The Ostrich Running Podcast

Some races end at the finish line. Others become stories that stay with us forever. This week on the Ostrich Running Podcast, Nick Meraz and Jarett Horton are joined by ultrarunner Blake Bender and filmmaker Ellen Bittner to discuss the making of the Sub-24 documentary and Blake's unforgettable journey through the Kodiak 100. From training for a 100-mile race before ever finishing a marathon, to d...

Two hundred and fifty years ago, running wasn't something you tracked on a GPS watch—it was survival. In this special solo episode, I take you through the forgotten history of running alongside America's story. From Indigenous endurance runners and Revolutionary War couriers to Lewis & Clark, the Oregon Trail, Theodore Roosevelt, the birth of ultrarunning, and the trails we still run today, we...

He didn't start running until he was 37 years old. Today, Gene Jochen has completed 109 marathons, 11 Ironman Championships, earned the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal, and maintained a 10-year Boston Marathon streak. I n this episode of The Ostrich Running Podcast, Gene shares the lessons that transformed his life through running. We discuss longevity, consistency, staying healthy as...

Burnout doesn't happen overnight. It sneaks up on runners when every run becomes a workout, every workout becomes a measurement, and every measurement becomes a judgment. This week Nick and Jarett talk about how to recognize burnout before it steals your love of running, answer listener questions about running 100 miles, and break down the mental framework Nick uses during races when things start...

We recorded an entire podcast and forgot to hit record. After getting over our frustration, we sat down and did it again. Somehow the second version ended up being even better. This week we're talking about the launch of the new X Country Reflective Performance Tee, where Ostrich Running is headed, why Nick has taken more time away from running recently, what that has done mentally and physically,...

Most of us spend our lives racing people who don't even know we're competing with them. The runner chasing a PR. The entrepreneur chasing success. The parent trying to keep up. The creator chasing numbers. But what if we've been running the wrong race all along? In this solo episode, Nick explores the race nobody talks about—the internal battle between who you are and who you're capable of becomin...

I didn’t podium at the O’Neill Park 50K.But honestly… this race changed the way I look at racing, suffering, fueling, and even why I run in the first place. In this solo episode, I break down the entire experience from the KH Races O’Neill Park 50K: battling for 3rd place realizing what “racing” actually feels like going head-to-head with Thomas Demartino completely cramping up on the climb learni...

What if the thing you take for granted every single day… was almost taken away from you completely? In this episode of the Ostrich Running Podcast, we sit down with ultra runner Sean Casey ( @takethestairs1 ), whose story completely changed the way we think about movement, pain, and endurance. Sean was paralyzed as a kid and had to relearn how to walk. Years later, he would go on to run one of the...

Ultra runners are weird… and today Jarett is asking all the questions every normal person has been thinking. How do you even become an ultra runner? How much do you eat during a race? Do you need a crew? How do people run through the night? And honestly… what do you even win for doing this? In this episode (and reoccuring throughout season 2) of the Ostrich Running Podcast, Nick and Jarett break d...

Your fitness didn’t disappear… your fuel did. In this solo episode, Nick shares a recent experience with under-fueling that led to a failed tempo run—and breaks down what’s actually happening in your body when you’re not eating enough. From glycogen depletion to muscle performance, this episode explains why fueling is critical not just during your runs, but across your entire training cycle. If yo...

What does it actually take to commit to something most people wouldn’t even consider? In this episode, Nick sits down with Mason Wright—also known as The Buff Runner—to break down his next challenge: running 1,000 miles on a track to raise money for the Single Parent Project. After completing 421 miles across Utah, Mason is taking things even further—and this time, removing the scenery, the variat...

Ultra running 20 years ago is not the same sport it is today. In this episode, we break down how much the sport has changed from the mid-2000s to now—looking at top athletes like Scott Jurek, Karl Meltzer, and Nikki Kimball, and comparing them to modern runners like Jim Walmsley, Kilian Jornet, and Courtney Dauwalter. We dive into how race times have improved across 100K and 100-mile distances, in...

