Ultra”

Ian can be found:

• Sharman Ultras coaching services
• Ian’s new podcast, “PodiumRunner Endurance Podcast”

David's stuff:

• David and Megan’s coaching at SWAPRunning (SWAP stands for Some Work, All Play).
• Their book, the Happy Runner
• David and Megan’s new podcast, “Some Work, All Play”

Dr. Phil Maffetone helps us understand the difference about over-weight and over-fat.  We discuss why is so difficult to lose weight because our understandings may be in error.

If we lose excess fat, we will become healthier and more efficient runners.

Book: Overfat Pandemic - Exposing the problems and its simple solution for everyone who needs to eliminate excess body fat 

Article: "Six Reasons Weight-Loss is so Darn Difficult"

Other Dr. Maffetone podcasts:

• Daydreaming is Healthy for Runners
• Dr. Phil Maffetone Unplugged
• Dr. Phil Maffetone was RIGHT all along!
• Take Your Shirt Off and Get Some Vitamin D - with Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Phil Maffetone: How can Rhythm Improve Your Efficiency?
• Breaking the 1:59 marathon with Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Dr. Phil Maffetone - Building a Better Athletic Brain
• Phil Maffetone transcribed!
• Eat to Win with Dr. Phil Maffetone.
• Dr. Phil Maffetone - Speed up by slowing down

Get the Maffetone App HERE

Take the 2 Week Test

Get a taste of Dr. Maffetone's best articles HERE

Phil Maffetone's MUSIC

 

Ultrarunners, adventurists, and amateur historians, Bob Crowley, Tim Twietmeyer, Jennifer Hemmen and Elke Reimer set out to retrace the steps of the Forlorn Hope through the California Sierra Nevada mountains. We discuss their amazing journey and how it can help us put perspective on our lives and our sport.

In the winter of 1846-47 a group of pioneers were headed to California when they were trapped in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains. The snow was over 20 feet deep, they were running out of food, and the group wasn't working together. Three unsuccessful attempts were made to escape and get help from California.

On December 16, 1846 a small group began another attempt on homemade snowshoes with enough food for six days; hoping it would take around 10 days to make the 100 mile journey.

Check out the short 3 minute video photographer Keith Sutter produced about the adventure.

You can find out more about this heroic endurance feat and about the memorial event and how to track them at ForlornHope.org. Some of their photos can be seen here.

This is the 9th volume of the award winning audio magazine. We have a couple editorial columnists that join us to wish you Happy Holidays.

Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Learn more about Sally or hire her as a coach.

Don didn't share his resources for his topic, so we are assuming he made everything up.

Author of the best-selling book, Born to Run, Christopher McDougall rejoins The Nation over 11 years since its publishing. Over 3 million copies have been sold. Find that bag of chia seeds, make some Iskiate and lace up your huarache sandals. Do you still have your Vibram five-fingers?

We talk with Chris about the impact of his book and where we have gone as a running community in the last decade. We talk a bit about two of his other books, Natural Born Heros and Running With Sherman

Author, Athlete, Coach, Nutritionist, Speaker and friend of TRN Matt Fitzgerald joins us to talk about his new book that is just now released, The Comeback Quotient - A Get-Real Guide to Building Mental Fitness in Sport and Life.

"Physical fitness enables an athlete to do hard things, mental fitness enables an athlete to deal with hard things, and no athlete realizes his or her full potential without both." We dive into Matt's research to find out what this mental fitness is and how we can develop more.

Video of Jacko Willink's, "Good"

You can find all 28 of his books, more about his coaching services and speaking HERE

In the winter of 1846-47 a group of pioneers were headed to California when they were trapped in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains. The snow was over 20 feet deep, they were running out of food, and the group wasn't working together. Three unsuccessful attempts were made to escape and get help from California.

On December 16, 1846 a small group began another attempt on homemade snowshoes with enough food for six days; hoping it would take around 10 days to make the 100 mile journey.

Tim Twietmeyer and Bob Crowley, have been trying to understand this story for over six years. This episode is an explanation of their findings and announcing their memorial trek 174 years later.

You can find out more about this heroic endurance feat and about the memorial event and how to track them at ForlornHope.org.

