Lindsey McDonald is part of the Trail Nerds running group in Kansas City. 

In this episode we talk about nutrition, hills, and training at altitude, and the difference between running up and down mountains vs. up and down hills.

Lindsey trains hard, and is a strong competitor on even the gnarliest trails. And she has her sights set on some big goals for her running career.

For those of us who look at running 100 miles as a challenging goal, the idea of going 200 miles or more seems incredible.

My guest this week is David Theriot. He's placed among the top finishers in several 100 mile races, run the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim, ran in Western States 100, and the Tahoe 200.

Now he has his sights set on the Triple Crown of 200s – running the Tahoe 200, the Bigfoot 200, and the Moab 240 all in the same year.

David also has a podcast for ultra runners: The Run Theriot Podcast. https://www.facebook.com/runtheriot

I met Jo Hearlson in person for just a few seconds when she came through an aid station I was helping with. But even then, I didn't know her name. I only knew her through Instagram where she goes by "adventuresofarunner." 

She has a goal to run at least a mile in every county in Kansas and she had her sights set on a 24 hour race and 100K.

The adventures she shares on Instagram are always interesting, and the stories she has to share in person are just as fun.

I hope to have a chance to take a trail run with her in person someday. For now, I'm glad to share this virtual run and have you join us.

My guest this week is Pauline Christie. She is a runner, a mother, and a psychiatric nurse who lives in Australia.

Pauline is a runner who posts regular motivation and encouragement on her Instagram account, @Fat_to_5km.

Runners come in all shapes and sizes. But most of us still think that “real” runners look like a gazelle . . . lean and light. For those of us who are bigger, just putting on running clothes and getting out the door can be a huge psychological barrier. Pauline and I talk candidly about this idea of body image that many runners face.

I’m grateful to be able to share her story here!

If you're a runner, especially an ultra runner, you love to run. Each of us have our own reason for WHY. And for most of us, that is more complicated than we can explain in only a few words.

But there are other endurance challenges out there other than running.

My guest this week, Jordan Zimmerman, is an ultra runner who also enjoys kayaking. He's done the MR350, a race from Kansas City to St. Louis on the Missouri river. 

I've had several "trail talks" with Jordan as we've run together in person. I'm excited to have him here to share a conversation here on Trail Talk as well.

Misty Wright is one of the first runners I got to know when I started running trails a few years ago. 

I've had the privilege of running with her in training and in our first 100 mile finish. 

She's a relentless ultra runner because she has pushed through the normal challenges all of us face with the added challenge of some health issues. In fact, doctors told her she wouldn't be able to run. But she found a way and keeps going.

We ultramarathon runners love to push and test our limits. 

The challenge is what draws us. And it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of doing more and longer races. 

But there's a downside too. Sometimes we forget that rest and recovery are just as important as training and racing. We're in an extreme sport, and we can take our drive to do more to the extreme and find ourselves in BURNOUT. 

My guest this week is Heather Hart. She's an exercise physiologist, ultra runner, blogger, and coach. She's had some personal experience with burnout, and in this episode she shares how she got there and her journey back to balance in life and running.

To connect with Heather:

Relentlessforwardcommotion.com

Instagram: @relentlessforwardcommotion

Facebook: @HartStrengthAndEndurance

If you're not having fun, you might be doing it wrong!

Todd Chandler always adds a dash of fun to almost everything he does. Sure, he's a strong runner with a bag full of race medals. And whether you talk to him in person, or see something he's posted on social media, his sense of humor comes through.

This summer he had to pause his training to recover from an injury. So he made a video and infographic about how to be successful at Ultra-Couching.

Here is the link to Todd's Ultra-Couching video: https://youtu.be/Se1SGqHr57w

And the link to his infographic:

http://toddchandler.com/ultracouching...

Below are links to find out more and connect with Todd.

http://toddchandler.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/ToddRChandler