Off The Couch

David Kilgore is living the dream. In addition to his role as On Running’s Sports Innovation Manager, David also runs professionally for On himself. As an athlete privy to several sides of the trail running industry, his perspective offers unique insights into the future of the sport as it continues to rapidly professionalize. So, we sat down with David a few days after he made his race directing debut — yet another hat he now proudly wears — to hear how he climbed the ranks at On; how he helped build their trail running team; the business of athlete sponsorships; the simplicity of hard work; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMESDavid’s race directing debut (4:18)Representing East Coast trail running (6:47)NYC’s ultrarunning scene (8:30)David’s background as a D1 runner (10:22)Falling out of love with the sport after college (16:48)Filmmaking & photography (19:44)On Running (20:47)Climbing the ranks at On (29:16)The ins and outs of building a pro trail team (32:19)On’s latest shoes (40:05)Recapping UTM

Running is often praised for its simplicity, but what it requires from the body can be quite complex. As October rolls around, many of us will feel the stress from all those hard summer miles take the form of unexpected aches and pains, which sometimes demand more involved treatment than just some extra time spent on the foam roller. So, we sat down with Claire Bernard Miller, PT, to learn about how her style of physical therapy thinks of the body holistically; why every runner should work on strengthening their feet; pelvic floors, and why having a healthy one can help prevent common overuse injuries; and much more. TOPICS & TIMESClaire’s background in PT (6:10)What’s PT school actually like? (9:06)Starting her own business during the pandemic (10:31)Working with high-level athletes (13:11)Who to see first: doctor or PT? (13:42)How her own injury history directs her practice (17:20)What is your pelvic floor & why is it important? (21:48)How to strengthen your pelvic floor (25:02)Running & pregnan

Specialty-running stores are seldom just places to buy shoes; as community hubs, they serve as places where runners of all skill levels can gather to learn, connect, and train. In this way, they’re essential to the sport, key landmarks in its growing future. However, the demographics these small businesses cater to often fail people of color. So, we spoke to Victor Diaz, owner of Renegade Running, a run-specialty store rooted in Oakland, CA, to learn about how he’s creating a space that’s engaged with the diverse culture it’s a part of; the ways we can go about improving BIPOC representation in running; allyship; and much more.  TOPICS & TIMESThe importance of specialty-running stores (1:45)Oakland, CA’s running culture (3:00)Victor’s background in public education (10:42)How Renegade approaches merchandising (17:07)Representation in running (25:13)Practical ways to make the sport more inclusive (36:18)The future of Renegade Running (40:01)What does “Renegade” mean? (45:50)How to support the sto

As an accomplished endurance athlete who has let ultrarunning, mountaineering, marathon swimming, and more take her around the world, Jennifer Strong McConachie has cultivated a life philosophy informed by principles that have brought her success in competition. Lucky for us, she’s also pretty savvy with paper and pen, so we sat down to talk about her new book, Go Far: How Endurance Sports Help You Win At Life, a collection of stories that encapsulate what she’s learned from running long, climbing high, and swimming deep. In the process, we also explore the connection between writing and running, reading Dostoevsky, the rise of swimrun events, and much more.TOPICS & TIMES: Jennifer’s background (1:29)Drawing on her father for inspiration (11:56)The value of being a multiport athlete (14:11)Huck Finn & rafting the Mississippi (22:08)The rise of swimrun events (24:08)Specialization vs. generalization (32:51)What’s at the core of endurance sports? (36:03)A writer’s life (38:13)The connection between writ

Despite its fast rise from a quirky pastime to budding professional sport, ultrarunning is anything but new; people have been running (or walking) long distances competitively for centuries. Fueled by beer, and usually motivated by a wager or two, these early pioneers helped establish a long tradition of human-powered endurance that persists today. So, we sat down with ultrarunning historian, Davy Crockett, to trace the development of the 100-mile foot race through time, from its roots in the UK to its modern incarnation in the US. Along the way, we also bust some myths about the Western States 100, chat about race nutrition in the 1800s, and debate the greatest ultrarunner of all time. TOPICS & TIMESDavy’s background (1:36)Falling in love with the 100-mile distance (6:58)Recovery strategies (10:53)How the sport has changed in the last 20 years (12:37)Ultrarunning History Podcast (15:29)“Where did ultrarunning actually start?” (20:28)Tracing the sport through the 19th century (28:16)1800s gear talk (

