Florida Trail Runners Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

It was another year for the annual Long Haul 100! Time and time again, this is the place where so many runners take on the 100-mile distance for the first time! On the chat, we have four of those first-time 100 mile finishers! Russ Hartzell, Tina Wolfe, Daisy Weckerly, and Ivi Stangle.

Russ Hartzell got it done with a time of 31:19:36! He's done races like the Ocho de Mayhem, Blaze Pioneer Trail, Whispering Pines, and the Wildcat Ultra!

Tina Wolfe got her buckle with a time of 31:22:02! She's done races like the Bronze Dragonfly, Vero Beach Octopus, River to Sea, Colt 45, Pinellas Trail Challenge, and the Skunk Ape Night Run.

Daisy Weckerly finished with a time of 30:45:55! She's done races like the 50 Miler at the Keys, Three Degrees of Hell, the RunFluent 7-Hour, and the Skunk Ape Night Run prior to coming out to the Long Haul.

Ivi Stangle, who one half of RunFluent, she got it done with a time of 29:00:52! She's done races like the Skunk Ape Night Run, Grayson Highlands, the Trident, Wild Florida, Forgotten Florida, and Sweat Swat n Swear!

Starting the 2024 Season off where it all started, the Long Haul 100. Frequent guest Andy "Croom" Mathews returns to the podcast to go in-depth into everything about this race. He's also joined by three-time finisher and 3rd Overall at the 2022 Long Haul 100, Jeff Iosa! Also joining the chat this year is two-time finisher and captain of the Boots or Saddles Aid Station, Andrew Barrett!

We analyze the course, answer some questions, talk about what it's going to take to be successful, some tips and tricks, some Long Haul 100 trivia, and yes! We make our predictions for the female and male top finishers for this year! We also chat on who we think is going to have most consistent race, some dark horses, and speculate on some Long Haul 100 rookies.

The Long Haul 100 takes place at Colt Creek State Park near Lakeland, Florida and is Florida's only Western States Qualifying Race. Great for first-timers and veterans alike! The course is a 6 x 16.6 mile loops. There are 3 fully manned Aid Stations and access to your drop bags every loop.

This race is truly the grand gathering of the Florida ultra and trail scene! 

See y'all at Long Haul! 

On the chat for the Sweat Swat n Swear, we've got three runners who ran their first ever 50k! Brandy Krisher, Derek Adler, and Britta Devitt. They all got it done with a time of 5:41:30, 6:31:18, and 7:37:56! Also on the chat is your Womens Champion for this year's race, Ivi Stangle! She took it home with a time of 5:28:44!

Brandy also placed Second Overall for this year's race! She's done races like the Skunk Ape's Revenge and has volunteered at races like the Forgotten Florida, and she also takes some amazing photos! Derek Adler is new to the sport, he's done stuff like the Spartan Race, but this was her very first official trail race! Britta, she's done races like the Long Play, Withlacoochee River Run, the Skunk Ape Night Run, and Whispering Pines!

Ivi has done races like the Grayson Highlands, Skunk Ape Night Run, the Trident, Wild Florida 50k, and the Forgotten Florida 50 Miler. She is also the wife of Chris Stangle, as many may know from RunFluent. Ivi is the nutritional half of the RunFluent Team with Fulwise! Fulwise is all things nutrition, from a healthy day to day diet for those that are looking to get the most out of their bodies, as well as, in-race and post-race fueling.

The SWAMP 100k, 50k, 30k, & 10k is a race put on by Dawn Lisenby out at Graham Swamp near Flagler Beach, Florida. This course is a 6.2 mile loop that is flowing, single track with a lot of short steep climbs. But don't let that lay easy in your mind, this course is one of the trickiest as it is said that the 50k runs like a 50 miler! This year the 10k race was a fundraiser for breast cancer and renamed the Debby10k, for the RD's sister who was diagnosed in 2014 with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. Only 20% are expected to live to 5 years, let alone past it, so as you can see she is a fighter and fittingly deserves a race run in her honor that will benefit breast cancer research.

We open up the episode with words from your Race Director, Dawn, she chats about how the race came to be, how the course runs, the special moments and race directors report. Then we jump into a conversion with your 100k second-place finisher Giovanni Cerbone, your 50k woman's champion Deanna Doane, as well as, Matt Murphy (50k - 10th) and Rick Williamson (50k - 9th). 

