Trail Runner Nation

By Trail Runner Nation

What's Trail Runner Nation about?

Trail Runner Nation is devoted to sharing knowledge and advice to the trail running community - from beginners to the pros! We offer tips and discussion regarding race nutrition, pacing strategy, mental focus and much more from well-respected members of the trail community.

4.5

939 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

EP 642: From Pavement to Pa...

09.21.2023

In this episode, we delve deep into the often-overlooked synergy between road and trail running with Coach Ian Sharman. As head coach at Sharman Ultra and a seasoned ultra-distance trail runner, Ian brings a unique perspective, showcasing the merits and ...

Trail Runner Nation episodes:

09.21.2023 EP 642: From Pavement to Path: Mastering Running on All Surfaces In this episode, we delve deep into the often-overlooked synergy between road and trail running with Coach Ian Sharman. As head coach at Sharman Ultra and a seasoned ultra-distance trail runner, Ian brings a unique perspective, showcasing the merits and ...
09.15.2023 EP 641: The Evolution of a Bigfoot 200 Champion Today, we've got an extraordinary guest who truly personifies the spirit of relentless improvement—Mika Thewes. She has not only completed the grueling Bigfoot 200 ultra-marathon five times but has also managed to get faster with each and every race! In ...
09.07.2023 EP 640: The Pain Cave In this must-listen episode of Trail Runner Nation, we explore the enigmatic "Pain Cave"—a space every runner knows but wishes to avoid. Our exceptional panel includes ultra-marathon champions Jeff Browning, Michael Wardian, and Courtney Dauwalter, as well as sports science ...
08.31.2023 EP 639: Endurance off the Trail- Downhill Racing with Steven Nyman We have a special treat for all those seeking inspiration from the world of endurance sports. Imagine hurtling down treacherous slopes at breakneck speeds, defying gravity, and pushing the limits of human ability. Our guest needs no introduction in the ...
08.25.2023 EP 638: Drop Bag with AJW: Mix and Match! It has been a long time since we have done a drop bag episode. Andy Jones-Wilkins takes a break from his Crack-A-Brew podcast to compare what is in his drop bag.
08.17.2023 EP 637: Trail Runner's Guide to Better Biomechanics Have you ever been told, you are heel striking, you shouldn't do that! You need to land on your forefoot or midfoot! And after trying, became frustrated and given up? Today we are going to speak with an expert on ...
08.10.2023 EP 636: I Can't Wait to Be Patient! Are you patient? Can you find benefits of being more patient? Returning expert and ultra runner, Dr. Rob Bell. helps us with some strategies that can help us be more patient. A certified Mental Performance Coach and author of "I ...
08.03.2023 EP 635: Why Are Runners Suddenly so Fast? This year it seems like course records throughout trail running have been dropping like flies. UltraRunning Magazine lists hundreds of new records for both men and women on their site. Some of these records are decades old. Are we getting ...
07.28.2023 EP 634: Beyond Carbs - The Ketogenic Edge Welcome to today's episode, where we explore an exhilarating topic that's been gaining traction within the endurance sports community: the fascinating role of ketones in enhancing athletic performance. Ketones, a type of fuel utilized by the body when glucose levels ...
07.21.2023 EP 633: Training Your Brain to Outlast the Long Run Good friend, Dr. Phil Maffetone, joins us again to help us understand how important music can be to improve the neuroplasticity of your brain and enter the alpha state. What does this mean for an endurance runner? Dr. Maffetone explains ...
07.14.2023 EP 632: Mastering Metabolism for Endurance Runners We have a truly captivating show lined up for you today, as we dive deep into the world of metabolism and how it affects our health, fitness, and athletic performance. Joining us today is a true expert in this field. ...
07.07.2023 EP 631: From Pub Bet to Champion: Tom Evans' Triumph Journey We are thrilled to have Tom Evans, the newly crowned champion of the 50th running of the Western States 100, with us today. Tom, an adidas TERREX athlete and ultrarunner, has just achieved an incredible feat, finishing the race in ...
06.29.2023 EP 630: Rediscovering Your Mojo on the Trail We all know that feeling when running starts to feel like a chore rather than a passion. But fear not, because Coach Patrick Reagan is here to share his personal journey of rediscovering his running mojo and provide expert advice ...
06.21.2023 EP 629: Insights and Speculations on Western States This coming weekend is the 50th anniversary of the one of the most legendary ultramarathons in the world - the Western States 100. As we have done almost every year, we are joined by our good friend, Andy Jones-Wilkins, to ...
06.16.2023 EP 628: Running with Purpose - Rediscovering Joy Frosty, Anna Frost, a trail running icon who has conquered the most challenging trails while inspiring countless runners along the way. In this episode we delve into a topic that is very close to her heart - maintaining a relationship ...
