Trail Runner Nation

Dr. Gordon Harvey is a Professor of history at Jacksonville State University.  He is also a seasoned ultra runner with dozens of finishes under his belt.  He has a pendant that says, "Memento mori and memento vivere" - Remember that you must die, and remember to live. Gordon joins The Nation to talk about his recent experience training and running the Pinhoti 100.  This was a race to prove that his first 100-mile finish wan't a "fluke".  But there were obstacles and set backs in his training, including a heart attack and surgery less than one year before the race.  Gordon shares his not-so-unique story with us and helps us understand and cope with the process and the result. Read more about his Pinhoti 100 journey HERE Be sure to sign up for a 30-day free trial of Open, a mindfulness studio by going to Open-together/trn and using the code TRN

Our first live recording where Nation Members could join the audience and listen while we record & ask any questions they have for Don, Scott and frequent-guest Andy Jones-Wilkins. Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Ultrarunner and Psychologist, Jill Colangelo, recently published her thesis discussing the relationship of mental health and ultra endurance sports.  Some of you may have even participated in her study!  We discuss how prevalent mental illness is in our sport and how we can balance our passion with healthy living.  You can read her paper HERE. For more information or to talk with Jill visit her web site.  

The central governor theory is based around the premise that the brain will override your physical ability to run and “shut the body down” before you're able to do serious or permanent damage to yourself. Dr. Joe Uhan, founder of Uhan Performance in Eugene (Physical Therapy, Coaching, Running Analysis) and is studying manual therapy fellow-in-training at Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs, CO. Topics we cover in part 2: The central governor has a purpose and we have to listen to it. Learned pain patterns You become more sensitive to common pain points. Your governor becomes hyper sensitive, and more threatened. Can you "synthetically mask" the central governor?  Does the governor actually know whats going on?  Can your central governor fail you? Can that work to your advantage? Can you train your central governor with Psychology? PMA goes a long way. What's happening to the governor when we have peaks and valleys in our run? Maybe it's a committee of governors... What is the somethin

The central governor theory is based around the premise that the brain will override your physical ability to run and “shut the body down” before you're able to do serious or permanent damage to yourself. Dr. Joe Uhan, founder of Uhan Performance in Eugene (Physical Therapy, Coaching, Running Analysis) and is studying manual therapy fellow-in-training at Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs, CO. Topics we cover in part 1: What is the central governor What the central governor does. Tries to determine how much output can the body give without catastrophe. The central governor depends on all systems of the body. There's the role of the different peripheral systems and then the central brain. Everyone's Different. How close to catastrophe does the central governor shut down the body? How can we have a better relationship with our governor. Which is easier to train; the peripheral systems or the brain? Does the central governor fall out of shape? We referenced the article Joe wrote in ir

Here are the items we talked about Running Shoes - HERE is the article Don referenced Ibuprofen - HERE is the story AJW referenced What are your Cues? Why are we offended by the term Jogging? Knowing the trail The Awe Run. HERE is the article from Psychology Today about Awe Walks. HERE is the podcast episode Scott mentioned where he learned about Awe Walks Hire Andy as a coach! or check out his weekly Tap Room at iRunFar

Adam Kimble and Strava Co-Founder, Mark Gainey, were recently talking about Eliud Kipchoge's attempt at the sub 2-hour marathon.  They focused on every little detail that his team worked on improving. These small improvements can make a big difference.  How can we implement this strategy in our lives?   British Cycling Team Performance Director, Dave Brailsford, did this with the team back in 2003 turning their mediocre winless team into a powerhouse of competitors with his philosophy of the "aggregation of marginal gains": tiny margins of improvement in everything they did. Read more about the British cycling team from James Clear HERE Check out Adam Kimble's new running journal, "Chasing Twilight" he wrote with Connor Crouch and Jim O'Brien Learn more about Adam by checking out his web site and his coaching site, Run On Dirt Coaching. Adam's social channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Check out this super 30-day trial to Open, a mindfulness studio

