Vol State: It's All About the People

Season 2 concludes with Ana telling us about all the people who helped her do this race after she was motivated by her husband's completion in 2022 - and in fact, he signed her up without her even knowing about it. Lots of memorable moments from this story.

Jess is no April Fool. What a great way to end Season 2 - Jess talks about her DNF in 2024 and then her road to redemption in 2025. It's long but it will take you all the way along her 314 mile path across the State!

Road Angel galore. Susan's first time on the podcast and she tells what it is she cares most about. You'll be gripped as i was by her desire to help the runners do the race she dreamed of but can no longer contemplate.

Jon recounts his memorable moments, giving tips all along the way.

Tay's Stop and Flop is a well known Road Angel stop that pops up after a very long stretch of gradual climbing. This is Tay's second appearance on the show and her veteran Road Angel Status shows in her interview. Sit back and visualize your race as you listen.

I didn’t think we could pull it off but we did. 6 of them and 1 of me on one episode. Laughter galore. Some of the audio isn’t perfect given some members had to call in from their cars but the spirit of Vol State shows up loud and clear in this episode

Justin showed up to talk about how he owed this race to Eric, who’s still standing by him as you see him make cameo appearances in this episode. I love episodes like this because they make me smile and laugh. Justin is such an alive personality that any time you need an uplift, just turn this one on.

Placing 8th, Shannon finished in 5 days, 22 hours and 44 minutes. Fortunately she found more time to talk with me on the podcast. This entire interview is peppered with useful information for every runner, no matter their finish time. You just have to listen to this one.

Jon was part of the Trauma Bonded Trash Pandas too. His stories, though, take you through the course helping you visualize everything from the road.

This is a prelude to “The Justin Correro story” coming soon. Eric had me laughing the whole way as he had to drag his little sociable “puppy” down the road, away from talking up a storm. Eric has many tips and tricks for you so be sure to listen. That’s tips and tricks about the race, not about puppies.

Road Angel Extreme. She started last year and was with Kay Bartley on a podcast episode that you can see in season one. And this year, she comes back telling us all the changes and improvements she's not only made for 2025, but plans to make in 2026.

Mike wants to show you how an introvert was able to conquer vol state and maybe even changed a little bit of his introversion. Listen to his story and be uplifted.

Save this podcast to listen to when you're in need of an energy drink. Listening to Paige will save you money for that Red Bull or Monster drink. She has more energy and exciting stories than most. Plus, they are pretty endearing stories, especially of people helping people they don't even know. I really enjoyed this interview and i think you'll be able to tell that.

Shane is the last Road Angel we get to see. That's enough of a hint. Shane tells us how this Road Angel station evolved and the joy it gives and receives.

Jessica also applied lessons learned in 2024 to a big success in 2025. She and another "Jess" did the whole race together so that makes for a Jess story (this other woman is the 2nd of the three Jess entrants this year). She has plenty of good tips for new people and funny memorable moments too.

Scotty did this race just two months after surgery and with a tendon issue; yet he still had a great experience and gives many pointers in this episode.

Another member of the Trash Pandas, Jessica is just as funny as the others. It was great having the different perspectives of the team member. This team travelled at least 8 days togther, I believe. That is highly unusual for a group of 4 or 5 people who didn't know each other at all. More great stories and tips.

Chris simulated Vol State during the interview but not by choice. The internet was messed up in his house so he went to another building (a barn) on his property to connect to the wi-fi. However, the barn was about 100 degrees and although he turned on the A/C, it took quite awhile for him to stop sweating. It still didn't dull his enthusiasm for talking about the race.

The McHenri have a long history at Vol State and took me back to my beginnings in 2014. Although they didn't do 2025, they have stories galore. This father/daughter team recounts their treks with lessons learned along the way. It was quite an enjoyable reminiscence. I think you'll love it.

Erin holds a very special place in my heart and in the hearts of any who have been near her or even heard her "broadcasts" on WLAV TV - her videos form the field. This episode will have you rolling in the aisles as it did me but you can also learn so much from this very savvy woman. Enjoy.

I was hesitant to have the two of them on together but am so glad I did. They complement one another on this episode just as they did on the road. It's a great take of how two people can work so well together to get each other to the Rock. Teamwork at its finest.

More energy! Karen is also funny. She tells you all the things she thinks she did wrong and how you can do otherwise so you can have a successful race. Her outlook on life and Vol State is refreshing and I know you'll be totally captivated.

You'll be surprised by the perspectives and thoughts from Dr. Downer. She traveled most of the course alone and noticed all the beauty of the entire 314 miles. See how a scientist viewed this beautiful Tennessee course.

This woman is hysterical (funny type, not the other). You'll hear so much about the race that you'd never even think of. She's a wealth of knowledge who also absorbs so much information from other people. She shares all that info with us in this interview.

Hal is a trooper. He made it over 200 miles on destroyed feet and only DNFed because he overslept. I'm pretty partial to this one since his wife saved my day 1 with a PayDay bar!