The word Stubborn has a negative connotation in many cases.  In this podcast, Devon Yanko and Andy Jones-Wilkins dive deep into the philosophy of stubborn.

• Is it good for an unltrarunner to be stubborn?
• How do you know when to give up?
• Or is this a time to take your heels in and persevere? Where is the line?
• Stubbornness can be a result of successful experiences but can be detrimental when you lose perspective.

Life in A Day, a film by Billy Yang featuring Devon Yanko

If you are in the California North Bay, go try some "Cuisine Genius" made by Devon at M.H. Bread and Butter

How many times have you killed the first half or two-thirds of a race, the wheels come off the bus, and then it is a question of survival for the last quarter?

Andy Dubois, elite endurance athlete, rejoins The Nation to discuss how we can prepare and execute a race and increase our chances of racing others or ourselves the entire distance.  Michelle Barton, joins to cohost and give perspective from her 80 wins.

Here is the ARTICLE that we refer to during the podcast.

Link to Andy's previous podcast, "Is Supplementary Salt Needed in a Race?"

The Nation gathers at Gold Country Run and Sport to do a live podcast with Meghan Arbogast, Zach Bitter and Nicole Kalogeropoulus.  All three run for Altra Running and will be toeing the line at the 2017 Western States 100.  We talk with these athletes about their training, preparation, and philosophies of running 100 miles.  Some of the topics include:

• training intensity
• longevity
• training cycles
• base building
• interval / track workouts
• power hiking

Christopher Kelly, a professional endurance mountain biker, joins The Nation to explain how his dependance on sugar and carbohydrates began causing him some health issues including pre-diabetic blood sugar levels.  After listening to his busy physicians he took control of his health and began learning everything he could.  He then began a diet reset that evolved into a high fat and lower carbohydrate lifestyle.  He compares his experience with our co=host, Zach Bitter and the benefits they have seen.

You can find Christopher Kelly on his podcast, "Nourish, Balance, Thrive" or you can get more information on his coaching and testing services at NourishBalanceThrive.com

Zach Bitter and his coaching services can be found HERE 

Tim Twietmeyer and Bob Crowley join The Nation to help the Noob with trail etiquette.

Here is their list:

Trail Etiquette

• Girlie Man
• Failed Liftoff
• Pass The Ass
• Too Close Carole (or Carl)
• Can’t Un-see That
• Blood Letting
• Downwind

Aid Station Etiquette

• Wayne’s World Rule
• Double-Dipper
• Ice This!
• Drip Dip
• Beam Blind
• Ear Bud Bud
• Ska’s The Limit

Ian Sharman, Joe Uhan and Matt Laye return to Trail Runner Nation to discuss some interesting topics including:

• Power Meters - do they have a place in trail running?
• Supplemental Ketones - can they help us?
• Marijuana in training and racing

Visit

College of Idaho with Assistant Professor, Matt Laye

Sharman Ultra - Endurance Coaching

Uhan Performance

Do you want to be a great runner?  Do you want to perform at your best?  In Malcom Gladwell's best-selling book, Outliers - The Story of Success, we are introduced to the 10,000 hour rule.  Gladwell explains that we can become an expert at something if we do it for 10,000 hours.  This is based on research done by clinical psychologist, Anders Ericsson.  Anders expands on this theory by saying that the 10,000 hours must be done with deliberate practice.  TRN's East Coast Executive Producer, Andy Jones-Wilkins  joins The Nation with Magdalena Boulet discuss the idea of deliberate practice and how we can become much better by following its simple rules:

• Set good goals
• Break things down to simple movements and practice them with purpose
• Push yourself out of your comfort zone
• Get feedback

AJW's article on Deliberate Practice

Anders Ericsson's book, Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise

Great podcast: Freakenomics - How to Become Great at Just About Anything

Regardless where you live in the world, we all enjoy our sport on public lands.  In the U.S.A., we have over 640 million acres (259 million hectares) of public lands.  These lands are managed for us by many different federal agencies.  Quietly, there are deals being made that will transfer this management from the federal to the state level.  WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Ultrarunner, Emily Peterson joins The Nation to help us

• understand what and how this is going on,
• why we should care,
• where we can get more information and
• how we can make our voices heard and
• how we can keep these lands available to our community

Regardless of where you live, we need to help protect and preserve our outdoor trails.  Become informed and take action.

•  Run Wild Instagram
•  Run Wild t-shirt fund raiser
•  Outdoor Industry Association referenced report specific to Utah
•  Patagonia's produced video regarding Bear's Ears National Monument
•  Outside Magazine's article
• Run Wild Website
• An example of HOW being involved can help
• Join the Run-in on Earth Day, April 22.  Go for a run, post a photo and tag #runwild #TRN

Michelle Barton started running ultras 14 years ago.  In this short career, she has amassed an impressive resume including:

• 1st place at her second 100-mile race (Javelina Jundred in 2006)
• 80 wins
• 5 over-all wins (men and women)
• over 24 course records
• broke 5 course records & 5 wins within a 6 week time frame

We talk to Michelle about how her love of the outdoors led to her running and how her running, training and gear have changed over the years.

VIDEO of this year's Caballo Blanco Ultra in Mexico.

Follow her Father's 78-mile run on his 78th birthday HERE

Follow Michelle:

Instagram: MichellemBarton

Facebook: Michelle Barton https://www.facebook.com/michellesierra2000

Facebook athlete page: UltraBarton

Twitter: Michelle Barton

Strava: Michelle Barton https://www.strava.com/athletes/6991071

Check out Travis Macy's book, "Ultra Mindset" and 

Buzz Burrell, Brand Director at Ultimate Direction, adventurer, ultra runner, and modern-day explorer, joins The Nation to talk about how hydration has evolved over the years and where he believe it is going.  He also talks about the first annual Fastest Known Time Of the Year awards that were recently published in the March 2017 issue of Ultrarunning Magazine.

