The Evolution of Grayson Murphy (Ep.34)
In 2019, Grayson Murphy won the US Mountain Running Championship; the World Mountain Running Championship; and the Xterra Trail Run World Championship. But there were many twists and turns along the way in getting there, and perhaps even more impressive and instructive than her wins is her willingness to experiment, adjust, and explore new ideas and practices, which we discuss in this conversation.
Sanjay Rawal on Running Dumb, Training Slow, & Finding Joy through Exertion (Ep.33)
We talk to Sanjay Rawal about his rather spectacular performance — and even more spectacular meltdown — near the end of the California International Marathon, and discuss the concepts of running dumb; training slow; finding joy through exertion; whether it is possible to run a great time by not caring about running a great time; and more.
Diets & Nutrition with Kylee Van Horn (Ep.32)
What’s the best way to eat to feel good and perform well? Nutrition and Diet are massive topics, as are all of the related issues surrounding them. So on our latest Off The Couch podcast, we talk with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Kylee Van Horn, about the various diets out there; whether certain diets are prone to help or hurt training recovery; athletes & eating disorders, and more.
How to Design a Great Race (Ep.31)
New running events seem to be popping up all the time, which raises the question: Are there some specific policies, and practices that should be built into all or most running events? To help us think about this, we talked to Caleb Efta, the race director of the High Lonesome 100, about some of the specific policies and requirements of the event that are designed to mitigate its environmental impacts and increase gender equality.
Brendan Leonard on Running 52 Marathons in 52 Weeks (Ep.30)
For 2019, Brendan Leonard (semi-rad.com) set a goal for himself: run 52 marathons in 52 weeks. He told very few people about this goal, and we are proud to report that Brendan accomplished his goal with several weeks to spare. So we talked to Brendan about what prompted him to create this plan; why he decided to tell very few people about it; exactly what the parameters were for these ‘marathons’; how he handled the logistics; what he learned along the way; and more.
Winter Running: How to Do It (and Like It?) (Ep.29)
We talk to Blister reviewers, Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny, about how they handle running and training in the cold and on icy roads and trails; what gear works and doesn’t work for them; and more. Check it out, and let us know your own best tips, tricks, and practices.
Runner & Chef: Kelly Newlon of RAD (“Real Athlete Diets”) (Ep.28)
By the time she was 5 years old, Kelly Newlon had already identified two of her biggest passions: running and cooking. Those passions led her to running longer and longer races and becoming a classically trained chef who now is — quite literally — feeding and fueling the ultrarunning community, including a high number of its elite performers.
Stevie Kremer on the NYC Marathon & More (Ep.27)
Stevie Kremer is back on the show, and she came to BLISTER HQ in Mt. Crested Butte to talk about her experience at this year’s New York City Marathon — including all the gory details and the lessons she learned; the things about running she truly loves and truly hates the most; how many children is too many children, and more.
Cappuccino Cowboys Apologizes + Jared Hazen & Eric Senseman (Ep.26)
Mr. Cappuccino of the Cappuccino Cowboys is back on the show to issue an apology for his performance last week. And then Jared Hazen and Eric Senseman join us, so we got to ask them why they continue to associate with Mr. Cappuccino, and more.
Is Cappuccino Cowboys Ruining Ultrarunning? (Ep.25)
What is Cappuccino Cowboys, and who is the person behind it? Is he an evil genius hell-bent on ruining ultrarunning? A provocateur shaking up the stodgy state of running media? Or is he just a giant pain in the ass of Jim Walmsley, Eric Senseman, Jared Hazen, Cody Reed, Tommy Rivs and a few other unfortunate souls? We spoke to Mr. Cappuccino himself to find out.
Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra Winner, Maggie Guterl (Ep.24)
Maggie Guterl just became the first woman ever to win Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, a multi-day race that does not have a fixed-distance finish line. So we talked to Maggie about how this extraordinary race works, and Maggie does a brilliant job of detailing what it was like to overcome the unique physical and mental challenges of Big’s; the significance of being the race’s first female champion; the next insane race she has her sights set on, and more.