The Gasparilla Distance Classic takes place every year in Tampa, Florida and hosts four different distances. However, some runners decide to sign up for ALL FOUR in an event called the Michelob Ultra Challenge. It consists of the 15k and 5k on Saturday then the Half Marathon and 8k on Sunday for 30 plus miles! I had the honor to chat with four of those runners; Dale Lively, Beth Waskom, Jeff Beck, and Sam Austin. 

Dale is the owner of the LIVE Training Center in Palmetto, Florida and this was his first for the Gasparilla Distance Classic. He has completed a few trail and ultra such as the Croom Zoom. Beth Waskom is a member of the Team Ultra group that was out there this year and her story is truly amazing. Jeff Beck is the man who placed first overall this year for the Ultra Challenge, he traveled all the way from Oklahoma and is a member of both Team Ultra and Wahoo Running. Lastly, Sam Austin, she is a Tampa native who placed 200th overall in the Ultra Challenge and her story is truly elevating. 

Today I chat with Laura Drake Cole! She's been competing for years with a lot of success in the IRONMAN having competed at the KONA World Championships on 11 occasions. She's also won the 15k at the Gasparilla Distance Classic three times, with one year winning both the 5k and 15k! She's transitioned more into the trail and ultra-running scene here in Florida (with great success)! Truly great, age has no factor into chasing success.

I hop on with Brian Schuyler as he shares his epic journey to complete the LOST 118 with true grit and glory. He learns more about himself and what it takes to finish. Just Keep Moving! He finished 4th this year with a time of 37:38:42. He, along with his crew of Christina Parmelee; Eric DeSimone; Sandra Spence; and Alberto Vargas learn more and find passion in the crewing world! I chat with the team to find out how they did it. Tune in!

I jump in and chat with Marc Burget, Luis Cocco, Tuan Nguyen, and Ramon Palomo. This year Marc ran the LOST 118 and finished with a time of 18:25:54 to not only be the first to finish, but also set the new Course Record! He absolutely crushed it out there. He had some amazing support from his crew with Luis, Tuan, and Ramon putting in countless hours and miles to keep Marc moving. With one drone down and to the tune of Phil Collins... this team not only achieved their goal but crushed it!

There's also a big "Thank You" out to the new Race Director’s taking over this historical Florida ultra-marathon, Brendan Barry and Scott Richards.

Not only did Marc get his LOST 118 Belt Buckle, but thanks to Wicked Skins Athletics and the hearts of the Race Director's the crew members received a beautiful crew finishers award! Amazing!

(Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight) under Fair Use

Today I am chatting with Scott Hoover. Recently this year he completed the Long Haul 100 Mile, a race that he honestly wasn't sure he was going to be able to accomplish. He then smashed some redemption at the Skunk Ape's Revenge 60k from bonking at last summer's Skunk Ape Night Run 30k. He's new to ultra running, but one of the friendliest faces you'll meet out on the course! Next up for Scott, he'll prepping for the Long Play Trail Run, Quest for the Crest, the Barkley Fall Classic, and the Trident 12 Hour! Listen in as he also drops some hidden gems for trail running in the Lake Wales and Frostproof area!

The Forgotten Florida took place recently, I hop on and chat with Sean "the RunBum" Blanton and the Trio that won this year's 100 Miler (Aden St. Charles, Maxwell Bennet, and John Parker). Sean opens up to what truly makes Florida trail running beautiful and why it's such a special place to put on a race. The Trio share and dive into this year's race and the adventure it brought them! What a wild ride. 

The Forgotten Florida has three distances: the 100 mile, a 45 miler, and a 15 miler. The race runs through the Tosohatchee, Charles Bronson State Forest, Seminole Ranch, Little Big Econ State Forest and more. As for the 100, it is a point-to-point race! The first 50 miles of the 100 mile is the most technical and goes through some of those "forgotten" trails. The last 50 has more dirt roads, higher trafficked single track and beautiful rolling hills. 

In the 45 Miler and 15 Miler, you get to run through some of those "forgotten" trails through Tosohatchee and Seminole Ranch. Those woods are home to the most beautiful miles of trail in the state. Enjoy!