Dirt And Vert

This week on the Dirt & Vert Podcast , Matt and I are sitting down with a runner who has been on an absolute, unhinged hot streak lately: Josh LaCrone . Josh is a paramedic, a dad, and the reigning course record holder at our very own Fort Frenzy, where he threw down a massive 113.15 miles on a notoriously brutal trail. What makes Josh’s story completely insane is that Fort Frenzy was only his...

This week on the Dirt & Vert Podcast we have a guest who is redefining what it means to go the distance— Cody Taylor . Cody’s path is wild: he went from being a touring, major-label new metal drummer to a full-time endurance athlete and coach. If you think a standard 100-mile race is tough, try dropping yourself onto a 550-mile trail completely unsupported—carrying a 50-plus pound pack, filter...

We are just two weeks out from Father's Day weekend, and that means it's time for a family reunion at the notorious Mid-State Mile in Franklin, Tennessee. To get our runners mentally locked in, we sit down with two legendary champions who know exactly what it takes to survive the "murder mile": Aaron Dana and Eric Kienle. This conversation is a total masterclass for anyone steppi...

This week on the Dirt & Vert Podcast, we are bringing you a heavy-hitting episode packed with prestige, mindset, and some serious backyard ultra strategy. Hosts David and Matt are joined by two of the absolute animals on the USA Backyard Ultra team: the legendary Harvey Lewis and the powerhouse Mark Dowdle. Fresh off their massive battle at the BPN Last Man Standing event, Harvey and Mark are...

We get a lot of questions about how to get into race directing, how to host fundraisers for charity, and what it actually takes to put on your very first 5K or 10K. In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast , David, Matt, and Mike Taylor break it all down into a simple, high-level roadmap. We start the day catching up on Mike and Matt's longest 50K ever at the Stump Jump anniversary race—...

What happens when a group of six runners—some of whom just met—piles into an RV to run 340 miles through the desert? Whitney Dancaster and Peter Haggemeier take us inside their recent journey through The Speed Project . ​In this episode, we learn how the team navigated the "OG Route," alternating 10K segments while battling extreme winds and high-desert heat. Peter and Whitney discuss the intense...

What does it look like to have 107 races and 104 trophies? For Rachel Entrekin, it looks like a duffel bag full of hardware under the bed and a life recently transformed by professional running contracts. In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast, we sit down with Rachel to discuss her transition from a Doctor of Physical Therapy to a full-time professional athlete. Rachel takes us through he...

What happens when you trade the high-stress world of Tesla for a career in Sales Engineering? For Sierra DeGroff , it meant finding the mental space to become one of the most dominant forces in the ultra-running community. In this episode of the Dirt & Vert Podcast , we sit down with the 2026 Umstead 100 Female Champion to deconstruct her journey from a Michigan track athlete to the top of the...

