Steep Ravine...Deep Thoughts About Running

Dave thrives in France and Spain for three-and-a-half-weeks despite travel delays, wrong connections, three emergency-room visits, stitches, and dental work. He still attended the Paris Diamond League, sat with Evan Jager, drank a beer with Andrew Coscoran, watched record-setting races, enjoyed local food and wine, did some epic hikes and returned home to coaching and recovery. Matt stayed home an...

Matt and Dave recap the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships Car Talk style, as Dave drives from Eugene back to Portland. Listen in to get the skinny on the new 110M Hurdle world record, crazy mishaps in the 4x100 relay final, surprising tactics in the women's 10K Final, a notable disqualification. Plus other big things happening in the world of track and field.

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank recap a packed high-school track week, covering California and Oregon district and state meets, standout performances, and surprising results. They spotlight Mountainside athletes Lucas and Miranda, discuss training, injuries, race tactics, and memorable moments from sprinters to distance runners. The episode also previews NCAA regionals, shares coaching insight...

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank chat about the last-minute excitement before Mountainside's district track meet, coaching strategies, and memorable athlete stories. They recap college and pro meets (including Diamond League highlights), conference championship performances, and the road to the Oregon state meet at Hayward Field. Interwoven with personal anecdotes about team logistics, parent s...

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank break down the astonishing London Marathon where two men ran under two hours, the role of shoes and strategy, and standout performances across the field. They also cover Chico State's 5K conference championship ownage, Valerie Sion's wedding, NCAA and last-chance meet stories, local high school coaching wins, and upcoming pro meets and Diamond League events.

Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank sit down with Gary Walton to trace his journey from high‑school runner to UC Davis coach and founding dean of the Graduate School of Management. They discuss Walton’s coaching philosophy, the Sage's 10‑mile tradition, his 88‑mile endurance run, a dramatic Achilles injury and comeback, and later life passions like jazz saxophone and mentoring in Prague. The episode hig...

Matt and Dave recap a packed weekend of track and field: the Boston Marathon’s thrilling finishes, standout American performances, and veteran runners making headlines. They also cover major collegiate meets including the Brian Clay Invitational and Mt. SAC, highlight record-breaking efforts and emerging NCAA stars, and share personal stories from past races and coaching updates.

Matt and Dave trade stories from the high school track circuit — weather, PRs, coaching tweaks, and standout performances at local meets. They chat about some Arcadia Invitational highlights, review the Australian national championships, spotlight a rising Australian sprint star, and tease ideas for the podcast's 100th episode.

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank catch up on life in Napa—Matt describes swapping Roundup for sheep, cultivating and rolling the vineyard, and shares small‑town farming stories. They also break down recent track & field highlights: Shelby Hillahan’s 10K attempt, Kai Robinson and Woody Kincaid’s duel, Jane Hedengren’s NCAA‑level 10K, Cooper Lutkenhaus’s 800m world indoor win at 17, Stanford...

Matt and Dave interview Gary Towne, longtime Chico State cross country and track coach, about his 30-year career building a nationally competitive distance program and the culture behind sustained success. Gary discusses recruiting, athlete development, training philosophy, memorable races, alumni support, and the programs remarkable consistency, including a decades-long streak of conference 5K wi...

In this episode Matt and Dave speak with Peter Goldmacher about the Thousand Mile Club, a running program at San Quentin where incarcerated men train to run a marathon and find purpose, community, and rehabilitation. They discuss the club’s impact, coaching practices, the documentary 26.2 to Life, sponsor support, and how running helps transform lives both inside and beyond the prison walls.

Episode 88 of the Steep Ravine Podcast features Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank talking with Brad Barquist about his running journey from Bellevue and Interlake High School to the University of Michigan and a professional career with Mizuno. They cover his rapid rise in high school and college, coaching relationships, and memorable PRs and All‑American performances. The conversation culminates with...

