Podcasts by Off The Couch

26.2 TO LIFE: Running, Prison Reform, & Personal Transformation from 2023-09-19T21:23:36

Does running have the power to transform the prison system? According to the data, it might, and it definitely has the power to ignite personal transformation, as you will see in the remarkable ...

Jason Hardrath & The Rocky Mountain Grand Slam from 2023-08-22T15:49:06

The Rocky Mountain Grand Slam: it involves summiting 122 peaks and 318,000 feet of elevation gain (the equivalent of summiting Everest 11 times from sea level). And Vuori & Athletic Brewing ...

Michele Graglia on the Tahoe 200, Walking Away from Racing, & Next Steps from 2023-08-15T15:28:58

Recently at the Tahoe 200, Michele Graglia found himself in first place with an hour lead. Then h...

Western States Weekend Recap; Courtney Dauwalter’s Course Record Clinic; & Golden Hour Greatness from 2023-06-27T16:33:52

The 50th running of the Western States 100 took place over the weekend and delivered on all of the excitement and drama we’ve come to expect from US ultrarunning’s biggest stage. Snowy condition...

Paddy O’Leary on Winning the 112th Dipsea; Trail Running Film Recs; & the Broken Arrow Skyrace from 2023-06-20T16:05:45

First run in 1905, the Dipsea is the oldest trail race in the US. Its course takes runners from Mill Valley, CA to Stinson Beach, 7.4 miles separated by 700 stairs, shortcuts, thickets of poison...

Olivia Amber on Endless Summers; Her Huemul Circuit FKT; & Fastpacking 101 from 2023-06-13T16:52:52

The North Face athlete Olivia Amber is just about to roll into her second summer of 2023. Earlier this year, she set out on a 3-month road trip through South America, running and climbing (and o...

Leah Yingling on Lululemon’s FURTHER Initiative, Their New Women-Specific Road-to-Trail Shoe, & Her Western States 100 Expectations from 2023-06-06T14:46:04

Leah Yingling returns to the show to discuss her partnership with Lululemon and their FURTHER initiative, a first-of-its-kind ultramarathon specifically for women; the brand’s efforts to close t...

Mike McKnight on His Record-Setting Cocodona 250 Comeback & Discovering His Potential from 2023-05-30T14:26:24

Even in a 250-mile race, falling 10 hours behind the leaders is an almost insurmountable gap. Almost. After some electrolyte issues threatened to derail Salomon athlete Mike McKnight’s third att...

Andrea Sansone and Andrew Hamilton on Tackling Colorado’s Most Coveted FKTs from 2023-05-23T16:33:53

It’s probably fitting that Andrea Sansone and Andrew Hamilton met at the summit of a Colorado 14er, one of the 58 such peaks in the state that have gone on to help forge their relationship. Thou...

Sarah Ostaszewski on Winning Round 3 at the Cocodona 250 from 2023-05-16T14:48:53

Sarah Ostaszewski has run the Cocodona 250 all three years of its existence, each go-around shrinking the amount of time it’s taken for her to get from where the race starts just outside of Phoe...

Sarah Keyes on Living & Training in the Adirondacks, US Long Distance Team Dreams, & Pastry (Mis)adventures from 2023-05-09T15:00:12

For the most part, competitive trail running in the US is perceived to bias heavily toward the West Coast, with many of its marquee races and popular training hubs lying left of the Mississippi....

Jason Hardrath on Preparing for the Pico de Orizaba Infinity Loop from 2023-05-02T15:24:07

Last time Jason Hardrath was on Off The Couch he teased a future project that involved a trip down to Mexico, a volcano, and a whole lot of running and climbing, but aside from those hints, gave...

Speedland Founders Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon On Their Latest Hyper-Performance Trail Shoe, the GS:TAM from 2023-04-25T15:21:20

Speedland recently released their much anticipated third commission, a hyper-performance trail shoe intended for ultra-length distances, which they call the GS:TAM. So, Matt Mitchell sat down wi...

Preston Cates on Aid Station Dance Parties, Gas Station Go-To’s, & Redefining His Limits from 2023-04-18T16:11

When Preston Cates popped up on most peoples’ radars with his unexpected 6th place finish at the 2021 Canyons 100k as a 23 year-old, he had a pretty simple motivation driving his young trail run...

Andy Wacker on Creating A Roadmap to Professional Trail Running from 2023-04-11T20:15:17

“So, how did you get into trail running?” is an evergreen question, one that’s likely to field a variety of interesting and original responses regardless of who you ask. Underlying its premise, ...

Courtney Dauwalter on Building Her Pain Cave, Nacho Connoisseurship, & Running By Feel from 2023-04-04T15:01:38

As far as superlatives go, there’s little hand wringing about Salomon Athlete Courtney Dauwalter’s standing as one of the best ultrarunners in the world, period. In a sport known for its ficklen...

Corrine Malcolm on Running Media, Barkley Marathons Coverage, & Trail Trend Forecasting from 2023-03-28T18:09:39

Corrine Malcolm is a true trail multi-hyphenate. In addition to running professionally for adidas TERREX and recently launching her own coaching business, Corrine also covers the sport as a writ...

Max Romey on “No Lost Shoes,” Nnormal, and Striving for Sustainability in the Footwear Industry from 2023-03-21T18:39:56

Recycling old running shoes is hard, really hard. The concoction of glues, plastics, fabrics, and foams that go into making each pair can each require their own form of disposal, a drawn out sor...

Ryan Scura on "Urban Oasis," Trail Running in San Francisco, and the Importance of Green Spaces in Cities from 2023-03-14T13:42:53

Ryan Scura and Dylan Ladds have been making movies together since they were both teenagers. What began as a childhood friendship quickly evolved into a creative partnership, culminating in Doost...