Trail Runner Nation friend and frequent guest, Dr. Phil Maffetone, helps us understand that health isn't a simple byproduct of fitness; that fitness can be improved with better health.  He explains how we can become healthier and more fit athletes.  We refer to an article, "Athletes: Fit but Unhealthy". Other references: Get the Maffetone App HERE Take the 2 Week Test Get a taste of Dr. Maffetone's best articles HERE Keep listening past the credits for a song from Phil's most recent album, Outlier. Learn more about Phil Maffetone's MUSIC We had a fun Bonus Miles discussion with Phil that you can access as a Patreon Ambassador level or higher. Support the podcast by supporting these great partners: Athletic Green's AG-1 XO Skin's 'Socktober' sale.  Use code 'TRN15' for discounts on non-sale items Native Deodorant and use the code 'Trail' for 20% off your first order Other deals here Previous episodes with Dr. Maffetone: Get Stronger with Dr. Phil Maffetone Why is Weight-Loss so Difficult Even for Runne

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and Dr. Ryan Green are runners, experts on running form AND owners of specialty shoe stores.  We enlist their help to teach us how to choose the right shoes: Find a credible store and fitting expert Step & Feel What is the right size? Use all your senses to feel the fit Orthotics? Color matters Magic will happen when you take off your shoes References: Contact Dr. Green at his web site or visit his web site: Varsity Running Dr. Mark's Run for Your Life Podcast Dr. Mark's book, "Run for Your Life" Holowka, N.B., Wallace, I.J. & Lieberman, D.E. Foot strength and stiffness are related to footwear use in a comparison of minimally- vs. conventionally-shod populations. Sci Rep 8, 3679 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-21916-7 Cudejko, T., Gardiner, J., Akpan, A. et al. Minimal shoes improve stability and mobility in persons with a history of falls. Sci Rep 10, 21755 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78862-6 Make sure you watch his 8:25 Video that show the princi

One of the new devices for athletes that is getting some buzz are continuous glucose monitors (CGM), a small adhesive patch with a tiny filament embedded in the flesh.  This device is designed to track your blood sugar levels.  Could this be the next technology that helps runners avoid bonking?  Author, runner and regular TRN guest, Alex Hutchinson recently tried out one of these devices and shares his experience.  Read his recent article, "A Real-Time Fuel Gauge for Endurance Athletes" in OutsideOnline  Alex Hutchinson is an avid runner and author.  We did a series of podcasts on his book, Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance What Defines our Limits - with Alex Hutchinson Follow Alex on Twitter Check out Sweat Science  

Most of us inevitably recruit a team that support our running.  This could be a running partner, coach, crew, pacers, etc.  One key teammate that you might consider is an Athletic Trainer.   Guest co-host, Krissy Moehl, shares her experience with having someone on her team that helps maintain her body through activation, recovery and treatment. Kerry Gustafson is owner of Prime Sports Institute, an athletic training facility providing a team approach to health care in Bellingham, Washington.  Kerry explains that athletic trainers are the "point guard" for your care.  Traditionally these athletic trainers are found on the sidelines of collegiate or professional sports teams.  Now their services are available for the amateur runner! To find an athletic trainer near you, try Go4Ellis.  Check out Prime Sports Institute's online Yoga for runners program or call for a remote consultation. Follow Prime Sports Institute on  Instagram Youtube Support Trail Runner Nation by becoming a Patreon supporter

Andy Jones-Wilkins joins to talk about seven simple rules to consider for a successful long run.  This list is not comprehensive and we may have follow up episodes.   Don't run a single hill (the definition of a hill varies by fitness level) Run all downs, (unless the hill taxes the knees, quads, or risk a fall) Start early with a purposeful walk/run rhythm.  Keep the body fresh, do not put yourself in a catch up position.   EVERY time you shift from a run to a walk, use this mantra, "Walk with purpose!"   Walking with a purpose is effective and a strategy.   Manage the aidstations, show up with a plan. .  Let a volunteer fill your hydration. Next, take care of your gear and medical.  Select your fuel, eat it as you walk out.  (No loitering)   You cover an enormous amount of ground when you purposefully walk.   Monitor anything that feels slightly off; calories, hydration, electrolytes, salt on face, salt on shirt, color of urine, cramping, stomach, apply lube to anything hot (chaffage) and listen to negativ

Trail Runner Nation began in November of 2011 with a singular purpose or WHY: To share knowledge with our Nation of runners that will help them become better runners, run longer. In this candid conversation, Don and Scott talk about how this WHY was formed and how it has guided the podcast: from choosing guests and topics. We credit this clarity to a book by Simon Sinek, "Start with Why". We highly recommend it to everyone that might be looking at life or projects that are a little blurry. As an appetizer, please watch Simon in his 18-minute Ted Talk from 2010. Please consider supporting these great partners of Trail Runner Nation that sponsored this episode:   Janji UCAN  

