Podcasts

Our Favorite Kid’s Gear, Part 1 (Ep. 105)

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Kristin Sinnott and Justin Bobb join Jonathan Ellsworth to talk about some of the kid’s gear they’ve found to be the most game changing. And even if you don’t have kids, you should still listen to learn about a piece of gear that we’ve currently named, “The JBobber.” And there’s another piece of equipment that currently has a unanimous approval rating among our Blister parents, and might be the single greatest piece of kid’s gear of all time? Check it out.

The History & Future of the BC Bike Race with Dean Payne & Simon Stewart (Ep. 29)

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We talk with Dean Payne, the president and co-founder of the BC Bike Race, about the origins and evolution of one of the most epic bike races and events in the world. And Simon Stewart (aka, Mr. Tank Driver) is sitting in as co-host to discuss with Dean all things BC Bike Race, the world’s largest hockey stick, drinking with Russell Crowe, and what goes into putting together an event like this.

Abby & Cordis Hall on Couple Goals, FKTs, & their Pfiffner Traverse ‘Date Run’ (Ep. 56)

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Abby Hall & Cordis Hall go on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss the FKT of the Cottonwood Marble Loop, their upcoming FKT attempt on the Pfiffner Traverse, and more

Abby and Cordis Hall are both very good runners who both run for Adidas TERREX and who both recently set FKTs for the Cottonwood Marble Loop in Death Valley. And Abby and Cordis are soon going to both be going after another FKT, this time, on the rather gnarly Pfiffner Traverse. So we discuss all of that, plus the benefits and challenges that arise when your partner is also a competitive runner. And we also talk about a current rule that is in place specifically for women’s FKTs that deserves to be re-considered.

What You Need to Know – and Do – about the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) (Ep. 134)

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Hilary Eisen goes on the Blister Podcast to discuss the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the changes being made to it, why outdoor enthusiasts should care, and what they can do to help protect NEPA

You are probably familiar with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but what do you know about the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)? NEPA is a critical piece of legislation, and each of us needs to understand what it does and why it matters so much — especially since some major changes to NEPA are being proposed that could have extremely serious environmental and human rights consequences. So to help us understand the high stakes of the changes being proposed, we spoke to Hilary Eisen, the policy director for the Winter Wildlands Alliance.

Cam McCaul on Bike Films, Preparing for Big Lines, & the TGR Film, Accomplice (Ep. 28)

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Cam McCaul goes on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas podcast to discuss filming for TGR's Accomplice, commentating, preparing to ride big lines, the most underrated type of mountain biking, and more

We caught up this week with Cam McCaul to talk about some of the bike films that made the biggest impression on him; the new TGR film he’s in called, Accomplice; how he prepares for riding big lines; his work as a commentator; and which discipline he thinks many people fail to really appreciate: slopestyle, DH, or big-mountain riding.

Shaun Martin on the Navajo Approach to Running, Coaching, & Community (Ep. 55)

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Shaun Martin goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss his Navajo heritage, professional running, coaching, and more

Our guest is Shaun Martin, who we’ve talked about before on this podcast in our conversations with Sanjay Rawal, since Shaun appeared in Sanjay’s film, 3100: Run and Become. But this time we’re talking to the man himself, and Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Shaun about his background, heritage, coaching philosophy, and a whole lot more.

BlackAFinSTEM, Birders, & Bees (Ep.133)

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Tyler Jones goes on the Blister podcast to discuss BlackAFinSTEM, Black Birders Week, her master's work on bees, & more

BlackAFinSTEM was started to encourage and support Black individuals who are working in — or who are just passionate about — the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and also to encourage, support, and increase the visibility of Black naturalists and Black people who recreate and work outdoors. So we talk to Tyler Jones, the co-organizer of Black Birders Week, about all of the above, plus the difference between a bird and a trash bag; Taco Bell & STEM; her graduate work on bees (!!!); and more.