06.08.2023 EP 627: How to Tame Your Next Adventure Dr. Joe Uhan, a renowned physical therapist, board-certified orthopedic specialist, functional manual therapist, and USATF Level 2 coach. Oh, and did I mention he's an accomplished runner too? Joe has practices in Auburn, CA, and Eugene, OR, Joe is a ...
06.02.2023 EP 626: The Trail of Time - Longterm Nutrition Tips Regardless of your age, all of us are getting older. Do nutritional needs change as we age? As trail runners, we know the incredible impact that nutrition can have on our performance. But as we age, our bodies undergo changes ...
05.25.2023 EP 625: Dr. Phil Maffetone - Speed up by Slowing Down Join us on this episode as we delve into the world of endurance training and racing with the legendary Dr. Phil Maffetone, one of the most influential figures in endurance sports. Christopher McDougall, acclaimed trail runner and author, hails Dr. ...
05.19.2023 EP 624: Run Longer, Run Stronger. 7 Rules of Success Are you ready to take your running game to the next level? Whether you're gearing up for marathons, ultra-races, or simply looking to improve your endurance, this is the episode you don't want to miss. In this special rerun edition ...
05.11.2023 EP 623: From Good to Great: Choosing a Trail Running Coach We are thrilled to have our dear friend and returning guest, Patrick Reagan, joining us once again. With over a decade of experience as an elite athlete and coach, Patrick brings a wealth of knowledge to our conversation. Accompanying him ...
05.05.2023 EP 622: Don't Believe Everything You Hear, Even on ChatGPT In this episode, we're joined by three incredible coaches - Ian Sharman, Dr. Joe Uhan, and Dr. Matt Laye, as well as our very own ChatGPT, a powerful language model that uses AI to provide insights and answers to our ...
04.28.2023 EP 621: Does Chris McDougall Still Think We Are Born to Run? On this episode, we're joined by Christopher McDougall, the author of the best-selling book Born to Run. Christopher's new book with coach Eric Orton, "Born to Run 2 - The Ultimate Training Guide.", which is a practical guide to running ...
04.21.2023 EP 620: Grab Bag - Reaching Deep with AJW Welcome to a new episode of Trail Runner Nation, the podcast that explores the sport of trail running and beyond. In this grab bag episode, we have our good friend Andy Jones-Wilkins, a frequent contributor over the years and host ...
04.14.2023 EP 619: Unleash Your Running Potential In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Eoin Everard, a physiotherapist with a PhD in Biomechanics, to discuss how to get to the starting line of a race or adventure in the best shape possible. Dr. Everard is a certified ...
04.07.2023 EP 618: Baseline Mileage: A Better Way To Boost Weekly Running Mileage Today, we are excited to have Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Strength Running and author of the book "Running for Health and Happiness", with us to discuss how to create a running workout plan based on your baseline mileage. Article, “Baseline ...
03.31.2023 EP 617: How One Man Changed Hydration for Running In this episode we speak with Bryce Thatcher, the founder of UltrAspire and a true pioneer in the world of hydration packs. Bryce has been a runner for over 40 years and has always been fascinated by the intersection of ...
03.23.2023 EP 616: The Extramilest Show Hosted by Floris Gierman Floris Gierman, a close friend of ours, invited us to join him on his show to discuss our insights from conducting 615 podcast episodes featuring remarkable guests. It was a delightful experience, and we thought it would be beneficial to ...
03.17.2023 EP 615: Zone 2 Training: The Key to Improve Endurance and Recovery one 2 training is one of the keys for injury-free longevity and improved performance. Dr. Mark Cucuzzella rejoins The Nation to help us understand what zone 2 training is and how it can benefit us as endurance athletes. Dr. Cucuzzella ...
03.10.2023 EP 614: How Can a Continuous Glucose Monitor Help You Train Better In today's episode, we'll be discussing a topic that is becoming increasingly important for athletes of all levels: continuous glucose monitoring. For years, endurance athletes have relied on carbohydrates as a primary source of fuel during long runs, races, and ...
03.03.2023 EP 613: Breaking Out of the Standard Race Distances In this episode, we're excited to talk about the Petersen Ridge Rumble coming in April in Oregon, a trail race that's not your typical distance. This race, put on by seasoned ultra runner Sean Meissner, challenges runners with unique course ...
02.23.2023 EP 612: The Science of Creatine and Brain Function for Athletes Today, we're taking a closer look at creatine, a supplement commonly associated with building muscle and improving athletic performance, but did you know that it may also have benefits for your brain health and cognitive functioning? Bob Seebohar is joining ...
02.17.2023 EP 611: Unlocking Your Potential Today we are going to explore the mental preparation and positive mindset needed to conquer the challenges of ultra running. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the sport, this show is here to help you dig deep, ...
