In the Zone

Brooks Bash got injured at mile 6 of a 300 mile race. It sounded ridiculous, but then he mentioned he just ran 100 marathons in 100 days in the months prior.   It puts the injury in perspective, but it also begs the question: what's the point of all this? Isn't this whole ultra world just spinning out of control?   I'm curious to hear with your thoughts on the topic. Drop them in the c...

Turning pro lands you in this funny place. It gives you both more time and pressure to train.    So, how do you make sure the pressure doesn't outweigh the time aspect?    Today, Alyssa shares how her eagerness to show herself as a pro backfired, how it lead to DNF'ing instead of shining, and what she learned from it.    I wish you an insightful episode. 

Today we tried to talk about principle/provocation 3 in our 4 part series…but we didn't get to it.    Instead of talking about the potential of running free from "assumptions", we got carried away talking about how to apply the "no judgement" and "no expectations" principle.    Enjoy the episode.   

Alexandra's short doc "Resilient" recently won 1st prize at the trialsofmilesracing film festival. It touches on her journey with chronic depression and how running has helped her manage it. And it's the red thread throughout our conversation. Enjoy the episode. Watch the film here

Updates on training and how we're sculpting our life to make it all work together.    A question for our next episode?    Just drop it in the comments.  Links: Nick's instagram InTheZone

4 years ago she wasn't even running. This year, she finished the TSP solo, running 480km through the desert. And she got sponsored doing it.    This is a conversation on mental resilience, building leverage with brands through social media, and me asking shamelessly for tattoo advice.    Enjoy the episode. Instagram Lydia

How not to gain weight when lifting as an ultra runner. It's just one of my main concerns as I'm hitting the gym more often.    It's actually not, but I asked Ben (my current strength coach) anyways.    This one is for anyone trying to get stronger up and down those big slopes even though the closest mountain is thousands of km's away.   Social links: Instagram Website

After talking about the importance of "no judgement", today we talk about "no expectations".    This is part 2 of a 4 part series where Steve & I go deep on how to use a four fold apophatic path to go deeper into yourself through running.    In these inner dialogues we go all the way and share how we embrace running as a spiritual path.  Links: Steve's instagram InTheZo...

Today Emily shares how she embraces cycling to supplement therapy in working through mental health issues.   social links: Instagram   PSA If it's not clear from the episode, don't exchange actual therapy for cycling (or running) if you're struggling with mental health issues.   

Are we training professionally enough? Or are we just having too much fun?    Some thoughts we're pondering on today's episode.  Social links, Instagram nick Instagram In The Zone

Susan is currently exploring her relationship with running. From running podium in the Dutch Championships, through years of injury, to hiking the PCT last year.    These experiences are teaching her different things about herself as a human being as much as it allows to her to explore the purpose of running in her life.    This is a conversation for those who want to live more openly and want to...

Ivo Steyaert has been dominating the Belgian 100 mile scene since before I started running.    Today we talk about the mindset behind his success. 

Dirtbag runner, surfer, and skater.    Or to quote @satisfyrunning: "A recklessly fun and outgoing individual, who does not shy away from any challenge."    We talk about what it's like to be a pro athlete at Satisfy, his 880+ day running streak, and his overall obsession with running.    Get inspired by Max's non-nonsense approach to the sport and his raw honesty about his journ...

Earlier this year, Chris set out to be competitive in the Spine. But the race did not remotely go the way he expected.    Instead of getting the result he was after, he quit the race. Unknowingly the race had triggered a cocktail of unresolved stories & emotions and ended up leading into a panic attack.    2 months later, the dust has settled and integrated into a transformative experience.   ...

Self-judgement is one of the quickest ways to suffocate your race-day performance.    So, Steve and I set out to unpack the nature of self-judgement, how to grow free of it, and how it can take you beyond yourself into an amazing racing experience.    This episode is part of a series of episodes where we explore the key principles to elevate your performance while finding the spiritual dimension i...

Today Nick shares about how he's coming back from injury while I talk about how I'm progressing in my strength work.    In the 2nd part of the episode we talk about how we both quit our engineering jobs. What made us do so, the challenges, and how we ended up doing it.    Let us know what other topics or questions you'd like us to cover.    Enjoy the episode! 

There's an art to DNF'ing. It doesn't have to have a bad aftertaste.    When done right it can be a transformative experience.    In this episode Patrick elaborates how he processed multiple DNF's in 2023.    Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he speaks from a place of accountability and growth.    It's a conversation that helps you put "failure" into perspective a...

I grew silent hearing everything Ari went through in his life. But the fact he went through all that and still sat there smiling was incredibly humbling and inspiring.    I initially invited him on the podcast because he was a monk at one point in his life. And I was curious how that experience translated to ultra running.    Turns out this was only a small part of our conversation. The man just h...

Do goals help or hinder your spiritual growth through running?    In today's episode, we invite you into a specific relationship to goals and process. Goals as tools, not outcomes and process as a state of being.    We also expand on my current "goalless" situation, why I love it so much, and how I navigate my training process without goals.    In both cases we invite you turn within...

Today Nick & I share about our first training house experience in Girona. It was so much more beautiful than we had expected.    Nick also shares about his inner journey in recovering from injury. And I talk about my struggle to accept I don't have any race goals the way I'm used to.    We're looking forward to sharing more of these conversations where we give insight into our own...

2023 has been a grand cru year for Laura. Podium in Marathon the Montblanc 91km & winning the 100 miler by UTMB in Nice.    Hard work has been a key aspect to these stellar results. But she openly questions: what (amount of training) is enough?    When is pushing more helpful? Or when am I just being hard on myself?    We also talk about:  The impact of talent vs hard work  The importance of p...

Christine went from having a desk job to being an outdoor adventurer.    It took courage to quit her job and she had to let go of layers of stories before she dared to call herself an "athlete" or "adventurer".    Today, her courageous journey continues as she's letting go of her need to have "the perfect body" while breaking through the stigma of bleeding on trai...

You likely know your training plan helps you grow physically stronger.    But a training plan is secretly an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth just as much.    It's inviting you to into new perspectives about the meaning of "failing" or missing workouts. Or to reconsider the importance of achieving goals and why you're running in the first place.    When you accept th...

Jessica is "only" the 2nd woman to ever set a record on the PCT.    But she didn't get it handed on a silver platter.    After spending weeks alone on trail, her PTSD unexpectedly surfaced. She was forced to deal with it while setting the record.    Fortunately, Jessica has a gift for always finding the positive in the negative. It's just one of the things that helped her not jus...

How did Karel become the runner he is today?    And how does he experience & navigate the challenges that are inevitable when running across countries, through deserts, and over mountain ranges for weeks on end?    Those are the 2 main questions we explored in our conversation together.    It's for anyone curious to learn more about the mindset behind some of world's toughest races &am...