Explore every episode of the podcast Off The Couch
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.2 TO LIFE: Running, Prison Reform, & Personal Transformation | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:59:46 | |
Does running have the power to transform the prison system? According to the data, it might, and it definitely has the power to ignite personal transformation, as you will see in the remarkable new documentary, 26.2 TO LIFE. Our guest today is Christine Yoo, the director and producer of 26.2 TO LIFE, which tells the story of incarcerated men at San Quentin State Prison who are members of the 1000 Mile Club, the prison’s long distance running club. They train all year for the San Quentin Marathon — a 105 lap, 26.2 mile race that takes place in the San Quentin yard. The film was shot over the course of three years with unprecedented access to the prison, and for the reasons we discuss in this conversation, I urge everyone to see this film. TOPICS & TIMES: Background: Russian Spies & Korean Rom Coms (2:38) The Cinematic Nature of Running (11:30) Filming at San Quentin Prison (14:02) Prison Life (23:38) Prisons as Businesses (29:06) Running & Prison Reform (32:34) Other Prison Running Clubs (45:40) Where To Watch (53:10) Music of The Film (55:39) RELATED LINKS: CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Jason Hardrath & The Rocky Mountain Grand Slam | 22 Aug 2023 | 00:46:13 | |
The Rocky Mountain Grand Slam: it involves summiting 122 peaks and 318,000 feet of elevation gain (the equivalent of summiting Everest 11 times from sea level). And Vuori & Athletic Brewing athlete, Jason Hardrath, recently set a new FKT by completing it in under 40 days. So I caught up with Jason to break down his most recent accomplishment, and to discuss the blurring of the lines between running, scrambling, and soloing. TOPICS & TIMES: Rocky Mountain Grand Slam (2:02) Planning (7:03) Calculating Risks (10:57) Blending Disciplines (23:19) Crux's of The RMGS (27:58) RELATED LINKS: Off The Couch #110: What Makes Jason Hardrath Tick CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Sarah Keyes on Living & Training in the Adirondacks, US Long Distance Team Dreams, & Pastry (Mis)adventures | 09 May 2023 | 00:53:00 | |
For the most part, competitive trail running in the US is perceived to bias heavily toward the West Coast, with many of its marquee races and popular training hubs lying left of the Mississippi. This imbalance has stoked a gentle sense of rivalry in trail runners who call the East Coast home, an underdog mentality that many — including this week’s guest, New York native and athlete for The North Face, Sarah Keyes — have turned into fuel. Sarah recently punched her ticket to Innsbruck, Austria to represent the US as part of their Long Distance team at this year’s World Mountain Championships, a spot she earned with a podium finish at the Lake Sonoma 50 in Northern California. We talk about what it’s like living and training in the Adirondacks year-round; East Coast vs. West Coast trail running scenes; the upcoming World Mountain Running Championships in Innsbruck, Austria; the latest hits (and misses) in her kitchen; and much more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Moab Red Hot & Black Canyon Ultras Recap + New-Tech Trail Shoes | 23 Feb 2021 | 00:32:08 | |
Today we’ve got some race recaps for you; our initial impressions of Saucony’s Switchback2 (which features the BOA system); and we discuss the arrival of the first carbon-plated trail shoe, The North Face's Flight Vectiv. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Brendan’s New Book: I Hate Running and You Can Too | 09 Feb 2021 | 00:52:58 | |
My Off The Couch co-host Brendan Leonard has a new book coming out, so I talked to Brendan about zen koans, piñatas, other running books, kids, alternate titles for the book, and why Jonathan thinks that you should read this book whether you hate running, or love it. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Mike Foote on the Grand Canyon R2R2R ALT FKT; Race Directing; & Reading | 19 Jan 2021 | 01:15:17 | |
Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Mike Foote, who on 12.31.20, headed out with fellow The North Face athlete, Rob Krar, to attempt an FKT of the Rim to Rim to Rim “alt” route of the Grand Canyon. So Brendan and I caught up with Mike to get his version of events, and we discuss a number of interesting and important topics that show just how terrific and thoughtful of a person Mike is (in case you didn’t know that already). TOPICS & TIMES
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| Ed Roberson on The Procrastinator’s Punishment 50k | 12 Jan 2021 | 00:58:03 | |
Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Ed Roberson, the creator of The Procrastinator’s Punishment 50k; the host of the excellent Mountain & Prairie podcast; and the author of a fantastic Books Recommendation series. So we talked to Ed about all of the above, and more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Zoë Rom on Fruit, Oreos, Fireball, FKTs, & Running Culture | 15 Dec 2020 | 00:57:35 | |
Zoë Rom is a runner / scrambler / climber; reader; writer; and host of the DNF Podcast. And we talk about all of this plus her interest in continuing to deepen and enrich running culture; the very specific way to win her heart; getting cut from the cross country team in high school; winning her first ultra with the help of Oreos & Fireball; her FKT on Capitol Peak; what she’s reading, watching, and listening to; and more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Peter Bromka on Running & Writing | 08 Dec 2020 | 01:03:20 | |
Brendan Leonard and I talk with Peter Bromka, a runner that grew up in Portland, ran at Tufts University in Boston, started trail running around San Francisco, and now, is back in Portland where he runs for the Bowerman Track Club Elite Program. But in addition to training hard and running fast, Peter is focused on writing about running itself. And in this conversation, you’ll hear more about how he is currently pursuing both. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Improving Performance by Rethinking Fit? BOA Fit System | 01 Dec 2020 | 00:36:13 | |
Most of you are familiar with the BOA fit system, but do you know what BOA is up to today? Or maybe you’ve thought, What’s wrong with regular shoe laces? We went to the BOA Performance Fit Lab to learn more; hear why they see a big opportunity in trail running shoes; and see how they are working with companies to optimize products. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Matt Hart on Nike, The Oregon Project, & PEDs in Sports | 24 Nov 2020 | 01:28:52 | |
Our guest today is Matt Hart, author of the book, Win at All Costs: Inside Nike Running and its Culture of Deception, which is an important book that everyone interested in competitive athletics should read. We talk to Matt about how he got interested in and involved with this story; whether we should just make all performance-enhancing drugs legal in all sports; who is most to blame for PED use in sports; what Nike’s response to the book has been; Alberto Salazar’s upcoming trial; and more. This is a great conversation that raises a lot of important topics, and after you listen to this conversation, you should read Win at All Costs. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Hoka Founder & Deckers Group VP of Innovation, Jean-Luc Diard | 18 Nov 2020 | 01:25:33 | |
If you are interested in product design and the process of innovation, then you need to listen to this conversation. Jean-Luc Diard started as an intern at Salomon, developed the first shaped ski, became the CEO at Salomon, played a major role in the development of Salomon’s running shoes, moved on to found Hoka One One, and is currently the VP of Innovation for the Deckers Group, where he currently heads up the Deckers X Lab. This conversation explores the process of bringing about real innovation, how to make it happen, what to do, and what to avoid. It is not to be missed. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Billy Yang on Running, Filmmaking, Media, Moving (??), & More | 10 Nov 2020 | 01:09:53 | |
Billy Yang is (among other things) a runner, filmmaker (Billy Yang Films), podcast host (Billy Yang Podcast), and someone who has been chronicling the sport of running in a fashion that is often beautiful, and always inspiring. In this conversation, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Billy about everything from cigarette brands to the need for more compassionate critical thinking in our world. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Jason Hardrath on Preparing for the Pico de Orizaba Infinity Loop | 02 May 2023 | 00:53:19 | |
Last time Jason Hardrath was on Off The Couch he teased a future project that involved a trip down to Mexico, a volcano, and a whole lot of running and climbing, but aside from those hints, gave no major clues as to what exactly he had cooked up. Well, during his spring break from teaching earlier this year, Jason, together with his buddy Nathan Longhurst and a lean film crew, set out to complete what is affectionately known as an “infinity loop” on Mexico’s Pico de Orizaba (18,491′), the tallest volcano in North America. Without spoiling anything, Jason’s project predictably turned into quite the sufferfest, so Matt Mitchell sat down with him to hear all about it in anticipation of the upcoming film that documents the attempt. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Brendan Leonard on his new FKT, the Deadline Dungeon, & More | 27 Oct 2020 | 00:49:17 | |
