The Midpacker Podcast

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠

In this episode, Troy Meadows talks with Josh Rosenthal, an ultrarunner and entrepreneur from Salt Lake City Utah.

They discuss Josh's background, his love for trail running, and his involvement in the ultrarunning community. They also explore the concept of success in ultra running and the importance of mental strength. Josh shares his experiences with DNFs and his perspective on the DFL mentality. They also talk about Josh's projects in ultrarunning including, Borderlands, the ultra community that Josh is building, Tequila Highway, which aims to gamify training and motivate runners and Wylder, an app that helps runners stay safe in the great outdoors. 

Josh Rosenthal discusses the importance of balancing family and high achievement. He shares his strategies for prioritizing training while still showing up for his family. Josh also talks about the significance of deep work and how it helps him be more efficient. He emphasizes the sacrifices he is willing to make to be present for his family. 

Additionally, Josh shares his upcoming race and training schedule, as well as his passion for trail running and coffee. In this conversation, Josh Rosenthal discusses the importance of ethical sourcing in the coffee industry and how companies like Stumptown, Intelligentsia, and Counterculture pioneered this movement and paved the way for La Barba Coffee the coffee company that he built and ultimately sold to pursue other projects.

Lastly, Josh shares where to find him and his current project, the Trail Grit docu-series.

Josh Personal Links IG 

@runborderlands

@wylder.app

https://www.sealevelinsights.com/about

What we talked about on the show

Unbreakable

Bear 100

Wasatch 100

Speed Goat

Borderlands

BoarderlandTR 

Wylder - App

DFL before DNF

Trail Grit

Tequila Highway

Antler.co Paris: Euntripanuer in Residence

10,000 small buisness by Goldman Sacs

Zion 100

Dead Horse

La Barba Coffee

Natural Born Heroes - Chis McDougall 2nd book 

Chapters

03:00 - Getting into Trail Running

08:16 - The Wasatch 100 and the Spirit of Trail Running

11:58 - Borderlands: Building an Online Community

17:40 - DFL Before DNF: Redefining Success in Ultra Running

29:23 - Tequila Highway: Gamifying Training

34:22 - Balancing Family and High Achievement

38:49 - Creating a Balanced Life

39:19 - The Importance of Deep Work

41:26 - Making Sacrifices for Family

47:50 - Upcoming Race and Training Schedule

52:08 - Incorporating Strength Training

01:01:16 - Final Thoughts on Trail Running and Coffee

01:16:11 - Where to Find Josh and Trail Grit

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠ - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

⁠Freetrail⁠ - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠

In this episode, Troy Meadows talks with Mathias Eichler, a race director, podcast host, and trail runner. They discuss Mathias' background, his love for running and trails, his involvement in the Trail Running Film Festival, being a race director and owner of Rock Candy Running events, and his podcast, the original Singletrack Pocdcast.

They also talk about the challenges of balancing work, family, and running, and Matthias' goals for 2024. The conversation delves into the grassroots nature of trail running events and the impact of corporate influence, particularly in the context of UTMB and Ironman. T

he discussion explores the differences between European and American trail running cultures and the challenges of preserving the grassroots spirit while growing and expanding events. The conversation also touches on the importance of effective communication and the need for unity within the trail running community.