Anthony Costales on Smashing Course Records, Chasing States, & Sharpening His Competitive Edge from 2023-03-07T17:00:38

The Black Canyon 100k in Arizona is one of the most competitive ultras in the US. As the penultimate Hoka Golden Ticket Race promising automatic entry into this year’s Western States 100 to the ...

Francesco Puppi on the Pro Trail Runners Association and the Future of the Sport from 2023-02-28T17:33:52

Trail running’s evolution from recreational to professional sport has not been without its own share of setbacks, and as often is the case, athletes are the ones most immediately affected by the...

Rod Farvard on The North Face’s Athlete Development Program from 2023-02-21T15:50:46

Newly christened The North Face Athlete, Rod Farvard, returns to the show to talk about the brand’s unique Athlete Development Program, an initiative launched earlier this month to provide 17 yo...

Jeff Pelletier on Adventure Filmmaking, Storytelling Through Trail Running, & ‘Racing Georgia’ from 2023-02-14T15:01:04

Ultra-distance trail running is a sport ripe for storytelling, something that filmmaker Jeff Pelletier recognized when he first began chronicling his adventures back in 2018. Since then, his bac...

Katie Asmuth on Beating the Injury Bug, Mom Strength, & Golden Ticket Season from 2023-02-07T17:29:39

Running injuries are often talked about in hushed tones, as if mere mention could speak one into existence. While undoubtedly the suckiest part of the sport, they’re also perhaps the most inevit...

John Kelly on Barkley Marathons Lore, Being Uncomfortable Being Comfortable, & Rebuilding Speed from 2023-01-31T15:47:45

La Sportiva Athlete John Kelly has speculated that one of his weaknesses is that perhaps he’s uncomfortable being comfortable, and one look at his resume sure suggests as much. After trying his ...

Jeff Stern on the 2022 UltraRunners of the Year Awards, the Art of Profile Writing, & Covering the Sport as a Pro from 2023-01-24T23:25:49

We recently talked to Salomon Athlete, Jeff Stern, about racing as an elite while simultaneously covering the trail running landscape in his role as the assistant editor of Ultra Running Magazin...

Abby Hall on Desert Chronicles, UFO Encounters, & Going All In from 2023-01-17T15:18:20

The high desert of Northern Arizona has been a hotbed for trail running for decades. The combination of altitude, changing topography, and year-round trail access the region affords helps to har...

Dani Moreno on Stepping Up In Distance, Spearfishing, & Planning for Podiums from 2023-01-10T17:34:21

As a newly minted thirty-year-old, Dani Moreno has already been racing trails professionally for the better part of a decade. Over the last couple of years, she’s solidified her status as one of...

Barney “Scout” Mann on the Pacific Crest Trail, “Journeys North,” & the Future of Thru-Hiking from 2023-01-03T18:08:26

Barney “Scout” Mann has been called “the dean of America’s long-distance trails” and is one of the rare individuals to have conquered the Triple Crown of thru-hiking, successfully completing the...

Jeff Colt on Chasing Western States, the Beats, & Managing Expectations from 2022-12-27T21:22:29

For On athlete, Jeff Colt, the chase for a coveted spot into Western States had been a multi-year saga fraught with close calls and near misses, that is until a near-perfectly executed run at th...

Dr. Anh Bui on Running Resiliently, Strength Training 101, & the Fine Points of Form from 2022-12-20T16:56:12

Running injuries seem inevitable; almost everyone has a story about being sidelined at some point in their career, either from an acute issue or from general overuse. While no one is completely ...

Ryan Montgomery on Creating an LGBTQ+ Trail Community Through ‘Out Trails’ from 2022-12-13T16:46:24

Ultrarunning is often admired for the strength of its community, a quality that unites runners with a sense of belonging. However, we can always do more to ensure that this feeling of acceptance...

Jason Hardrath on Deer Collisions, Convoluted Bliss, & Keeping the Dream Alive from 2022-12-06T16:42:04

We first had Jason Hardrath on the show back in March, before the release of his film, “Journey to 100.” Since then, Jason’s spent much of the summer on tour, hosting screenings in cities across...

Matt Seidel on Racing the Oldest Ultramarathon in the US & His Rookie Year Reflections from 2022-11-29T16:11:52

After placing 4th at the 60th annual JFK 50 Mile, the oldest ultramarathon in the US, Matt Seidel is taking a break. The 26-year-old former D1 runner has finished in the top 6 at every trail rac...

Joe DeMoor on the Sub-Ultra Trail Scene, His Colorado Running Roots, and Riding the Red Line from 2022-11-22T17:29

Joe DeMoor is about as Colorado as they come; he’s from Buena Vista, ran collegiately for the Buffalos at CU Boulder, lives in Carbondale, and works on Aspen Snowmass’s trail crew in the summer ...

Leah Yingling on Chiang Mai Trails, World Champs, and Running Long for Team USA from 2022-11-15T15:16:19

After a few months in the field, Off The Couch’s reporter-at-large, Leah Yingling, returns to the show to catch us up on how she rounded out her summer season after a top-10 finish at the Wester...

Chef Soraya Smith & CEO Duane Primozich on the Future of Backpacker’s Pantry & Making Adventure Food Sustainably from 2022-11-08T16:22:14

Backpacker’s Pantry has been family-owned and operated for over 70 years, a legacy that’s as important to the brand’s identity as the gourmet adventure meals they make. While that’s not set to c...

