Only moment's after his DNF at the 2017 Rio Del Lago 100, coach Jimmy Dean Freeman, founder and coach of the SoCal Coyotes running group invites The Nation to have a frank and vulnerable discussion about coming up short.  When should you pull the plug on a race?  Does a failure define you?

Visit the partners of this podcast at the TRN's Partner's page

John Vonhof is the foot magician for ultra runners.  There are countless people that have reached further on an ultra run or even earned a belt buckle because of the tireless work that John has done.  We had John on the podcast over three years ago (Listen here).  Since then his book, "Fixing Your Feet - Injury Prevention and Treatment for Athletes" has been updated to its SIXTH edition.

Visit John's website to learn more about how to help prevent foot issues and what to do when you get them.

The crew of three recipients of the 200-mile Triple Crown join The Nation to discuss how to take care of your runner in these multi-day events.

Sarah & Michael McKnight and Brittnay & Ben Light recount stories from the 2017 triple crown races:

• Bigfoot 200
• Tahoe 200
• Moab 240

2017 was the inaugural year of the mis-named Moab 200, a 238-mile endurance race in the desert of southern Utah.  Along with the 98 gritty people that finished this race, Courtney Dauwalter, stunned observers with a first-place finish.....ahem.....nearly TEN HOURS before the second place finisher!  Fellow finishers, Cameron Hanes and our own Don Freeman (Triple Crown of 200-milers recipient), help The Nation understand how she did this only one month after finishing sixth (first place female) at Run Rabbit Run 100 & two weeks after a first place at The Bear Chase 50.

Why do we put so much emphasis on talent rather than our effort?  In the book Grit:The Power of Passion and Perseverance author, Angela Duckworth helps us understand that EFFORT counts twice as much as talent when trying to achieveing a goal.

Talent X Effort = Skill

Skill X Effort = Achievement

Gu Energy Labs' VP of innovation and R&D, Magda Boulet

and East Coast Executive Producer, Andy Jones-Wilkins

join The Nation to discuss Grit.

• What is Grit
• Where do we get it?
• Can it be learned?
• Can we increase our grittiness?
• Is Talent or Effort more important
• Four elements of GRIT
  • Interest or passion - we must enjoy what we are doing we must find ways to reignite that passion. We must be patient to develop the interest.
  • The capacity to practice - daily discipline of trying to do things better than the day before
  • Purpose - What ripens passion is the conviction that your work matters.  (See WHY podcast)
  • Hope - rising to the occasion.  Focusing on things that you can control when things are going wrong

Take the Grit Test to see where you are on the grit scale

Visit Angela Duckworth's web site on Grit

Check out Don't Dilemma at mile 144 of the Moab 240-mile race: VIDEO

In December of 2014, we spoke with Brian MacKenzie, founder of crossfit endurance, ultrarunner and co-author of "Unbreakable Runner, Unleash the Power of Strength & Conditioning for a Lifetime of Running Strong".  He joined The Nation to talk about how you can train for lifelong healthy and sustainable running by incorporating crossfit endurance training.  The main principles include:

• Develop correct and efficient running skills
• Build running endurance without injury
• Build functional strength, conditioning and mobility
• Focus on nutrition

Get the book HERE

Brian's other book, " Power Speed ENDURANCE: A Skill-Based Approach to Endurance Training"

Why do you run?  In most cases, people talk about the HOW or the WHAT to try and explain this.  When it comes down to it, we need to have a well understood WHY before we can successfully change our behaviors.

Over 5 years ago, we read a life-changing book by Simon Sinek, "Start With Why, How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action".  Although this book can be related to many aspects of your life, we take it to the trail to see how it will fare.  We talk about the biology (not the phycology) of the power of the WHY and how fun it is to discover why other people run.

Get a jump start on the subject by watching this Ted talk (viewed over 34,000,000 times) by Simon Sinek.

Visit Simon's web site

Get the book

Use this worksheet to begin uncovering and defining your Why, How and What: TheGoldenCircle

Outdoorsman, best-selling author, adventurer and runner, Cameron Hanes joins The Nation to talk about his passions: bow hunting big game around the world and endurance running.  He completed the Bigfoot 200 in 2016 and is a couple weeks away from the start of the inaugural Moab 240 mile endurance run.  He has a unique complimentary sport of bowhunting.  We ask him to compare the two sports and what he has learned from participating at a high level.

Learn more about Cameron:

Youtube Channel

Keep Hammering Podcast

WebSite

How many times have you been having a great run and then BAM, your stomach goes south?  In this podcast, Warren Pole, from 33 Shake and Brad Kearns, from Primal Endurance, join The Nation to discuss how to minimize stomach problems.

Article from TrainRight.com:Stomach issues

TRN's East Coast Executive Producer, Andy Jones-Wilkins, is the guest author of 3 articles in the fifth edition of TRN's Audio Magazine.  Articles include:

• Run Like Cockroaches
• Under the Bright Shiny Moon
• Do What you Want
• From Rucky Chucky to Kroger's Canteen and all the Places in Between
• Loquacious
• Help! My Ink Won't Let me Sweat
• Get Back to Nature
• Philosophy

Find out more how AJW can be your coach