Today we’re putting our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard (semi-rad.com) in the interviewee seat to hear about his recent FKT; his review of his FKT route and whether you should do it; movies; his current running program; gas station donuts; how well he deals with deadlines; some of his current and upcoming projects, and more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Big Mtn Skier (& Trail Runner), Cody Townsend | 20 Oct 2020 | 00:11:36 | |
Six months ago, professional skier, Cody Townsend, hated running. Now he loves it. So what happened?? And will his current training program really get him ready to ski tour up and down some of the gnarliest peaks in North America for his ongoing Fifty Project? If you have ever found yourself in the “I hate running” camp, you should listen to this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Kaytlyn Gerbin on Science, Volcanoes, & Pretty Much Everything Else | 07 Oct 2020 | 01:00:33 | |
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Kaytlyn Gerbin about her work as a bioengineer, the Rainier Infinity Loop; running ultras vs mountaineering; why scientists make good ultra runners; cheating on snowboarding; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Jonathan & Maddie run (and record this during) the Elk Run 5k | 29 Sep 2020 | 00:31:48 | |
Last Saturday, Blister reviewer & accomplished ultrarunner, Maddie Hart, ran the Emma Coburn Elk Run 5k with Blister founder & very unaccomplished runner, Jonathan Ellsworth, and they recorded the experience. Hilarity (and embarrassment) ensued, but it was all for a great cause: Living Journeys. Check it out. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Coree Woltering on his Ice Age Trail FKT, Catcalls, & Tick Removal | 22 Sep 2020 | 01:01:08 | |
Coree Woltering is definitely one of the most interesting ultrarunners out there, so Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked to Coree about the one time when a catcall actually worked; why the running world needs to stop overlooking midwestern athletes; Quick Trip burgers and how to remove ticks and deal with bird-sized mosquitoes; and the injury and the miracle that happened while he was setting a new FKT on the Ice Age Trail. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Ryan Hall on His First Ultra; Performance & Weight; Proper Perspective; & More | 15 Sep 2020 | 01:24:09 | |
Ryan Hall is a two-time Olympian, holds the U.S. record in the half marathon, and is the only American to run a sub-2:05:00 marathon. But these days, Ryan has cut back quite a bit on his running, and is currently far more focused on lifting — and his transformation from a ~130 lb. worldclass runner to ~180 lb. bodybuilder is wild. But that’s not the only wild thing Ryan’s got going on — he just completed his first ultramarathon, The North Face Grand Traverse here in Crested Butte — and he did it in the most ‘Off The Couch’ way possible. So I sat down with Ryan in Blister HQ to talk about his first ultra; some of the incredible highs and some painful lows in his running career; weight and performance and his own struggles as a professional runner to find the right balance; the importance of finding proper perspective; and his current work as a running coach where others can benefit from what he’s learned over the years. Check out runfreetraining.com to learn more about working with Ryan. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Kelly Roberts on How to Start Running, Keep Running, & Her Badass Lady Gang | 01 Sep 2020 | 01:08:01 | |
Ever feel like you aren’t — or couldn’t ever possibly be — a “real” runner? Most of us have, which is why most of us need to meet Kelly Roberts. Kelly is good at making us feel fine about the fact that we sometimes hate running. And she’s equally good at helping us continue to run — or walk, or bike, or just keep moving. So we talk to Kelly about her moving (and hilarious) entrance into running; her Badass Lady Gang; angel ghosts; and more. TOPICS
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| Olympian Simi Hamilton on XC Skiing & Running | 25 Aug 2020 | 00:59:10 | |
We talk to 3-time Olympian, Simi Hamilton, about XC skiing and running; competition & competitive drive; his recent win of the Audi Power of 4; and Jonathan Ellsworth tries to instigate a battle between Simi and a previous Off The Couch guest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 2020 Running Shoe Trends & Current Events | 18 Aug 2020 | 00:51:55 | |
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. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Camille Herron on Rocky Balboa, Training, & More World Records | 11 Aug 2020 | 01:11:05 | |
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 a multiple world record holder — and Camille still has some very big plans. So Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk with Camille about all of the above, including her unusual path to trail running, and what her sites are set on next. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Speedland Founders Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon On Their Latest Hyper-Performance Trail Shoe, the GS:TAM | 25 Apr 2023 | 00:39:14 | |
