Victor Ballesteros is an accomplished trail runner that has evolved into starting his own business, Victory Sport Design.

Victor has developed some strong opinions on how to be a good pacer from his experience as a racer and pacing many of his friends.  A few years ago he penned a great article on pacing, "The heART of Pacing".  He joins The Nation to discuss his experiences and wisely teaches us how we can prepare to help our runners perform at their best.

Check out Victor's Band, Voodoo Switch!  This podcast closes with one of their songs. FUNK OUT!

Endurance athlete and coach, Travis Macy, rejoins The Nation to expound on his book, Ultra Mindset.  We take the lessons learned from ultra running and translate them in to life: business, relationships, parenting, etc.

Our original podcast with Travis

Check out the course, Ultra Mindset For Endurance Athletes.  The cohort begins on October 29, 2016

The book is available at most book outlets including Amazon and available to listen on Audible.

Andy Jones-Wilkins and Scott Mills join The Nation to talk about their 2016 finishes at Hardrock 100.  This was AJW's second finish and Scott Mills' ninth finish.  They talk about their different training strategies and race day strategies and how it unfolded:

Training:

• How to avoid overtraining
• Pain vs. aches
• Heart Rate training
• Breathing training
• Altitude training

Race Day:

• Phases of a race
• Avoiding the negative chatter
• How to pull yourself back from a DEEP funk
• Strategies for steep climbs and descents
• Trekking poles

Andy's Race Report in the Tap Room

Scott Mills is the Race Director for the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run

Coach Jimmy Dean Freeman, founder and coach of the SoCal Coyotes running group, joins The Nation to do a preview of the 2016 running of the Badwater 135 mile race.  JDF talks through the history of this race that routes from the lowest elevation to the highest elevation in the contiguous U.S.  This will be Jimmy's second running of the grueling run.  He teaches us about his training plan and his crew and pacer strategies.  

Follow the race HERE

Check out JDF's podcast, "Do Inspiring Sh*t"

Dr. Stephanie Howe Violett 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
• Apetite hormones
• Pallet fatigue

She then shares her Simple Rules:

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

Check out her blog HERE: with some really good recipes

Check out her new Web Page HERE: posts about nutrition and coaching

Endurance by Stephanie HERE

Jim Walmsley was attempting his first 100 mile race at Western States in 2016.  Shortly after the start, he captured and maintained the lead for the first 92 miles extending his lead by nearly 50 minutes AND on pace to break Timmy Olsen's course record.  But then the unthinkable happened, he missed a turn and ran 2-1/2 miles in the wrong direction.  Jim joins The Nation to talk about his preparation for the race, his strategy, his execution and how he finished the race.

His splits (courtesy of John Medinger)

Red Star to Robinson Flat, 1:54 - Fastest ever

Robinson Flat to Last Chance, 1:35 - Fastest ever

Last Chance to Devils Thumb, 0:48 - 3rd fastest

Devils Thumb to Michigan Bluff, 1:14 - 2nd fastest

Michigan Bluff to Foresthill, 0:51 - Fastest ever

Foresthill to River crossing, 2:10 - 3rd fastest

Photo courtesy of Gary Wang

2016 Western States is in the books.  Like every year the race treats us to a number of stories.  The trail is the stage for tales of racing for the Top Ten positions, racing the cut off or simply completing an epic challenge.  

Join Andy Jones Wilkens and Bethany Patterson (F7) as we discuss some of the moments that make this 30 hours so special.

This year's Western States 100 is a few short days away.  Andy Jones-Wilkins joins The Nation to talk about

• the field of runners that have been training hard and will be toeing the line on June 25
• His 9-month journey from hip surgery to his lean preparation for Hardrock 100 in less than 1 month.
• How to train and race in the heat
• "Master Carnage Sweeper"

AJW's tips for racing on a HOT day

AJW's "Intriguing Stories at the 2016 WS100"

iRunFar's Western States 100 Women Preview

iRunFar's Western States 100 Men Preview

Rob Krar's Ultra Training Camp

Tim Tollefson is joins The Nation to talk about his rise from a local cross country athlete to 2014 USA 50K Trail National Champion, finishing 2nd at the 2015 Courmayeur Champex Chamonix (101K) and team member of the Nike Trail Team.  He leaks his Simple Rules to performing at a high level and his success.

Tim's 2nd Place Finish at CCC 101K 

Mammoth Sports Center

Tim on Twitter

Tim on Instagram

Sally McRae sets out on the WS100 trail for a simple 15 mile out and 15 mile back and ends off course.  Crawling through brush, standing an a ledge with a 50 foot drop, melting snow to hydrate, rock climbing and riding a tram was NOT part of the original plan.  

Fresh off the trail and straight to the microphone we hear first hand of "What happened out there Sally?!!"