On this episode of Steep Ravine, hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank sit down with legendary coach and former University of Oregon runner Pat Tyson. They cover his time as a teammate and roommate of Steve Prefontaine, the famous "Oregon system" of training, and stories from NCAA cross-country championships. The conversation also explores Tyson’s coaching career — building exceptional high school p...

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank welcome coach Chris Johnson of Siuslaw High School to discuss his 31-year career, the program’s state championship success, and memorable local stories from Florence, Oregon. The episode also covers major track news: Keely Hodgkinson’s World Record 1:54.87 indoor 800m, Tshepiso Masalela’s controversial 1500m disqualification, youngster Sam Ruthe's U20 dominance...

Matt Wilkinson and Dave Friend break down a whirlwind of indoor track action since the Millrose Games, covering standout meets at the Husky Classic, JDL Sound Running and Boston University’s Valentine's Day Invitational. Highlights include Femke Bol’s surprise sub-2:00 800 debut, multiple collegiate PRs and record attempts, fast pro miles (including a 3:45 American indoor run), and grassroots raci...

Matt and Dave recap their Millrose Games weekend — fast races, tactical thrills, and memorable meetups. They cover Cole Hocker’s smart two‑mile win, Cam Myers’ breakout mile, Ellie St. Pierre’s comeback, and Colin Sahlman’s record indoor 800, plus behind‑the‑scenes stories from New York and Boston. Between snowbound visits with coaches, surprise run‑ins with athletes, and infield VIP moments, the...

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank welcome Patty Gray-Bellan to episode 83 to talk about her start in running, NCAA titles at UC Davis, marathon victories, career in education and coaching, life in Boise, and the lifelong friendships and community built through running.

Matt and Dave recap the World Cross Championships in Tallahassee, highlighting Australia’s surprise mixed-relay win, standout individual performances, and team podiums, plus visa issues that affected entries. They also review the U.S. club championships, masters races, and memorable upsets and breakout runs. The hosts then break down fast road results from Houston (including multiple sub-60 men an...

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank find plenty to discuss despite the holiday-related lull in running competition.

Matt and Dave welcome longtime friend Rod Berry to recap recent cross‑country highlights — NXN, the USA Cross‑Country Championships and the Sharon Colyear-Danville Indoor Season Opener at Boston University. They then dive into Rod’s life and running career, from Redwood and Stanford to coaching, memorable race stories, and his epic 5,100‑mile European Divide bike adventure at age 65, sharing humor...

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank break down the latest cross-country moments: comprehensive NCAA championship coverage (D1–D3), standout individual runs, and a thrilling women’s duel between Doris Lemongole and freshman Jane Hedengren. They highlight team results, surprising finishes, and notable performances across the men’s and women’s fields. The episode also covers the California State high...

Matt and Dave recap the excitement from Oregon state meets, share coaching stories and standout performances, and discuss how athletes fared at regional Nike and NCAA qualifying races. They also break down key college regionals, at-large bids, and individual standouts while previewing the upcoming national championships and what to watch next week.

Hosts Matt Wilkinson and Dave Frank talk with three top collegiate runners — Connor Foley (Dartmouth), Hayden Boaz (Princeton) and Ben Bouie (Harvard) — about recent races, transitioning from high school to college running, and balancing Ivy League academics with elite training.

Matt and Dave catch up on listener shout-outs and Lyle Smith’s NIWOT connection, plus reflections on Van Cortland and college conference races. They cover major storylines: Iowa State issues, Jane Hedendren’s dominant performance, Ivy League highlights, and the New York City Marathon’s dramatic photo finish. They finish with local high school district results, personal coaching updates, and reacti...

Matt and Dave unpack a massive weekend in running: standout freshman performances at Princeton and Nuttycombe, BYU’s dominant showing at Pre-Nationals, and strong NCAA meet results. They discuss team dynamics, course differences, and the nuances behind fast cross-country times. They also dive into the Chicago Marathon, highlighting record-pace efforts and impressive pros like Connor and Galen, the...