Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank welcome Patty Gray-Bellan to episode 83 to talk about her start in running, NCAA titles at UC Davis, marathon victories, career in education and coaching, life in Boise, and the lifelong friendships and community built through running.

Matt and Dave recap the World Cross Championships in Tallahassee, highlighting Australia’s surprise mixed-relay win, standout individual performances, and team podiums, plus visa issues that affected entries. They also review the U.S. club championships, masters races, and memorable upsets and breakout runs.

The hosts then break down fast road results from Houston (including multiple sub-60 men and ten women under 68) and the Valencia 10K, discuss upcoming indoor meets like Millrose, share coaching and training updates, and close with local grassroots racing stories and travel plans.

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank find plenty to discuss despite the holiday-related lull in running competition.

Matt and Dave welcome longtime friend Rod Berry to recap recent cross‑country highlights — NXN, the USA Cross‑Country Championships and the Sharon Colyear-Danville Indoor Season Opener at Boston University.

They then dive into Rod’s life and running career, from Redwood and Stanford to coaching, memorable race stories, and his epic 5,100‑mile European Divide bike adventure at age 65, sharing humor, wisdom and endurance lessons.

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank break down the latest cross-country moments: comprehensive NCAA championship coverage (D1–D3), standout individual runs, and a thrilling women’s duel between Doris Lemongole and freshman Jane Hedengren. They highlight team results, surprising finishes, and notable performances across the men’s and women’s fields.

The episode also covers the California State high school championships—including team and individual winners and combined-region implications for NXN—plus course-building talk for NXN/USAs, and travel anecdotes from the Gans Creek trip.

Matt and Dave recap the excitement from Oregon state meets, share coaching stories and standout performances, and discuss how athletes fared at regional Nike and NCAA qualifying races.

They also break down key college regionals, at-large bids, and individual standouts while previewing the upcoming national championships and what to watch next week.

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank talk with three top collegiate runners — Connor Foley (Dartmouth), Hayden Boaz (Princeton) and Ben Bouie (Harvard) — about recent races, transitioning from high school to college running, and balancing Ivy League academics with elite training.

Matt and Dave catch up on listener shout-outs and Lyle Smith’s NIWOT connection, plus reflections on Van Cortland and college conference races.

They cover major storylines: Iowa State issues, Jane Hedendren’s dominant performance, Ivy League highlights, and the New York City Marathon’s dramatic photo finish.

They finish with local high school district results, personal coaching updates, and reactions to an unforgettable World Series.

Matt and Dave unpack a massive weekend in running: standout freshman performances at Princeton and Nuttycombe, BYU’s dominant showing at Pre-Nationals, and strong NCAA meet results. They discuss team dynamics, course differences, and the nuances behind fast cross-country times. They also dive into the Chicago Marathon, highlighting record-pace efforts and impressive pros like Connor and Galen, then wrap with local high school updates and personal coaching stories.

On this episode of The Steep Ravine Podcast, Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank interview Lyle Smith about his book Blood, Sweat, and Spikes, the rise of Bernardsville’s legendary running program, and the coaching influence of Ed Mather and Mark Wetmore.

Lyle shares behind-the-scenes stories of youth clubs, the Lydiard-inspired training, national meets, and how that culture followed athletes from a tiny New Jersey town to Boulder’s elite teams; the book is available in bookstores and on Audible.