The MidPacker Pod is Brought to you by Freetrail.

You can now support the MidPacker Pod on Patreon.

Today on the Pod, Troy Meadows sits down to talk with Matt Feldhake. Matt is a father, husband, marketer, and trail runner.  

Matt is the Marketing Director at Aravaipa Running and has played a pivotal role in bringing us the amazing live stream coverage that we have all come to love from Jamil and Crew.

We geeked out a lot on Marketing but also talked about Matt's running and his next race, the Georgia Death Race, which he claims is coming out of retirement. 

We also talk about how, as a father of 3, he juggles his family's needs with his job requirements and running goals.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

YouTube Links:

Aravaipa Running - Black Canyon, Cocadona, Javelina  Live Streams

Run Steep Get High - Hardrock 2023

Mountain Outpost - Mammoth Trail Fest Live Stream

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 brought to you by FreeTrail with generous support from Vacation Races. 

Today on the Pod, Troy Meadows talks to his dear friend Heidi Garner. Heidi is a mother, community organizer, artist, entrepreneur, and Trail and UltraRunner. They talk about how Heidi has found balance in raising several children with her running goals. How she has used her passion for endurance sports to give back to her local community as a board member of the youth swim league that her children are a part of and with a program that she founded that works with local schools to teach young children the joy of running. 

They discuss her need to take a step back from racing and training recently as she reevaluates her “why” for running and resets the stoke for an upcoming adventure trip to the Grand Canyon.  

Lastly, they talk about the small cottage business, Heidi Garner Studio, that she has formed around her art and the love of the trails and how she was able, through a chance encounter, to give Bronco Billy a trucker hat with some of her Grand Canyon art on it. 

If you follow Jeff Browning on IG or FB, you have likely seen him running the trails wearing it. 

Talking with Heidi about her work for her local community and how she juggles all the things was super inspiring. Hopefully, it kindles the fire in you to give back to your local community. 

We hope you enjoy this conversation with Heidi Garner.

Heidi was gracious enough to give a discount to our listeners. 

Check out her website: heidigarnerstudio.com

Use code: midpacker for 10% off your order.  

Heidi Links

FBHeidi Garner Studio

IGHeidi_Garner_Studio

Website:heidigarnerstudio.com

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

Today on the Pod, Troy Meadows talks with Eugene Day. 

Eugene is a Data Science and Discrete Event Simulation Director at Seattle Children's Hospital who loves Trail and Ultrarunning, dabbles in poetry and is always striving to be a better leader.

They discuss several topics, including Eugene's Sobriety and how he decided to stop drinking. His love of poetry, he actually recites a poem he wrote in the show about his relationship as a mid-to-back of the pack runner and the crazy fast folks at the tip of the spear; see below.

They dive into leadership and its role in his work life and unpack what a Discrete Event Simulation Director does for large multi-pronged organizations. We also touch on Eugene's formula for deciding how many times to volunteer at races yearly, a great minimum standard for anyone looking to give back to the community. They round out the conversation, talking about the big year he had running a 50 miler, 100 miler and completing an IronMan in one calendar year—a huge accomplishment for anyone. 

Things talked about on the show: 

"Through the Storm" Article in Ultra Runner Magazine

Ethan Newberry Videos

Amongst the Evergreens 

Squamish 50/50

Poets

Charles Bucousky

Robert Frost

Eugene's Poem:

I cannot float the way those broad-backed angels waft on floral breezes. I thrash and tumble through the hurricane, hail pelted, bruised, and graceless, leather stretched on brittle wires, veined and blood warm. What matters if a bird might snap a quill, slough it, sprout another? My wings are flesh. Once torn, they bleed and weep. I am fowler, slower, clumsy. I am heavy, ugly, coarse, and shrill. I lack their elegance, their sheer wit, their lithe agility, their nimble poise. I cannot sing their bird song. I know what I am and what I'm not. So look at me. Look at these gnarled knobby claws that tip my bones. I am a beast, yes, wire-haired and rotten-toothed and blind, but look at me and listen. Watch me beat these flimsy wings against the pitched-faced moon that haunts the storm-lashed jungles of my home. You seem to think all flying things by feathers soar, but I have dragon's wings. Like them, like you, I fly.

MIT Certificate in Executive Leadership 

X-team by Debra Ancona 

Hamster Endurance Runs - Grechen Walla

Eugene Links

IG - @eugenedaydsc

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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 brought to you by FreeTrail with generous support from Vacation Races. 

Today on the pod Troy Meadows sits down with Jessica Grinspan. 

