Trail Talk By Rock Creek Runner

If you want to improve upon a previous ultramarathon, you have to look critically at yourself and your training. In today's episode, that's exactly what I did, putting together a plan for a stronger, faster 2020.

Last year I lost my grandmother, one of the people I admired most. Over the years she taught me a lot about how to live life - much of which is key to being successful in the sport of ultrarunning. Here are the five key lessons she taught me about life, running, and happiness.

"Why do you run ultramarathons?" During last year's Hellbender 100, my answer to that common question completely changed.

Trail Talk is back... with an update episode mostly about me - where I've been, why I quit the podcast, and the season of life I've been going through for the past year. But... it's also about you, and what you can expect in this coming season of Trail Talk.

Training for a big race is hard, not just on you, but on your family and friends. Today I sit down with my wife Katie to talk about how better to work with your partner leading up to and on race day.

Let me tell you a little story about the recent South Mountains 50K...

We're runners, we love to run. So what happens when we suddenly don't find that joy in logging miles anymore? In today's episode, I share my story of getting lost, and how I've embraced the season of being lost.

Welcome to the new and improved Trail Talk. Here's a quick intro.

From my experience, there are three stages to every ultramarathon, one of which is why so many runners don't finish. Here's what to expect.

They say that running an ultramarathon is 90% mental, so what does it actually take? To me, the mental game starts before you even sign up for the race. Here are my tips for staying mentally focused and strong throughout training and race day, so you can toe the starting line with confidence. (This is part 3 of a multi-part How to Run Your First Ultramarathon series.)

Want to run an ultramarathon? Here's what to expect when you start training, and the main differences between training for a marathon and training for an ultra. This is part two of the How to Run and Ultramarathon series. Check out part one in the last episode!

Want to run an ultramarathon? It starts with selecting the right race for your goals, inspirations, and abilities. In part one of this four part How to Run and Ultramarathon series, we'll explore the types of races out there, and how to make sure you choose the right one for you.

Where have I been and what happened to Trail Talk? Here's your answer. Plus, a new mini-series starting next week! Woo!

Most plans for endurance events include training or practice races of a shorter distance ahead of your main goal race. In my opinion, these are the most important runs on your schedule. But how do you attack a race... that isn't a goal race? That's what we cover in today's episode of Trail Talk.

I have no time to run. Or at least that's the excuse I tried to pull on my wife the other day. In today's episode I share her response, and what it means for us as runners. Plus, results from the RCR Pack survey.

Real talk with Doug Hay. What to do when running is no longer fun.

Back in January I wrote a post called "How I'm Training for a 100K Ultramarathon with a Newborn," where I outlined five strategies that would keep me on track while significantly reducing time spent on the trail. So, did it work? In today's episode I evaluate the past five months of training, and share what worked, what didn't, and how I'll move forward.

Can you imagine visiting all 59 US national parks in the span of just over a year?   Now how about running a full marathon in each one of them?   When I first heard about Bill Sycalik's Running the Parks project, where he will run 59 marathons in 59 national parks, I knew he was the kind of guy I'd want to talk to.   Bill set off last June to run in each national park in the United States. Eleven months later and he's already checked off 41 marathons.   In today's episode of Trail Talk, Bill shares the motivation behind his project, how to logistically plan such a massive trip, and what all that running has taught him about gear, locating trails, safety, and rapid recovery.

Looking back, there are a number of things I wish I had known going into my first trail run. Lessons or advice that would have saved me a lot of time, energy, and frustration. Here are the top four.

Today's episode is split into three parts, (1) a look at my recent 32-mile Art Loeb run, (2) the value of self-evaluation, and (3) a new 7-day spring challenge. Will you join me?