One of our favorite types of podcasts are to throw out a word and discuss it with smart people. That is why we invited Andy Jones-Wilkins back on to talk about "Patience". In fact, AJW has written about patience on iRunFar recently: "Patience in Trying Times". And back in 2013, "Ultrarunning Skill #3: Patience". Needless to say, he was WAY ahead of Don and Scott....not new.

Hire Andy as a coach!

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella has been running his entire life and has many marathons, six completions of the JFK 50 and two completions of the Comrades Marathon. But this fall he ticked of his first 100-miler! We talk to him about his great achievement and what he learned at the first inaugural Rim to River 100.

We also reminisce about his 20 episodes with us beginning in the 2012! Here is a link to the first episode we did with him.

Here is the finish line VIDEO of Dr. Mark

Here is his race report

The famous Western States 100 began from a horse race that started back in 1955. SIX years prior to this (1949), Pack Burro racing had been a prize-paying sport that started in the mountains of Colorado.

Here is a fun video produced by Salomon a couple years ago with Max King and Ryan Sandes trying the race.

Past guest and running shoe enthusiast, Brian Metzler, rejoins The Nation after we found out he has participated in many of these unusual events.

Make sure you read Brian's book, Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture & cool of Running Shoes

Listen to the episode on shoes we did with Brian.

Check out Christopher McDougall's book about his experience running with a donkey, Running with Sherman

Coaches Ian Sharman, David Roche and Krissy Moehl rejoin The Nation to answer questions you submitted via social media. Topics include:

• Taking time off after a big race
• How to be safe on the trails
• How to know you are ready for the next challenge
• Are back to back trainings necessary?
• How to incorporate stationary bike into training
• How to increase training duration and/or time

More about Krissy Moehl

• Krissy Coaching services
• Krissy’s book, “Running your First Ultra”

Ian's Stuff

• Sharman Ultras coaching services
• Ian’s new podcast, “PodiumRunner Endurance Podcast”

More about David Roche:

• David and Megan’s coaching at SWAPRunning (SWAP stands for Some Work, All Play).
• Their book, the Happy Runner
• David and Megan’s new podcast, “Some Work, All Play”

We brought together running representatives from three continents

• Asia: Mark Agnew, Hong Kong
• Europe: Hillary Gerardi, France
• North America: Jamil Coury, USA

We asked them to talk about running topics that are current in their corner of the world.

Zoë Rom had a great birthday this year. She woke up and set out to run the 17-mile, 5400' ascent to Capitol Peak. Capitol Peak is one of the infamous "14ers" (peaks in Colorado over 14,000' elevation). It is a class 4 climb that is rated "high" in exposure, rockfall potential, and Route-finding. It is also know for the "knife edge" near the top. She had a good day and ended up setting the supported FKT in 5 hours 37 minutes.

Zoë is also the assistant editor at Trail Runner Magazine, runner, climber, coach and host of the new Trail Runner Magazine in-house podcast called DNF.

We talk to Zoë about her FKT and about how DNFs are successes that propel us to become better.

Check out Zoë's coaching website

Photos by TJ David

Earlier this summer Adam Kimble broke the supported FKT (fastest known time) on the 171-mile circumnavigation of the Tahoe Rim Trail in 37 hours 12 minutes. The Tahoe Rim Trail is a long-distance hiking trail that forms a loop around the Lake Tahoe Basin in the Sierra Nevada and Carson ranges of California and Nevada in the United States. The trail ranges in elevation from 6,240 feet at the outlet of Lake Tahoe to 10,338 feet at Relay Peak in Nevada. Adam broke Killian Jornet's 2009 record by 20 minute. Adam is multi-talented: playing division 1 college baseball and won on the famous "The Price is Right" TV game show.