Speedland recently released their much anticipated third commission, a hyper-performance trail shoe intended for ultra-length distances, which they call the GS:TAM. So, Matt Mitchell sat down with co-founders Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon to catch up on all that’s transpired since their first appearance on the show back in February of 2022; how they came to adopt a commission-based model for their company; the ins-and-outs of building an athlete team; what informed the design of the GS:TAM; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| 2020 Speedgoat 50K Winner, Noah Brautigam | 05 Aug 2020 | 00:51:47 | |
Noah Brautigam just won the Speedgoat 50K — a very tough race that includes nearly 12,000 feet of total climbing and takes place mostly above 9,200 feet on a rocky, rooty, steep course. A few days after winning, Noah sat down with us in Blister HQ to provide a very fresh and very fun recap of the race, and describe what tweaks were made to allow the event to happen in these times of COVID. We also discuss his background and a surprising discovery that has him feeling great, performing at a high level, and recovering really well. This is a fun conversation with a thoughtful and self-deprecating guy, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Martinus Evans, 300 Pounds & Running | 30 Jul 2020 | 01:09:11 | |
Martinus Evans is the founder of 300poundsandrunning.com, the founder of the Slow AF Run Club, a marathon runner, a DJ, the host of the 300 Pounds And Running podcast, and more. And this week, Brendan Leonard and I talk to Martinus about modern media, being a Black runner in 2020, DJ-ing, motivation, Detroit pizza vs. Chicago pizza, the Slow AF Run Club Martinus started, and more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Amelia Boone on Mtn Lions, Trail Running, & Mental Health | 21 Jul 2020 | 01:09:24 | |
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Amelia Boone about being a world champion obstacle racer; transitioning into trail running & racing; mental health & eating disorders; ElliptiGos, mtn lions, & more. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Addie Bracy on Her Trajectory, Sports Psychology, & OUTrun | 14 Jul 2020 | 00:53:51 | |
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. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Skid Row Running Club founder, Judge Craig Mitchell | 07 Jul 2020 | 00:45:22 | |
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, California. And this week we talk to the club founder, Judge Craig Mitchell, about why he started the club; his background as a runner, highschool teacher; the duty of police officers to protect and serve; the need for minimum sentencing reform; and much more. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Abby & Cordis Hall on Couple Goals, FKTs, & their Pfiffner Traverse ‘Date Run’ | 30 Jun 2020 | 01:10:02 | |
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. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Shaun Martin on the Navajo Approach to Running, Coaching, & Community | 23 Jun 2020 | 01:10:38 | |
Our guest this week 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. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Faith E. Briggs on Growing Up, Running, & Her Film, This Land | 16 Jun 2020 | 01:02:06 | |
Faith E. Briggs is a filmmaker and a runner, and this week, 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. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Creating Your Own Sport: Buzz Burrell & the Invention of the ‘FKT’ | 09 Jun 2020 | 01:16:26 | |
A few weeks ago Brendan Leonard and I talked to the legend himself, Buzz Burrell. In the first part of our conversation, we talk about Buzz’s background, including 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. And 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. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Zach Bitter on His New 100-Mile Treadmill World Record | 25 May 2020 | 01:05:32 | |
On Saturday, August 25th, 2019, Zach set a new world record for the fastest time that a human being has run 100 miles. He did it on a track in Wisconsin in 11:19:13. And once he hit the 100-mile mark, Zach preceded to just keep on running, and he then set another world record: longest distance run in 12 hours (he went 104.8 miles). These are two mind-blowing feats, and you can listen to our conversation with Zach about this on episode 15 of Off The Couch. Fast forward to May 16, 2020, and Zach just set another 100-mile world record: fastest 100 miles ever run on a treadmill. So we spoke to the 34 year old runner just a couple days after his most recent feat to discuss when he first got the idea to attempt this; the biggest differences between running 100 miles on a treadmill vs a track; and his preparation, strategy, and goals for this event. We also have a great discussion about Mike McKnight’s Zero-Calorie 100. And if you’d like to hear more of Zach talking about issues related to peak performance, you should check out his own podcast, Human Performance Outliers. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Preston Cates on Aid Station Dance Parties, Gas Station Go-To’s, & Redefining His Limits | 18 Apr 2023 | 01:00:25 | |