Ultrarunning Magazine's Fastest Known Time Of the Year Article

Fastest Known Times website

Ultimate Direction Website

Team Beast Coast, Andy Jones-Wilkins and Ashley Walsh,  won our last game show, "$100,000 Pyramid - Nation Style".  They join The Nation along with two additional West Coast teams

Team "Smells Like Wasatch Spirit", Jimmy Dean Freeman and Deirdre Greenholz

Team "Over Here", Don and Scott (we made up the game and the rules = Advantage😂)

Each participant came to the podcast with 2 items, either fact or fiction.  The other teams guess if it is either.  Losers have to run 3000' of vert.

Ashley's Smoky Mountain Memories Trail Camps

Jimmy Dean Freeman's SoCal Coyotes

Andy's CTS Coaching Services

Film-maker Billy Yang joins The Nation to introduce the characters of his recent film, "Life in a Day", an inspirational story four women running the 2016 Western States 100.  Billy, Magda, Anna Mae, and Devon join us to talk about the race and the film.

Magdalena Boulet
Anna Mae Flynn

Devon Yanko

Kaci Lickteig (unable to join us)

After screening his film in many locations, Billy will be making it available to watch on his web site and youtube channel.

Recently, Travis Macy underwent a battery of tests at eNRG Performance in Boulder, Colorado.  We were intrigued to see what these tests were, why he decided to undergo them, and how he can use this information to change his diet and training to be an efficient endurance runner.  Dina Griffin, MS, RDN, CSSD, METS II & Leadville 100 finisher, joins the conversation to help us understand.

Here are the tests that they did:

• Metabolic Efficiency (ME) testing
• Lactate Threshold (LT) testing
• Sweat Sodium Concentration Testing
• VO2max Testing

In this podcast, we dive into the ME testing.  We will cover the other tests in upcoming podcast episodes.

If you have more question please email Dina at dina@enrgperformance.com

To quote Mr. Warren Pole, "If you fall in Fall running Fell, now you have something!"

Nicky Spinks is an accomplished fell runner out of northern England.  Nicky and Warren Pole join The Nation to discuss what Fell running is, its origins, and where it fits with trail and ultra running.

We discuss one of the famous fell run challenges, the Bob Graham Round. Named after Bob Graham, who in June 1932 broke the Lakeland Fell record by traversing 42 fells within a 24-hour period, at the age of 42.

Each summer around 100 of the most highly tuned ultra-distance fell runners will attempt the 66-mile, 27,000 ft of ascent within the allotted 24 hours. Only one in three will succeed.  To date approximately 2055 people have completed the single round in 24 hours.

Nicky has set records on the Bob Graham Round in previous years.  In 2016, on her 10th anniversary of overcoming breast cancer, the 49-year-0ld bested the record for the DOUBLE Bob Graham Round.  This covers over 132 miles, 52,000' of ascent over 84 summits.  She did this in an amazing 45-1/2 hours!

Video about the Bob Graham Round with Salomon Running athlete Ricky Lightfoot

Nicky Spinks article re. her Double Bob Graham.

Video of Nicky completing the Double Bob Graham.

We also added a few words to our glossary:

Tussic

Moore

Heather

Jelly Babies

Tops

Clag

Peet

And finally,  to quote Mr. Warren Pole, "If you fall in Fall running Fell, now you have something!"

Cory Reese, AKA Fast Cory, started running later in life and has become obsessed.  He has an entertaining way to share his experiences from the "back of the pack" via his BLOG, his column in Ultrarunning Magazine, and his social media pages.

Cory shares his life journey in his new book, "Nowhere Near First".

Billy Yang and Jimmy Dean Freeman join The Nation to discuss trail running adventures.  They can take all forms and can be very complex or simple weekend affairs.  Do more than a routine training runs this year.  Have a running adventure!

See more of Billy Yang's film on Youtube

Mt. Gaoligong Video

Sally McRae and Warren Pole join the nation to review the newest volume of the TRN Audio Magazine.  Here is a list of the articles we discuss:

• Tipping Point
• Blinded by the Light
• I may be Having a Heart Attack
• Goal!!!!
• This Season's Must Have Color is Orange
• Motivation: What is Your Goto Mantra?
• Brake or Break?
• Is that English?
• In the Long Shadow of Mont Blanc
• Now

Jacko Willink "Good" video

33 Shake weekly winners:

We jump in the TRN time machine and travel back to 1988 to compare how trail running has changed.  Tim Twietmeyer, 25-time, silver buckle owner and 5-time champion of Western States 100, join The Nation to discuss.

Winners of the 33shake photo promotion.  Each will receive 10 Satchels of the chia energy gel.  Post your photo/video on social media and tag #fuledby33shake and #inspiredbytrn to enter the weekly drawing.

Don and Scott look back on the last 5 years of podcasts and revisit the great guests and topics from 2016.

Top downloaded TRN Podcasts since 2011

Top downloaded TRN Podcasts in 2016

This is our second annual holiday game show edition!  We pinned the European Union against the East Coast of the USA.This year Andy Jones-Wilkins and Warren Pole rejoin with team mates Donna Ní Cuarta and Ashley Walsh.

The Nation goes rogue and kicks it game show style.  We adapt the 1970's game show, "100,000 Pyramid" to create a trail running version.   

Listen to last year's game show

Dr. Mihály Csikszentmihályi describes flow as being "completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one...Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost".

Wow!  How do we bottle that and release it on race day?

