It’s cross country running season on a ski-heavy endurance podcast.   There's no better time and no better guest for Threshold right now than Ben True.

In college, Ben was a three sport All-American in cross country, skiing, and track and field. After having some confusion as to what sport to pursue, he landed as a runner... a runner with a clear Olympic trajectory. However, after three Olympic Trials that rendered several 4th place results, Ben reflects on what the Olympics truly are.

Ben will toe the line in his first marathon this year at the New York City marathon. We caught up with Ben, the sponsor-less runner with a sad, yet  even more inspiring story.

With guest Ben True

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

Motocross to those clueless about the sport, might see it as a fairly sedentary group of people, swilling beer, sitting in lawn chairs, eating BBQ, flipping off the camera--not training their asses off.

Sure enough, these guys are training their asses off and John Wessling is the man behind their plans. In fact, he's used many of his ski experiences to develop Motocross racers, and his success is apparent.

With guest John Wessling

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

You know it, you love it, it gives you goosebumps every time you watch it... Jessie and Kikkan's first ever women's cross country skiing Olympic gold medal was made that much more special by the infamous "HERE COMES DIGGINS" call. But did it help bring American skiing more into the mainstream? And what does the future look like for the broadcasting of American endurance sports as a whole?

We talk with NBC producer Michael Shames and play-by-play commentator Steve Schlanger, both who played integral roles in the call of that infamous Olympic moment. 

With guests Steve Schlanger and Michael Shames

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

Dr. Stephen Seiler is known for many things in the endurance sport world: His Ted Talk on "How 'normal people' Train like the World's Best," his countless books and articles, his introduction of polarized training, and the staggering Norwegian medal count... just to name a few.

Today, however, we get into the person Dr. Stephen Seiler,  his perspective on technology in the endurance world and the culture that impacts sport.

with Guest Dr. Stephen Seiler

Host Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

The beer-swilling, Coca-Cola-drinking, taco and McDonald’s cheeseburger-eating women stars of ultramarathons that are beating men at the same distance: Courtney Dauwalter and Brittany Peterson.

As The Western States 100 Mile is around the corner, we talk with previous champion, Courtney Dauwalter, and previous runner-up, Brittany Peterson, about what makes an ultramarathoner tick.

with Guests Courtney Dauwalter and Brittany Peterson

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

In the fall of 2020, the University of Minnesota announced that it would be cutting four athletic programs. Perhaps the most prestigious of these programs to be discontinued was Men's Track and Field. 

This decision hit particularly close to home for the Hoeft Family. Carson Hoeft, who was an NCAA All-American for the Gophers, and Joelle Hoeft, who is a runner herself and now expert activist for cut programs, are the parents of two standout athletes on the indoor and outdoor track and field teams, Eli and Owen Hoeft. 

https://www.savecollegesports.com/

https://regents.umn.edu/regents

Guest: Owen, Eli, Joelle and Carson Hoeft

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

Behind every  star athlete is a star coach. In this two part series, we ask the same questions to two star coaches. Jessie Diggins' coach, Jason Cork, and Frida Karlsson's coach Per Nilsson.

with Guest Per Nilsson

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

Behind every  star athlete is a star coach. In this two part series, we ask the same questions to two star coaches. Jessie Diggins' coach, Jason Cork, and Frida Karlsson's coach Per Nilsson.

with Guest Jason Cork

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

Entering the final stretch of the Men's 50km at the 2021 Cross Country Ski World Championships, Johannes Klaebo of Norway took a wide tangent to overtake Alexander Bolshunov of Russia. The only problem, Bolshunov didn't leave him any room. 

This left Klaebo with a disqualification and Bolshunov with a broken pole to get passed down the homestretch for 2nd (after the DQ).

The FIS decision to disqualify Klaebo has been a divisive topic in the nordic ski community, to say the least. So we talk with two experts, American skier Simi Hamilton and FIS Technical Delegate Allan Serrano, about today's skiing regulations.

With guests Simi Hamilton and Allan Serrano

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr

Knut Nystad, the former head of the Norwegian Wax Team, discusses the strange wax conditions at the Cross Country Ski World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, and the effects a fluorocarbon ban would have on the future of ski racing.

Fluorocarbon ban conversation starts at 19:30.

Guest Knut Nystad, featured in this NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/sports/olympics/cross-country-norway-wax-tech.html

Hosted by Chad Salmela

Produced by Chris Parr