If Rod Farvard had grown to be a few inches taller, we might be watching him contend for a rebound on the basketball court instead of toeing the line at some of ultrarunning’s biggest races. After his hoop dreams fell short, Rod found trail running by way of triathlon, two sports that rewarded his ability to flatly outwork his competition in spades. So, we sat down with Rod exactly a week removed from finishing 5th American at this year’s Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc to talk about how he handles such a high training volume; his first time racing on an international stage; how having a full-time job helps fuel his running; and much more. TOPICS & TIMES:How Rod’s recovering from UTMB (1:30)Hoop dreams (5:22)How cycling translates to ultrarunning (15:55)The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (17:49)Training in Santa Barbara & Mammoth Lakes (21:39)What’s on Rod’s UTMB playlist (30:43)European vs. American trail running culture (34:30)UTMB travel tales (37:50)Nailing race day nutrition (39:44)Running: both a “hobby” a

Ask ultrarunner and race director Todd Aydelotte for a bit of New York City history and he’ll probably tell you to lace up your running shoes. After injury derailed his marathon training a few years back, Todd traded a competitive approach to the sport for a uniquely historical one. Through months of research, he began piecing together ultra-length routes that visited important locations in the lives of historical figures, including Edgar Allen Poe, Teddy Roosevelt, and Walt Whitman. So, we sat down with Todd to hear all about what running has taught him about our past; how he picks his subjects; NYC after dark; and a whole lot more — including, the semi-legal 28-mile road race he created to reenact the 70’s cult film, “The Warriors.”TOPICS & TIMESWhat is “historical ultrarunning”? (1:38)Chasing after Edgar Allen Poe (6:53)How Todd chooses his topics (14:32)The NYC Black History 50 (17:52)How to use history to hack your running (24:39)The Warriors UltraRun (25:24)Using crime heat maps to stay safe in citi

Established in 1955, the Sierra Peaks Section List includes 247 of the most prominent peaks scattered throughout California’s Sierra Nevada Range. Reaching every summit is a lifetime’s work for most, and up until recently, no one had completed the list within a calendar year. Far more complex than a thru-hike, the SPS List is an undertaking that requires a mix of skills and probably a fair amount of chance. So, we sat down with Travis Soares, who finished tagging all 247 peaks in a record 117 days earlier this month, to find out how much luck had to do with it. In the process, we talk about how the idea for the project came together; how things went, including close calls with the Mineral King Marmot and coming across wreckage from a plane crash; his relationship with his climbing partner for most of the project (and previous SPS List FKT-holder), Nathan Longhurst; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES:What is the Sierra Peaks Section List? (2:22)Travis’ background (7:04)Logistics & planning (9:00)His

With summer in full stride, Matt Mitchell and Drew Kelly sat down to take stock of how their mountain running seasons have played out thus far, including the ways Drew sees his skiing translate to the trails; our tendency to bite off more than we can chew; and gear picks for a big day out in the alpine. We also discuss some of the early stumbling blocks we ran into when we started trail running; extol the virtues of vert; and Matt makes the case for why you should be eating “Ramen Bombs” in the backcountry (and only the backcountry). TOPICS & TIMES:Drew's background (1:30)Skiing vs. running (5:01)Thoughts on skimo (7:44)Vert is real (11:51)Is trail running actually a minimalist sport? (13:42)Running seasonally vs. year round (26:05)Gear picks for a big day out in the mountains (28:05)How trail running hooked us (31:00)Filmmaking & music (34:26)100 milers & eating contests (39:29)Some good (and some bad) nutrition tips (42:02)Frozen burritos and “Ramen Bombs” (47:08)Upcoming projects (51:20)OUR OTH

Relying on a bunch of college kids to crew you through the Western States 100 might sound misguided, but for trail and ultra runner, Alex Nichols, it’s an important part of team building. After being named the head coach of Colorado College’s cross country program last year, Alex has made a habit of inviting some of his athletes out to support his own racing endeavors. So, we talked to Alex about the intersection between coaching full-time at his alma mater and running trails professionally. Along the way, we detour into his ongoing four-year streak of summiting Pikes Peak every month; John Steinbeck; the joys of beekeeping; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES:Running 100 miles on a 1.1 mile loop (1:41)Western States 100 (6:04)Alex’s Background (11:22)Colorado College’s block schedule (15:27)Two English majors talking (17:03)Alex’s collegiate running career (19:30)“Indulgence: 1000 Miles Under the Colorado Sky” (21:11)The professionalization of trail running (27:02)Self-coaching (30:46)Alex’s Pikes Peak