• AJW's article on Flow "The Pleasure of Flow"
• Podcast with Phil Maffetone, "How can Rhythm Improve Your Efficiency?"
• Dr. Mihály Csikszentmihályi's book, "Flow: The Psychology of Happiness: The classic Work of How to Achieve Happiness"
• AJW's mother's best selling book, "A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman"

If you want to read ahead, here is the basis of an upcoming podcast on Vulnerability.

Eric Byrnes retired from major league baseball with a batting average of .259, 109 home runs, 396 RBIs, and an OBP or .320.  Now what does he do?  One thing that is taking up some of his time is trail and ultra running.  Eric explains how his experience in MLB has helped him in becoming a passionate trail runner.

Diamond to the Rough video

Learn more about the Pat Tillman Foundation

"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire".  Malcolm Gladwell's best-selling book published in 2000, "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference"  can translate in to our sport.  Andy Jones-Wilkins and Zach Bitter join The Nation to discuss what some of these little things are and some of the people that have been influential in making trail and ultra running more popular.

Pam Reed recently broke her leg.  Our East Coast Executive Producer and Headmaster, Andy Jones-Wilkins, joins The Nation to discuss what it takes to make a comeback from injury, in a race, from professional setbacks, personal relationships, etc.

Pam's previous podcast: "Visualization and Leaping Out of Your Comfort Zone with Pam Reed"

Pam Reed's book, "The Extra Mile"

Check out the TRN Store for great holiday gifts for you or your runner.

Gary Dudney is a prolific writer and can be seen in "Ultra Running Magazine", "Trail Runner", "Runner's World", "Running Times", and others.  He has run over 200 ultras and 50 Hundreds.  He joins The Nation to explain what he has learned over the years, especially how to find joy in the journey of running.

The Tao of Running Website

The Book: "The Tao of Running: Your Journey to Mindful and Passionate Running"

Gary Robbins has won the HURT 100-mile trail race 3 times and many other races.  He is also a coach and race director.  Gary joins The Nation to talk about

• his experience at Barkley Marathons
• "scraping"
• his "10 essentials for safe backcountry adventures, trail running style"
• pacing and fueling
• "fade-rate"

Check out

• Gary's coaching site
• Gary's Coast Mountain Trail Series 
• The Squamish 50
• The Red Bull 400 m at Whistler

photo credit Brian McCurdy

Sally McRae is busy.  She called, we agreed to hit record and now we have the first ever TRN "Phone-Cast" with Sally. 

Photo Credit: Billy Yang 

Dr. Joe Uhan is a physical therapist, Board­-Certified Orthopedic Specialist, coach.....oh, and he can run!  Joe can be seen and read regularly on IRunFar and UltraRunning Magazine.  He joins The Nation to talk about running efficiency and bio-mechanics.   Running efficiently is very simple, but NOT EASY.  Here are some links to what we discussed:

• Joe's Ultrarunning Magazine's November article, "Central Governor and Stride"
• Joe's IRunFar article, "The Western States Killing Machine, Part Two: The Marble in the Groove"
• 100 -ups video with Joe
• Additional 100-up video
• Shaggy from Scooby Doo running model

How to learn more from Dr. Joe

• Uhan Performance - get a running gait analysis!
• Joe's blog

Dr. Phil Maffetone has changed the way most of us eat, train, run and live our lives.  He joins The Nation to talk about the social stress of the "No Pain, No Gain" philosophy, hydration, getting enough vitamin D, using fish oils, and much more.

Here are some links to things we discussed:

• "Social Stress of 'N0-Pain No-Gain'" article
• HR threshold test
• The MAF Test
• Dr. Maffetone's Books
• Phil's Music

  Coach Travis Macy

and Andy Jones-Wilkins

join The Nation to discuss why trail running is more than just logging miles and how it becomes part of who we are.  In TRN style, we approach this topic by throwing out words that spark these ideas:

• Faith
• Calm/Stillness
• Therapy
• Nook
• Community
• Failure
• Technology/gear
• Grain

TRN regular and running guru, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella joins The Nation to do a brief recap of this years Freedoms Run, a race he has directed for the past 8 years.  We then talk about the "pendulum swinging back to minimalist shoes" and how it is important to have good running form.

Check out the 3 Efficient Running Training Modules that Dr. Mark and the U.S. Air Force created.

• Here is the most popular 8:26-minute running video that demonstrates proper running form.
• Here is the Coach's Eye APP that Dr. Cucuzzella talked about.
• Here is the blog post, "Two Week Running Natural Running Tour of Duty", that was discussed.
• Here is more information about Amazing Correct Toes available at Two Rivers Treads

Don't forget to check out

The Natural Running Center

Get some shoe advice and buy some shoes at Two Rivers Treads or call them at 855.878.7323

Meghan Arbogast has been running for over 30 years and continues to be competitive with other runners that are 1/2 her age.  She seems to be getting faster!  She joins The Nation to discuss how she got into running, her training regime, love for running, race strategies and her favorite Taco Bell menu item.

Hire Meghan to Coach you HERE

New Yorker article, "Meb Keflezighi, Bernard Lagat, and the Secret to Running Forever"

Wally Hesseltine video.  72-year-old Western States 100

This is Part 2 of the Tahoe 200 Endurance Run just finished up a week ago.  There were over 100 people that started this race of 205.5 miles, including our own Don Freeman.  We are doing a tw0-part podcast devoted to the race report (because this is twice as long as a 100-mile race, duh).