Olivia Amber on Ego Trips, Halloween Costumes, & How Not to Die In the Mountains from 2022-11-01T16:17:31

Since her first appearance on Off The Couch back in 2021, Olivia Amber has switched things up. In addition to joining The North Face’s athlete team as a mountain-ultra runner, Olivia also recent...

Canyon Woodward on “Rural Runners,” Life on the Campaign Trail, and the Value of Showing Up from 2022-10-25T15:30:14

Canyon Woodward has found success on a few different types of trails over the last few years. In addition to an impressive top-50 finish at the Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc in August, he served as ...

Ted Hesser on “Chains of Habit” & Destigmatizing the Conversation Around Mental Health from 2022-10-18T15:31:54

As an adventure photographer and videographer, Ted Hesser spends most of his professional life behind the lens, shooting some of the world’s top mountain athletes for major outdoor brands and pu...

David Kilgore talks Pro Trail Teams, On Running, & Leaning Into the Grind from 2022-10-11T17:07:04

David Kilgore is living the dream. In addition to his role as On Running’s Sports Innovation Manager, David also runs professionally for On himself. As an athlete privy to several sides of the t...

Claire Bernard Miller, PT, on Building Strong Feet, Pelvic Floor Health, & Running Injury Free from 2022-10-04T14:55:58

Running is often praised for its simplicity, but what it requires from the body can be quite complex. As October rolls around, many of us will feel the stress from all those hard summer miles ta...

Victor Diaz on Renegade Running, Representation, & Creating Space for New Communities from 2022-09-27T16:06:28

Specialty-running stores are seldom just places to buy shoes; as community hubs, they serve as places where runners of all skill levels can gather to learn, connect, and train. In this way, they...

Jennifer Strong McConachie on “Go Far,” Dostoevsky, and the Four Corners of Endurance from 2022-09-20T17:02:16

As an accomplished endurance athlete who has let ultrarunning, mountaineering, marathon swimming, and more take her around the world, Jennifer Strong McConachie has cultivated a life philosophy ...

Davy Crockett on the History of 100-Milers, Ultrarunning in the 1800s, and the G.O.A.T. Debate from 2022-09-13T14:41:15

Despite its fast rise from a quirky pastime to budding professional sport, ultrarunning is anything but new; people have been running (or walking) long distances competitively for centuries. Fue...

Rod Farvard on UTMB, “Hobby Jogging,” & Making the Transition from Triathlon to the Trails from 2022-09-06T15:24:29

If Rod Farvard had grown to be a few inches taller, we might be watching him contend for a rebound on the basketball court instead of toeing the line at some of ultrarunning’s biggest races. Aft...

Todd Aydelotte on Running Through History, Edgar Allen Poe, & The Warriors UltraRun from 2022-08-30T16:19:12

Ask ultrarunner and race director Todd Aydelotte for a bit of New York City history and he’ll probably tell you to lace up your running shoes. After injury derailed his marathon training a few y...

Travis Soares on Setting the Sierra Peaks Section List FKT from 2022-08-23T15:48:10

Established in 1955, the Sierra Peaks Section List includes 247 of the most prominent peaks scattered throughout California’s Sierra Nevada Range. Reaching every summit is a lifetime’s work for ...

Reviewer Reports: On Running vs. Skiing, Go-to Gear, & Ramen Bombs from 2022-08-16T14:35:23

With summer in full stride, Matt Mitchell and Drew Kelly sat down to take stock of how their mountain running seasons have played out thus far, including the ways Drew sees his skiing translate ...

Alex Nichols on Coaching College Cross Country, Pikes Peak Streaking, & Beekeeping from 2022-08-09T15:38:21

Relying on a bunch of college kids to crew you through the Western States 100 might sound misguided, but for trail and ultra runner, Alex Nichols, it’s an important part of team building. After ...

Danielle Snyder on Rewarding Failure, Taper Tantrums, & Mental Health in Ultrarunning from 2022-08-02T13:42:55

You’ve probably encountered the adage that running is 90 percent mental, yet despite this feeling (and how true it may be), most runners dedicate the majority of their training to making sure th...

Tailwind Nutrition Co-founder Jeff Vierling on Gut Bombs, Kitchen Chemistry, & Creating His Own Endurance Fuel from 2022-07-26T16:57:56

Tailwind Nutrition’s story starts with Co-founder Jeff Vierling’s head in a trash can, losing his breakfast...

Leah Yingling on Her Western States 100, Pacing Perfection, & the Golden Hour from 2022-07-19T16:35:37

After finishing 6th at this year’s Western States 100, Salomon athlete (and sometimes co-host) Leah Yingling returns to the show to give us a play-by-play of how her day panned out. Along the wa...

Paddy O’Leary on Racing Horses, Fell Running, Lacrosse, & Community Building from 2022-07-12T16:24:51

Paddy O’Leary’s path from the farm he grew up on in Wexford, Ireland to becoming an elite runner for The North Face is by no means a linear one. Long before he started running, ...

TrainingPeaks Co-founder Dirk Friel on Coaching, Artificial Intelligence, & the Future of Endurance Training from 2022-07-05T15:48:05

Endurance training has come a long way from handwritten logs and fax machines, and we owe a lot of that progress to web-based platforms like Listen

Naked Sports Innovations Co-founder Lindsay Dakota on “Simplexity” & Their New Laceless Trail Racing Shoe from 2022-06-28T16:33:01

Naked Sports Innovations’ line of products has evolved a lot from the popular Running Band that started...

Roxanne Vogel on Lightning Ascents, Flavor Science, and GU Energy Labs from 2022-06-21T14:04:22

Ultramarathons are sometimes called eating competitions with a bit of running thrown in, and with so many different nutrition products and approaches at our disposal these days, it can be hard t...