Mathias Personal Links

IG - @einmaleins 

@singletrack.fm 

@rockcandyrunning

Things we talked about on the show

Trail Running Film Festival

Rain Shadow Running

Rock Candy Running

Singletrack.fm Podcast

UTMB Group CEO Interview

Electric Cable Car

Ultra Trail Mt Rosa

Kodiak 100k

Lavaredo OCC

Chapters

03:34 Finding Running and Trails

10:16 Running in Europe vs. America

13:37 The Trail Running Film Festival

23:40 Rock Candy Running Events

32:13 The Singletrack Podcast

46:41 Balancing Work, Family, and Running

59:57 Goals for 2024

01:31:44 Personal Feelings about UTMB

01:32:28 European Perspective on UTMB

01:34:24 Broken Arrow Race

01:37:57 Grassroots Events and Relationships

01:38:24 Defining Grassroots Events

01:38:54 Hard Rock and Western States as Grassroots Events

01:39:21 UTMB's DNA

01:41:19 Possibility of European and American Grassroots Events

01:42:43 UTMB and Vale Resort Partnership

01:43:46 Different Cultures in Europe and America

01:45:37 UTMB's Grassroots Status

01:46:04 UTMB's Growth and Corporate Influence

01:47:48 Ironman's Influence and Brand Partnerships

01:48:16 Different Cultures in Europe and America

01:48:45 European Infrastructure and Culture

01:49:31 Limited Opportunities for Large Events in America

01:53:46 UTMB's Desire for a Race in Canada

01:54:32 Ironman's Influence and Brand Partnerships

01:55:22 UTMB's Communication and PR

02:07:41 Trail Running Culture and Communication

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠ - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

⁠Freetrail⁠ - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠

In this episode of the pod, Troy Meadows has a conversation with Deb Hambertlin. Deb Hamberlin, an experienced ultra runner and running coach, shares her journey into trail running and her love for the Grand Canyon. She discusses her involvement in the Free Trail community and the support she receives from the Free Trail Femmes group. Deb also talks about her local running group, Team Vitesse, and her coaching business, Kestrel Coaching LLC. Deb Hamberlin shares her strategies for balancing work, family, and multiple real estate companies. She emphasizes the importance of structure, organization, and setting boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Deb also discusses the significance of making time for hobbies and fun activities, such as skiing and racing. She shares her upcoming race schedule, including the Tahoe 200 and Javelina Jundred, and highlights the challenges and rewards of participating in ultra races. In this conversation, Deb Hamberlin and Troy discuss the importance of creating longevity in the sport of ultra running. They explore the mental and physical aspects of maintaining endurance as athletes age, including the need to reframe expectations and focus on overall well-being. Deb emphasizes the importance of incorporating strength training, yoga, and cross-training to prevent injuries and maintain balance. The conversation concludes with a discussion on choosing the right races and finding satisfaction in the sport at any age.

Deb’s Personal Links

IG - @debrunsfar

FB - debhamberlin 

Website - KestrelCoachingLLC.com

Things we talked about on the show

Sweat Magazine

UESCA Ultra Running Certification

Team Vitesse - Giggle Till It Hurts

Los Vegas Marathon

Tuscon Marathon

Boston Marathon

The Relay

R2R2R

American River 50

San Tan 50k

Cold Water 100k

Big Alta 50k

Crown King 50k

Tahoo 200

Javalina Jundred

Mogollon Monster

Across The Years

Chapters

02:07 Transition to Trail Running

07:12 The Grand Canyon and Ultra Running

18:08 Free Trail Femmes and Community Support

23:47 Team Vitesse and Local Running Group

32:57 Balancing Work and Coaching

41:45 Creating Structure and Organization

50:49 Balancing Business and Parenting

01:07:33 The Javelina Jundred Experience

01:10:34 The Mogollon Monster 100

01:11:46 Creating Longevity in the Sport

01:13:10 Mental and Physical Aspects of Longevity

01:14:27 Incorporating Strength Training and Yoga

01:15:49 Importance of Nutrition and Blood Work

01:18:19 Consistency in Training

01:19:39 Age and Endurance Sports

01:20:53 Reframing and Balancing Life as an Athlete

01:22:20 Choosing the Right Races

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠ - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. We donate $1 to runners for public lands with each item purchased.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com

⁠Freetrail⁠ - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠ Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on ⁠Patreon⁠.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? ⁠LINK HERE⁠