We speak to Adam about his recent accomplishment and the lessons he learned on his first attempt the year prior. We also learn about how he fuels for races and "palate fatigue"

Some of Adam's accomplishments include

• Discovery Channel's "The Wheel" contestant
• Winner of two self-supported multi-stage races
• podium finisher at three 100-milers
• 2016 ran from California to Georgia in 60 days
• 2017 FKT running the length of Great Britain with Kris King

Learn more about Adam by checking out his web site and his coaching site, Run On Dirt Coaching

Adam's social channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

photos by Helen Pelster

One of the many conversations we enjoy on the trail is how each of us were introduced to trail and ultra running. Each of us has our own story. Although each of these stories are unique, there are some relatable common threads. In the book, The Rise of the Ultra Runners - A Journey to the Edge of Human Endurance, Author Adharananad Finn explores these stories as he walks through his journey into ultra running with the final destination of running the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), a 106-mile race through the French Alps.

Check out Adharanand's web site: The Way of the Runner and his podcast

Running with the Kenyons

Who knew watching someone walk would be a more popular spectator sport than baseball, football or horse racing? During the 1870s and 1880s, that was the case. Sold out arenas watched competitors walk around tracks almost non-stop for six days straight going over 500 miles. Some walking contests were created from wagers that had athletes walk hundreds of miles between cities....in the snow! Pedestrianism may be the long lost relative of our sport! Author Matthew Algeo joins The Nation to teach us about a long-forgotten sport, known as pedestrianism. This sport spawned America's first celebrity athletes, made them rich and opened the doors for immigrants, African Americans and women.

Matthew Algeo has written many books that evolve around interesting events in American history. He is a journalist that has reported from four continents and these stories have appeared on some of the most popular public radio programs. Matt currently lives in Sarajevo with his wife, Allyson, and his daughter, Zaya

His book, "Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America's Favorite Spectator Sport" is a fun read that might teach you some strategies on how to be a better runner!

Find out more about Matthew and his other books on his website

Running is one of the world's most popular forms of exercise but is sometimes accompanied with injuries.  It is easy to do a quick web search for these injuries, but will often find contradicting treatments. Our expert physical therapists, Dr. Joe Uhan and Dr. Asher Kyger Henry review your common injuries and offer solutions.  A theme evolved around

• Movement
• Strength
• Efficiency

Find out more about Asher Kyger Henry's practice and coaching

Check out Joe Uhan's coaching and services

Andy Jones-Wilkins is not a stranger to big training blocks and high mileage, but it has been nearly four years since he has run 100 miles in one week. This year has been unique and without any races, Andy decided to push his boundaries and set his BHAG: Run 100 miles in one week. He shares the five gold nuggets he learned from his adventure.

Read his pre run expectation at iRunFar Tap Room

Hire Andy as a coach!

Coaches Ian Sharman, David Roche and Krissy Moehl rejoin The Nation to answer questions you submitted via social media. Topics include:

• Is there a training load gain running with strollers?
• Is there a fitness transfer from heat to elevation?
• How to treat tightness and cramping in lower calf muscles.
• How to train for longer races when time is limited by work, family, and life?
• How to get in long training runs when it is so HOT....every day?
• How to make a comeback after a year or more off?

More about Krissy Moehl

• Krissy Coaching services
• Krissy’s book, “Running your First Ultra”

Ian's Stuff

• Sharman Ultras coaching services
• Ian’s new podcast, “PodiumRunner Endurance Podcast”

David stuff

• David and Megan’s coaching at SWAPRunning (SWAP stands for Some Work, All Play).
• Their book, the Happy Runner
• David and Megan’s new podcast, “Some Work, All Play”

Two legendary Race Directors, Scotty Mills and Julie Fingar join The Nation to discuss when we will get back to racing, what to expect when we toe the line, and our responsibilities as racers as we transition back to racing.

Scotty Mills has raced over 200 ultras and has directed races from 50k to 100 miles including the iconic San Diego 100.  Julie Fingar is an elite runner with many podium Finnishes including Angeles Crest 100, Rocky Racoon 100, Rio Del Lago 100, Headlands 100 and top 10 finisher at Western States 100.  She is also owner of NorCal Ultras, the engine that produces some of the biggest and oldest trail races, including Way Too Cool 50K, American River 50 Mile, and Rio Del Lago 100 mile races.

Check out ITRA's Race Guidelines: a framework of standard operating guidelines that race organizers from around the world can reference, so that we can restart trail running events confident that we are applying good practice to keep our community of trail runners - including participants, volunteers and host communities - safe.

