Off The Couch

Kyle Robidoux goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss how running has helped him as someone with limited vision, including running dozens of marathons and ultramarathons

Kyle Robidoux on Running, Skiing, & Being Legally Blind (Ep.19)

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Kyle Robidoux is passionate about running and skiing and beer. He has run 25 marathons and ultra marathons, including three 100-mile races, and the Boston Marathon six times. Kyle also happens to be legally blind. So Kyle and I talk about his background, his anger about his receding vision and what he did about it; how he got into running and trail running; his efforts to create more inclusive trail races; his advice about how to deal with loss of any kind; and what specific things we all can do to be more supportive of everyone dealing with disabilities. (And we talk about beer.)
Maddie Hart, Gordon Gianniny, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss Blister's running shoe Brand Guides on the Off The Couch podcast.

Why We Built a Running-Shoe Brand Guide (Ep.17)

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Finding the right running shoe can be extremely complicated and confusing. So reviewers Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, Maddie Hart, and Gordon Gianniny discuss our new BLISTER Brand Guide to Running Shoes; why we saw a need for it; what we hope it accomplishes for runners everywhere; and the trends and takeaways we’ve seen in the process of building it.
Jackson Brill goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss his young but very successful running career, being teammates with Killian Jornet, how he balances school and professional running, and more.

Jackson Brill: Full-Time Student, Full-Time Runner (Ep.16)

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Salomon athlete, Jackson Brill, is a 21-year old senior in college at CU Boulder, but given his approach to running, the way he talks about the sport, and his race results, you’d be forgiven for assuming that he was twice as old as he is. So we talked to Jackson about his studies and his work in CU’s Locomotion Lab; being teammates with Kilian Jornet; his experience with the Golden Trail Series; and his strong interest in coaching.
Zach Bitter goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss how and why he broke the world record for the fastest 100 mile run

Zach Bitter on His New 100-Mile World Record (Ep.15)

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On Saturday, August 25th, Zach Bitter set an incredible world record for the fastest time in which a human being has run 100 miles: 11 hours, 19 minutes, 13 seconds. And for an encore, he kept running … and also set the 12-hour distance world record. So we talked to Zach after his big day about the logistics of the event; training for it; why he considers it his masterpiece; his perspective on this world record and others; and a whole lot more. Whether you are a runner or not, you should not miss this one.
David Roche talks with Jonathan Ellsworth about his SWAP coaching program on Blister's Off The Couch podcast.

David Roche on the Philosophy Behind His Coaching (Ep.14)

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David Roche is one of the most successful running coaches out there, but he is definitely not the most conventional running coach out there. So we explore with David the philosophy and principles that undergird his coaching; how he went from being a 200 lb. football & baseball player to two-time national champion in the 10k; what new training ideas seem most promising to him; and more.
Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Mad Moose Events Director, Justin Ricks, on Blister's Off The Couch podcast

Runner, Cat Herder, Garbage Man, & Mad Moose Events Director, Justin Ricks (Ep.13)

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We talk to Mad Moose race director, Justin Ricks, about walking away from running; returning to running — and leaving a secure corporate job and moving his family into a camper to do so; putting on 20+ race events a year with his family; scoring impressive results when he himself decides to race; and how running is very much a whole family affair for the Ricks’.

Meghan Hicks, managing editor, iRunFar (Ep.11)

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Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Meghan Hicks — who is one hell of a trail runner in her own right — about her background; covering the “puke fests and the transcendental moments” of trail running; how iRunFar.com came to be; what motivates her to run; what she thinks is the most misunderstood thing about ultra races; and more.
Jonathan Ellsworth talks Leadville 100 winner, Duncan Callahan, about running, "burning out" on running, and how to cope with it.

Duncan Callahan on Reaching the Top, Burning Out, & What Comes Next (Ep.9)

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There’s a common narrative in the running world about people who are struggling in life, then they are saved by running. But what happens when you’ve been an endurance athlete for over twenty years, and you then find yourself in search of some answers? We talk to Duncan Callahan — 2-time winner of the Leadville 100 and a number of other ultras — about his story, things he’d do different, and what he’s still hoping to learn.
Jennifer Pharr Davis talks about the differences between hiking and trail running, lessons from her book, "Pursuit of Endurance," and more on Blister's Off The Couch podcast

Jennifer Pharr Davis on ‘Hiking’ vs ‘Trail Running’ Culture (Ep.7)

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Scott Jurek called his attempt to break Jennifer Pharr Davis’ FKT record for hiking the Appalachian Trail the hardest thing he’d ever done. And yet, hiking and thru-hiking often isn’t given proper credit either as a monumental test of endurance, or as a more accessible / less intimidating activity to get more people outdoors. So we talk to Jennifer about the divides between hiking culture & trail running culture; lessons from her book, The Pursuit of Endurance, and more.
Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny talk to Jonathan Ellsworth about the future of trail running on Blister's Off The Couch podcast

Fresh Takes on Trail Running & its Future (Ep.6)

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While participation in trail running and ultra trail races is increasing, it has tended to draw an older crowd. But younger runners are getting into the sport, and they aren’t following all the old conventions. So we discuss the current and future state of trail running and ultra running with two young and rising trail runners, Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny.
Brendan Leonard talks with Jonathan Ellsworth about completing the Bighorn Trail 100 Mile Run on Blister's Off The Couch podcast

Brendan Runs the Bighorn 100 (Ep.5)

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This past weekend, our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard, ran the Bighorn Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run. So Jonathan Ellsworth talks with him about why he decided to run it; how he prepared; the highs and lows of the experience; his advice for anyone thinking of running a 100; and whether or not he plans on running another 100 miler.
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