David Laney on Ice Baths, Adventuring in the North Cascades, & Craft Footwear from 2022-06-14T11:42:56

If you grow up in Portland, OR, running is practically a birthright, and for David Laney, it quickly became a way of life: he was already running 5 to 6 days a week by the time he turned 10. Aft...

Zegama is Zegama, Tom Cruise, & 200-Mile Races from 2022-06-07T14:54:32

On this “Running Through the News” edition of Off The Couch, Salomon athlete Leah Yingling ...

Dr. Hal Rosenberg on Desert Magic, Standing Desks, & Running Healthy from 2022-05-31T14:38:31

Over half of all runners will deal with an injury each year, but run enough miles and you’ll know that number is a lot closer to 100%. The irony is most running injuries are easily preventable, ...

Robbie Balenger on Testing Limits, Exploring Recovery Techniques, & Outrunning a Tesla from 2022-05-24T15:50:17

After discovering running in his 30’s, ultra-endurance athlete Robbie Balenger became obsessed with the po...

Elan Lieber on the Miwok 100k, Coffee, and Running Fearlessly from 2022-05-17T15:47:05

Rabbit Elite, Elan Lieber, called his recent second-place finish at the 2022 Miwok 100K, “the run of his life...

Brian Metzler on a Writer’s Life & the Art of Running Free from 2022-05-10T13:57:12

Brian Metzler has been writing about running, in one form or another, for the better part of the last 25 years. His latest book, Listen

Corrine Malcolm on Suffering, the Tahoe Rim Trail, and Her Return to Racing from 2022-05-03T16:48:49

If you’ve followed coverage of ultrarunning at all over the last few years, Corrine Malcolm is a name you’ve probably heard a lot. But between her many roles as a member of the media, it could b...

Pablo Vigil on the Early Days of Mountain Running & Lessons from 50 Years of Racing from 2022-04-26T17:53:04

Pablo Vigil has been called the greatest mountain runner in the world. In the 1980s he was nearly unbeatable, winning the famous Sierre-Zinal four consecutive times. We talk to Pablo about the e...

Stacked Fields, Golden Tickets, & Thoughts From the Lead Pack from 2022-04-19T20:25:59

In this ‘Race Edition’ of Running Through the News, Salomon athlete, Leah Yingling (who’s already...

Devon Yanko on the Umstead 100; Techno Music; & Doing What Excites You from 2022-04-12T18:07:21

Devon Yanko’s resume speaks for itself. She’s had success at numerous signature races over her career, includin...

Broken Arrow Skyrace, Prize Purses, & the Current Race Landscape from 2022-04-05T17:29:54

We talk to Brendan Madigan, race director of the Broken Arrow Skyrace, about the current state of race...

Women Who FKT, with Marta Fisher from 2022-03-29T14:50:28

We talk to Marta Fisher about how her experience at Hardrock 100 led her to the creation of Women Who F...

Running Through the News (March 2022) from 2022-03-22T19:59:08

Blister running editor, Matt Mitchell, is joined by Blister reviewer, Gordon Gianniny, to discuss current events in the running world. The two dish on race results from the month of March, inclu...

Adam Hill on Anxiety, Addiction, Ironmans, & Personal Transformation from 2022-03-15T23:12:37

We talk to Adam Hill about how dealing with anxiety disorder led him into Ironman competitions; his...

Jason Hardrath on FKTs & What Makes Him Tick from 2022-03-08T18:31

Jason Hardrath holds more “Fastest Known Times” than anyone in the world. We talk to Jason about his upbringing; how a nearly fatal car accident introduced him to the world of FKTs; and his upco...

Jason Koop on Recent Research, Training Myths, & Bad Science from 2022-03-01T18:51:05

CTS coach Jason Koop makes his return to Off The Couch following the release of the 2nd edition of hi...

Logan Williams on the Black Canyon 100k; Recovery; & Running as an Art Form from 2022-02-22T16:14:53

Our running editor, Matt Mitchell, sat down with Salomon athlete Logan Williams to discu...

On the Creation of a “Hyper-Performance” Trail Shoe Company: Speedland from 2022-02-16T17:47:25

Why would two friends who’d been working at the highest levels of product design at Nike, Under Armour, and Puma — and in some of the biggest product categories (soccer, basketball, and running)...

Winter Running Gear, Tips, & Tricks from 2022-02-08T16:40:25

As a follow-up to our Winter Running and the Meaning of Life ...

Salomon’s Mike Ambrose on Shoe Design; Trail Culture(s); & How He Got to Where He Is from 2022-02-01T18:00:25

We talk to Salomon’s Mike Ambrose about running shoe design; taking a shoe from concept to production; his life in running and the running industry; European vs. North American markets; & wh...

Hoka Ultrarunner, Sabrina Little, on Teaching Philosophy; Running; & Writing about Both from 2022-01-27T01:48:28

Sabrina Little is an ultra runner, a writer, & philosophy professor, and has held the American record in the 200K and the 24-Hour American Record (she ran 152.03 miles in 24 hours.) So we ta...

Winter Running & The Meaning of Life from 2022-01-18T17:15:44

Yesterday, Jonathan Ellsworth sat down with Blister reviewer, Gordon Gianniny, and our new Running Editor, Matt Mitchell, to talk about winter running. But our conversation took a much bigger an...

Michele Graglia on Success & Struggle from 2021-12-30T16:19:24

Michele Graglia has racked up a number of major victories in his career, including wins at ...

Olympic Champion Kikkan Randall on Running, Racing, Longevity, Motherhood, & More from 2021-12-16T00:50:30

Before Kikkan Randall was winning Olympic and World Cup gold medals in XC skiing, she was a runner, and she has ne...