Faith E. Briggs on Growing Up, Running, & Her Film, This Land (Ep. 54)

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Faith E. Briggs goes on Blister's Off the Couch Podcast to discuss her film, This Land; running track and trail running; and diversity in the outdoors and beyond

Faith E. Briggs is a filmmaker, a runner, and an outdoor enthusiast, and Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Faith about her latest film, This Land; growing up and running track & cross country and transitioning into long-distance running & trail running; and our current / not-merely-current circumstances here in America.

Bees, Green Lawns, “Perfect” Apples, & the Reinvention of Farming (Ep.132)

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Peter Nelson and Sally Roy discuss their film, The Pollinators, on the Blister Podcast. They discuss the current status of bees, why it very much matters, monoculture, why bees are dying, soil, and much more

Most of us know that bee populations are struggling to survive, but why? And why do bees play such a critical role in the production of food? We talk to Peter Nelson and Sally Roy about their new film, The Pollinators, which tells the story of bees and beekeeping and soil and farming practices and pesticides and the EPA and why we need to change the way we produce food — and what each of us can do to help the cause.

Creating Your Own Sport: Buzz Burrell & the Invention of the ‘FKT’ (Ep.53)

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Buzz Burrell goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss establishing the concept of a Fastest Known Time; the trends of FKTs, starting an organic farm, & more

A few weeks ago Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked to the legend, Buzz Burrell, about his first ever long-distance run; starting the first organic farm in Colorado; the time he delivered a baby; inventing the hydration pack; and more. Then we discuss Buzz’s role in establishing the concept of the Fastest Known Time; creativity and FKTs, the process of approving FKT submissions, and some of the trends he’s seeing in the world of FKTs.

Food Sovereignty, Indigenous Rights, & the Film, Gather (Ep.131)

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We talk with our friend, Sanjay Rawal, about his new film, Gather. (Sanjay directed the film, Renan Ozturk was the cinematographer, & Jason Momoa produced it.) Gather tells the story of the growing food sovereignty movement among Native American tribes across the U.S., and this film is sure to cause you to re-evaluate your own relationship to food and to land and to a lot of other things.

How to Recreate Responsibly in the Time of COVID (Ep. 130)

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Nurse Sascha Anastas discusses on the Blister Podcast the most responsible and safest ways to recreate in the time of COVID-19

As a number of locations are beginning to relax travel restrictions and are able to welcome visitors back, we wanted to discuss some important reminders and best practices for recreating responsibly in this time of COVID. We’ve also included some important links in the show notes to this episode that you should check out to ensure that you are up-to-date on state and local ordinances. So give this a listen, and let’s all do our best to do things the right way.

Zach Bitter on His New 100-Mile Treadmill World Record (Ep.52)

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Zach Bitter goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss his world record fastest 100 miles on a treadmill

Not only does Zach Bitter hold the world record for the fastest time that a human has run 100 miles, he recently just set the record for fastest 100 miles ever run … on a treadmill?? So we spoke to Zach about when he first got the idea to attempt this; the biggest differences between running 100 miles on a treadmill vs a track; his preparation and strategy; and Mike McKnight’s recent ‘Zero-Calorie 100’ effort.

The Strongest Wheels on the Market? Revel Wheels & “Fusion Fiber” (Ep.101)

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We dive deep into the details with Revel Bikes founder, Adam Miller, about Revel’s new wheels — which he claims are the strongest wheels on the market — and this thing they’re using called “fusion fiber.” We talk about what fusion fiber is; their recyclability; the unique production process; other applications of fusion fiber, and more.

Geoff McFetridge on The Abstract Wild by Jack Turner (Ep. 129)

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Blister Book Club; Geoff McFetridge & Jonathan Ellsworth discuss Jack Turner's The Abstract Wild on the Blister Podcast

In the latest installment of our Blister Book Club, we talk with the artist, Geoff McFetridge, about Jack Turner’s book, The Abstract Wild. We discuss why Geoff selected this book; why it isn’t designed to be a comfortable read; why we need to get clear on the distinction between “the wild” and “wilderness”; and why we think that every reader of BLISTER ought to read this book.

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