When Preston Cates popped up on most peoples’ radars with his unexpected 6th place finish at the 2021 Canyons 100k as a 23 year-old, he had a pretty simple motivation driving his young trail running career: to never have to pay for shoes again. Since then, the Boulder, CO native has racked up podium finishes left and right, landed a pro contract to run for Nike (shoes included), and recently punched his ticket to represent the US at the World Mountain Running Championships in Austria later this year. Matt Mitchell sat down with Preston a week after his 3rd place finish at the 2023 Lake Sonoma 50 to chat about his development as an athlete; walking on to a D1 program at the University of Arkansas; training vs. spending time outside; what he grabs at a gas station during a mid-run bonk; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Testing Limits: Mike McKnight on Running 100 Miles, 0 Calories | 18 May 2020 | 00:51:17 | |
Is it humanly possible to run 100 miles without consuming a single calorie? Would it be possible to run 100 miles in under 24 hours without consuming a single calorie? On May 8th, Mike McKnight set out to find out, and Mike, who is the record holder of the Triple Crown of 200’s, 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. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Georgia Porter on Career Shifts, Strength Training, & the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials | 12 May 2020 | 00:57:35 | |
We talk to Georgia Porter, co-owner and personal trainer at The Physio Shop in Flagstaff, Arizona, 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 in combining strength training and endurance training; and why all runners would benefit from learning to love strength training. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Hillary Gerardi, Mountain Scrambler | 05 May 2020 | 01:14:27 | |
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 I discuss this with Hillary, and, turns out, her hesitation makes a lot of sense once you understand her background and what it is that she enjoys most about being in the mountains. Hillary was born in Vermont, but has lived in France since 2010, and currently lives in Chamonix, where she works at the Research Center for Alpine Ecosystems, so of course, we discuss all of that, too. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Rickey Gates on Running across America | 28 Apr 2020 | 01:04:18 | |
Rickey Gates is a professional runner, a writer, a photographer — and someone who has a whole lot going on. His new book, Cross Country, a 3700-Mile Run to Explore Unseen America, just came out, and it documents Rickey’s 2017 odyssey of running from South Carolina to San Francisco and the people and places he interacted with along the way. We also discuss his Every Single Street project, Hut Run Hut and Bus Run Bus group trips he organizes every year, the current project he’s working on called 50 Classic Trails, and that still doesn’t cover everything that Rickey is up to. Rickey is a very good runner, but an even more interesting person. (Watch the trailer "Cross Country") TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Jenny & Scott Jurek on Cooking, Running, & Kids | 21 Apr 2020 | 01:05:24 | |
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. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Freerunner, Dom Di Tommaso (@domtomato) | 14 Apr 2020 | 01:22:09 | |
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. He is also a fascinating person, and a perfect reminder that “running” is not a sport that we should narrowly define. 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; similarities between the freerunning community and the long-distance running community; and more. Check it out.. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Topo Athletic Founder, Tony Post | 07 Apr 2020 | 01:02:41 | |
We talk to Topo Athletic founder, Tony Post, about serving as the CEO of Vibram USA; founding Topo Athletic; minimalist and maximalist shoes; Topo’s design philosophy and process; and more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Eric Schranz, Ultrarunnerpodcast.com, on Running, His Career, & Heist Films | 31 Mar 2020 | 01:08:43 | |
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. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Ryan Van Duzer on Snakes, YouTube, the Burning Man Ultra, & More | 17 Mar 2020 | 01:01:35 | |