Tessa Chesser on the Javelina 100; “Diesel Mode”; & Dealing with Adversity from 2021-11-11T00:55:51

For our 100th episode of Off The Couch, Tessa Chesser (who just podium’d at the Javalina 100 ...

Catching Up with Grayson Murphy from 2021-10-26T16:57:49

Grayson Murphy is back on Off The Couch to talk about her 2021 race season; trail racing i...

Running Through the News (Sep / Oct 2021) from 2021-10-15T14:45:43

Sanjay Rawal joins Jonathan Ellsworth to discuss the Boston Marathon being held on Indigenous People’s Day; why the sport of long-distance running is particularly well-positioned to create a far...

Olivia Amber: from XC Skiing to the Tech World to Mountain Running from 2021-10-07T18:00:30

Olivia Amber grew up in rural Wisconsin; headed off to Maine (where she became an all-American XC...

Anton Krupicka on His Return to Racing; DFW vs. Murakami; & More from 2021-09-21T16:14:22

We recently talked to Anton about a number of things, including his recent return to racing; his ongoing exploration of different ways to move through the mountains; we get his completely unfilt...

Olympian Natasha Wodak on Mental Preparation; Her Mantras; Running Playlists; & More from 2021-09-14T18:35:13

We talk to Tasha Wodak about her performance in last month’s Olympic games; the twists and tur...

Dean Karnazes on Longevity, Reading, & Writing from 2021-09-07T16:45:11

Our guest today is an ultra running legend. But beyond his impressive endurance exploits, Dean is...

Running through the News (Aug 2021) from 2021-08-31T16:31:05

Today we’re kicking off a new series on Off The Couch, and Sanjay Rawal joins us to talk primar...

2021 Leadville 100 Winner, Annie Hughes from 2021-08-25T23:14:33

Annie Hughes is 23 years old and is quickly becoming quite a force in the world of ultr...

Dakota Jones on the Footprints Running Camp from 2021-08-18T15:38:30

We talk to Dakota Jones about how motivation evolves, different chapters of life, and wha...

Ian Sharman & Dana Kracaw on the Leadville 100; the Art of Pacing; & How to Get Away with Murder from 2021-08-12T17:31:33

Ian Sharman is back on the podcast (Listen

Catching Up with Sanjay Rawal + the Importance of “Running Easy” from 2021-07-22T21:03:34

Sanjay Rawal is back on the podcast to discuss his latest film project about the American runner, Patt...

Michele Graglia on Going 'Ultra' - Part 2 from 2021-06-22T15:54:45

In part 2 of our conversation with one of the top ultrarunners in the world, we discuss Michele’s book, Listen

Michele Graglia on Going ‘Ultra' - Part 1 from 2021-06-15T18:48:30

How does a kid from a little town in Italy go from working in his family’s floral business to being a top fashion model in Miami to being one of the top ultrarunners in the world? Listen

Michele Graglia on Going ‘Ultra' - Part 1 from 2021-06-15T18:48:30

How does a kid from a little town in Italy go from working in his family’s floral business to being a top fashion model in Miami to being one of the top ultrarunners in the world? Listen

Unlikely Hikers & the Evolution of the Outdoor Industry from 2021-05-18T16:25:08

If you want to understand one of the most important developments currently taking place in the outdoor industry, then this conversation is for you. Listen

Jean-Luc Diard on the Deckers X Lab Design Philosophy & Products from 2021-05-11T18:03:28

We’re talking again with one of the most influential product designers in the outdoor industry, Jean-Luc Diard. He was formerly the CEO of Salomon and played a major role in the development of S...

Neli Vazquez Rowland on the Run to End Homelessness & A Safe Haven from 2021-04-28T16:51:46

Neli Vasquez Rowland is the co-founder and president of A Safe Haven, which is a Chicago-based nonprofit whose...

Daryl Murphy on Miles for Justice from 2021-03-23T17:44:02

Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Daryl Murphy about his Miles For Justice project; why...

GingerRunner, Ethan Newberry, on Acting, Anxiety, the Barkley Banana, & Shoe Reviews from 2021-03-02T20:37:07

Brendan Leonard and I talk to TheGingerRunner, Ethan Newberry, about life before GingerRunner; what led Etha...

Moab Red Hot & Black Canyon Ultras Recap + New-Tech Trail Shoes from 2021-02-23T17:09:46

Today we’ve got some race recaps for you; our initial impressions of Saucony’s Switchback2 (which features the BOA system); and we discuss the arrival of the first carbon-plated trail shoe, The ...

Brendan’s New Book: I Hate Running and You Can Too from 2021-02-09T17:06:05

My Off The Couch co-host Brendan Leonard has a new book coming out, so I talked to Brendan about...

Mike Foote on the Grand Canyon R2R2R ALT FKT; Race Directing; & Reading from 2021-01-19T19:06:58

Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Mike Foote, who on 12.31.20, headed out with...

Ed Roberson on The Procrastinator’s Punishment 50k from 2021-01-12T16:16:29

Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Ed Roberson, the creator of The Procrastinator’s Punishment 50k; the host of the excellent Listen

Zoë Rom on Fruit, Oreos, Fireball, FKTs, & Running Culture from 2020-12-15T16:15:22

Zoë Rom is a runner / scrambler / climber; reader; writer; and host of the DNF Podcast. An...

Peter Bromka on Running & Writing from 2020-12-08T17:09:25

Brendan Leonard and I talk with Peter Bromka, a runner that grew up in Portland, ran at Tufts University in B...