Six years ago, I couldn’t run more than 1.7 miles. I remember that first run—feeling like I was dying, wondering how I would ever make it to a 5k. At the time, I was early into sobriety, dealing with a loud mind, and trying to rebuild my life one step at a time. I didn’t feel like a runner. I felt like someone who had never finished anything he started. Running gave me something simple: a finish l...

Ultra running is stupid… or is it? In this episode, Nick and Jarett go head-to-head on the question most people are already thinking: why would anyone run 100 miles? Jarett takes the position that ultra running makes absolutely no sense—voluntarily suffering for hours with no real payoff. Nick pushes back, breaking down what actually happens when you’re deep into a run and why people keep coming b...

Don Tyler Knotts (@chefdonknotts) is not just an ultra runner—he’s a father, Army veteran, wildland firefighter, chef, and sober life coach who has lived multiple lives and come out stronger on the other side. In this episode, we dive deep into Don’s journey through sobriety, faith, and endurance. From completing the Swammie Shuffle 200 to rebuilding after injury, Don shares how the trails became...

This week’s episode of the Ostrich Running Podcast is a short one — a bite-size episode designed to give you something practical you can carry into your next run or race. Nick shares five mental tools that have helped him get through difficult miles during ultras and long training days. These are simple mindset strategies that can help when fatigue sets in, doubt creeps in, and the race becomes mo...

In this episode of the Ostrich Running Podcast, Nick sits down with ultrarunner and coach Steve Epifano to talk about the story behind his new documentary and what it means to chase big goals as a regular runner. Steve has raced everything from short distances to 200-mile ultras, but instead of focusing on podium finishes or elite performances, his film highlights the reality of endurance running...

In this solo episode, Nick explores what it means to keep improving as a runner at 39 years old. Is slowing down inevitable, or can hard work and smarter training still lead to growth? This conversation dives into aging, performance, mindset, and the idea that running times equal credibility — especially when building a running brand. An honest look at pushing limits, chasing progress, and redefin...

Training for races isn’t just about miles. In this solo episode, Nick shares lessons learned from years of racing and training — including fueling strategies, gut training, why time on feet matters more than mileage, and how strength and stability work help runners stay strong late in races. If you’re preparing for your next race, this episode will help you train smarter and show up ready. Run sca...

This week on the Ostrich Running Podcast, Nick takes Jarett to the heart of running culture — Eugene, Oregon: TrackTown USA. From learning about the legacy of Steve Prefontaine and how he challenged the system for American runners, to diving into modern running science at Aletheia Run Lab, this episode explores how running has evolved — and what still hasn’t changed. The guys unpack: • Why so many...

Joy isn’t something that magically shows up when life gets easier. It’s something you practice — just like running. In this solo episode, Nick explores the idea that joy is a skill that can be trained through repetition, perspective, and showing up even on hard days. Drawing from lessons learned through running, training blocks, business building, and everyday life, this episode is about learning...

What does running mean when freedom is taken away? In this episode of The Ostrich Running Podcast, I sit down with Casey Vanderhoef, a formerly incarcerated runner who helped launch Fit From Within—a prison run club that led to something almost unbelievable… a marathon run inside the prison walls. Joining Casey is Utah State Representative Katy Hall, a 12-time Ironman triathlete and the mentor who...

Nick breaks down the most honest race recap of his life. At the San Diego 50, he crossed the finish line in 7:42, got congratulated for 4th overall and 1st in his age group… and then discovered the truth: he missed a loop and only ran 45 miles. This episode isn’t about excuses—it’s about focus, execution, and integrity. Nick walks through what led to the mental fog, the cracks that showed up mid-r...

In this episode of The Ostrich Running Podcast, Nick sits down with his running coach Melissa Henderson—ultrarunner, 100-mile race winner, coach, and mom—to talk about what it really takes to chase big running goals in a full life. Melissa breaks down how she trains for ultramarathons while balancing family, work, and real-world responsibilities. We dive into winning a 100-mile race in under 24 ho...

Episode 38 — Training the Mind for the Miles Ahead & The Cost of Comfort In this solo episode of The Ostrich Running Podcast, Nick Meraz speaks directly to the runner listening right now — mid-run, post-race, or somewhere in between. This episode goes beyond mileage and fitness and into the psychology of endurance. We talk about why most runners don’t fall apart at the hardest miles — they fal...