Kilian Jornet, 33, is one of our generation's greatest endurance athletes.  He is a six-time Skyrunner World Series champion, and has stood atop the podium at trail races around the wold, most notably the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, Western States Endurance Run, and Hardrock Hundred Mile Run.  Jornet has set fastest known times on mountain peaks from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc and holds numerous ski mountaineering records. Guest Hosts Anna Frost and Stephanie Howe speak with Kilian from his home in a quiet Norwegian village where he lives with his wife, noted trail racer Emilie Forsberg, two daughters, a labradoodle, eleven sheep and a menagerie of farm animals. You will find that Kilian is humble and thoughtful.  You will find out where he ranks a 24-hour track run on his "fun scale".  He is passionate about our environment and brining up his family and teaching future generations about how to keep the planet safe. Check out Kilian Jornet Foundation Please check out our partners for this episode: XO Skin U

One thing most runners have in common is that we will inevitably puke: literally and figuratively.  How do you react to these situations?  Dr. Rob Bell is a certified Mental Performance Coach with years of academic research and real-life coaching experience.  He will help us to put these situations into perspective, frame them and then use them to propel us to improved performance and fulfillment. Dr. Rob Bell's seventh book, Puke & Rally: It's Not About the Setback, It's About the Comeback Check out Dr. Rob's web site Puke & Rally web site His podcast, "15 minutes of Mental Toughness" Find him at Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Thank you for all our partners.  This episode is brought to you by  XO Skin Goodr If you like this episode and would like to support us with a gel or two, visit our Patreon link

Badwater 135 mile race is dubbed the world's toughest footrace.  It begins at the lowest elevation in the USA (280 feet below sea level) and runs over three mountain ranges in the blistering heat of Death Valley, climbing 14,600' to end at the portal to Mt. Whitney.  Some of the greatest ultra runners have run this race.  This was Sally McRae's second attempt.  In 2018 she finished a personal-disappointing seventh place.  This year she won and won big.  She joins co-host Krissy Moehl to discuss her training journey, what drove her to the win and how she is recovering.

Joe Grant has run and raced around the world and created some amazing adventures in his home state of Colorado.  Guest hosts Anna Frost and Stephanie Howe find out more about what makes Joe tick and why he feels running is an art. Joe's move, The Middle Way Find out more about Joe's adventurous life Joe's adventure to bike to and then summit all of Colorado's 14ers (peaks that are over 14,000' in elevation)   Anna's web site Anna's Trail Run Adventures Stephanie's web site Stephanie's Threshold Expeditions

Our Coaches, Krissy Moehl , David Roche and Ian Sharman join us to talk about some of the lessons that were learned from the 2021 Western States 100 race that might help you improve your performance. You can find out more about Krissy: - Krissy Coaching services - Krissy's book, "Running your First Ultra" Ian Sharman can be found at - Sharman Ultras coaching services - Ian's podcast, "PodiumRunner Endurance Podcast" David's stuff - David and Megan's coaching at SWAPRunning - Their book, "The Happy Runner" - David and Megan's podcast, "Some Work, All Play" Visit our partners XO Skin - get 15% off with code "TRN" Run The Alps - guided and self-guided support tours of the Alps and Dolomites!

Mimmi Kotka is a world class runner that lives part-time in the Chamonix Valley with her husband Toni and dog Enzo, giving tours of the mountains at Run the Alps.  Mimmi has won or been on the podium at a number of major trail races around the world. That list includes first place at the 101 km CCC and 121 km TDS races in Chamonix, France. She is a member of the Swedish National Ultrarunning Team. Mimmi isn’t just a trail runner, either. She also has an advanced degree in Nutrition, and is a partner in Moonvalley. She has a fun sense of humor, and always has interesting insights to share on trail running. Mimmi joins Anna and Stephanie to talk about her passions, her unconventional lifestyle and her struggle and triumph over RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) Stephanie's web site Stephanie's Threshold Expeditions Anna's web site Anna's Trail Run Adventures Make sure to get your FREE sample pack of UCAN by clicking HERE Check out the trail-designed PATH Projects gear

This week's podcast (Friday) will be hosted by two of our favorite guests, Anna Frost and Stephanie Howe. Be sure to check out these links to their coaching and their events coming up: Stephanie's web site Stephanie's Threshold Expeditions Anna's web site Anna's Trail Run Adventures