Andy Jones-Wilkins and Jimmy Dean Freeman join this podcast to cover the experience of running the race from the eyes of Don

Check out Candice's other races at Destination Trail

The Tahoe 200 Endurance Run just finished up a week ago.  There were over 100 people that started this race of 205.5 miles, including our own Don Freeman.  We are doing a tw0-part podcast devoted to the race report (because this is twice as long as a 100-mile race, duh).

Race creator and Director, Candice Burt, joins us with Donna Ní Cuarta, a volunteer that flew over from London.

In Part 1 we will cover

• The Race Course
• Special Equipment
• The Volunteers

Part 2 will cover the experience of the race through the eyes of a racer....Don :)

Check out Candice's other races at Destination Trail

Registration for the 2017 Tahoe 200 opens on November 5 at 9:00pm PST at Ultra Sign Up or link to the registration page from the Tahoe 200 web site.

USA Track & Field certified coach, elite athlete, and author of "Running For Happiness and Health: A Beginners Guide to Faster Pain-Free Running",  Jason Fitzgerald joins The Nation to discuss some of the basics of running.  Whether you are a beginner or seasoned veteran, Jason's book will give you practical advice and drills that can help you become a more fit, faster runner while reducing the chance for injury.  We discuss:

• How to prevent injuries
• Strength and core workouts
• Goal oriented motivation for fun
• Discipline vs. motivation
• Is the 10% rule for everyone?
• Consistence is the "secret sauce"
• From from the beginning
• Short Hill repeats are the secret for injury prevention
• What are Strides? and how can they help you?

Visit his Website Strength Running or visit his blog

Contact Jason HERE

That is one of John Wooden's quotes.  He would have been a great ultra running coach.

John's great niece, Kelley Puckett, joins The Nation to discuss Jimmy Dean Freeman's race report from the 2016 Badwater 135 mile race.

Lee McKinley, a well-accomplished ultra runner and tri-athlete, lends his wisdom to the podcasts as we discuss why we choose to go to the next level.  Lee is competing in his third Ironman Kona in this October and talks about how his training has changed over the years.  We also pressure Don into signing up for the Tahoe 200 mile race in September.

Race Director of the Tahoe 200 Candice Burt joins the discussion.  Running 200 or Directing 200 which one is easier.  You will have to decide after listening. 

Mark Johnson has been around the endurance community as a participant and as a reporter and photographer.

He shares with The Nation his new book, "Spitting in the Soup - Inside the Dirty Game of Doping in Sports".

In this book, Mark teaches us about the history of performance enhancing drugs in sports.  Doping has been around for a long time, for many reasons, but only recently banned.  Take a listen to this podcast and then go read the book.  It will give you a much more informed perspective about drugs in sports.

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

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?!!" 

Wish you were tougher mentally?  Tough enough to achieve some goals that may throw mental or physical road blocks in your way?

Dr. Duncan Simpson  is Assistant Professor in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology and is the Coordinator of the Undergraduate Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology Program.  He joins The Nation to explain how research has uncovered 10 ways you can become mentally tough.

Here is our first podcast with : "Getting in Your Head"

Keira Henninger is a Mom, elite ultra-runner, race director, nutritionist, coach and amateur chef.  Whew! 

She joins The Nation to talk about her struggle, diagnosis and recovery from adrenal fatigue.  You can read more about her story HERE.  She praises her Doctor, Dr. Alex Tuggle for listening and showing her a path to repairing her adrenal glands and return to the activity level she loves.

Find out more about 

Divas & Dudes Running Club

Women's Trail Running & Nutrition

Join her at one of her many RACES

This is the first in the series of podcasts talking about SIMPLE RULES.  Let's face it, trail and ultrarunning can be very complex, especially when the adrenaline is pumping, the legs and mind are weary, or the sun sets on a early morning start.  Kathleen Eisenhardt, a professor of management science and engineering at Stanford, explains the advantages of developing simple rules for life and business in a podcast that we recently listened to.  We extrapolated her premise to the sport we love.

Get the Book 

Get the Audio Book

iRunFar.com has been entertaining and educating trail and ultrarunners for 11 years.  Founder, Bryon Powell, joins The Nation to discuss his latest book, co-authored by Meghan Hicks, "Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running"  Meghan and Bryon rely on their decades of trail experience to help the beginner and the veteran trail runner excel and enjoy the trail more.

 Meghan and Bryon working hard at Western States 100

Find more information about "Relentless Forward Progress"

Check out the photos on TrailPorn.com

Warren Pole reporting on his 3.3 Lessons Learned from the 33 Shake American Tour.

The Nation's East-Coast producer and favorite headmaster, Andy Jones-Wilkins, joins a lively discussion on over training.  

• How to recognize it (in yourself and your friends) 
• How to avoid it
• How to come back from it

Some key words that we talk about:

• Puddle of Muck
• Eeyore-ish
• Blitzkrieg
• Brain Housing Group
• Conditioning
• Blubber

Join AJW in his Taproom here

Author, nutritionist, endurance athlete and coach,MattFitzgerald, joins The Nation again.  Mattrecently competed in the grand daddy of them all, Boston Marathon,again just a few short weeks after completing his first 50-milerace, American River50,  We discuss his transition to 50 and itrolls into what is different between a marathon and 50 miler.

Check out Matt's DQS App.

Here is the link to his latest book, if you haven't read hislatest book, "How Bad Do you Want It?Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle"

Warren and Erica Pole, co-founders of 33Shake (no, not a European dance move), join The Nation on their North American adventure tour to educate us on the nutrition industry and introduce us to their revolutionary new gel.

This face to face interview in Studio G to talk about their tour, how 33 shake can help your performance, and some of their experience on the tour thus far.

