Chasing Trails Podcast

In this engaging conversation, Alex Quinn shares his journey from participating in extreme challenges to creating a documentary that highlights mental health and suicide prevention. He reflects on his experiences with the 4x4x48 challenge, his first 100-mile race, and the emotional rollercoaster of premiering his documentary. Alex discusses the vulnerability of sharing personal stories, the impact of public speaking in schools, and his involvement in suicide prevention initiatives. He emphasizes the importance of community engagement and authenticity in inspiring others, while also looking forward to future events and projects.

With September being Suicide Prevention Month the boys wanted to sit down with Alex Quinn. In this engaging conversation, Alex shares his journey from participating in extreme challenges to creating a documentary that highlights mental health awareness and suicide prevention. He reflects on his experiences with the 4x4x48 challenge, his first 100-mile race, and the emotional rollercoaster of premiering his documentary. Alex discusses the vulnerability of sharing his personal story, the impact of public speaking at schools, and his involvement with suicide prevention initiatives. He emphasizes the importance of community engagement and the power of local inspiration in driving change. As he prepares for a significant event showcasing his documentary, Alex expresses gratitude for the support he has received and the hope that his story will resonate with others.

In this episode of the Chasing Trails podcast, hosts Brandon and Geoff reflect on their experiences at the 2024 version of Looney Loops. They discus the event's organization, weather conditions, and the community atmosphere. They share personal insights from their race experiences, including challenges faced and the importance of volunteers. The conversation highlights the camaraderie among runners and the excitement surrounding future races, particularly the upcoming Chiggy race.

We're excited to introduce you to one of our new sponsors Devin Kennedy, founder of Resilience Through Fitness (RTF)! In this episode Deven shares his story of how he found a passion for running and fitness after a life-changing incident. He started RTF to help others, especially first responders, navigate the challenges of training and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. RTF focuses on a personalized, holistic approach to fitness, taking into account individual needs and schedules. Devin's dream for RTF is to continue growing and supporting clients in achieving their goals, while also participating in races and events.

To find out more about RTF you can go to their ⁠website⁠

Music by ⁠AlexGrohl ⁠

Mark McColgan head of Saint John Trail Running joins the Chasing Trails podcast to discuss the upcoming Looney Loops race in Atlantic Canada. The race is a 24-hour trail race with a 3-kilometer loop around a lake. Mark shares details about the race, including the challenging terrain and the community-based atmosphere. He also talks about the involvement of the YMCA and the donations that will be made to support their programs. Mark highlights some new additions to this year's race, such as a PR gong, live music performances, and projected race results. The conversation concludes with Brandon and Geoff discussing their plans to participate in the race.

We finish off by talking about the new race at Poley Mountain called the Pole Peak Pursuit. He mentions the challenges of organizing races and the importance of maintaining consistent communication and high-quality event experiences. We even discuss the future goal of organizing a 100-mile race in the Sussex area and the increasing participation of women in trail running events.

This week on the podcast Allison McFadden, an accomplished trail runner, shares her running journey and recent achievements in the trail racing world. She discusses how she got into trail running and her love for the sport. Allison also talks about her experience running from one tip of Nova Scotia to the other, raising money for the IWK. She highlights the importance of women's participation in trail running and the inspiration provided by female role models. Allison shares her future plans, including taking time to recover and preparing for a sailing adventure with her family.

The boys also announce their partnership with Resilience through Fitness. Founder Deven Kennedy created RTF to help first responders and the general population achieve their full potential and partnering with RTF to be our title sponsor for Season 3 was a great fit. If you'd like to know more about them you can check out their website resiliencethroughfitness.com

In this episode, Geoff and Brandon discuss the runner's funk and share tips on how to overcome it. They explore the idea of trying new running routes, going back to basics, and participating in social runs. They also discuss the pressure of setting goals and the importance of making running a lifestyle choice.

In this episode Mark Hemmings shares his trail running journey, from starting with road races to transitioning to trail running and eventually tackling the Capes 100. He emphasizes the importance of learning from the greats and going all-in when pursuing a new challenge. Mark also highlights the joy of running with his daughter and the beauty of the Cape Breton course. He discusses the logistical aspects of the race, including crew support and drop bags, and shares his experience running through the night and encountering challenging weather conditions. Mark shares his experience of running the CAPES 100 race and pushing himself to finish strong.

Mark talks about his why behind this challenge, to create a documentary about turning 50 and pushing himself to do something previously believed to be impossible.

We finish off by discussing the intersection of photography and running, how they enhance each other, and the joy of documenting his trail running journeys.

markhemmings.com

Instagram: @markhemmings

In this episode, Geoff and Brandon discuss the most self-conscious things about trail running and the worst things about adulting. They give their bronze, silver, and gold answers for each topic. In this conversation, Brandon and Geoff discuss their self-consciousness about certain aspects of trail running. They share their personal experiences and frustrations, including crop dusting, pointy nipples, chafing, and sweaty clothes. They also talk about the challenges of adulting, such as car repairs, buying expensive items that aren't fun, and the constant need to sweep the floors. They conclude by discussing how they've become like their parents and the things that bother them now. Overall, the conversation is light-hearted and relatable, highlighting the humorous side of trail running and adulthood.

Colin Swift, a trail runner and shoe reviewer, shares his running journey and love for trail running. He discusses his transition from team sports to running and how podcasts and books inspired him to start running. Colin also talks about his recent documentary on the Fundy Footpath FKT and his passion for ultra running. The conversation then shifts to sneakers, with Colin providing recommendations for different categories, such as first-time trail runners, door-to-trail shoes, and more. In this conversation, Colin Swift discusses different types of trail running shoes based on specific needs and preferences. He recommends the Nike Pegasus Trail and Solomon Max Glide for beginners, the Hoka Speedgoat and Solomon Ultra Glide as daily trainers, and the North Face Vectiv Pro and Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra as high-end race shoes. For those on a budget, he suggests looking for last year's models or considering the Solomon Ultra Flow and Brooks Divide. Colin also emphasizes the importance of finding the right fit and considering factors like cushioning, stack height, and drop.

Colins' Youtube channel