Ryan Van Duzer has a YouTube series called, Running with Ryan. And last fall, as our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard, was nearing his goal of running 52 marathons in 52 weeks, Ryan had Brendan as a guest on Running with Ryan. So we thought we’d give Brendan the chance to turn the tables and have him interview Ryan, and that proved to be a good idea. They talk about snakes; biking across the country; starting his YouTube channel; the Burning Man Ultra; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Joe Grant: Adventurer, Endurance Athlete, & Storyteller | 10 Mar 2020 | 01:31:02 | |
Joe Grant is an endurance athlete, a mountain runner, a reader, a writer, a thinker, a filmmaker, and, as you are about to find out, an exceptional storyteller. And in this conversation, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Joe about how he got into running; racing (and winning) the 2008 Caballo Blanco Copper Canyon Ultra and how that affected his life; his Tour de Fourteeners, a self-powered and self-supported link up of all Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks by bike and on foot; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Andy Wacker on Creating A Roadmap to Professional Trail Running | 11 Apr 2023 | 00:53:17 | |
“So, how did you get into trail running?” is an evergreen question, one that’s likely to field a variety of interesting and original responses regardless of who you ask. Underlying its premise, though, rests one of the sport’s major shortcomings, at least on the elite level. Up until recently, there existed few (if any) direct paths for new runners or athletes crossing over from different disciplines to pursue trail running professionally. Recognizing the critical role that development programs play in helping a formerly recreational sport mature, Salomon Athlete Andy Wacker launched The Trail Team earlier this year for expressly that purpose — to provide mentorship, skill development, and media exposure to 6 aspiring pro trail runners in the US. Matt Mitchell spoke to Andy and two Trail Team members, Lauren Gregory and Sam Hendry, about the organization’s backstory, before expanding into a roundtable discussion centered on what Lauren and Sam hope to get out of their time on the team, their professional goals, and more. TOPICS & TIMES
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| Hayden Hawks on the Black Canyon 100K & Western States | 04 Mar 2020 | 00:53:55 | |
When a 15-year-old Hayden Hawks first learned about the Western States 100, he knew that he would someday get into running ultras, and it became his dream to race Western States. Fast forward 14 years later, and the now-29-year-old Hayden Hawks is a world-class runner, he’s just won the Black Canyon 100k, and he’s qualified to race Western States this June. So we talked to Hayden about his Black Canyon 100 win and the specific lessons he learned there. And we discuss his trajectory from running track in high school to where he is today. But the biggest takeaway from our conversation with Hayden is just how driven he is to test himself and see what is possible for him. It is a very infectious energy, and a great reminder to approach life with passion, drive, and joy. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Chasing John Colter & Recreating the Colter Route | 25 Feb 2020 | 00:50:50 | |
While most of us know the explorers, Lewis & Clarke, the exploits of John Colter (who was a member of Lewis & Clarke’s famous expedition) might be a bit less familiar, but they are arguably even wilder. And in their short film, Colter: A Legacy of Adventure, Sawyer Thomas and Riis Wilbrecht set out to venture through the territory John Colter had explored two centuries ago, across some of the most remote terrain in the lower 48 states. So we talked to Sawyer and Riis about John Colter and why they chose this particular adventure; the (serious) difficulty of running, skiing, and trekking through this terrain; the logistics of shooting this film; and more. TOPICS & TIMES:
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| Eric Walker on Running 5k for 365 Days in a Row | 18 Feb 2020 | 00:59:25 | |
By some measures, Eric Walker is a pretty normal guy. He lives in Minnesota, he’s not a professional runner, he’s 38 years old, and he’s a husband and a dad. But at some point in 2018, Eric found himself committed to the goal of running 5 kilometers every day for 365 days, and a year later … he’d done it. So Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked to Eric to find out what motivated him to do this? How did the idea come about? How did he actually pull it off? What did he learn in the process? And is this something he thinks the rest of us should try? And as you’ll see, there’s a lot that each of us could learn from this pretty normal (but pretty charming) guy. TOPICS & TIMES:
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