The TRACER Podcast - Trail Running, Ultramarathons, and Endurance Fitness

Trail running legend Max King joins TRACER co-founder Joey Wilson on the TRACER Podcast to explore the concept of "activation energy" and how it applies to endurance athletes. They discuss strategies for overcoming the initial resistance to training—often the biggest hurdle—to unlock significant performance gains.

Funny video of Chasing Walmsley mentioned in the episode! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCgzp3wll0w

Watch the YouTube version of this conversation here: https://youtu.be/6nqjflxncl4

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

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In this episode, we get some amazing 2025 gift ideas from legend trail runners Max King and Amy Rusiecki, hosted by TRACER co-founder, Joey Wilson. For links to all gifts discussed in this video, see https://www.tracerfitness.com/blog/the-best-trail-running-gifts-for-2025

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

Will fueling your running really make that big of a difference? Is sugar bad for people, especially athletes? How much fueling is too much? Can you make your own energy gels and drinks for training and racing? These important questions are discussed with fueling experts Alex Harrison and Michelle Howe in this edition of the TRACER podcast. Subscribe to this podcast for more conversations that will help you get faster.

Check out the Saturday fueling app at saturdaymorning.fit, as well as their YouTube channel:  @Saturday_ProFuel 

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

Eli and Tabor Hemming, two of the fastest trail runners around, join the Tracer podcast to discuss their training philosophy and how everyday runners can improve their training.

The Hemmings emphasize the importance of consistency in training, noting that a single workout won't make or break your fitness. Instead, focus on building fitness over months and years. They also stress that any running counts towards consistency, so even a short run is better than nothing.

To set yourself up for success, prioritize your training and eliminate excuses. The Hemmings suggest preparing for hard workouts like races, ensuring proper fueling, hydration, and recovery in the days leading up to the workout. They also recommend active recovery on rest days.

When assessing tiredness levels, look for trends rather than focusing on a single day. If you consistently feel terrible, take a rest day or even three. The Hemmings also advise paying attention to your motivation levels. If you lack excitement to run for several days, it could indicate overtraining.

While heat training is becoming increasingly popular, the Hemmings caution against overdoing it and emphasize the importance of building a solid fitness base first. They suggest incorporating heat training in the last block of training.

The Hemmings also discuss the importance of listening to your body and not solely relying on data from devices. They believe that journaling your feelings and training can provide valuable insights into your overall well-being.

Finally, they stress the importance of believing in your training plan. Even unconventional training methods can be successful if you have confidence in what you are doing. Find what works best for you and prioritize your overall health and well-being.

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

In this episode of the TRACER podcast, Max King describes his win at one of the world's hardest stage races, The Dragon's Back. He shares what he's learned through his many ultramarathon wins about recovery, training, muscular endurance, and much more. If you're a trail runner, there are many great takeaways from this episode that you can put into practice, even if you're not doing a stage race any time soon.

To get Max's adaptive training programs, check out tracerfitness.com.

Max King's trail running camps: https://www.maxkingtrc.com/

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

Corrine Malcolm is a professional trail runner, coach, and broadcaster. In this episode of the TRACER Podcast, she discusses some of the most common mistakes that trail runners make. Should you train fasted or fueled? Should you use a static training plan? How does comparing yourself to others sabotage your own progress? How much of your training should be easy vs hard? Listen to find out!

#ultramarathon #endurancetraining #trailrunning #marathontraining

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

Sodium chloride, commonly known as salt, is a crucial nutrient for athletes. It helps maintain proper water balance within the body. When the balance between water and sodium gets disrupted, an endurance athlete's performance can rapidly decline. Additionally, dangerous situations can arise if this imbalance isn't restored.

In this episode of the TRACER podcast, registered sports dietitian Kristen Davis tackles key questions for endurance athletes. These questions include: How much sodium is needed during exercise? Is plain water enough in hot weather? How can we determine our individual sweat sodium loss? And what are the signs of low sodium?

Training for an trail ultra or marathon? Get an adaptive, intelligent training program designed by a pro at tracerfitness.com.

Need personalized sports nutrition advice? Learn more about Kristen's services at runonfuel.com.

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

Have you ever heard the phrase "run slower to get faster?" Is that really true? What is Zone 2 training? In this episode, professional coach Scott Johnston and author of "Training for the Uphill Athlete" talks about how to get faster and suffer less through proper aerobic training.

Start getting faster today with proper aerobic training via TRACER: tracerfitness.com

Get the "Training for the Uphill Athlete" book here: https://www.amazon.com/Training-Uphill-Athlete-Mountain-Mountaineers/dp/1938340841/

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

Max King is a world champion trail runner that has found success in everything from short and steep races like Alaska's Mount Marathon 5K to the super bowl of USA trail running, the Western States 100 miler. In this episode of the TRACER podcast, max talks about training correctly, what NOT to do, and how to have a great race day.

Train with Max's advice using one of his amazing TRACER programs: tracerfitness.com.

#ultramarathon #trailrunning #ultramarathontraining #ultrarunning #enduranceathlete

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube

Sage Canaday is an elite mountain runner with multiple wins and course records at the Speedgoat 50K, one of the most competitive mountain races in the USA. In this episode, Sage talks about how to develop speed year over year, and how to sharpen fitness as race day approaches.

As a creator with over 250,000 followers on his own YouTube channel, Sage also talks about the power of publishing and doing new things that you aren't yet good at.

Referenced in this episode:

TRACER Adaptive Training programs for marathons and ultras: tracerfitness.com

Don't miss this amazing film about Sage's recent trials and resilience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yDUE2Z4B1E

Mediocre Amateur - Great adventures with a sense of humor: https://www.youtube.com/@MediocreAmateur

 Excellent film about Jim Walmsley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbXwKTZoLQ4

Nail your training with TRACER, an endurance training software platform designed for the era of AI! Features include automatic imports of activities, flexible training log entries, goal setting, AI-powered evaluation of your training logs, and world-class proxy coaches from the best in the business!

Learn more at tracerfitness.com. Get a free trail and start getting faster now!

Listen to The TRACER Podcast for conversations that will make you faster, on both YouTube and via your favorite podcasting app. Visit here: https://tracerfitness.com/blog

Get faster on your next ultra or marathon with adaptive, intelligent training from world-class pros at tracerfitness.com.

Follow TRACER on Instagram
Follow TRACER on YouTube