Trail Runner Nation

What happens when a once-fringe sport starts to go mainstream — and can it grow without losing its soul? In this episode of  Trail Runner Nation , we sit down with Jamil Coury , founder and CEO of Aravaipa Running and publisher of UltraRunning Magazine , to explore the State of Trail and Ultrarunning in 2026 . Jamil shares a 30,000-foot view of how the sport has evolved over the past decade, from...

This is a previously recorded episode of Trail Runner Nation, but its message remains just as relevant today. In this conversation, we're joined by Adam Kimble to explore the often-overlooked power of consistency in running and training. Instead of chasing perfect workouts or peak moments, we discuss how small, repeatable efforts add up over time to build durability, confidence, and long-term prog...

Today's episode is all about having some fun on the trail. We are joined by Andy Jones-Wilkins and Katie Asmuth , and we're playing the classic "dictionary game" — taking random words from a 1931 Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and turning them into something every trail runner can relate to. It's playful, a little ridiculous at times, and guaranteed to make you laugh while nodding along. Lace up,...

In this lighthearted, game-show–style episode, we try and answer the age-old question: Am I really a trail runner? Audience participation is a must as we work through 33 humorous and painfully relatable statements covering gear habits, weather and suffering, aid stations, trail culture, injuries, and even bathroom logistics. You keep score to discover whether you're a noob, veteran, grizzled trail...

Iron Mike Wardian returns to Trail Runner Nation for a conversation that celebrates running beyond race bibs and finish lines. From running across the United States to circumnavigating islands and turning family vacations into adventure runs, Mike shares the stories that shaped his love for exploration and curiosity. Along the way, he recounts funny and unexpected moments—wildlife encounters, smal...

In this episode, we explore one of the most overlooked performance tools in ultrarunning: not running. Coach and elite ultrarunner Ian Sharman explains how active recovery, power-hiking, and weight-vest hiking help athletes build durability, reduce muscle damage, conserve glycogen, and avoid the dreaded late-race death march. We break down why power-hiking is a smart performance strategy used by e...

In this episode, we talk with exercise scientist Dr. Nick Tiller , author of the Ultrarunning Magazine article "Protein While Racing, Training Runs to Predict Performance & Progressing to Ultra." Starting from the wild story of Milo of Croton—an ancient athlete who drank ox blood and ate raw animal flesh—we trace how endurance nutrition has swung from carb-loading to fat-adaptation and ask where p...

Today we're cooking up something a little different—a Trail Runner Nation–style feast inspired by the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving. Just like families gather to celebrate gratitude and good food, we're gathering around the podcast table to share the habits, ideas, and rituals that make us better runners. And who else should be joining us be A. Jizzle Wizzle, Coach Andy Jones-Wilkins. In this playf...

In this seventh installment of  Aging as an Athlete series, Scott, Don, and Krissy sit down with elite ultrarunner and longtime coach Ian Sharman to explore what it really means to run well as the years go by. Ian shares insights from 20+ years of racing—including a marathon course record he set after turning 45—and lessons learned from coaching athletes across all ages and abilities. He offers a...

In this episode, we sit down with the new book Running Breakthroughs author Floris Gierman to explore what truly drives joy, consistency, and long-term progress in running. Floris shares the patterns he's uncovered after years of conversations with athletes, coaches, and researchers—stories of everyday runners who transformed their lives through simple habits, sustainable training, and a kinder re...

What does it take to keep running strong from your teens into your 90s? In this new episode of  The Aging Athlete  series, Krissy Moehl co-hosts as we sit down with Shawn Cheshire to talk about her journey through adversity as she is aging and how to adapt to life's circumstances, making her "obstacles the way". Shawn Cheshire is a blind athlete who has achieved remarkable feats in biking and trai...

In this "Point–Counterpoint" episode, we are joined by coaches from two teams— Sharman Ultra ( Ian Sharman & Ellie Greenwood ) and Giddy Up Ultra ( Jeff Browning & Trish Arends )—to debate hot-button trail topics. They tackle gadgets vs. going by feel (most land on the fence, with Scott pledging a watch-free run), active recovery vs. full rest (consensus: gentle movement wins "if done well"), and...