Most ultra runners encounter their toughest moments when the race pushes them to the limit—and Kirk Cherep’s story is no different. From a lightning-fast win in his first ultra to a heartbreaking DNF at the grueling No Business 100, Kirk’s journey is a vivid reminder that in this sport, humility is part of the adventure. In this candid episode, the founder of Trailblazer Running shares the "n...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we welcome back Jeremy Bohnett , the Co-Founder of Hyperlyte Liquid Performance , fresh off a massive podium finish and a new Personal Best at the Run Love It 100 . Jeremy takes us inside the race where everything finally "clicked." We break down the specific muscular endurance workouts that paved the way for his success and how he balances the &qu...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we are sitting down with Katie , an athlete whose endurance resume is as diverse as it is impressive. From the structured intensity of collegiate rowing and professional triathlons to the rugged freedom of the Appalachian Trail , Katie has seen it all. We dive into how she navigated high-level burnout to find her passion again in the trail and ultra world—cu...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we are talking about the long game. We sit down with Dusty Jameson to discuss his incredible decade-long pursuit of the "Holy Grail" for many marathoners: the sub-3 hour finish. Dusty wasn't a natural-born runner—in fact, he started out hating it. He takes us through the evolution from a reluctant runner to an elite performer, sharing the raw r...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we are joined by a woman who literally rewrote the history books: Ashley Paulson. Ashley recently stunned the running world by setting the 100-mile World Record, and in this episode, she pulls back the curtain on how she did it. We move past the surface-level talk and dive into the "meticulous" planning required to maintain world-record pace for 100 miles. A...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we are entering the "Yellow Gate." We’re sitting down with Jason Bailey to deconstruct his journey from the local trails to the most elusive race on the planet: The Barkley Marathons . Jason takes us behind the scenes of Frozen Head State Park, detailing the grueling progression of his running career and the hyper-specific training required to even...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we are joined by one of the most versatile and high-performing athletes in the ultra world: Meg Eckert. Meg is a force to be reckoned with, whether she’s running circles at Desert Solstice, tackling the furnace of Badwater 135, or preparing for the 250-mile journey at Cocodona. We go deep into the "how" of her training—from the calculated suffering of sauna...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we are joined by the incredible Becca Joyner —ultra runner, course record holder, and a powerhouse who balances three boys and multiple jobs while crushing miles. Becca takes us through her evolution from a workplace step challenge to setting the course record at Dark Anchor . We dive into the raw, humbling reality of races like Volstate and the Yeti 100 , w...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we’re joined by Jeremy Bohnett , the co-founder of Hyperlyte Liquid Performance . Jeremy’s journey is a fascinating transition from the world of long-distance thru-hiking to the high-intensity realm of 100-mile ultra-marathons. We dive into the "why" behind Hyperlyte , a nutrition company born out of the need to simplify the complicated world of en...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we sit down with the newly crowned MAD Backyard Ultra Course Record Holder , Ashley Pipkin ! Ashley's story is the ultimate proof that you don't need to be a "lifelong athlete" to dominate the ultra scene. She takes us through her transformation from a non-athletic childhood to outlasting the field and rewriting the record books. We dive de...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we are joined by a true legend of the ultra world: Maggie Guterl . From her humble beginnings in Philly to becoming a Team USA standout and the first woman to win the Big’s Backyard Ultra outright, Maggie’s journey is one of pure grit and constant evolution. Maggie takes us back to her first 24-hour race where she battled extreme nausea to hit 97 miles, her...

🚨 SPECIAL OFFER: Brian is giving all Dirt & Vert listeners 10% OFF the entire store at thefooster.com !Use code: DIRT10 at checkout or click here to shop now! This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we sit down with Brian Abadia , the founder of Fooster . Brian’s journey is a powerful look at how a major setback—a debilitating back injury—can actually be the catalyst for a total life transfor...

The OG trio is finally back together! This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, David, Matt, and Mike reunite for a special Christmas run to close out the year and look ahead to an massive 2026. We’re revealing our 2026 Bucket List Races, including big goals for the Cruel Jewel 50 and the No Business Hundo. We also get technical on what it really takes to train for the Mid-State Mile, specifically h...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, David and Matt are dropping some massive announcements that will shape the next two years of trail running in the Southeast! We are officially announcing a heavy-hitting collaboration with Yeti Trail Runners for a brand-new race in Sevierville , and giving you the lowdown on the legendary (and slightly chaotic) Taco Bell 50K —a free event that proves ultra r...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we’re joined by Kayla Fitzgerald, the force behind Palmetto Ultras, whose journey from "hating running" to directing unique endurance events is a masterclass in mental strength and community building. Kayla gets real about how running started as a rare moment of personal peace amidst parenting responsibilities and quickly evolved into a spontaneous...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're honored to sit down with  John Calabrese , an ultra runner whose journey proves that sometimes, the hardest parts of life lead you straight to the starting line! John opens up about how personal struggles, including a divorce, fueled his passion and led him from the road to the trail. We dive deep into the mental challenges of ultra running, sharin...

This week on the Dirt and Vert Podcast, we're honored to welcome the incredible Ashl ie ! Her story is proof that hard work, meticulous planning, and a little bit of community magic can lead to extraordinary achievements. Ashlie takes us behind the scenes of her monumental achievement: setting the Pinhoti FKT! We dive into the year-long logistics, the crucial nutrition adjustments, and how she lea...