Follow the tour HERE and the latest from 33 Shake on social sites: Facebook and Twitter

Every runner has a mentor.  Dan Williams is a mentor for more people than he realizes.  Imagine your training partner is Ann Trason, as you work through strategies to negotiate a 100 Miles through heat, hills and miscellaneous chaos. After countless miles, mishaps and success you end up with some serious trail knowledge.  

Now imagine sitting down and talking to them.  One wearing a 2000 mile silver buckle and the other, owner of a a-one-of-a-kind 1000 Mile silver buckle converted by WS into a bracelet.  Dan and Ann drop some of this knowledge on this podcast.  This is one for the archives.  Thank you Dan and Ann!  

Special co-hosts Sally McRae and Ann Thilges. 

Has your crew or pacer ever stretched the truth to get you to perform better?  Have you ever wondered if you could push yourself just a little bit more?  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.  In his recent article in Ultrarunning Magazine, Matt explains that our mental potential might still be underestimated.

Visit Matt's Blog: Laying It Down

Follow Matt on Facebook and on Twitter

Here is the Working Memory and Spacial Attention Training Game

Trail Runner, Model, film maker, adventure seeker, Whitney Powell joins The Nation for a rookie stab at our favorite podcast: Drop Bag. As you will see, she quickly passed us and lead the pack to a strong finish.  Don also brings a new spin to the podcast.

Some of the topics covered:

• Funniest things you've seen on the trail
• Fasted Runs
• Prink, Haphazard, Doer
• Pet Peeves
• A "picture is worth a thousand words"
• Music

You can hear Whitney on her podcast, Women In Sports Podcast (WISP) or after April 1st on Jimmy Dean Freeman's new podcast - stay tuned for more information.

Follow Whitney on Instagram, Facebook

Photo of Whitney competing in the Antarctica Marathon.  for more adventure races go to http://marathon-adventures.com/

We have done many podcasts regarding a low carb, fat-burning diet.  Sage Canaday joins The Nation to offer a counterpoint.  Sage Canaday is a world-class successful athlete that prescribes to a high-carb lifestyle.  Sage has been an ovo lacto vegetarian for most of his life and has transitioned into a traditional vegetarian with whole foods.  Find out how his experiment of one has fueled him to top performances and relatively little over-use injuries.

Check out Sage's Coaching Site

Check out his Youtube Channel: Vo2max Productions

Sage's FaceBook Page

Sage's Twitter Feed

Over the last few years, there have been a surprising increase in the number of films about trail running.  These films help capture the culture of our sport.  Film-maker, Myles Smythe and film festival organizer, Robert Rhodes join The Nation to speak about this phenomenon.  We are also graced by the always entertaining whit and wisdom of ultra running's only Andy Jones-Wilkins.

Join your trail tribe at an upcoming screening at one of the many Trails in Motion events.

Treat yourself to This Is Your Day, by Myles Smyth.  If you enter the coupon code, WeAreNation, you will receive a discount.

Join AJW at the Thomas Jefferson 100K on March 12, 2016

The Sock Doc, Dr. Steven Gangemi, joins The Nation after expunging his socks and going barefoot.  We catch up with the Sockless Doc and talk about:

• Is chocolate good for you?
• Slosh Tubes
• Get More Fit With Two-a-days 
• How to Reduce Stress with sleep and deep breathing
• The Power Siesta
• Consistency: Smart Training
• Adapting to your training.  How to avoid it
• Is Ketosis good?
• Climbing 25-foot trees IS good cross training.  LINK to Video

Link to Dark chocolate macadamia nut bark recipe

• Magic Moments
• What's in a Trail Name?
• Are We Loopy?
• They're Always Stealing 'me Lucky Charms
• The Dictator's Closet
• How to Deal with a Running Rut
• Pardon me, madam, but do you happen to have any Lime Gu?

Our favorite British corespondent, Warren Pole,  joins The Nation to talk about nutrition and the small cottage industry he and some mates started.  33 Shake is high-nutrition food that deliver a difference you can feel.  Born from his desire to feel better and fuel more effectively, Warren discusses the low-quality of the many current sports nutrition products and how 33 Shake is different.

And finally, it is available in the United States!  SHOP HERE If you enter the code, "TRN33" you will receive 10% off your order.

Their US tour is tentatively scheduled for:

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella joins The Nation to help us understand the evolution of the American dietary guidelines.  We discuss:

• What is Insulin Resistance and why is it important?
• What is the best way to lose and maintain weight?
• Does the calories in / calories out method of weight loss work?
• How can your diet help you with your cholesterol levels?
• How much does your genetic background play in your weight and health?
• Can we manage risk factors for certain diseases by what we eat and manage insulin levels?
• Can athletes have insulin sensitivity?

Please read Dr. Cucuzzella's article

Visit The Natural Running Center for a TON of additional information.

Check out Healthy Running

Dr. Mark's video on Principles of Natural Running

The Trail Running Tribe is a unique community.  We are tied together by our shared experiences and the relationships formed from adversity and achievement.  

Stephen was a member of the trail-running group Wasatch Mountain Wranglers. An experienced ultra runner, completing distances from 50 to  200 Miles.  

He was also an experienced skier.  On Sunday January 31st  in Park City Utah,  Stephen went skiing and was caught in an avalanche.  He was located on Tuesday morning.  

We pay tribute to Stephen in this special podcast episode.  We encourage the Trail Running Community to meet up at the Trail Head Go Fund Me.   He is survived by a wife and two small children.

Read more HERE

Zach Bitter's 402.5  laps around the track at the Desert Solstice Track Invitational held in  Phoenix AZ  in 11 hours, 40 minutes and 55 seconds is enough to capture the New American Record. Keep in mind, the record he broke was his own. 