Jessica is a public health researcher, trail runner, and ultrarunner from Philadelphia, PA, with a passion for aligning running pursuits with social advocacy. She is also a vibrant member of the FreeTrail community and an active member of the mental health channel in the FreeTrail Pro Slack community.  

In today's episode, they discuss how Jessica got into the trails. A recent injury that will likely lead to surgery with an extended recovery process and how she will cope with having to let go of running for a few months in the healing process. They also discuss a few other topics outside of running, like the fact that she used to be a lead singer in a symphonic metal band and how she gives back to her community by volunteering in an a cappella group to sing oldies to seniors in nursing homes. 

We also dive into ways Jessicain has aligned her running goals around raising money for charity, including raising over $1,000 for front-line workers during the pandemic while running the Quarantine Backyard Ultra in 2020 and raising awareness to get people out to vote in the last election cycle when she set up and ran what she called Propel the Vote.

Jessica is also a member of Team "Jess Do It" and the Jess Backyard, a group of women named Jessica who met through running the Great Virtual Race in May 2020, where participants ran the equivalent distance of running across the state of Tennessee. 

We hope you enjoy our conversation with Jessica Grinspan.

Facebook

Jessica Grinspan

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

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

In this episode of the MidPacker pod brought you by FreeTrail, with generous support from Vacation Races, Troy Meadows has a discussion with Ari Sonnenberg.

Ari has a mindset that is very powerful, and through reckoning with a lot of trauma in his life, more than anyone should have to bear, he has managed to cultivate a thoughtful approach to mindfulness and a zeal for living with a no-nonsense attitude that only a Boy from Brooklyn can have. 

We dive into Ari's upbringing, his 16-year tour of duty in the military, his journey as an aesthetic monk living in India, and his travels as a monk teaching around the world. He worked extensively with the VA to work through his traumas of war and help other soldiers do the same. 

We also talked about his running and how endurance sports have helped him process his therapy sessions.

We discuss Ari's feelings on Memorial Day and how he has used it as a way to remember his fallen brothers and sisters by doing a tough endurance project around that day and with the help of the FreeTrail community aligning with the Wounded Warrior Project to raise over $4000 for that organization. 

We unpack a lot in this episode and go very deep into topics that could be triggering for some audience members. Including mental health and suicidal tendencies as well as PTSD, the loss of comrades in battle, and some of the disturbing things that Ari experienced in war that affected him for years after his military duty was over. 

Book List 

All Ages: Reflections from Straight Edge

Bhagavad Gita

Running with the Buffaloes

Ari’s Articles on FreeTrail

Remembrance

Austerity and Endurance

IG

@slowerthanyoucrew

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

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

This episode of the MidPacker pod is brought you by FreeTrail, with generous support from Vacation Races,

With all the UTMB festivities right around the corner, the stoke is super high to have this week's guest on the pod. In this Episode Troy Meadows talking with dear friends Mat Glaser and Maureen Cane. A year ago, Mat took a sabbatical from his job as a Teacher in Berkley, and together, he and Maureen moved their family of 4 to a sleepy village outside of Chamonix, France, to explore the mountains and embed themselves into French mountain culture.  

We talk about some challenges of living abroad and some hoops they have had to jump through while settling in. We also talk about the adjustments that have had to be made with their two boys, both middle school age, and what it has been like immersing them into French schools and French culture. 

We dive deep into their individual running goals. Matt is making a second attempt on the PTL LA PETITE TROTTE À LÉON, an off-piece route around Mont Blanc that goes on the entire UTMB week. Maureen is taking her 3rd crack at TOR, or Tor Des Geants. We hone in on what being in the European mountains means to them while they prepare for their epic journeys. 

We also talk about Matt betting on himself and starting his own coaching business, Flow State Running, a move that ultimately allowed them the ability to make this amazing move to the French Alps. 

I am so impressed with these two and their ability to design a life worth living with their family in mind as they tackle big audacious goals. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did with Mat and Maureen. 

Facebook

Mat Glaser

Maureen Cane

IG

@mat_glaser

@maureencaneyoga

STRAVAMat Glaser

Flow State Running

Facebook 

IG @flowstaterunning 

website: https://flowstaterunning.com

Mat's Blog: https://goingdownthetrailfeelingbad.com

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

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

In this episode of the MidPacker pod brought you by FreeTrail, with generous support from Vacation Races, Troy Meadows talks with Vivian Tang about acting locally while thinking globally when it comes to empowering the BIPOC community to embrace the trails.