Brian Chontosh, aka Tosh, Terry Fletcher  and Don recount their adventure and lessons learned after they completed the Trueform Runner Challenge": a couch to 100-mile" attempt through the Sierra Nevada mountains in Northern California.

Check out the amazing motionless treadmill that promotes efficient running, the Trueform Runner

Check out Tosh's links:

• Crooked Butterfly Podcast
• Crooked Butterfly website
• Tosh's Instagram

Follow Terry Fletcher on  Instagram

Alyssa Clark recently set a world record for the number of consecutive marathons: 95 marathons in 95 days.  Join us as she explains how this started out as a way to cope with COVID quarantine when she was living in Italy and kept pushing her goal.  We all can learn from her determination, her grit, her passion and love for running.

Learn more about Alyssa:

• Her blog
• Training4adventure.com
• Instagram
• Facebook

Brian Chontosh, aka Tosh, and  Terry Fletcher join The Nation to discuss the upcoming adventure, the Trueform Runner Challenge: a 100-mile event through the Sierra Nevada mountains in Northern California.  We visit with the group to discuss their expectations and training:

• The Mind's Mind
• Physical vs. Mental side
• How big is your fuse and what to do if you blow it?

Check out the amazing motionless treadmill that promotes efficient running, the Trueform Runner

Check out Tosh's links:

• Crooked Butterfly Podcast
• Crooked Butterfly website
• Tosh's Instagram

This is an episode we have been wanting to do for a long time.  We love our dogs and they love to join us on the trails.  However, there are many questions that come up concerning the safety of our companions.

Ultrarunner and dog-lover, Victor Ballesteros and Veterinarian, Dr. Xuân Mai Võ, join us to talk about their passion for the trail, outdoors, and their furry companions.  Some of the topics covered:

• What breads are the best?
• Where to find a good trail running dog?
• When can our pups start running?  How far?
• Safety concerns for our dogs.  How to deal with heat
• What can we learn from our pets?
• Canicross (Canicross USA)

Some additional resource links:

• Sophia Yin , Perfect Puppy in 7days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right
• How to Behave so Your Dog Behaves
• Musher's Secret (paw wax)
• Squirrel's Nut Butter Salves
• Leptospirosis
• Dog and Human Harnesses
• Mid-range, everyday harnesses, Ruffwear

For the BEST sports bags visit Victor's company, Victory Sport Design and get 15% off with code trnpups

 

 

Michael was looking for a new wet suit online and clicked on a link that said "trail running" because he had never heard of it.  This started a pivot in his life that would eventually lead him to be a product line manager for Salomon and living in France with his wife, Steph.  Mike joins us to explain why this sport and community quickly drew him in and how it has enriched his life.

Read more about Michael's story HERE

Watch Michael talk turkey about Salomon's 2020 offering in this VIDEO

Michael McKnight set the fastest cumulative time for the triple crown of 200-milers, Bigfoot 200, Tahoe 200, & Moab 240  in 2017.  Around the same time, he began his journey to become a fat-adapted runner.  Three years later and without a race on the calendar, he wondered if he could run 100 miles without food, relying on his fat burning engine.  In the early hours of May 8, he began his self-made 100-mile route around Cache Valley, UT (see map below).

In this podcast, we

• talk to Michael two weeks prior to his project about his idea, preparation, and expectations.
• 5 days after his project, we spoke with him about lessons learned and his experiences
• talk to Jeff Browning, Michael's coach about fat adaption and how this might help you

Check out Michael's previous podcast, EP 431: Chasing the Triple Crown of 200s with Michael McKnight

Here is Jeff Browning's previous podcast: EP 427: Giddyup with Jeff Browning

Check out Jeff's coaching web site: GoBroncoBilly.com 

Podcast photo by VanhornPictures

Peter Bakwin and Buzz Burrell popularized the term Fastest Known Times when they set the FKT on the John Muir Trail in 2000.  A few years later they created the website that helps our community record cool routes around the world.  With the cancellation or postponing of many races this year, more people are "projecting" adventures that might lead to an FKT.  Buzz joins us to talk about the rise in popularity of FKTs and how you can participate!

 

Tune into the Fastest Known Time Podcast

Listen to Buzz's past podcast with us.