Zach averaged a 7:00/mile pace.  This remarkable pace includes anytime needed to stop and refuel, gear change, problem solve and anything else that can pop up in 100 miles. 

Join co-hosts Ann Trason and Sally McRae as we talk about fast times, pure running, fat adapted athletes and much more.

Candice Burt proves that experience and execution are two key ingredients if you want to stand on the podium at the finish line.  

HURT100 is legendary for challenging even the toughest of Ultrarunners.  Candice seems to enjoy the 100 mile distance as long as you add crazy climbs, mud, slick rocks and humidity. 

You can find Candice's blog at WildDefined.com   Discover her artwork and poetry. 

Link over to Destination Trail and find Bigfoot 200,  Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 120M and 100K, Bellingham Trail Running Series, Bellingham Trail Marathon and Cle Elum Ridge 25K and 50K

Brad Kearns was one of the top professional triathletes for nine years.  During that time, he won 30 titles worldwide including an amazing streak of seven victories in a row.  Brad teaches The Nation how he learned the hard way how to train for success.  In his new book with Mark Sisson, "Primal Endurance" they teach us how to 

• Go faster on less training
• Lose excess body fat and keep it off
• Reduce Stress
• Train Intuitively 
• Have fun training!

Check out the Primal Endurance Podcast

Learn about the 21-day Transformation

January is time to review what was accomplished in the previous year and look optimistically into the coming year.  The Nation is joined by Andy Jones-Wilkins, Ian Sharman and Billy Yang to discuss:

1. Top male performance

2. Top female performance

3. Top American story

4. Top European story

5. Biggest Surprise

6. Trends in the sport

7. Predictions for 2016

Make sure you check out Billy's year end retrospective video HERE

Make sure you see all the 2015 ultra running statistics in the upcoming issue of UltraRunning Magazine

On the podcast Ian and Don had a gentleman's disagreement:  Ian accused Don of referencing unreliable DATA to support his erroneous claim that ultrarunning is a shrinking sport.  Ian, on the other hand, sites UltraRunning Magazine as the most reliable warehouse of archived trail data: illustrating a healthy and expanding sport.   After careful review following the podcast, including comparing finishing times between Ian and Don, Ian position clearly won the day. Ultrarunning is a thriving sport. 

The Nation goes rogue and kicks it game show style.  We adapt the 1970's game show, "100,000 Pyramid" to create a trail running version.  Join Andy Jones-Wilkins, Carilyn Johnson, Warren Pole and Sally McRae as they go head to head giving and guessing trail running lingo.  We may have pulled some laughing muscles on this one.

You can also watch the video of the game show HERE.

Your watch timer goes off.  It is time for another Salt Cap.  You come into an aid station and you are covered with a salty brine on your forehead.  It's time for some potatoes and salt.   How important is that salt in your training and racing?

Andy DuBois, one of Australia's top endurance coaches, joins The Nation to discuss Salt.  Andy is an accomplished elite endurance athlete including a top finish at UTMB and other wins.  He has a pedigree of certifications and is always on the cutting edge of research and coaching.

We talk about

• Is there a correlation between cramping and low salt consumption?
• What is important in monitoring salt levels?
• What to worry about if we consume too much salt?
• The placebo affect?
• Will rinsing your mouth with a brine solution do anything?
• What can we do to avoid cramping?
• How to cool your body
• How important is plyometrics in training?

Here is a link to our interview with Tim Noakes on his new book Waterlogged

Internationally recognized sports psychology and coach, Dr. Jim Taylor, joins The Nation to discuss his recent four-part blog series of the Fear of Failure.  We discuss the most common fears of failure:

• They will disappoint parents
• friends will no longer like them
• will be ostracized by their peer group
• will experience embarrassment or shame
• will be worthless people
• all their efforts will be a waste of time
• will experience the devastation of not achieving their goals.

He then explains how we can break out of these fears to reach "total success".

This is the second time Dr. Taylor has joined The Nation.  Here is his first podcast on how to deal with pain in an endurance event.

Amy Albu is an ultra verteran.  Despite her youthful age, Amy has been running for 21 years and has 16 Mountain Masochist finishes to her name, including a recent 4th place in 2015.  She is also the women's leader in the Beast Series and one race away from setting a new women's record.

It is hard to believe, but in February 2014, she snapped her lower leg and ankle during a race.  We talk to Amy about her injury, surgery, recovery and return to running at an elite level.

Andy Jones-Wilkins is the executive producer and Tap Room host for this podcast.  He compares his diagnosed end-stage arthritis and current recovery from hip socket resurfacing surgery.

Need a good orthopedist?  Try AJW's Doc, Dr. Thomas Gross of Midlands Orthopaedic

Need a good Physical Therapist? Try AJW and Amy's PT, Eric Magrum at HealthSouth Sports Medicine and Rehab at the University of Virginia.

December means a lot of things, for Ultra Runners it is the Lottery Season.  WS, Leadville, Hardrock and others.

With 3.515 people in the drawing and  nearly 250 slots open  Jimmy Dean throws a twist and challenges us to come up with reasons why we should be pleased if we miss  getting our ticket pulled.

Join WS runners Jennifer Benna, Katie Desplinter and Billy Yang as we wrestle this topic.

Jennifer Benna's Blog and the home of the film centered around the 2010 WS100 and the amazing race finish here at Journey Films 

Katie DeSplinter Blog here at Breaking & Excellent Points

Billy Yang Films .  You can find his Western Time film covering Sally McRae's attempt to land a top 10 finish.