In this episode of the pod, Troy Meadows talks with Yan Fournier.  Yan is a father, trail runner, and ultra runner who does Buis Dev for SACO. A company that produces the LED technology used at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Yan and Troy met through the Freetrail community and have become good friends over the digital landscape. This year at Grindstone they got the chance to meet in person and share quite a few miles on the course. Yan Fournier shares his journey from overcoming back problems to discovering trail running and finding balance in his life. He discusses the intersection of his work in business development with his passion for trail running. Yan also talks about running with his sons and the joy of sharing the trail with them. He shares his experiences at races like Quebec Megatrail and Grindstone 100. In this part of the conversation, Yan and Troy discuss aid stations and crew support, dealing with foot problems during races, the impact of wet conditions on blisters, Yan's expedition in the Atacama Desert, and the importance of dreaming big and being consistent. In this conversation, Yan discusses his personal journal on Instagram and his involvement with Kapic 1. He emphasizes the transparency and authenticity of his Instagram account, where he shares the ups and downs of his life. Yan also highlights the Kapic 1 expeditions and coffee, encouraging others to participate and support the cause.

Chapters

02:11 Overcoming Back Problems and Discovering Trail Running

07:32 Finding Balance with Trail Running and Family

11:13 Running with Sons and Staying Young

14:36 The Intersection of Work and Trail Running

19:13 The Benefits of Running for Mental Clarity

27:01 The Work of Seco and Projects Managed

30:21 Running Quebec Megatrail

37:17 Running with Troy at Grindstone 100

40:54 Aid Stations and Crew Support

45:35 Blisters in Wet Conditions

52:59 Yan's Expedition in the Atacama Desert

56:54 Impossible to Possible and Kapic 1 Coffee

01:00:27 Future Race Plans

01:12:04 The Importance of Dreaming Big and Being Consistent

01:20:18 Kapic 1 Expedition and Coffee

Yan’s Personal Links

IG - ⁠@trail.yan⁠

Things we talked about on the pod

⁠Saco LED technology⁠

⁠Sphere In Vegas⁠

⁠Gorge 50k⁠

⁠Snowdonia 100k⁠

⁠Quebec Mega Trail 100 miler⁠

⁠Grindstone 100 miler⁠

⁠UTMB⁠

⁠Ray Zahab⁠

⁠Kapik 1 Dessert Expedition ⁠

⁠Impossible to Possible⁠

⁠Kapik 1 Coffee⁠

⁠Howe Stern⁠ - Race Photographer

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

⁠Run Trail Life⁠ - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

⁠Freetrail⁠ - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠

Troy Meadows Links: ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠Strava⁠

Freetrail Links:⁠ Freetrail Pro⁠ | ⁠Patreon⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Website⁠ | ⁠YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on Patreon.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? LINK HERE

In this episode, Troy Meadows talks with his longtime friend Christopher Thomas, an experienced ultra runner who was pivotal in helping Troy early on with his journey to running Ultras. Chris shares his journey and recent success in trail and ultra running. He discusses his early experiences and how he got into the sport. Christopher highlights the importance of proper nutrition and how it has been a game-changer for him. He also shares his race highlights and achievements, including his recent races at Silver State 50-Miler and Tahoe Rim Trail 100. This part of the conversation concludes with his experience at UTMB 100k Porte Viarte Mexico. 

Christopher shares his role in crewing and pacing for international runners at Western States. He also talks about his experience as the course director for the Canyons 100K race. Christopher shares his upcoming races and goals, including his plan to run the Lake Sonoma 100K. 

Finally, he discusses the balancing act of managing work, family, and training. In this conversation, Christopher Thomas discusses his work and lifestyle as a custom home builder and ultra trail runner. Christopher also shares how he balances work and family, including taking care of his elderly mother and aunt. Christopher concludes with advice for trail runners and shares his contact information for those who want to connect with him.