Improving Performance by Rethinking Fit? BOA Fit System from 2020-12-01T17:45:56

Most of you are familiar with the BOA fit system, but do you know what BOA is up to today? Or maybe you’ve thought, What’s wrong with regular shoe laces? We went to the Listen

Matt Hart on Nike, The Oregon Project, & PEDs in Sports from 2020-11-24T23:28:19

Our guest today is Matt Hart, author of the book, Listen

Hoka Founder & Deckers Group VP of Innovation, Jean-Luc Diard from 2020-11-18T01:12:44

If you are interested in product design and the process of innovation, then you need to listen to this conversation. Jean-Luc Diard started as an intern at Salomon, developed the first shaped sk...

Billy Yang on Running, Filmmaking, Media, Moving (??), & More from 2020-11-10T18:37:23

Billy Yang is (among other things) a runner, filmmaker (Billy Yang Films), podcast host ( Listen

Brendan Leonard on his new FKT, the Deadline Dungeon, & More from 2020-10-27T16:03:40

Today we’re putting our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard (semi-rad.com) in the interviewee seat to hear about ...

Big Mtn Skier (& Trail Runner), Cody Townsend from 2020-10-20T15:30:43

Six months ago, professional skier, Cody Townsend, hated running. Now he loves it. So what happene...

Kaytlyn Gerbin on Science, Volcanoes, & Pretty Much Everything Else from 2020-10-07T16:50:26

Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Kaytlyn Gerbin about her...

Jonathan & Maddie run (and record this during) the Elk Run 5k from 2020-09-29T18:04:34

Last Saturday, Blister reviewer & accomplished ultrarunner, Maddie Hart, ran the Emma Coburn Elk Run 5k with Bli...

Coree Woltering on his Ice Age Trail FKT, Catcalls, & Tick Removal from 2020-09-22T15:23:46

Coree Woltering is definitely one of the most interesting ultrarunners out there, so Brend...

Ryan Hall on His First Ultra; Performance & Weight; Proper Perspective; & More from 2020-09-15T15:38:21

Ryan Hall is a two-time Olympian, holds the U.S. record in the half marathon, and is the only A...

Kelly Roberts on How to Start Running, Keep Running, & Her Badass Lady Gang from 2020-09-01T15:18:59

Ever feel like you aren’t — or couldn’t ever possibly be — a “real” runner? Most of us have, which is why most of us need to meet Listen

Olympian Simi Hamilton on XC Skiing & Running from 2020-08-25T16:56:48

We talk to 3-time Olympian, Simi Hamilton, about XC skiing and running; competition & compe...

2020 Running Shoe Trends & Current Events from 2020-08-18T14:31:24

This week we take a look at the trends in running shoes for 2020. Jonathan Ellsworth is joined by Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny to talk about knit uppers on trail shoes (??), massive heels, ma...

Camille Herron on Rocky Balboa, Training, & More World Records from 2020-08-11T16:11:52

What do Taco Bell, the Harlem Globetrotters, a twisted femur, & Rocky Balboa have in common? They’ve all played a role in the journey of Listen

2020 Speedgoat 50K Winner, Noah Brautigam from 2020-08-05T02:18:09

Noah Brautigam just won the Listen

Martinus Evans, 300 Pounds & Running from 2020-07-30T05:33:55

Martinus Evans is the founder of 300poundsandrunning.com, the founder of the Listen

Amelia Boone on Mtn Lions, Trail Running, & Mental Health from 2020-07-21T19:10:03

Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Amelia Boone about being a world champion obstacle racer; tra...

Addie Bracy on Her Trajectory, Sports Psychology, & OUTrun from 2020-07-14T15:25:14

Addie Bracy is an accomplished runner who thinks hard about the psychology of sports performan...

Skid Row Running Club founder, Judge Craig Mitchell from 2020-07-07T14:40:53

The Skid Row Running Club is “an unusual running club that uses the power of running to improve the liv...

Abby & Cordis Hall on Couple Goals, FKTs, & their Pfiffner Traverse ‘Date Run’ from 2020-06-30T15:04:45

Abby and Cordis Hall are both very good runners who both run for Adidas TERREX and who Listen

Shaun Martin on the Navajo Approach to Running, Coaching, & Community from 2020-06-23T15:05:56

Our guest this week is Shaun Martin, who we’ve talked about before on this podcast in Listen

Faith E. Briggs on Growing Up, Running, & Her Film, This Land from 2020-06-16T15:45:52

Faith E. Briggs is a filmmaker and a runner, and this week, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to F...

Creating Your Own Sport: Buzz Burrell & the Invention of the ‘FKT’ from 2020-06-09T15:56:02

A few weeks ago Brendan Leonard and I talked to the legend himself, Buzz Burrell. In the first part of our conversation, we talk about Buzz’s background, including his first ever long-distance r...

Zach Bitter on His New 100-Mile Treadmill World Record from 2020-05-25T15:57:23

On Saturday, August 25th, 2019, Zach set a new world record for the fastest time that a human being has run 100 miles. He did it on a track in Wisconsin in 11:19:13. And once he hit the 100-mile...

Testing Limits: Mike McKnight on Running 100 Miles, 0 Calories from 2020-05-18T19:01:14

Is it humanly possible to run 100 miles without consuming a single calorie? Would it be possible to run 100 miles in under 24 hours without consuming a single calorie? On May 8th, Listen

Georgia Porter on Career Shifts, Strength Training, & the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials from 2020-05-12T16:37:52

We talk to Georgia Porter, co-owner and personal trainer at Listen

Hillary Gerardi, Mountain Scrambler from 2020-05-05T15:02:16

Hillary Gerardi won the 2018 Skyrunner Extra World Series Circuit, and yet, she still doesn’t n...