Dr. Phil Maffetone returns to revisit the MAF Method—training by low heart rate (≈180 minus age)—with Don sharing how it saved his a 100-mile race. Phil explains why most endurance performance is aerobic and how building that system (plus cleaning up diet) beats "no-pain-no-gain." The episode pivots to his new brain-health research: refined carbs and excess body fat can impair the brain, but the g...

Have you ever heard a runner drop out of a race and say, "It just wasn't my day" ? Well, Meghan Canfield —known to the trail world as The Queen —has something to say about that. She argues, "Of course it's your day! It's certainly not anyone else's." In this episode, Meghan joins us to explore what that really means. Inspired by her recent article in  UltraRunning Magazine titled "Adventure of Lif...

What does it take to keep running strong from your teens into your 90s? In this sixth episode of The Aging Athlete  series, Krissy Moehl co-hosts as we sit down with Meredith Terranova to discuss the fuel behind performance and longevity.   • In past Aging Athlete episodes, we've explored how to train smarter as we age, not harder—covering topics like  ◦ adapting your training plans,  ◦ hormone op...

Dr. Mark Cucuzzella returns for his 19th visit (first joined us in 2012) to unpack the "pendulum swings" in running— from minimalist to maximal shoes, handhelds to hydration vests, and data-free runs to tech-heavy biometrics. He shares how his natural-footwear ethos (and Two Rivers Treads ) started before the trend, why different terrains and athletes may benefit from different shoes, and why rota...

In this episode, we welcome back Bob Crowley and Tim Twietmeyer, co-founders of History Expeditions , who've shown us how endurance fitness can unlock incredible adventures beyond racing. This fall, they and a team of veteran endurance athletes will bring history to life with a never-before-attempted 120-mile horseback crossing of the Sierra Nevada, retracing the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party's p...

What does it take to keep running strong from your teens into your 90s? In this fifth episode of  The Aging Athlete  series, Krissy Moehl co-hosts as we sit down with Jeff Browning—coach, ultrarunner, and one of the sport's most consistent and ageless performers. Jeff shares how he has adapted his training across decades, balancing intensity with recovery to stay competitive deep into his 50s. He...

In this rerun episode, we dig into the science behind what's happening inside our bodies with registered sports dietitian Ashley Reaver . Ashley highlights five key biomarkers that endurance athletes should pay attention to—explaining why they matter, what healthy ranges look like, and what steps we can take if our numbers are off. From performance to recovery, these biomarkers influence how well...

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Rosario , Head Coach and Executive Director of Hoka Northern Arizona Elite Team , aka Hoka NAZ Elite, to uncover how professional runners train—and how everyday runners can apply the same strategies. Ben shares why success isn't only about big workouts, but also about the fundamentals: getting enough sleep, fueling properly, and building strength without needi...

What does it take to keep running strong from your teens into your 90s? Welcome to  The Aging Athlete , a new Trail Runner Nation mini-series co-hosted by ultrarunning icon  Krissy Moehl . Every 5 to 6 weeks, we'll dive into what it looks like to grow older in this sport we love—exploring how to train smarter, fuel better, recover more intentionally, and stay motivated through the decades. In this...

What if one simple idea could transform the way athletes fuel their bodies? In this episode, we explore the birth of the very first sports nutrition bar back in the 1980s—a product that forever changed performance and recovery. Can you guess what it is? You'll hear the story behind its creation from one of its creators, Jennifer Maxwell, from the spark of inspiration to the trial-and-error experim...

What do launching into orbit and starting a grueling mountain ultra have in common? More than you might think. In this episode, we draw from Ryan Holiday's The Obstacle Is the Wa y and NASA's astronaut training to explore how familiarity—not bravado—builds confidence on the trail. Just as astronauts rehearsed every scenario to make the unknown feel routine, trail runners can train for the unexpect...

In this episode of Trail Runner Nation, we reflect on the evolution of trail running and the Trail Runner Nation podcast over the past 14 years. We reflect on some clips from our very first episode,  Podcast Numero Uno , published in November of 2011.  We discuss the changes in trail running gear, the importance of community and knowledge sharing, and the technological advancements that have shape...

What does it mean to be a trail runner in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s—or even your 70s? How do years of pounding dirt, chasing summits, and chasing goals shape our bodies, minds, and identities? Welcome to  The Aging Athlete , a new Trail Runner Nation mini-series co-hosted by ultrarunning icon  Krissy Moehl . Every 5 to 6 weeks, we'll dive into what it looks like to grow older in this sport we love—e...