Chris’s Links

IG - @Burroslocos

Chris’s Nutrition Coach

Vic Johnson 

IG - @mountain.sports.nutritionist

Chris’s Running Coach

Riccardo Tortini Team Run Run

Things we talked about on the pod

Scratch Lab Portables Book⁠

Montara 50K - Pacifica Ca

UTMB

Black Canyon 100k

Lake Sonoma 50

Silver State 50

TRT 100

UTMB 100k Porte Viarte Mexico

Bandera 100k

Canyons 100 miler

L'échappée Belle

Bob Crowley 

Lucy’s Dad Documentary

Silver State Striders

Run in Rabbit

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:03 Getting into Trail and Ultra Running

06:34 First 50K

09:01 Running with the Red Antler Running Crew

19:27 Importance of Proper Nutrition

35:27 Silver State 50-Miler and Tahoe Rim Trail 100

42:38 UTMB Mexico

46:35 Family Support and Involvement

53:11 Volunteering at Western States

55:02 Course Director at Canyons 100K

01:04:18 Upcoming Races and Goals

01:08:23 The New Canyons 100K Course

01:18:01 Running Lake Sonoma 100K

01:20:37 Balancing Work, Family, and Training

01:30:36 The Ultra Trail Running Community

01:31:32 Advice for Trail Runners

01:36:12 Acknowledgment to Rabbit

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

Run Trail Life - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

Freetrail - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: Instagram | Patreon

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Strava

Freetrail Links: Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | Website | YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on Patreon.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? LINK HERE

In this episode, Troy Meadows talks with Sarah Lavender Smith, an ultra runner, writer, and horse mom based in Telluride CO, who is passionate about women's participation in ultrarunning and sharing her knowledge and experiences with the trail running community through her weekly newsletter: 

 Colorado Mountain Running & Living  ←— This is a weekly must-read!!! 

Sarah Lavender Smith, an experienced ultra runner and coach, discusses her background in trail running, the challenges of balancing running and family life, and the importance of longevity in the sport. She also shares insights on coaching midlife midpackers and helping road runners transition to the trails. Sarah's book, The Trail Runner's Companion, provides practical advice and training plans for trail runners of all levels. She also writes a weekly newsletter that offers valuable insights and inspiration for trail runners. In this conversation, Troy and Sarah discuss loop runs and training stimulus, the need for Western States to separate from UTMB, the impact of UTMB on independent races, increasing female representation in hard rock and Western States, the power of athletes in shaping the sport, Sarah's race calendar for 2024, 

Sarahs Links

Website - https://www.sarahlavendersmith.com/

IG - @sarahrunning

Links to things we talked about on the pod

The Trail Runner's Companion

Sarah’s Articles for TrailRunner

Sarah’s Articles for UltraRunner Magazine

Running Up for Air Grandeur Peak 12-hour

Run The Rocks Moab 3-Day Stage Race

Lion Devide 100k

Grand to Grand Ultra Stage Race

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:10 Getting Started in Trail Running

10:06 Longevity in the Sport

18:10 Balancing Running and Family Life

25:18 Coaching Midlife Midpackers

34:21 Transitioning from Road Running to Trail Running

39:05 Writing the Trail Runner's Companion

42:36 The Trail Runner's Companion Newsletter

43:30 Loop Runs and Training Stimulus

44:26 Separating Western States from UTMB

45:20 UTMB's Influence on Independent Races

48:05 The Impact of UTMB on Grindstone

49:24 Increasing Female Representation in Hard Rock and Western States

50:31 The Power of Athletes in Shaping the Sport

53:32 Sarah's Race Calendar for 2024

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

Run Trail Life - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

Freetrail - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: Instagram | Patreon

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Freetrail Links: Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | Website | YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on Patreon.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? LINK HERE

In this episode, Troy Meadows talks with Brian Peterson, an ultra runner and father based in Arizona who is also passionate about vintage clothing and Wild West culture.

Brian shares his background in sports and how he discovered trail running. He talks about his experience running his first 100K and the importance of going beyond what you think you're capable of. 

