Trail Runner Nation

We talk to the Freeman quartet about lessons they learned from their recent running of the Angeles Crest 100.

Ten years ago Jeff Vierling finished his first Leadville 100 mountain bike race despite having terrible GI issues. That marked the day that he began his quest to find the perfect nutrition & hydration product. He didn't find it. So rather than changing sports to bowling, he decided to learn everything there was to know about nutrition and hydration and "bake" his own. This was the genesis of Tailwind Nutrition. We talk to Jeff about what he learned about nutrition and electrolytes and how Tailwind may just be the answer to many of our problems.

Jason Billows is the founder of Thrive Coaching. This coach may tell you to sleep in, skip a workout or go get a massage. He may tell you to step up your intensity and make your workouts count. Jason reminds us time cannot be managed so we must manage our activity.

Warren Pole knows where the starting line is located. He also knows where the comic line is located, and he proudly steps right over that line with both feet. Here's hoping Warren stays out of bounds because that is where he performs his best work. Thank you Warren Pole for contributing to the podcast and representing Trail Runner Nation.

Join Katie DeSplinter and Dominic Grossman as we talk about Tapering. You have trained hard, hit your race weight, taken care of all the logistics but their is something you can do to improve your performance by 3.5% and all it takes is kicking back?

Bill Carr joins us a few weeks after running his first 100 mile run. We talk to Bill about how his training changed to prepare for 100 miles, his expectations, his experiences and how he would do it differently. We also discuss Bill's unorthodox fueling strategy...

[tabs] [tab title="Description" ] Dr. Steve Gangemi, aka the Sock Doc, joins the NATION again to continue our discussion on his training principles.  This podcast is devoted to part III and part IV: III.  Strength Training – does it help distance runners and how much it enough IV. Training = (working out + daily stress) [...]

Jimmy Dean Freeman, our southern California correspondent, chats with Faith, Don and Scott about the 2012 Western States 100. Earthquakes, rain, snow, hail, record-low temperatures, records-broken, memories-made, goals-met, dreams-fulfilled, victory, defeat, agony, pain, joy, enlightenment: all were present again at this year's WS100.

Have you ever wished you could take a running vacation? Five days of supported running bliss and evenings filled with sharing ideas and stories of trail running? Andy and Kim Holak, veteran trail runners, enable the dream with their company: Adventure Running Company

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella joins us again to talk to us about the "H" words: Heat and Heart. Our community has been buzzing with the tragic deaths of Micah True (aka Caballo Blanco) and Arizonan, John Greer. We ask Dr. Mark if ultra running can be damaging to our health and how to deal with heat in training and race day expectations.

Nation member Warren Pole talks about why British ultras aren't very cool compared to the way he imagines American ultras to be, the best ultra-running advice he has ever received, and his quest to complete the UTMB this year. After listening to this podcast, you may change the way you think about bonking.

You may be able to finish a marathon with a few GUs, a piece of watermelon and some water, but that probably won't work for a 50K or beyond. WHY? Sunny explains how to fuel and what to eat to help you through your first ultra.

Scott Jurek is a trail runner, outdoor enthusiast, physical therapist, competitive athlete, chef, vegan and now author. Scott talks to us about his new book, Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness. How does a seven-time Western States 100 winner, three-time Spartathalon winner, two-time Badwater winner... whew, we could go on and on... fuel for success? How did he get into running? How does he train? What is next for Scott? All these questions are answered in a short, informative and entertaining interview. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

We catch up with Jimmy Dean Freeman who is part of a relay team consisting of 7 ultrarunners running nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica California to help spread the message to elementary school children about fitness, self confidence, setting goals and realizing personal achievement. Jimmy experiences are grand as he is escorted by police, becomes part of a hootenanny, saves a turtle and he is only 1/2 way home!

Frank Lieberman is living proof that It Has Nothing To Do With Age. At 60 he decided to ride Tevis Cup, a 100 mile horse race through the rugged Sierra Mountains. At 62 he ditches the horse and puts on a pair of running shoes and makes the same trip. At 68 he took 1st place at the Swanton Pacific 100 mile Ride and Tie event. He shares with us that Father Time lives in our mind and not in our heart.

What happens when you leave 3 runners in a room with a few mics. Scott sings his version O' Canada, Don finds his memory is failing faster than his leg turnover and Faith...well as usual, she comes across pretty good.

At TRN we have produced a number of megabytes talking about the benefits of forefoot striking. We have invited author of the book Tread Lightly: Form, Footwear, and the Quest for Injury-Free Running, Dr. Peter Larson, to the podcast. He has recently been conducting research on the biomechanics of distance running in road races with his undergraduate students. Heel strikers unite, you no longer have to run at night under the cover of darkness to hide your running gait.

TRN joins elite ultrarunner and running coach Carilyn Johnson as we discuss the Art of Pacing. Who knew there was so much to this pacing stuff? Pacers should get a finishers shirt for all the work they put in for a runner.

Dr. Steven Gangemi, aka the Sock Doc, joins the TRN podcast crew to discuss the training benefits of heavy breathing. Aerobic vs Anaerobic Training is a hot topic in the endurance community. How much, when, and why are questions we present to the doc. What follows is a great conversation and in the end we all learn a ton. Even Dr. Gangemi, who learns that the podcast crew has a lot to learn!

Dominic plays the mountain profile like a concert pianist plays the arpeggio. A well-executed run is like making music. Join us as we discuss with Dominic what he has learned from his mentors and absorbed directly from the San Gabriel Mountain range. Running uphill, recovering on the downs and cruising the flats set the stage for a hit song. This is a must listen.