"Mediocre"?  I don't think so!

Zack has done 7 ultra races and won all of them.  And he's from Kentucky, proud of it, and why maybe you haven't heard of him.

"I like the east. It's green. I'd like to try some things out west, but I'm happy here."

Zack graduated in 2017 with a double degree, went to work ... and quit 3 days later.

"Running is what I love.  Yes, I took a pay cut, but this is what I want to do."

Find out why.

This episode is sponsored by Speedland

Speedland is a brand new shoe company, founded by two longtime designers

from Puma, Nike, and Under Armour. Their debut shoe is the SL:PDX, likened more to a piece of equipment than to a shoe. It is trail footwear made from the most premium components available today.

Listen to this trail-runner-wish-list:

1. It’s the first shoe ever to feature BOA’s Li2 Fit System, dual dials with multi-directional incremental dialing for a perfect fit.

2. The midsole uses a new formulation of Pebax foam for ultimate energy return.

3. Then there’s a Carbitex carbon-fiber plate with asymmetrical flex – stiff in one direction, flexible in the other.

4. Finishing it off, the SL:PDX uses a Michelin wrap outsole with a customizable lug pattern that can be adjusted for any terrain.

When we say it’s all there, it’s all there. Plus, Speedland gives back 10% of all profits to outdoor organizations chosen by their athletes, and once the shoe reaches the end of its lifecycle, you can send it back where it will be disassembled and recycled.

Check out the Speedland SL:PDX over at runspeedland.com and follow them on Instagram at @runspeedland. Drop them a note if you have any questions.