Billy Yang's Film - From Squaw to Auburn the story of Billy's 2015 Western States 100 #WinADateWithBillyYang

Jimmy Dean Freeman, TRN SoCal Correspondent, Coach and lead Dog at So Cal Coyotes RunningJimmy Dean Freeman's Inspired Running Blog

The Nation has no geographic boundaries, although it is easy to stay in our own "world".  Today Ultra Runner and Coach, Sondre Amdahl, joins The Nation to educate them on the world of ultra running.  Sondre is an elite runner and coach from Norway.  He recently finished 4th in the Ultra-Trail World Tour (UTWT).  Ian Sharman also joins as co-host to help us understand what this race is.  The Ethics of UTWT are

• Equality in Sports
• Self Respect
• Respect for others and the environment

Gia Madole began running ultras two years ago.  In 2014, she WON the Tahoe 200 mile endurance run and followed up by winning the Bigfoot 200-mile endurance run in August.  Gia joins The Nation to adapt your training and race strategy for a 200 mile race.

• How much should you run weekly?
• What pace?
• Race strategy
• How much should you sleep
• Crewing?

Gia is a coach a G-Fit

On November 7, 2015, Don Freeman toed the line of the 15th annual Rio Del Lago 100 Endurance Run on a whim, with a strong base and years of experience, but with little focused training.  He created a specific race day strategy and then executed the plan with the discipline of a seasoned Yogi.  Andy Jones-Wilkins, Sally McRae, and a surprise visit from Ann Trason join The Nation to find out how a plan and execution can help anyone looking to accomplish the extraordinary.

Ultrarunning champion and coach, Ian Sharman, joins The Nation to announce his Golden Ticket Race Series of Western States 100 qualifying races.  We also explore the following:

• U.S. Skyrunning Series
• How to determine the right coach for you
• Heart Rate training
  • Pitfalls to avoid
  • Judging your intensity
• Keys to successful downhill running.

Photographer, musician, ultra runner, dirtbag, 7-time Hardrock 100 finisher, Howie Stern joins The Nation to talk about

• caring for your trail running dogs
  • hydration
  • dog pace
  • canine nutrition
  • verbal leash
• how to dirtbag 101
• trail / ultra photography

Ultra Race Director and Covergirl, Candice Burt, joins The Nation for our first edition of our Audio Magazine.  Tune in to hear more about:

• How to dress for wet/cold weather
• "Where the Wild Things Are"
• Time to Get Strong
  • Training Your Diaphram article
• Progressing from 100 milers to 200 milers

Check out:

Candice's Blog

Candice's Races

Author, Nutritionist, endurance athlete and coach, Matt Fitzgerald, joins the Nation to talk about what motivates us and how to train our brain to push our limits to a higher level.  In his new book, "How Bad Do you Want It: Mastering the Psychology of Mind Over Muscle", he relates exciting stories of athletes that have pushed beyond their mental limits to achieve extraordinary results.   As Matt relates what recent studies in neuroscience has taught us and how we can incorporate that into our training.  This is all woven into a dozen heart-pounding stories of endurance athletes.

Marty Dugard is a runner, he coaches the JSerra High School Running Lions Cross Country teams, and is a New York Best-Selling author of over 14 books.  So it made sense for him to put pen to paper and speak about something he is passionate about.  But he did it from a different angle than most.   His book "To Be a Runner doesn't refer to becoming a better runner - or even a runner at all.  It is about the process of seeking that better version of ourselves through the daily, mind-altering discipline of challenging personal limits."

Coach Dugard captures some of the essence of WHY we run: what motivates us, what hurts us, what drives us to wake up before the sun and race up a hill to reach a summit that cannot be seen with a headlamp.  If you are a runner, you will find a kinship with this book.  If you aren't a runner, you will understand why people run.

Keep Pushing...Always!

Check out his other books HERE

The Ultra Race of Champions, UROC, is being held in Auburn, CA tomorrow.  This nomatic race is very unique.  We visit with race directors, Francesca Conte and James Gill, to find out more about this race and what they are creating.

For other races by Francesca and James, visit Bad to the Bone

Click here to register

Dr. Phil Maffetone rejoins The Nation after the release of his new book, The Endurance Handbook: How to Achieve Athletic Potential, Stay Healthy, and Get the Most Out of Your Body.

Phil brews up a cozy cup of his fat-burning coffee (for non-coffee drinkers, try Phil's Shake) to talk about rhythm of music, life and its importance in efficient running.

Phil's Two-Week Test

Phil's Music Site

Five-Minute Power Break

Warren Pole sits down with TRN  and reaches deep into the grab bag.  What do cat walks, crusty leather suits and ropes with knots doing on a podcast about trail running?  We do our best to tie it all together.

Article on Breathing

Founder of Altra Running, Golden Harper, joins us to talk about how running injuries motivated him to innovate a different shoe and then begin a new shoe company that is competing against the giants in the business.  Golden knows something about running.  Between the ages of 10 and 14, Golden ran 5 marathons, debuting with a State Record 3:08 performance.  He followed that up with a 2:57 performance that was good for a National Best for age 11.  At age 12, he ran the St. George Marathon in 2:45:34, setting a world best.  In addition to competitive running, Golden grew up working in the family's specialty running store where he educated other runners on proper gait and fitting them in the correct running shoes.  Golden continued his passion by earning a degree in Exercise Science: Fitness & Wellness with a Business Management emphasis from BYU.  Golden tells his story of how he used his home toaster oven to delaminate traditional shoes and re-engineer them to help others prevent injuries.  Today Altra is one of the top shoes in the trail and ultra community.

Some of the first modified shoes they made:

Kenyan Runner in Slow Motion

Anton Krupika video of running

Altrarunning.com

Golden's Blog

Altra Running Blog

Dr. Jim Taylor is internationally recognized for his work in the psycology of endurance sports. He has worked with several pro cycling teams, has been consultant to USA Triathlon, and has worked junior-elite, age-group, world class and Olympic athletes in cross-country sking, triathlon, cycling, swimming and running. 