Brian also discusses the challenges of balancing running and family life, emphasizing the need to prioritize and find a routine that works for everyone. In this part of the conversation, Troy and Brian discuss the importance of consistency in training and the need to balance work, training, and family. They also talk about their involvement in Trail Talk, a YouTube show where they discuss current topics in trail running. Brian shares his experiences running the Javelina 100K and the Javelina 100-Miler, highlighting the challenges and lessons learned. 

They also discuss Brian's partnership with Norda, a sustainable trail running shoe company.

Takeaways

Don't be afraid to go beyond what you think you're capable of in running.

Finding a balance between running and family life requires prioritization and effective time management.

Brain's Links

IG - @wolfrunner

Strava - Brian Peterson

Links to things we talked about.

Mount Baldy Run-to-the-Top

LMFA & Co Running Club

Vapor Kar - Hydration Vest

Trail Talk Trail Running Reaction show on YouTube

Javalina 100k

Norda 001

Black Canyon 100k pacing @Elliotcardin from Norda

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:39 Early Sports and Introduction to Running

09:23 Rediscovering Running and Trail Running

14:23 Running First 100K

28:39 Interests in Vintage Clothing and Wild West Culture

34:27 Balancing Running and Family Life

39:04 The Importance of Consistency in Training

41:03 Balancing Work, Training, and Family

43:09 The Maturity of Ultra Running

44:16 The Value of Doing the Work

48:26 Trail Talk: A Fun and Engaging Project

57:42 The Javelina 100K Experience

01:09:39 Reflecting on the Javelina 100-Miler

01:13:53 The Javelina 100K Redemption

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

Run Trail Life - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

Freetrail - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: Instagram | Patreon

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website
Freetrail Links: Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | Website | YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on Patreon.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Want to leave Troy some feedback, recommend a guest, or make a suggestion? LINK HERE

In this episode, Troy Meadows talks with Zach Friedley.  Zach is an advocate, race director, trail runner, and Adaptive athlete running for On. The conversation starts out with Troy telling the serendipitous story of how they got met and then they dive into how Zach came into trail running. How Zach fell into the perfect relationship with On Running. How the brand really gets it from an athlete's point of view and how they show up for Zach in a major way.

They discuss some of the difficulties that Zach has had with the UTMB organization when running the MCC event the last 2 years and the disappointment he felt with the work he has done working with UTMB to try to make their events more accessible for adaptive athletes. We dive into his desire next year to run the in the Golden Trail Series and some of his goals around those events. Lastly, we talk about Born to Adapt and the event that he will be putting on in New Zealand with Adaptive Athletes empowering that community to keep pushing toward their life and endurance goals! The work Zach has done and is doing in our sport is truly inspiring.His willingness to not take no for an answer and lean in to do very hard but impactful work to make our community more inclusive is something that we can all learn from.The greatest gift you can give someone is the gift of opportunity

Zach’s Links

IG - @zachary_movement

TikTok - @trailblader

Things we talked about in the episode

Born to Run Ultra Events

Born to Adapt Born to Adapt YouTube Video

Trail Runner Article - ⁠UTMB Has a New Adaptive Athlete Policy. Some Say It’s Lacking. 

On Running

Rising Hearts

David Killgore

Zegama

Sierre-Zenal

Marathon de Mont Blanc

Mammoth Trail Fest

ROMP Range Of Motion Project

Climbing for ROMP

Karl Egloff

Born to Run 2

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

Run Trail Life - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

Freetrail - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: Instagram | Patreon

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website
Freetrail Links: Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | Website | YouTube

The MidPacker Pod is part of the Freetrail network of Podcasts.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on Patreon.

Make sure you leave us a rating and review wherever you get your pods.

