Burnout doesn't happen overnight.

It sneaks up on runners when every run becomes a workout, every workout becomes a measurement, and every measurement becomes a judgment.

This week Nick and Jarett talk about how to recognize burnout before it steals your love of running, answer listener questions about running 100 miles, and break down the mental framework Nick uses during races when things start falling apart.

The Next Aid Station Rule has helped save races, training cycles, and more than a few difficult moments in life.

If you've ever felt burned out, wondered if you could run 100 miles, or found yourself looking for an exit when things got hard, this episode is for you.

Run Scared.
Ostrich Running Store
Alethia Running Sensor (Use Code RUNSCARED10)
Damn Accident Injury Attorneys

We recorded an entire podcast and forgot to hit record.

After getting over our frustration, we sat down and did it again. Somehow the second version ended up being even better.

This week we're talking about the launch of the new X Country Reflective Performance Tee, where Ostrich Running is headed, why Nick has taken more time away from running recently, what that has done mentally and physically, Route 66 race plans, and the ongoing debate of lean runners versus stronger runners.

A candid conversation about running, business, fatherhood, fitness, and the miles nobody records.
Run Scared.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Alethia Running Sensor
Damn Accident
and us... Ostrich Running

Most of us spend our lives racing people who don't even know we're competing with them.
The runner chasing a PR.
The entrepreneur chasing success.
The parent trying to keep up.
The creator chasing numbers.

But what if we've been running the wrong race all along?

In this solo episode, Nick explores the race nobody talks about—the internal battle between who you are and who you're capable of becoming.

From ultrarunning and business ownership to fatherhood and personal growth, this conversation examines why comparison steals our joy and why courage matters more than finishing position.

Because maybe success isn't about beating other people.
Maybe it's about refusing to quit on yourself.

For the Flock.
Ostrich Running Store
Alethia Run Sensor

I didn’t podium at the O’Neill Park 50K.But honestly… this race changed the way I look at racing, suffering, fueling, and even why I run in the first place.In this solo episode, I break down the entire experience from the KH Races O’Neill Park 50K:

• battling for 3rd place
• realizing what “racing” actually feels like
• going head-to-head with Thomas Demartino
• completely cramping up on the climb
• learning hard lessons about sodium and fueling
• and why this race left me feeling more fulfilled than disappointed

I also talk openly about the irony of owning an electrolyte company while mismanaging my sodium intake during one of the hardest efforts I’ve ever put out.But the biggest takeaway from the weekend had nothing to do with placement.Seeing Ostrich Running at the race… watching runners support the brand… having my wife and family there helping at the booth… that meant more to me than any podium ever could.Huge shoutout to:

• KH Races
• Ethan Meza for an incredible performance and almost breaking the course record
• Melody Cox for dominating the women’s field
• Thomas Demartino for pushing me all race long
• and everyone who came by the booth and supported the vision

This one is about racing, community, and learning to appreciate the effort regardless of the outcome.Run scared.
Ostrich Running Website
Alethia Running Sensor- Use Code: RUNSCARED10

What if the thing you take for granted every single day… was almost taken away from you completely?In this episode of the Ostrich Running Podcast, we sit down with ultra runner Sean Casey (@takethestairs1), whose story completely changed the way we think about movement, pain, and endurance.Sean was paralyzed as a kid and had to relearn how to walk. Years later, he would go on to run one of the hardest ultramarathons in the world: the Leadville 100.But this conversation goes far beyond ultra running.We talk about:

• learning to appreciate movement
• why suffering changes people
• running for fulfillment instead of validation
• the mental side of ultras
• why trails changed his relationship with running
• intentional training vs ego mileage
• and what “Take the Stairs” really means

This is one of the most honest and perspective-shifting conversations we’ve had on the podcast.
Follow Sean:
IG: @takethestairs1
Ostrich Running Store
Alethia Run Sensor- Use Code: RUNSCARED10

Ultra runners are weird… and today Jarett is asking all the questions every normal person has been thinking.

How do you even become an ultra runner?
How much do you eat during a race?
Do you need a crew?
How do people run through the night?

And honestly… what do you even win for doing this?

In this episode (and reoccuring throughout season 2) of the Ostrich Running Podcast, Nick and Jarett break down ultra running in the most approachable way possible—covering gear, fueling, training, recovery, race day insanity, and the mindset behind running extreme distances.Whether you’re an experienced runner, curious beginner, or someone who thinks ultra runners are completely insane… this episode is for you.

This is Ask an Ultra Runner.

The Ostrich Running Store
Alethia Run Sensor (Use Code RUNSCARED 10)

Your fitness didn’t disappear… your fuel did.

In this solo episode, Nick shares a recent experience with under-fueling that led to a failed tempo run—and breaks down what’s actually happening in your body when you’re not eating enough.

From glycogen depletion to muscle performance, this episode explains why fueling is critical not just during your runs, but across your entire training cycle.

If your legs are giving out before your lungs, this is a lesson you don’t want to miss.

Ostrich Running Website
Altethia Run Sensor

What does it actually take to commit to something most people wouldn’t even consider? In this episode, Nick sits down with Mason Wright—also known as The Buff Runner—to break down his next challenge: running 1,000 miles on a track to raise money for the Single Parent Project. After completing 421 miles across Utah, Mason is taking things even further—and this time, removing the scenery, the variation, and everything that usually distracts you. Just a track.
Just repetition.
Just the decision to keep going. We get into:

• Why he chooses these extreme challenges
• What goes into planning something like this
• The logistics most people never think about
• What happens when things start to break down
• And the mindset required to keep going when there’s no external pressure to finish

This isn’t just about running. It’s about purpose, discipline, and choosing to do hard things.
Buff Runner Website
The Single Parent Project

Ultra running 20 years ago is not the same sport it is today.

In this episode, we break down how much the sport has changed from the mid-2000s to now—looking at top athletes like Scott Jurek, Karl Meltzer, and Nikki Kimball, and comparing them to modern runners like Jim Walmsley, Kilian Jornet, and Courtney Dauwalter.

We dive into how race times have improved across 100K and 100-mile distances, including Western States, and what’s really driving those changes. Is it better athletes… or better systems? We also get into the evolution of gear and fueling:

• Shoes (from basic trainers to super shoes)
• Watches and data tracking
• Fueling strategies and how modern runners are approaching carbs and sodium

And the big question: Has ultra running gotten harder… or just smarter?

Ostrich Running Store
Alethia Run Sensor

Six years ago, I couldn’t run more than 1.7 miles. I remember that first run—feeling like I was dying, wondering how I would ever make it to a 5k.

At the time, I was early into sobriety, dealing with a loud mind, and trying to rebuild my life one step at a time. I didn’t feel like a runner. I felt like someone who had never finished anything he started.

Running gave me something simple: a finish line. In this solo episode, I share the journey from that first 1.7-mile run to now chasing a podium at a 50k. The failures along the way, the moments where things started to shift, and how consistency changed everything.

This isn’t just about running—it’s about identity, growth, and what happens when you commit to something long enough to see who you become.

I don’t know if I’ll podium. But I do know I’m going to find out what I’m capable of.

Alethia Run Sensor
Ostrich Running Store