The Fast and Free Podcast

In this episode of the Fast & Free Podcast, Elaina flips the script and puts Brant Stachel in the hot seat to unpack a big milestone: his newly released book on mental performance for endurance athletes. Brant shares how the idea took shape, what surprised him most about the writing and self-publishing process, and why he chose a practical, narrative style over a textbook approach. They dive i...

In this episode of Fast and Free, Brant turns the mic toward Elaina to explore a running journey shaped by grit, setbacks, and the kind of durability you can’t fake. They talk about the early days of running without structure, the string of breakthrough marathons that proved she had real potential, and the tough moments that nearly derailed everything — from a DNF at Grandma’s to discovering a 75%...

For the first time, Fast & Free Performance Coach Elaina Raponi takes the mic to interview Brant Stachel, co-founder of Fast & Free Coaching. Together, they explore the messy, rewarding, very human side of coaching — mentorship, patience, communication, and why slowing down might be the fastest way to grow. They share candid stories from years of coaching runners of all levels, lessons fro...

In this episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with ultrarunner, coach, and Team RunRun co-founder Matt Urbanski to explore the mental and physical mechanics of going long—really long. From UTMB to Hardrock to 24-hour loops, Matt has raced some of the toughest courses in the world, and just weeks before this conversation, represented Team USA at the IAU 24-Hour World Champio...

In this episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with runner and coach Martina Nadeau to explore what it truly takes to rebuild confidence after a catastrophic injury. Two weeks before the 2022 NYC Marathon, Martina was diagnosed with a stress fracture that forced her to stop running completely. But instead of spiraling, she reframed the setback—learning to swim, committing to...

In this episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with one of Canada’s fastest-rising marathoners, Thomas Nobbs. With personal bests of 63 minutes in the half and 2:15 in the marathon, Thomas is chasing the dream of representing Canada at the LA 2028 Olympics—all while balancing 200km training weeks and a full-time career. Thomas opens up about the highs and lows of his journey...

In this episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with running coach and athlete Jess Hadley to dive into the mental side of endurance sports. From building confidence in workouts to shifting how we approach long runs, Jess shares her journey of embracing mindset shifts that take pressure off performance and bring joy back to the process. Together, Brant and Jess unpack how ref...

In this first episode of the Fast and Free Podcast, Brant Stachel sits down with sports psychologist Dr. Cassidy Preston to explore the power of competitive identity and mental performance in endurance sports. From rewriting limiting narratives to developing an alter ego, Brant and Cassidy break down how athletes can reframe their mindset to perform at their best on the ice, the trails, or the mar...