You’ve probably encountered the adage that running is 90 percent mental, yet despite this feeling (and how true it may be), most runners dedicate the majority of their training to making sure they’re physically fit. But the brain fatigues too, so we talked with running coach and licensed clinical social worker, Danielle Snyder, about the importance of mindset training and the connection between mental well-being and physical performance. TOPICS & TIMES:Women Who FKT update (1:38)Hardrock 100 pacing (6:13)Danielle’s background (8:30)Combining social work with athletics (10:27)Why athletes are an underserved population (11:40)Founding Inner Drive Wellness (12:42)Mindset training (14:55)Ultrarunning & mental health (16:25)Mental toughness vs. psychological flexibility (18:47)What a healthy relationship with running looks like (20:40)Why we shouldn’t run to destress (22:36)Processing injury (25:13)Thoughts on social media (27:06)Has Covid changed how we talk about mental health? (30:16)Rewarding failure (

Tailwind Nutrition’s story starts with Co-founder Jeff Vierling’s head in a trash can, losing his breakfast after the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Following years of dealing with gut issues during endurance events, and having exhausted just about every sports nutrition product on the market, Jeff and his wife, Jenny, did what every frustrated endurance athlete would do — they designed their own. Tailwind products are now some of the most popular fueling options for trail runners and mountain bikers alike, so we had Jeff on the show to hear all about how he went from mixing powders in his kitchen to outgrowing one production facility after the next.   TOPICS & TIMES:How Tailwind Nutrition was born (1:44)Jeff’s background & “kitchen chemistry” (9:53)Why nailing flavor is so important (14:10)How Jeff turned his idea into a business (18:27)Tailwind’s tie to Durango, Colorado (22:23)Tailwind’s Hospital Support Program (25:26)How many pounds of product do they ship a year? (31:06)Why runners deal with “gut

After finishing 6th at this year’s Western States 100, Salomon athlete (and sometimes co-host) Leah Yingling returns to the show to give us a play-by-play of how her day panned out. Along the way, we talk about the race’s rich history; helpful strategies for assembling a crew; the best hour in all of sports; what it was like for Leah to sprint the final 100 meters with her dad; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMES:A brief history of Western States (1:21)How Leah organized her crew (10:12)Finding “all day pace” (21:25)What to look for in a pacer (28:30)Running 30+ miles on a torn calf (32:34)Using family as motivation (34:57)“Hunting” in the dark (38:38)Leah’s last 6 miles (44:25)Stories from the drug testing tent (51:39)Golden hour (53:33)Will she be back next year? (56:15)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Paddy O’Leary’s path from the farm he grew up on in Wexford, Ireland to becoming an elite runner for The North Face is by no means a linear one. Long before he started running, Paddy spent much of his early 20s growing the sport of lacrosse in Ireland. It was only after an opportunity to pursue cancer research led him to San Francisco that he found his knack for racing on trails. So, we sat down with Paddy (and his charming Irish brogue) to talk about all of that and more — including, how he ended up racing on the trails (with and without a horse); the Wicklow Round; community building; and toeing the line at the oldest trail race in North America. TOPICS & TIMES:What is “ride & tie” racing? (1:33)Growing up on a dairy farm (6:31)Lacrosse abroad (9:36) Fell running & jailbreaks (13:37)A brief history of Irish mountain running (22:48)How Paddy ended up in San Francisco (33:15)Building community (35:54)Western States 100 & the Dipsea Race (40:45) What’s next? (50:36)RELATED LINKS:Ride

Endurance training has come a long way from handwritten logs and fax machines, and we owe a lot of that progress to web-based platforms like TrainingPeaks. Founded in the late 90s by endurance coaches Dirk Friel and his father, Joe, TrainingPeaks has helped modernize the way athletes can track, analyze, and plan their training. So we sat down with Dirk to hear more about how better data leads to better performance; artificial intelligence; growing up with a world-renowned endurance coach as father; and a whole lot more.TOPICS & TIMES:What is TrainingPeaks? (4:38)Thoughts on coaching (6:55)Expanding TrainingPeaks to cover multiple sports (9:59)Coaching as a family business (11:42)TrainingPeaks users: athletes vs. coaches (16:53)Data & endurance (20:42)Artificial intelligence (23:13)What Dirk learned from his dad (29:08)Power meters & performance (34:20)Podcasting (37:10)Dirk’s skimo success (39:43)Tech trends in the endurance world (42:45)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastB

