Off The Couch Podcast

2020 Running Shoe Trends & Current Events (Ep.63)

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This week we take a look at the trends in running shoes for 2020. Jonathan Ellsworth is joined by Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny to talk about knit uppers on trail shoes (??), massive heels, marketing copy, and we even design our own ‘Blister Pro’ shoe. Then we wrap up by talking about a few current events and get Maddie and Gordon’s upcoming plans.
Camille Herron goes on Blister's Off The Couch Podcast to discuss her running career, Taco Bell, Rocky Balboa, World Records, & more

Camille Herron on Rocky Balboa, Training, & More World Records (Ep. 62)

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What do Taco Bell, the Harlem Globetrotters, a twisted femur, & Rocky Balboa have in common? They’ve all played a role in the journey of Camille Herron to become a world champion runner and multiple world record holder — and Camille still has some very big plans. So Brendan and Jonathan talk with Camille about all of the above, including her unusual path to trail running, and what her sights are set on next.
Noah Brautigam goes on Blister's Off the Couch Podcast to discuss winning the 2020 the Speedgoat 50K, running during COVID-19, and more

2020 Speedgoat 50K Winner, Noah Brautigam (Ep. 61)

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Noah Brautigam just won the Speedgoat 50K, and a few days after winning, he sat down with us in Blister HQ to provide a very fresh and fun recap of the race, and describe what tweaks were made to allow the event to happen. We also discuss his background and a surprising discovery that has him feeling great, performing at a high level, and recovering really well.

Addie Bracy on Her Trajectory, Sports Psychology, & OUTrun (Ep. 58)

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Addie Bracy is an accomplished runner who thinks hard about the psychology of sports performance. So we talk to Addie about her background and how it led her to the study of sports performance psychology; the book she is now writing on the topic; and OUTrun, the organization she founded with her partner, Corey Conner, to empower and connect LGBTQ+ individuals within the running community and to create an environment that is encouraging, supportive, and inclusive to all.
Judge Craig Mitchell goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss the Skid Row Running Club

Skid Row Running Club founder, Judge Craig Mitchell (Ep. 57)

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The Skid Row Running Club is “an unusual running club that uses the power of running to improve the lives of those who are at risk of homelessness and addiction” in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, CA. We talk to its founder, Judge Craig Mitchell, about why he started the club; his background as a runner and teacher; the duty of police officers to protect and serve; the need for minimum sentencing reform; and much more.
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 & Cordis Hall on Couple Goals, FKTs, & their Pfiffner Traverse ‘Date Run’ (Ep. 56)

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

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

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

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

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

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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.
Mike McKnight goes on Blister's Off The Couch Podcast to discuss how and why he ran 100 miles without consuming a single calorie.

Testing Limits: Mike McKnight on Running 100 Miles, 0 Calories (Ep.51)

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Is it humanly possible to run 100 miles without consuming a single calorie? On May 8th, Mike McKnight set out to find out, and Mike not only accomplished this extraordinary feat, he did it in 18 hours and 37 minutes. So we talked to Mike about why and when he first thought this was possible; how he prepared and trained for the feat; intermittent fasting and his ketogenic diet; some of the criticism he’s received for even attempting this; and what else he thinks might be possible.
Blister Outdoor Gear review Crested Butte

Georgia Porter on Career Shifts, Strength Training, & the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials (Ep.50)

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We talk to Georgia Porter about her dislike of running as a kid; her grandma who was running ultras back before running ultras was a thing; how to incorporate apple fritters and beer into your training regimen; competing at the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials; her belief that all runners would benefit from learning to love strength training; and more.
Hillary Gerardi, winner of the 2018 Skyrunner Extra World Series Circuit, goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss mountain scrambling, trail running, living in Vermont & France, Research Center for Alpine Ecosystems, & More

Hillary Gerardi, Mountain Scrambler (Ep.49)

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Hillary Gerardi won the 2018 Skyrunner Extra World Series Circuit, and yet, she still doesn’t necessarily think of herself as a runner. So Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss this with Hillary, and what it is that she enjoys most about being in the mountains. Hillary was born in Vermont, but lives in Chamonix and works at the Research Center for Alpine Ecosystems, so of course, we discuss all of that, too.
Rickey Gates joins Jonathan Ellsworth on Blister's Off the Couch Podcast to talk about "Cross Country, a 3700-Mile Run to Explore Unseen America"

Rickey Gates on Running across America (Ep.48)

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In 2017, Rickey Gates set out on an odyssey to run across America — 3,700 miles from South Carolina to San Francisco. We talked to Rickey about this cross-country adventure and what he learned along the way, and how it fits in with his other projects, like his “Every Single Street” initiative; “Hut Run Hut” and “Bus Run Bus”; and “50 Classic Trails.”

Jenny & Scott Jurek on Cooking, Running, & Kids (Ep.47)

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Late last week, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked with Jenny and Scott Jurek. This probably wasn’t the conversation that you ought to have when you get to talk with a running icon like Scott Jurek and someone who is as accomplished and interesting as Jenny, but, whatever. We had fun, and you will, too. Among other things, we talk about Scott’s very first race; Jenny’s transition from climbing to running; Scott’s love of cooking; Jenny’s ambition to set the Slowest Known Time on the Pacific Crest Trail; and the process of co-writing their wonderful book, North.
Dominic Di Tommaso talks freerunning on Blister's Off the Couch podcast.

Freerunner, Dom Di Tommaso (@domtomato) (Ep. 46)

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Dom di Tommaso (@domtomato) is a freerunner, a certified mind blower, and the guy behind one of our favorite Instagram pages and YouTube channels in the world. So on our latest Off The Couch podcast, we talked to Dom about his uncommon upbringing; his training, his focus, his injury history, and how he avoids dying doing the stuff he does; and more.
Eric Schranz joins Jonathan Ellsworth and Brendan Leonard on the Off the Couch Podcast

Eric Schranz, Ultrarunnerpodcast.com, on Running, His Career, & Heist Films (Ep.44)

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Eric Schranz has been a staple of the trail running and ultrarunning world for over a decade — both as a passionate runner, and as the host of Ultrarunnerpodcast.com. And since Eric spends so much of his time writing about and interviewing other runners, Brendan Leonard (semi-rad.com) and I thought it would be fun to put Eric in the guest seat. So Brendan and I talked with Eric about how he got into running; his work in the music industry and politics; getting started at ultrarunnerpodcast.com; the art of conversation; how running media differs from other sports media coverage; and a whole lot more — including, a rather spirited discussion about the best bank robbery and heist movies of all time.
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