In the Zone

You can be barefoot strong in "normal" running shoes.
So you don't even have to ditch your Vaporfly's on race day to benefit from strong feet.
In our conversation Anton, barefoot specialist, shares:
- why strong feet can make you run faster
- as well as less injury-prone
And how to actually make your feet grow stronger.

Why does your motivation come and go? Why do you feel bad when you can't stick to the training plan? Why do you struggle to believe in yourself?
You've likely already experienced that there's bigger challenges in reaching your goal than just the physical training.
Motivation, race nerves, perfectionism, dealing with setbacks, confidence…the one even more elusive than the other.
You're aware of it, but you wonder how you can do something about it.
That's why I wanted to have this conversation with Olivier Goetgeluck.
We took the time to shine a light on the invisible world of athletes for 2h straight.
How does it work? Why does it feel so intangible? And what can I do about it?
It's our hope that you find some pointers on your own journey to be more relaxed, confident, consistent, and resilient in training and racing.
Let us know what sticks.

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Nick Fowler, in a self-supported attempt, was on pace to beat the supported PCT record by 2 days*.
And then he got stuck in a cave for 41 hours, dodging a hurricane in the Sierra.
To make matters worse, he started peeing red, got washed away by several river crossings, and tore his quad.
But he still ended up breaking the self-supported record by over 3 days.
We were lucky enough to run into Nick halfway through our own FKT attempt. And his energy (he was running by himself for over 3 weeks at that point) was inspiring.
I just wanted to have him on the show to understand what kind of human being even thinks about attempting an endeavor like this solo.
Knowing how hard it was for Karel and the crew, I can only imagine how intense it must be to spend all those weeks alone.
I'm grateful for this open, inspiring, sometimes raw, conversation I was able to have with Nick.
I wish you a perspective-shifting episode.
And keep an eye out for his upcoming book about his earlier FKT on the Pacific Northwest trail. It even has a chapter about Karel.
*Timothy Olsen's supported record.

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No one had asked me this before.
But I. Loved. The. Question.
I've done many solo podcast episodes but stopped doing them because I genuinely thought "they were too much" and no one got what I was saying.
So, when Steve asked me to make an entire series out of my episode on "true performance" I couldn't believe it.
Skeptical that someone could be so interested in my perspective, I was hesitant at first. But after a couple of DM's, my guards quickly came down.
In this episode, we are actively exploring ways to explain how running is a spiritual path and how you can walk it.
I don't know why this topic gets me so excited, but I'm glad I found someone who's just as eager to explore it with me.
Is this the beginning of an ongoing series with Steve?
You definitely let me know in the comments what you want us to expand on.

Steve's instagram

You're probably familiar with the performance benefits of caffeine and nitrates. Maybe you've even heard about the benefits of bicarbonate.

But what about cordyceps and lion's mane? Medicinal mushrooms that can serve as a clean source of energy, help your breathing, and even boost your ability to focus.

Endorf is rethinking the way we think about optimizing performance through supplementation.

Through their holistic approach, they don't just settle for supplements that target the body. They're going after the mind just as much.

That's why I wanted to know all about it.

In this episode, Founder Yav shares the story behind the company, current developments, and how these supplements can boost your performance and enhance your recovery

Endorf social links:

Instagram

Linkedin

Website

Nature, retreats, curiosity, and passion.
That's how I would describe the conversation I had with Mauricio.
And those exact themes are just as much the throughline in what they do at Aire Libre.
If you know that the "crying rate" is the metric they use to reflect on retreats, you know they don't host regular running camps.
With deep respect for the local environment and culture, they design stunning and moving retreats. Just check out their IG and you'll know what I mean.
But what struck me the most in this conversation is how organically Aire Libre came about.
By continuously following his curiosity, Mauricio (together with his co-founders) ended up at Aire Libre the way it is today.
It's a beautiful conversation for anyone who's curious about the power of curiosity, wants to learn how to find his/her own passion, or wants to hear the amazing origin story of Aire Libre.
I wish you a fun and insightful episode.

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How do you reintegrate into a fast-paced society after having run a marathon a day for 2 years straight?
In 2016, Seba Vandermolen started his 25 000km long journey (together with Weking Van Reeth) from the northernmost part of Alaska to the southernmost point of South America.
The idea alone is insane (and I'm an ultra runner).
It took them 2 years to finish the 25 000km.
But it seemed that the real journey started when Seba came back home.
Having gotten so used to the natural rhythm of each day, the Western pace of life was a shock to the system.
This is an inspiring conversation for anyone who wants to learn more about:
- what running can teach you about life
- how to not get sucked into a rushing society
- the essence of running
This one goes deep. Take some time to take it in.

I was running down from La Flégère to make it into Chamonix in time.
Not because I was racing myself, but because I wanted to see Maximilien finish his Marathon du Mont Blanc.
We haven't had many Belgians contend at the international level, so I was excited to see how he'd do this time.
But being the current European champion trail running, it was no surprise he was shooting for the podium before he finished 6th.
Earlier that weekend, Florian Descamps and Laura Van Vooren had finished 7th and 3th respectively the 90km race of Marathon du Mont Blanc.
So, I couldn't help but get excited about where Belgian trail running is headed.
That's why I wanted to get to know Maximilien better, hear all about his race and understand how he got to be a world-class trail runner.
I'm looking forward to having more of our best trail runners on in the future, so let me know how you like this episode."

Social links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maximiliendrion/

What if you get jealous of the exact person you're crewing on their FKT?
I feel uncomfortable sharing about the topic. Especially because I feel a lot of shame about this 5-year-old part of myself. But it is real and it was looking for ways to express itself.
It's not what I expected the conversation with Chris to revolve around, but I'm incredibly grateful I got to talk through the experience with him.
He just got back from crewing a 76-day FKT (raising £300 000 in the process), where he had a similar experience.
Chris's own openness and ability to put his inner world into words made this a healing conversation for me.
We talked right before I'm leaving for the PCT. It couldn't have been better timing.
Thanks for this one, Chris.
I hope we'll have many more of these conversations in the future.

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