Naked Sports Innovations’ line of products has evolved a lot from the popular Running Band that started it all, and this month they announced plans for their first trail running shoe, the Naked T/r. So we sat down with Naked’s President and Co-founder, Lindsay Dakota, to break down their debut model, from (laceless!) upper to outsole; the challenges of growing a small brand sustainably; the future of footwear; how the notion of “simplexity” drives Naked’s design process; and a whole lot more.TOPICS & TIMES:Starting with the Naked Running Band (5:40)“Was the Naked Band’s popularity a surprise?” (6:50)Exopower mesh & “simplexity” (8:52)Naked products on non-affiliated elites (12:49)How Lindsay thinks about fit (15:04)The importance of supporting athletes (16:11)Striving for sustainability (17:20)Expanding Naked’s line of products (21:18)What is a “cooling face fabric?” (22:43)Working with Vibram (25:26)The Naked T/r Trail Racing Shoe (26:57)Small brands & the state of trail running (46:20)CHECK OUT

Ultramarathons are sometimes called eating competitions with a bit of running thrown in, and with so many different nutrition products and approaches at our disposal these days, it can be hard to know how to fuel properly. So, we talked to GU Energy Labs’ Nutrition and Performance Research Manager, Roxanne Vogel, about the ins & outs of eating on the run; how GU’s line of products fit into that equation; the importance of “flavor scientists;” and a whole lot more — including Roxanne’s lightning ascent of Mt. Everest and living in a hypoxia chamber.TOPICS & TIMES:Roxanne’s background (1:37)Her lightning ascent of Mt. Everest (5:02)What to eat above 20,000 ft. (9:18)Using herself as a human guinea pig (10:37)Nutrition tips from the top of Everest (12:09)Roxanne’s next challenge (14:28)The history of GU Energy Labs (15:35)Going high octane with GU Roctane (18:33)Can you consume too much caffeine? (20:47)GU’s R&D process & flavor science (22:52)Sports nutrition vs. general nutrition (27:19)What’s

If you grow up in Portland, OR, running is practically a birthright, and for David Laney, it quickly became a way of life: he was already running 5 to 6 days a week by the time he turned 10. After a successful collegiate career followed by a brief stint racing on the roads, David burst onto the trail scene in the early 2010s and has gone on to build an impressive resume of race results on the strength of an unmatched dedication to training in the mountains. This past year, David left his longtime sponsor and joined a relatively new player to the trail space in Craft Sportswear. Soon after signing to run for Craft, he doubled down and took a full-time job helping them launch footwear in running shops across the US. Not too many athletes have that kind of relationship with their sponsors, so we talked to David about how it came about and what to expect out of Craft Footwear in the years to come. Along the way, we also get into his signature ice bath routine; running a self-supported 100-miler to raise mone

On this “Running Through the News” edition of Off The Couch, Salomon athlete Leah Yingling stops by to catch us up on current events in the running world, including — a debate around Tom Cruise’s running form; the rise of 200-mile races; what mountain runner Joe Gray is doing to make trails a more equitable space for people of color; course records at the Zegama-Aizkorri Marathon; and Kilian Jornet’s new shoe brand, NNormal.TOPICS & TIMES: Leah’s Golden Ticket at Canyons 100k (1:46)Jazmine Lowther’s breakout performance (5:13)Western States nears! (6:36)Fitness comes in many forms (9:29)Leah’s Western States Training Camp (11:06)Heat training & trash bags (15:05)Zegama is Zegama (17:13)Kilian Jornet & NNormal (22:34)Rise of 200+ mile races (27:22)Why women have the upper hand (36:32)Climbing all 247 Sierra peaks (38:22)Redemption on the Arizona Trail (41:05)Joe Gray on diversity & inclusion (43:47)Track star Tom Cruise? (47:08)RELATED LINKS: SPS FKT Live Tracking NYT Article on

Over half of all runners will deal with an injury each year, but run enough miles and you’ll know that number is a lot closer to 100%. The irony is most running injuries are easily preventable, so as folks ramp up their summer training, we had Dr. Hal Rosenberg on to talk us through some simple tips for staying healthy out on the trails (and off the couch). Along the way, we get into Hal’s own experience racing ultras; how 100-milers make him better at treating athletes; and a whole lot more — including, a very hot take on standing desks.TOPICS & TIMES:Hal’s background in sports medicine (2:17)His current practice (4:44)What exactly is a sports chiropractor? (5:16)Getting into ultras (9:35)The Javelina 100 (11:40)Desert magic (13:29)Running & treating athletes (14:42)Favorite part of his job (17:23)Thoughts on injury rates (20:31)Pain & stoplights (24:27)Common running injuries: trail vs. road (25:47)How to beat the odds (31:51)Graston, KT taping, & ART (37:15)“What shoe should I run in?”(45:5