Vivian is a clinical pharmacist, trail runner, and community organizer.  She is very passionate about inclusion in trail running and we dive deep into a few topics including the treatment of a group of BIPOC spectators at this year's Boston Marathon and the presence in past years of a confederate flag license plate at the Barkley Marathons.  While this plate has not been displayed in years, pictures still surface every fall when the race is held.  We discuss the feeling that this brings up in her and other BIPOC individuals and why it is important to have open communication and discussion about topics like these in order to find common ground and create safe places for creating the inclusion we want to see in the sport.

Vivian also co-leads a trail running club for women of color in Portland, OR, through Trail Mixed Collective, an organization focused on increasing access to outdoor sports for women of color. We discuss the need to act locally and think globally when it comes to making the trails a welcoming place for everyone.

I commend Vivian for being willing to have an open conversation on a hard topic and leading by example when it comes to being the change she would like to see in the world of trail running.

IG@VivianWTang

https://www.trailmixedcollective.com

https://www.boston.com/news/boston-marathon/2023/04/20/baa-speaks-out-black-boston-marathon-spectators-say-they-were-targeted/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/18/sports/gary-cantrell-barkley-marathons.html

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

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

In this episode of the MidPacker pod brought you by FreeTrail, with generous support from Vacation Races, Troy Meadows talks with Melissa Sorenson about finding the trails, parenthood, and the backyard ultra format. 

Melissa is an ultrarunner, educator, and mother of soon to be 3. Having just recently found out that she is pregnant with her 3rd child. In this episode, we talk about how Melissa and her Husband got into trail running from road marathons and the challenges of running races with small children. The logistics of having children of nursing age drew her into running her first backyard ultra. A race format that allowed her to manage the logistics of racing with the needs of her children. 

Melissa is also an amazing member of the FreeTrail fam, and with the help of another member, Jessica Grinspan brought Trail Mix to one of our office hours. A really cool way for members to get to know each other better through using small break-out groups in Zoom. It is a cool concept that went over super well! 

We also discuss our mutual love of chia seeds and Melissa's slight detour into Ironman triathlon.

I really appreciated Melissa's willingness to share and talk about how hard it can be for new mothers to juggle their little ones' needs with long races. Women specific needs at races is a topic that needs more attention as more women get into the sport.

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

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

In this episode of the MidPacker pod brought you by FreeTrail Troy Meadows talks with Travis Weller about his art and how Travis has aligned with brands in the running space merge his passions with his vocation.

Travis is an artist, father, trail runner, and ultrarunner whose work with brands like the North Face and Roark has crafted a life that aligns his creative pursuits and his love of the trails.

His limited run with the NorthFace Vectiv launch back in 2021 put Travis on the map with brands and that led to his current work with Roark and the Far Out Out Far line that he recently did with the adventure lifestyle brand. 

We talk about his passion for creating more inclusion in the sport and the recent opportunity to complete the Speed Project on Roarks relay team. The Speed Project is an unsanctioned race that starts at the Santa Monica pier in Southern California and ends at the Las Vegas Sign.

Travis Links

IG Ts.weller

TNF Vectiv X TS Weller

Roark Far Out Out Far

Team Run Amok

The Speed Project ‘23

The Speed Project

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

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

In this episode of the MidPacker Pod, Troy Meadows talks with Jessica Vandenbush, a content creator, trail and ultrarunner, and all-around fun person. 

This was an enjoyable conversation centered around some of the unique things Jessica has done around building community and creating content in the running world and how she approaches balance in her life while finding time to pursue her passions. 

From creating the speed dating 5k to running the Jerome Aid Station at the inaugural Cocadona 250, where the town required them to have "quiet time" during the night section, to running hard races, Jessica has a way of leaning in and finding unique ways to solve problems that always come up when you are doing hard things.

Besides working for The North Face, Jessica is the Creator and Editor of Eat Clean Run Dirty, a print magazine focused on trail and ultra running, and just recently directed and produced the film Nettie from Ohio. A film about one woman's journey to get to the Western States 100 endurance run.

Jessica is pushing the envelope and paving the way for female creators in trail and ultra running, a predominantly male-dominated sport. She is doing it with a fun, no-nonsense attitude that is super refreshing. 

Eat Clean Run Dirty

Nettie from Ohio

IG

@jessica_vandenbush

@eat_clean_run_dirty

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

Sponsor Links: 

Title Sponsor:

Vacation Races - Race in epic American National Parks or take a week-long inclusive Global running Adventure with Vacation Races - Vacation Races: Run Were You Play 

Use code: "freetrail15" to get 15% off any half-marathon or ultra-marathon

Use code: "freetrail200" to get $200 off any Global Adventures trip

Space is limited for these epic experiences, so sign up before they sell out.

Visit vacationraces.com to learn more.

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

Troy Meadows Links: Instagram | Twitter | Website

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