Today on the show Troy Meadows is talking with Kyla Maher. Kyla is a community organizer, and trail and ultra runner based in Bozeman Montana.  She is also a content producer and the athlete manager for Janji the up-and-coming running apparel brand that in Kyla’s words is a pocket company that also makes shorts. 

Kyla was not always the runner she is today and they dive into her journey from being a successful entrepreneur in the yoga space to making a decision to radically change her life by closing down her businesses and spending a year in service living out of a van and teaching yoga and meditation to inmates in prisons across the country. After a year she decided that she was ready for a change and ended up in Bozman where her love of the trails found her jumping feet-first into the ultra-running community. 

Kyla founded of the Bozman Run Club soon after moving to the mountain town and they unpack what it has meant to her to grow that club from the ground up.

They finish up the convo talking about her season of running completing at the Big Horn 50 miler, Crazy Mountain 100, Mongolian 42k, and The Bear 100.  We also talk about Scummy Summer Slammer a multiday FatAss from Bozman to Yellow Stone that the Bozeman Running Club puts on. This is kind of a Fight Club kinda race, remember you don't talk about Fight Club:)

Pre Show Links

Ultra Crew Hub Crewing Grindstone 100  with Troy Meadows

Trail Talk

Kyla’s Personal Links 

IG - ⁠@kylarosemaher

Show Links

“You are not the slowest one. You are the one with the most potential.”

Bozman Run Club

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Janji⁠

Races

Big Horn 52 miler

Crazy Mountain 100 

Mongolian 42k

The Bear 100

Kyla’s Personal Links 

IG - @kylarosemaher

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Sponsor Links: 

Run Trail Life - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

Freetrail - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

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Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Freetrail Links: Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | Website | YouTube

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Today on the pod Troy Meadows talks with Aum Gandhi. Aum is an entrepreneur, trail, and ultra runner based in Los Angeles.  He is a partner and owner at Run Tri Bike the online site dedicated to sharing the voice of the everyday athlete and we discuss his journey from feeling trapped in a job he hated to developing a freelance relationship with Run Tri Bike that turned into an opportunity to come on full time and become a pivotal role in growing the organization. 

They also talk about how Aum gives back with his running by working closely with the Richstone Family Center a charity that he is super passionate about that helps at-risk children and families break the cycle of child abuse and thrive. Aum has a flag that the children created for him that he carries across the finish line of all of his races and through his running he has raised over $10,000 for this organization!  We round out the conversation with Aum’s running goals for 2024, where he plans to run the Triple Crown of 200’s.

We discuss mindset and how he plans to balance his hectic work weeks with the demands of training for not one 200-mile race but 3!

Links to things discussed in the Pod

IG Handles

@theaumgandhi

@runtrimag

Run Tri Bike

Run Tri Bike Article - Positivity In Endurance Sport

Richstone Family Center

Merrell

Siman Senic - Start With Why

Across the Years 72 hours

Oregan 200

Triple Crown of 200’s

If you are enjoying the content, please consider supporting our sponsors using the links below.

Sponsor Links: 

Run Trail Life - This is a brand I am super passionate about because I am the Founder and Chief everything officer for RTL. Run Trail Life Brings you casual apparel that lets you show off your love of trail running and ultrarunning while giving back to ensure that everyone has access to the beauty of nature for generations to come. With each item purchased, we donate $1 to runners for public lands.

Use code: midpackerpod to double the donation from your purchase. 

Visit RunTrailLife.com to check out our line of Hats and Organic cotton T's.

Freetrail - Bring Trail Culture with you everywhere you go and join an amazing community of extraordinary trail runners. Freetrail Pro membership is just $96 a year, giving you access to the Freetrail Slack community, training plans, weekly office hours, and so much more. I absolutely love this community and have personally used the training plans to get ready for my ultra efforts.

Visit Freetrail.com to sign up today.

MidPacker Pod Links: Instagram | Patreon

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Freetrail Links: Freetrail Pro | Patreon | Instagram | Website | YouTube