Ian Torrence joins us as we discuss the time between the alarm and the gun on race morning.  We dig deep into Dr. Taylor bag of tricks for dealing with pain in a long run. 

Author of 14 books and over 750 articles Dr. Taylor's work can be found on his website at DrJimTaylor.com 

Mike Wardian loves to run.  He loves to race.  He loves to compete.  He loves to test himself at different differences and types of races.  Mike just came off of his first 100-mile victory at Easter States 100.  When asked what his favorite distance is, he'll try to give you an answer but really never find one.  In 2014, Mike toed the line at 54 races, finishing in the top 10 at 44 of those.  He has won the US 50K championship three times and been the fastest at the US 100K championships.  In 2012, Mike ran 2:21 at the US Olympic Trials in Houston and turned around the next morning to run 2:31 at the Houston Marathon.

Join Mike on the virtual trail to discuss his passion for running and love for the community.

Mike is available as a coach and has openings now!  If you are interested EMAIL him.

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

TRN has been fans of Ethan Newberry, the Ginger Runner, ever since he began his entertaining gear reviews.  We finally sit down with Ethan to discuss his views on running, entertainment, and the trepidation of one's first 100-mile race.

Ginger Runner Video Channel

Chuck Norris Rap

Harry Potter Rap

Why do ultrarunners keep going?  The pain says stop but the mind says GO!   Join Ann Trason, Andy Jones-Wilkins and Lee "Mac" McKinley as we discuss this topic in detail. 

The prodigal daughter returns!  Faith is back in studio to discuss where she has been and the welcoming return to trail running.  At some point, we all take a break from trail and ultra running.  Why do we come back?  How do we come back?  Faith discusses her exploits into the Ironman and why she is coming back to the trails.

When Andy Jones-Wilkins isn't pouring cold brew in his Taproom, you can find him at the highest profile races.  Recently returning from 2015 WS100 and Hardrock 100 he shares his trail side insight of the strongest runners in our sport including; Magda Boulet, Rob Krar, Kilian Jornet and Anna Frost.   

Even if you are less than 50 years old, you will find this podcast very educational.  Joe Friel is an endurance sports coach that has worked with athletes of varying levels up to elites.  He holds a masters degree in exercise science, is a USA Triathalon and USA Cycling certified coach that has written fourteen books on endurance including the subject of our podcast, "Faster After 50, How to Race Strong For the Rest of Your Life".  He is also the founder of Training Peaks, a web-based software company focused on endurance training.

We focus on

• What are the endurance myths of growing older?
• What actually happens to our body as we get older?
• How can we mitigate these factors and train smarter to optimize endurance performance and slow Father Time?

Sally Edwards is best-selling author, entrepreneur, professional triathlete, professional speaker, and iPhone app developer.  She was a pioneer in the inception of ultramarathoning, finishing in the top 3 at Western States 100.  She co-founded Fleet Feet Sports running franchise and the American River 50 mile Endurance Run.

Ultrarunning Magazine recently re-published an article that Sally wrote in 1983, "Ultramarathoning  - A dying Sport".  We invited Sally to Studio G to take a retrospective look at the sport and where it has come.

Sally is passionate about getting people healthy and moving.  Her recent venture is Heart Zones, a fitness technology and education company that uses smart devices with the vision to get America fit.

Download the Upbeat App  an app that matches your music to your cadence.

HOMEWORK: We touched on a book that Sally wrote, "Be a Better Runner: Real World, Scientifically-proven Training Techniques that Will Dramatically Improve Your Speed, Endurance, and Injury Resistance".  She has promised to come back and discuss the gold nuggets with The Nation.

Top athletes, Aliza Lapierre and Paul Terranova, join The Nation to discuss taper.  They are both in the middle of their taper for Western States 100.  We discuss why you should taper, how they do it differently and what to expect.

Andy Jones-Wilkins joins Race Director of the Western States 100, Craig Thornley  to discuss the 2015 course, the race, and who to watch.  As always, the gong accompanied this podcast.

Men's Preview

Women's Preview

Candice Burt joins us to

• Teach us how to be a hipster ultrarunner
• How to organize a 200-mile endurance run
• How she is prepping for next week's Bighorn Mountain Wild & Scenic Trail Run 100-miler.  Please help her with race info by using #CandiceRunsBighorn on Twitter and Facebook
• Her experience at the Ultra Fiord 108-miler in Patagonia, Chile where she finished 5th overall.  See her Blog Post 

Check out Candice's races at Destination Trail Running

Jimmy Dean Freeman capped his 2014 running season by running SIX 100-mile endurance runs.  This weekend will be his first 100 miler since then.  He talks about his where he is physically, but more important emotionally and mentally.  He discusses his plan for running the San Diego 100 miler - his first time.

Check out the SoCal Coyotes

We have often said, "The podcast is a trail run without the running."  

Join  Ann Trason, Sally McRae and Billy Yang as we cover a lot of ground in 90 minutes.

Sally McRae and Billy Yang were in Northern California for the Western States 100 training weekend as they are preparing for their race in 36 days.  So we bribed them with sushi to join us for a podcast.  We gave Sally the task of jotting down 5 topics on her flight.....and that's where it all begins.....

• Massages
• Self defense apparati
• What animal are you most afraid of?
• Sally's bear encounter.  See the video HERE
• Strength training
• Ann Trason as a coach!
• etc. etc.

Take the boys as they forecast how many times Sally laughs - the answer will be revealed at the end of the podcast.

Trail conversation with Don and Scott