Off The Couch

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’t following all the old conventions. So we discuss the current and future state of trail running and ultra trail running with two young and rising trail runners — Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny. We also t...

This past weekend, our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard , ran the Bighorn Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run . So Jonathan Ellsworth talks with him about why he decided to run it; how he prepared; the highs and lows of the experience; dealing with the race’s signature mud; his advice for anyone thinking of running a 100; and then, the big question: whether or not he plans on running another 100 mi...

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 lessons; how she got into trail running and ski mountaineering; and juggling being a runner, mother, and educator. TOPICS & TIMES: Sitcoms and life lessons (2:12) Stevie’s background & early races...

Brendan Leonard and I talk to Sarah Lavender Smith , who ran her first marathon back in 1995, and has gone on to complete eighty marathons and ultramarathons since. Sarah is the author of the excellent book, The Trail Runner's Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, from 5Ks to Ultras ; she is a columnist for the magazines UltraRunning and Trail Runner, she also keeps an activ...

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 Rawal ( 3100: Run and Become ; Food Chains ; Challenging Impossibility ), joined us to talk about how running can be far more than just a fitness routine or a competitive outlet, it can be transformative, and make u...

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 running backgrounds; their love / hate relationships with running; and consider Strava as a modern-day spiritual exercise?? TOPICS & TIMES: When do you actually get to call yourself a “runner”? (1:30) O...

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. This is a show for people who love to run, but it is also a show for those who maybe only kinda like running — and for those who sometimes really hate running. As for us, we find ourselves falling into all 3 of these categories depending on the day, and we have a hunch...