Coaches Ian Sharman, David Roche and Krissy Moehl join The Nation to debate matters of trail running consequence in a new game called, "Bonk or No Bonk.

More about Krissy Moehl:

• Krissy Coaching services
• Krissy's book, "Running your First Ultra"

Sharman Ultras coaching services

More about David Roche:

• David and Megan's coaching at SWAPRunning (SWAP stands for Some Work, All Play).
• Their book, the Happy Runner

In our first call in show, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella fields calls from Nation Listeners from around the world.  We field questions regarding

• Risks of fasted runs
• Rehab from meniscus injuries
• Training for a marathon vs. a mountain ultra
• Best treadmills for running indoors
• How to avoid injury and run pain free

Please consider supporting Dr. Cucuzzella's running store, Two Rivers Treads or call them for expert advice. 304-885-8843

Visit the Natural Running Center

We often hear that, "ultra running is 90% mental and the rest is in your head".....or something like that.

Returning favorite guest, Dr. Simon Marshall and 3-time Xterra world champion, Lesley Paterson join The Nation to help us understand how the brain works and strategies to help us perform at a higher level.

Visit their website: BraveHeartCoach.com to learn more or to schedule 1/2 hour mental coaching sessions.

Check out their new Xterra Podcast

They co-authored the book, "Brave Athlete - Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion"

Try out their FREE "Smog Report"personalized advice to optimize your training

Fun video introduction of the book.

Follow Simon and Lesley on Twitter

Here is the link to our previous podcast with Simon and Lesley

Volume 8 of the Pulitzer Prize winning TRN Audio Magazine is now available at your corner newspaper stand.

Featured articles :

• Is Longer Better?
• Good Until the Last Drop
• Give me 5
• You Never Forget Your First Time
• Does the Tail Wag the Dog?
• Running, Is it Good for Your Knees?
• Don't Believe the Hype
• How Much?

Anton Krupicka "Indulgence" Video

JB Benna's "Unbreakable" Movie - Free for a limited time

The effects of various drugs on spider webs spider web

Check out

• AJW's Coaching

If you are interested in getting some great quality facemasks check out these two manufacturers:

C29Mask

Theramasks

Earlier this week we posted a podcast discussing the situation with COVID-19.  Since then, many communities have been directed to "shelter in place".  This doesn't mean we cannot continue with our passion of running.

As promised, this is the follow up podcast with Coach and Prognosticator, Andy Jones-Wilkins.  The discuss the subject of what we can do now.  If we approach this with the right attitude (as many ultra runners do), we can see this as a great opportunity to try something new or experiment with something in our training.  Let us know what you are planning to do.  Let's occupy social media with our trail running spirit of optimism and motivation!

We also chat with Julie Fingar, RD for NorCal Ultras, about the ramifications RDs have to deal with and how they are trying to innovate and create options for runners.

SPECIAL EDITION:

We recently posted a letter from the Ultra-Endurance Sport Science & Medicine web site.  This letter makes recommendations for our sport during this pandemic.  Dr. Marty Hoffman, co-author, joins us to explain how this virus can affects our community.  Bob Crowley, Trail Animals Club, also explains how this affects our race season.

Here is the link to Corrine Malcolm's article at irunfar

For an updated status on race cancelations:

• Check your race web site
• Check ultrasignup.com
• Updated list at Ultrarunning Magazine

Be a solution, Be kind...mãs!

There are many high profile races out there and many of those are very difficult to get into.  The good news is there are many GREAT races that you might not know about.  It the New TRN produced podcast, Trail Hacks highlights one of these amazing races.  We speak with the Race Director to better understand the characteristics of the race. We then get with a veteran runner to give us a hack or two that might help us successfully complete the race.

In our inaugural Trail Hacks Podcast, we speak with Scotty Kumar, producer of the award winning podcast Ten Junk Miles.  His team runs the Badger Trail Races held on August 1-2.

Register HERE

Be sure to subscribe to Trail Hacks podcast where ever you listen or visit www.trailhacks.run

Don found a recent article, "13 Things You're Probably Doing That Are Sabotaging Your Run" by Erin Kelly on Bustle.com

We decided to make a game to discuss the points.  TRN friends:Donna NiCuarta and Warren Pole join us to debate the pros and cons of each point.