Rickey Gates on Running across America from 2020-04-28T15:29:39

Rickey Gates is a professional runner, a writer, a photographer — and someone who has a whole lot going on. His new book, Listen

Jenny & Scott Jurek on Cooking, Running, & Kids from 2020-04-21T15:56:40

Late last week, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked with @Jenny and Listen

Freerunner, Dom Di Tommaso (@domtomato) from 2020-04-14T14:55:19

Dom Di Tommaso (@domtomato) is a freerunner, a certified mind blower, and the guy behind one of our f...

Topo Athletic Founder, Tony Post from 2020-04-07T17:28:12

We talk to Topo Athletic founder, Tony Post, about serving as the CEO of Vibram USA; founding Topo Athletic;...

Eric Schranz, Ultrarunnerpodcast.com, on Running, His Career, & Heist Films from 2020-03-31T14:50:56

Eric Schranz has been a staple of the trail running and ultrarunning world for over a decade — both as a passionate runner, and as the host of Listen

Ryan Van Duzer on Snakes, YouTube, the Burning Man Ultra, & More from 2020-03-17T13:39:23

Ryan Van Duzer has a YouTube series called, Running with Ryan. And last fall, as our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard, w...

Joe Grant: Adventurer, Endurance Athlete, & Storyteller from 2020-03-10T14:07:06

Joe Grant is an endurance athlete, a mountain runner, a reader, a writer, a thinker, a filmmaker, and, as yo...

Hayden Hawks on the Black Canyon 100K & Western States from 2020-03-04T00:42:22

When a 15-year-old Hayden Hawks first learned about the Western States 100, he knew that he would someday get into running ultras, and it became his dream to race Western States. Fast forward 14...

Chasing John Colter & Recreating the Colter Route from 2020-02-25T07:01

While most of us know the explorers, Lewis & Clarke, the exploits of John Colter (who was a ...

Eric Walker on Running 5k for 365 Days in a Row from 2020-02-18T16:14:34

By some measures, Eric Walker is a pretty normal guy. He lives in Minnesota, he’s not a professional runner, he’s 38...

Marathoner Nell Rojas on Strength Training, Speed Work, & Low Mileage from 2020-02-11T16:01:29

Nell Rojas is fascinating. And fast. So fast that on February 29th, she’s got a shot at maki...

Liza Howard on Donut Money; Parenting; Age & Expectations; Band of Runners; & More from 2020-02-04T15:44:29

Liza Howard is smart, funny, accomplished, humble, and by her own account … is extremely susceptible to peer pressure. She’s run marathon...

Duncan Callahan on Winter Training; Coaching & Competing; & More from 2020-01-29T17:55:03

Duncan Callahan is one of our favorite people, so we’re excited to have him back on the show to catch up. We had Dun...

Trail Sisters founder, Gina Lucrezi from 2020-01-21T16:26:18

Trail Sisters is a trail running community for women and an online journal that offer lots of great resources — including articles and...

The Evolution of Grayson Murphy from 2020-01-15T02:15:22

In 2019, Grayson Murphy won the US Mountain Running Championship; the World Mountain Running Championship; and the Xterra Trail Run World Championship. But there were many twists and turns along...

Sanjay Rawal on Running Dumb, Training Slow, & Finding Joy through Exertion from 2020-01-07T16:46:58

Sanjay Rawal was our first guest on Off The Couch, and we are pleased to have him back on for our first episode of 2020. We invited him back to ask about his rather spectacular performance — and...

Diets & Nutrition with Kylee Van Horn from 2019-12-31T19:00:27

What’s the best way to eat to feel good and perform well? The fields of nutrition and diet are massive topics, as are all of the related issues surrounding them. So on our latest Off The Couch p...

How to Design a Great Race from 2019-12-24T18:04:19

New races and running events seem to be popping up all the time, which raises the question: Are there some specific characteristics, policies, and practices that should be built into pretty much...

Brendan Leonard on Running 52 Marathons in 52 Weeks from 2019-12-17T15:46:28

For 2019, Brendan Leonard (@semirad) set a goal for himself: run 52 ‘marathons’ in 52 weeks. He told very few people about...

Winter Running: How to Do It (and Like It?) from 2019-12-10T16:15:12

We talk with Blister reviewers, Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny, about how they handle running and training in the cold and on snowy, icy roads and trails. Maddie and Gordon offer their tips and...

Runner & Chef: Kelly Newlon of RAD (“Real Athlete Diets”) from 2019-12-04T17:15:52

By the time she was 5 years old, Kelly Newlon had already identified two of her biggest passions: running and cooking. Those passions led her to running longer and longer races and beco...

Stevie Kremer on the NYC Marathon & More from 2019-11-28T00:05:25

Stevie Kremer is back on the show, and she came to BLISTER HQ in Mt. Crested Butte to talk about her experience at thi...

Cappuccino Cowboys Apologizes + Jared Hazen & Eric Senseman from 2019-11-19T15:00:02

Mr. Cappuccino of the @cappuccinocowboys is back on the show to issue an apology for his performance last week. A...

Is Cappuccino Cowboys Ruining Ultrarunning? from 2019-11-12T16:00:44

What is Cappuccino Cowboys, and who is the person behind it? Is he an evil genius hell-bent on ruining ultrarunni...

Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra Winner, Maggie Guterl from 2019-11-05T16:24:10

Maggie Guterl just became the first woman ever to win Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, a multi-day race that does not have a fixed-distance finish line. So we talked to Maggie about how this extraordin...