Triple Crown of 200s Winner, Mike McKnight (Ep.23)
Simply put, Mike McKnight is amazing. He won the Bigfoot 200 in August, the Tahoe 200 in September, and he just won the Moab 240. And in covering those ~640 miles of racing, he smashed his own cumulative-time record for the 3 races by … 43 hours. That’s not what you’d expect from a chubby kid who grew up on a dairy farm and didn’t participate in sports til he tried 1 season of highschool football, nor from a person who broke his back in a ski accident 8 years ago and had 2 rods and 9 screws placed in his spine, along with part of his hip bone. So we talk to Mike about all of this and more.
Interviews from Mile 201 of the Moab 240 (Ep.22)
What’s it like to run two hundred and one miles … and know that you still have another 40 miles to go? And why would you sign up and subject yourself to this? To find out, we went to Moab, Utah, to the Moab 240 Endurance Run to capture the very raw and unfiltered reactions from runners, pacers, friends, medics, and concerned mothers from the Geyser Aid Station at mile 201 of the Moab 24. And we also learned what this race — and this community — is really about.
Cam Smith on Moving through Mountains (Ep.21)
When Cam Smith graduated high school in Rockford, Illinois in 2014, he had little or no mountain experience. But fast forward a few years, and Cam is now an accomplished trail runner, mountain biker, a member of the U.S. ski mountaineering team, a repeat winner of the Grand Traverse Mountain Run from Crested Butte to Aspen, and a repeat winner of the Grand Traverse Triple Crown. So we talk to Cam about his journey, his goals, his relation to running and skiing and mountain biking, his work as a coach and as a guide at the Adaptive Center here in Crested Butte, and more.
Jason Koop: Runner, Head Coach at CTS Ultrarunning (Ep.20)
Jason Koop is a passionate runner, the author of Training Essentials for Ultrarunning, the head coach of CTS Ultrarunning, and someone who is not afraid to speak his mind. So we talked to Jason about his endurance coaching; “nonsensical” training aids & techniques; his recent running of the 330 km Tor de Geants; the current state of the minimalist / maximalist shoe debate; what he thinks the running scene will look like 10 years from now; and a *whole* lot more.
Kyle Robidoux on Running, Skiing, & Being Legally Blind (Ep.19)
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.)
Luke Nelson on Testing Limits (Ep.18)
Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Luke Nelson about being a professional runner, physician assistant, race director (of the Scout Mountain Ultras), climate activist, husband, father of three, and … someone who doesn’t get a lot of sleep.
Why We Built a Running-Shoe Brand Guide (Ep.17)
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: Full-Time Student, Full-Time Runner (Ep.16)
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 on His New 100-Mile World Record (Ep.15)
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 on the Philosophy Behind His Coaching (Ep.14)
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.
Runner, Cat Herder, Garbage Man, & Mad Moose Events Director, Justin Ricks (Ep.13)
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’.
Ian Sharman on Keeping Running Fun, Racing Fair, & Keys to Consistency (Ep.12)
We talk to Ian Sharman about becoming the Fastest Elvis and setting Guinness World Records for racing in costumes; completing over 200 ultras and marathons; the most common mistakes people make in training and in racing; his strategy for keeping doping out of ultrarunning; and more.
Meghan Hicks, managing editor, iRunFar (Ep.11)
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.
BLISTER’s Maddie Hart Wins the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Miler (Ep.10)
BLISTER reviewer, Maddie Hart, just won the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mile Run, making her the youngest person — male or female — to ever win the event. So we talked to Maddie about the race; her strategy; her preparation for it; the gear she used; and her big achievement.
Reaching the Top, Burning Out, & What Comes Next (Ep.9)
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.
Western States 100 Champion, Clare Gallagher (Ep.8)
Clare Gallagher just won the Western States 100, and she did so in spectacular fashion. But there is a whole lot more to this story. So we talk to Clare about the details of her epic win, why on earth she agreed to go on an expedition to Alaska with Tommy Caldwell right before her biggest race of the year, and more.
Jennifer Pharr Davis on ‘Hiking’ vs ‘Trail Running’ Culture (Ep.7)
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.
Fresh Takes on Trail Running & its Future (Ep.6)
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 Runs the Bighorn 100 (Ep.5)
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.