If you have been trail running for a while, you inevitably have been mentored by others with a lot of experience and wisdom.  This is where Trail Runner Nation was born - to provide a venue to share this knowledge with a broader audience.  Stephanie Howe  joins us to discuss some of the great golden nuggets of knowledge that we have learned.

Make sure you check out Stephanie's web site for coaching or nutritional consultation.

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Nathan Sports Vapor Howe
• Cliff Bar
• The North Face

Nearly 8 years ago we recorded a podcast where we talked about the SoCal Coyotes' philosophy.  These tenants are common throughout our tribe.  Coach Jimmy Dean Freeman joins us to discuss its relevance eight years later.

Click HERE to watch the video

Click HERE to listen to the original podcast

In this edition of Grab Bag, Alex Hutchinson and Matt Laye join us as we try an find out the truth behind:

• Over breathing?
• Can we become so efficient that we are burning less energy than a sedentary person?
• Is there a benefit to stretching?
• How does your microbiom affect health?
• Can smiling improve performance?
• Do we have limits to the number of calories we can process?

Links that of stuff we talked about:

• Stronger by Science Podcast
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6934128/
• https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1907805
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31872558
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
• term=gut%20microbiota%20fermentation%20determines%20the%20efficacy%20of%20exercise%20for%20diabetes%20prevention&cmd=correctspelling

Matt Laye is an endurance athlete and PhD in medical physiology and an assistant professor of health and human performance at The College of Idaho.  Matt is a coach at Sharman Ultra and a regular contributor to Ultrarunning Magazine, 

Visit Matt's Blog: Laying It Down

Follow Matt on Facebook and on Twitter

Alex Hutchinson is an avid runner and author.  We did a series of podcasts on his book, Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance 

• What Defines our Limits - with Alex Hutchinson

Follow Alex on Twitter

Check out Sweat Science

Dr. Phil Maffetone helps us understand the difference about over-weight and over-fat.  We discuss why is so difficult to lose weight because our understandings may be in error.

If we lose excess fat, we will become healthier and more efficient runners.

Book: Overfat Pandemic - Exposing the problems and its simple solution for everyone who needs to eliminate excess body fat 

Article: "Six Reasons Weight-Loss is so Darn Difficult"

Other Dr. Maffetone podcasts:

• Daydreaming is Healthy for Runners
• Dr. Phil Maffetone Unplugged
• Dr. Phil Maffetone was RIGHT all along!
• Take Your Shirt Off and Get Some Vitamin D - with Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Phil Maffetone: How can Rhythm Improve Your Efficiency?
• Breaking the 1:59 marathon with Dr. Phil Maffetone
• Dr. Phil Maffetone - Building a Better Athletic Brain
• Phil Maffetone transcribed!
• Eat to Win with Dr. Phil Maffetone.
• Dr. Phil Maffetone - Speed up by slowing down

Get the Maffetone App HERE

Take the 2 Week Test

Get a taste of Dr. Maffetone's best articles HERE

Phil Maffetone's MUSIC

 

Ellie Greenwood elaborates on a few recent articles she wrote in Ultrarunning Magazine:

Reigniting Your Passion, November 2018

Finding Gratitude in Slower Times, September 2019

Band of Runners, November 2019

Matt Fitzgerald (sports nutritionist, writer, athlete, coach) has been doing some endurance writing with his 2019 published "Life is a Marathon: A Memoir of Love and Endurance".  In May, he will be releasing, "Running the Dream; One Summer Living, Training and Racing with a Team of World-Class Runners Half My Age".  We talk to him about his journey as he trains with Hoka's NAZ elite team of professional runners in Flagstaff, AZ.

• Having fun helps us become better runners
• Judgement is more important than toughness
• Depletion runs

He also has launched an interesting cool new running camp concept, "Endeavorun".  Check it out.

Don and Scott review the podcasts from 2019 and the many amazing guests that have joined us and helped us become better, smarter, more efficient runners.  What were your favorite gold nuggets?