Triple Crown of 200s Winner, Mike McKnight from 2019-10-29T14:30:03

Simply put, Mike McKnight’s story is amazing. This year, he won the Triple Crown of 200’s, which includes the Bigfoot 200 in August, the Tahoe 200 in September, and he just won the Moab 240. And...

Interviews from Mile 201 of the Moab 240 from 2019-10-22T23:12:01

What’s it like to run two hundred and one miles … and know that you still have another 40 miles to go? And why would you sign up and subject yourself to such a thing?

To find out,...

Cam Smith on Moving through Mountains from 2019-10-17T15:07:21

When Cam Smith graduated high school in 2014, he had little or no mountain experience. But fast forward a few years, and Cam is now an accomplished trail runner, mountain biker, a member of the ...

Jason Koop: Runner, Head Coach at CTS Ultrarunning from 2019-10-08T21:00:37

Jason Koop is a passionate runner, the author of Listen

Kyle Robidoux on Running, Skiing, & Being Legally Blind from 2019-10-02T18:27:39

Kyle Robidoux is a passionate runner and skier and beer enthusiast. He has run 25 marathons and ultra marathons, including three 100-mile races, and the Boston Marathon six times. He also happen...

Luke Nelson on Testing Limits from 2019-09-26T23:50:14

Luke Nelson is a professional runner, physician assistant, race director (of the Scout Mountain Ultras in his town of Pocatello, Id...

Why We Built a Running-Shoe Brand Guide from 2019-09-17T20:11:41

Finding the right running shoe can be far more complicated and confusing than it should be. So this week, reviewers Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, Maddie Hart, and Gordon Gianniny discuss our n...

Jackson Brill: Full-Time Student, Full-Time Runner from 2019-09-10T15:54:25

Salomon athlete, Jackson Brill, is a 21-year old senior in college at CU Boulder, but given his approach to running, the way he talks about the sport, and his race results, you’d be forgiven for...

Zach Bitter on His New 100-Mile World Record from 2019-09-03T15:29:35

On Saturday, August 25th, 2019, Zach Bitter set an incredible world record for the fastest time that a human being has run 100 miles — 11 ho...

David Roche on the Philosophy Behind His Coaching from 2019-08-27T18:51:45

David Roche is one of the most successful running coaches out there, but he is certainly not the most conventional running coach out there.

And while data-driven training play an important...

Runner, Cat Herder, Garbage Man, & Mad Moose Events Director, Justin Ricks from 2019-08-20T14:44:36

This week’s episode is a bit of a prodigal son story, because our guest today, Justin Ricks, was an accomplished young runner who walked away entirely from the sport early into his college runni...

Ian Sharman on Keeping Running Fun, Racing Fair, & Keys to Consistency from 2019-08-13T16:29:40

Ian Sharman likes to keep running fun, and is extremely good at running races in Spiderman, Santa Claus, and Elvis costumes.

But Ian...

Meghan Hicks, managing editor, iRunFar from 2019-08-06T17:10:42

Brendan Leonard and I recently talked to Meghan Hicks, who is one hell of a trail runner in her own right, in addition to being the managing editor of iRunFar, a website that, among other things...

BLISTER’s Maddie Hart Wins the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Miler from 2019-07-24T20:13:36

BLISTER reviewer & contributing editor, Maddie Hart, just won the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mile Run, making her the youngest person — male or female — to ever win the event.

So we ...

Duncan Callahan on Reaching the Top, Burning Out, & What Comes Next from 2019-07-19T00:21:41

There’s a common narrative in the running world about people who are struggling in life, then they are saved by running. But what happens when you’ve been an endurance athlete for over twenty ye...

Western States 100 Champion, Clare Gallagher from 2019-07-10T20:05:34

Clare Gallagher just won the Western States 100-Mile Endurance...

Jennifer Pharr Davis on ‘Hiking’ vs ‘Trail Running’ Culture from 2019-07-02T21:07:20

Scott Jurek, one of the greatest trail runners of all time, called his attempt to break Jennifer Pharr Davis’ FKT (Fastest Known Tim...

Fresh Takes on Trail Running & its Future from 2019-06-25T19:25:49

While participation in trail running and ultra trail races is increasing, it has tended to draw an older crowd. But things are changing. Younger runners are getting into the sport, and they aren...

Brendan Runs the Bighorn 100 from 2019-06-19T03:21:24

This past weekend, our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard, ran the Listen

Stevie Kremer Does Things Different from 2019-05-19T17:11:40

Stevie Kremer is a world-class runner, but her life sure doesn’t include many of the stereotypes that description might conjure up. So we discuss her unusual training routine; sitcoms & life...

Ultrarunner, Writer, Coach: Sarah Lavender Smith from 2019-04-26T08:54

Brendan Leonard and I talk to Sarah Lavender Smith, who ran her first marathon back in 1995, and has gone on to complete...

Filmmaker, Sanjay Rawal, on the World’s Longest Race from 2019-04-04T21:39:28

In this episode, Brendan Leonard and I had a remarkable conversation with a remarkable person, and we urge every runner — and non-runner — to listen to it.

Filmmaker and runner, Sanjay Raw...

Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth on Their Running Backgrounds & What Makes Someone a “Runner"? from 2019-03-08T17:06:51

In our inaugural episode of Off the Couch, Jonathan Ellsworth (founder of BLISTER), and co-host, Brendan Leonard (creator of Semi-Rad.com and producer of How to Run 100 Miles), talk about their ...

Introducing: Off The Couch from 2019-02-18T23:04:24

Off The Couch is a new podcast from BLISTER that will be taking a closer look at the wide, weird, and wonderful world of running.

T...