02.10.2023 EP 610: Keep Running, No Matter the Age Today, we're discussing a topic that's close to many of our hearts: how to keep running, no matter your age. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or just starting out, age can be a big factor in how we approach our ...
02.03.2023 EP 609: Adventure Planning- the Misogi Method Do Something So Hard 1 Day a Year That It Profoundly Impacts the Other 364. Misogi means “purification” in Japanese. It is a ritual that dates back to eighth-century Japan. It traditionally involved making the pilgrimage to an icy waterfall, ...
01.27.2023 EP 608: TRAINING PRINCIPLES - Recovery In this Training Principles episode, we dive into the topic of recovery. Krissy Moehl, Sean Meissner, Dr. Matt Laye, and Kerry Gustafson share their expertise on how to properly recover after a run or race. Some key takeaways from the ...
01.20.2023 EP 607: AJW Launches His Own Podcast! After years of base training, AJW has put his podcast bib on and launching his own podcast, "Crack a Brew With AJW". Andy will have discussions with members of the trail and ultra-community to sit down, have a beverage and ...
01.13.2023 EP 606: G.O.A.T. - Pam Reed In this episode, we talk with Ultrarunning historian Davy Crockett, about another legendary ultramarathon runner who has been referred to as the "Greatest of All Time" (G.O.A.T.). Pam has won numerous ultramarathons, including the Badwater Ultramarathon, which is considered one ...
01.05.2023 EP 605: Ice Baths - Are They The Key to Improved Health? Today we are discussing the age-old question: are ice baths good for your health? It is a topic that has divided fitness enthusiasts and athletes for years, with some claiming that ice baths can help reduce muscle soreness and inflammation, ...
12.30.2022 EP 604: Year End Audio Magazine with AJW We wanted to wrap up 2022 with one of our favorite type of episode, TRN Audio Magazine. Andy Jones-Wilkins joins us to discuss this and that with a guess the title game. Links to stuff we mentioned: "Unbreakable" movie by ...
12.23.2022 EP 603: Process vs. Outcome. What are Your Goals Based On? Outcome goals are goals that focus on the end result or objective, while process goals are goals that focus on the steps or actions required to achieve the desired outcome. Outcome goals tend to be more specific and measurable, while ...
12.16.2022 EP 602: G.O.A.T. Frank Hart 1870s Frank Hart rose to fame, popularity and wealth in the 1870 as one of the first African American athletes to break the color barrier as an ultra runner. Davy Crockett, the host of the podcast, "Ultrarunning History" joins us to ...
12.09.2022 EP 601: Why we Run? It's Science! We recently read a blog post from Charlotte Grysolle, "15 Learnings Between a Neuroscientist & Navy SEAL Officer". This article was based on the Jocko podcast between Jocko Willink and Dr. Andrew Huberman, "332: Influence & Ownership Over Your Physiological ...
12.02.2022 EP 600: Knowing When to Back Off Coach Ian Sharman is one of the most consistent and successful trail and ultra runners. This year he had a few A-races that didn't go as expected. We talk through why. We discuss knowing when to back off and how ...
11.25.2022 EP 599: Salt, Running and Pregnancy. What We Learn From Recent Research Alex Hutchinson is back to discuss some of his most recent articles he published at Outsideonline: The Salt in Sports Drinks May Not be as Crucial as You Think How Pregnancy Affects Your Marathon Time Alex Hutchinson is an avid ...
11.18.2022 EP 598: Intermittent Fasting - Will it Help or Hinder our Performance? There has been a lot of hype around intermittent fasting for the last couple years but not a lot of decisive research or data. Coach Bob Seebohar rejoins The Nation to help us understand what intermittent fasting is and what ...
11.12.2022 EP 597: You Don't Have to Run Ultras To Be a Trail Runner Too often we mistake the terms "Trail Runner" and "Ultra Runner" as the same thing. They are not. In fact, running shorter distances can help us become better runners at any distance and better all around athletes. Coach David Roche ...
11.04.2022 EP 596: Do We Get Toughness Wrong? With Steve Magness As a young runner, Steve Magness was a very fast runner, holding one of the fastest high school mile times at 4:01. He was a model for toughness, pushing through the pain until he puked. But this strategy failed as ...
10.28.2022 EP 595: Do Hard Things - Part 3 This is the part 3 and final chapter by chapter review of Steve Magness' new book Do Hard Things - Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of REAL TOUGHNESS. We encourage you to buy the book and ...
10.21.2022 EP 594: TRN Takes a Group Run with Ryan Hall Ryan Hall is a retired American long-distance runner. He holds the American marathon record of 2:04:58 (Boston 2011) AND the half-marathon record of 59:43 (the first American to break the one-hour mark!) He is a two-time Olympian and author of ...
10.14.2022 EP 593: Do Hard Things - Part 2 This is the part 2 of our chapter by chapter review of Steve Magness' new book Do Hard Things - Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of REAL TOUGHNESS. We encourage you to buy the book and ...

Older episodes