AJW joins us for a quick recap of 2019 performances in ultrarunning.  It includes his picks for

• Ultrarunner of the year (female and male)
• Performance of the year (female and male)
• Rookie of the year (female and male)
• Surprise of the year (female and male)
• Most inspirational

Please check out Andy's coaching services and his weekly Tap Room article!

AJW's Coaching

AJW's Tap Room

Dr. Mark joins us to chat about many thinks including:

• Shoe Doping -Can shoe technology help us run faster?  Check out his article
  • New York Times article on the Vapor Fly
  • "Shoe Dog - A Memoir by the Creator of Nike"
• Active Life's Kone-X mat
• Noboso proprioceptive insoles
• Jay Dicharry's MoBo Board Review.  You can get a 10% discount on our partners page
• How to improve your running form with the TruForm Runner.  You can get 10% discount with the code TRT10 at TruFormRunner.com
• Dr. Mark's Run for Your Life Podcast
• Dr. Mark's book, "Run for Your Life"

Make sure you watch his 8:25 Video that show the principles of natural running.

Be sure to spend some time learning at The Natural Running Center web site.

Visit Two Rivers Treads running store either in person or call them and ask them some questions!

What shoe did you run your first trail run in?  What shoe do you currently pine for?  We all love our shoes and probably have an unhealthy collection of shoes.  Brian Metzler, a running shoe geek for his entire life, joins The Nation to talk about SHOES....Oh the glorious shoes.  Over his life he has run over 75,000 miles and tested more than 1500 pairs.  As founding editor and associate publisher of Trail Runner Magazine and contributor at many other running magazines, he has a unique view of the history of shoes.  He finally wrote a book about shoes.  The history of shoes, why we are emotionally attached to them, their evolution, injury, and what we can expect in the future.

Buy the book HERE

Throughout your running experience, you might have experienced or are experiencing a running layoff due to many different reasons.  Sally McRae, The Yellow Runner , and Andy Jones-Wilkins, join The Nation to explore this topic:  Why do they occur, how to cope with them, and how to overcome the layoff.  They offer some good principles that can help you stage a comeback and how to help others in their's.  There is a bonus at the end of the podcast where we talk about vomit etiquette.

AJW's Coaching

AJW's Tap Room

Sally's Coaching

Check out this short VIDEO to learn more about Sally

Dr. Jay Dicharry rejoins The Nation to talk about biomechanics and how to work on the BASE of our form, the FEET.  Jay says that we can improve our efficiency and running economy up to 10% if we have correct foot mechanics, not to mention reducing many of the common over-use injuries.

Here are some photos of drills we discussed:

Jay established his reputation as an expert in biomechanical analysis as Director of the University of Virginia's SPEED Clinic. He now resides in Bend, OR where he is the Director of REP Lab where Jay blends clinical practice and engineering to better understand overuse injuries and helps prevent them before they become a problem.

2 previous podcasts with Jay:
-Making running more fun (2013)
-How to Rewire our Running (2018)

Check out MOBO Board and get a discount!

Dr. Jay's Blog: An Athletes Body

Dr. Jay's Instagram

Sunny Stoeer lived her life the 'right' way including an MBA from Harvard Business School and a successful career as a strategy consultant. She always felt happier outside pursuing running, climbing and mountaineering.  She took a risk and decided to leave behind the career in consulting and took up the dirtbag life and has found joy doing the things she loves.  We discuss some of the things that she learned from Harvard Business School can translate to Ultrarunning, adventuring and chasing FKTs

Check our her women-focused high altitude climbing adventures at AWExpeditions

 

Instagram

Facebook

Karl Meltzer just won his record 41st 100-mile race in October at the Cloudsplitter 100- the most of any other person! He joins The Nation with Andy Jones-Wilkins to discuss one way to potentially shave HOURS off your next 100-mile finish. His philosophy: KISS- Keep is Stupid Simple. Trail running is a very simple and primitive sport that we might be making way too complicated and difficult. Making choices in your gear, drop bags, crew, pacing and aid station management can shave hour(s) off your time.  It might make it a more enjoyable experience too.

Check out Karl's Coaching Services 

Karl's Speadgoat Races

AJW's Tap Room

AJW's Coaching

AJW's Almanac Podcast