Off The Couch

After discovering running in his 30’s, ultra-endurance athlete Robbie Balenger became obsessed with the power of human endurance and quickly found that he needed challenges far exceeding standard ultramarathons to test his limits. So, he started creating his own. Since then, Robbie has run across America, completed the “Colorado Crush,” and recently outran a Tesla. We had him on to unpack each of these efforts before asking him about the mental side of endurance, recovery techniques, his next challenge, and much more.  TOPICS & TIMES:Robbie’s background (5:19)Travel & settling in Austin, TX (6:05)Burning out in the restaurant industry (6:49)Robbie’s Trans-Con Challenge (10:05)How he trained to run >3,000 miles in 75 days (13:15) Using social media with intention (21:00)Robbie’s Central Park Loop Challenge (22:57)The Colorado Crush (27:02)Outrunning a Tesla (31:19)NuCalm & mental performance (35:31)What Robbie’s days look like now (37:15)Plant-based diets: the key to recovery? (40

Rabbit Elite, Elan Lieber, called his recent second-place finish at the 2022 Miwok 100K, “the run of his life,” but not for reasons you might expect. Before setting a massive PR and running the course’s 3rd fastest time ever, Elan said goodbye to his grandfather for the final time. With a heavy heart, he showed up at Miwok with one goal in mind: to not race in fear. 9 hours later, cresting from an incredible performance, Elan crossed the finish line to the news that his grandfather had passed during his race. So we talked to Elan about the role running plays in overcoming loss, how he let go of fear (and how you can too), and much more. TOPICS & TIMES:Growing up in Ohio (3:43)How trail running found Elan (8:15)His start in the coffee industry (11:03)Equator Coffee (13:38)Running with the SoCal Coyotes (15:52)The glamor of 100-milers (18:22)Thru-hiking the JMT w/ Billy Yang (22:44)Running as a practice vs. a competition (30:48)His recent running “glow up” (33:28)The Miwok 100k & overcoming loss (3

Brian Metzler has been writing about running, in one form or another, for the better part of the last 25 years. His latest book, Trail Running Illustrated: The Art of Running Free (which he co-authored with Doug Mayer), captures the playful side of trail running through illustration while also offering helpful advice for runners of all levels. It’s a genre-bending book with an interesting backstory, so we talked to Brian about how it all came together; his writing (and running) career, and much more. TOPICS & TIMES:Brian’s background (1:05)Connecting writing & running (4:31) Avoiding burnout in Boulder (9:51)Trail shoe trends (15:50)Lessons from >2,000 shoe reviews (18:36)Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture, & Cool of Running Shoes (26:57)Trail Running Illustrated: The Art of Running Free (32:25)“A graphic novel for trail runners” (34:53)Brian’s book recommendations (39:07)RELATED LINKS:Trail Running Illustrated: The Art of Running FreeKicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture, &

If you’ve followed coverage of ultrarunning at all over the last few years, Corrine Malcolm is a name you’ve probably heard a lot. But between her many roles as a member of the media, it could be easy to overlook her as an elite runner in her own right. So we talk to Corrine about how she went from an Olympic-level biathlete to running professionally for adidas Terrex; setting the supported FKT on the Tahoe Rim Trail; her return to racing; and much more. TOPICS & TIMES:How ultrarunning found Corrine (1:15)Why Nordic skiers make great trail runners (4:38)Learning how to suffer (10:34)Overtraining vs. under recovering (13:07)Corrine’s experience with overtraining (16:32)Her favorite race distance and why (19:41)Corrine’s Tahoe Rim Trail FKT (22:09)How injury led her to a career in race broadcasting (33:03)Talking for 20 hours straight (37:35)Her return to racing at MIUT (39:37)Plans for 2022 (41:17)OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/priva

Pablo Vigil has been called the greatest mountain runner in the world. In the 1980s he was nearly unbeatable, winning the famous Sierre-Zinal four consecutive times. We talk to Pablo about the early days of mountain running; what has changed since then; why he thinks simplicity is still the key to training (and life); how he ended up on a show with Kilian Jornet; and much more. TOPICS & TIMES:Pablo’s background (1:21)Trail shoes in the 1970’s (4:48)Sierre-Zinal (8:10)US vs. European mountain running (14:16)Running 3 Olympic Marathon Trials (20:16)Why his wins at Sierre-Zinal are still so impressive (23:13)How Pablo thinks he would have compared to current pros (28:08)Linking up with Kilian Jornet (36:36)A little life advice (41:31)OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this ‘Race Edition’ of Running Through the News, Salomon athlete, Leah Yingling (who’s already been on major podiums twice this year), joins us to discuss race results from the past few weeks and to preview the stacked fields at Madeira Island Ultra Trail and Canyons 100k.  TOPICS & TIMES:Why moving to Utah will make you faster (1:17)Racing across the Canary Islands (7:29)Descending like a Euro (12:02)Chasing waterfalls at Gorge 100k (17:38)Death by 1000 cuts at Lake Sonoma 50 (30:00)Western States Golden Ticket predictions (37:18)Will records fall at the 100k road championship? (47:37)OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Devon Yanko’s resume speaks for itself. She’s had success at numerous signature races over her career, including victories at the Leadville 100, Javelina 100, and a 3rd place finish at Western States, to name a few. But after years of pursuing races for their prestige, she found her motivation drifting towards other goals. Thus was born Devon’s 2022 DY DIY Slam, an ambitious plan to run 5 100-mile races within the span of just a few months. Blister running editor, Matt Mitchell, caught up with Devon after her overall win and course record run at the Umstead 100, the first race of her project. The two talk about Devon’s time running in the Bay Area and her recent move to Colorado before diving into her experience at Umstead 100; the performance-enhancing effects of techno music; the history of the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning; what led Devon to invent her own “DY DIY Slam”; and much more.    TOPICS & TIMESDevon’s running background (3:02)What keeps her racing ultra (11:09)Origins of

We talk to Brendan Madigan, race director of the Broken Arrow Skyrace, about the current state of races; prize purses; the economics of putting on a race; and why Brendan sees independent races as such a critical part of the race landscape.TOPICS & TIMES:Alpenglow Sports & starting Broken Arrow Skyrace (1:54)Economics & logistics of putting on a race (6:28)Independent races (12:13)Prize purses (19:17)Crystal Ball: state of racing 5 years from now? (23:56)Dates, details, & race distances at Broken Arrow Skyrace (29:12)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We talk to Marta Fisher about how her experience at Hardrock 100 led her to the creation of Women Who FKT; what the near-term goals of the group are; how to get involved; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Growing up, starting to run, & grad school (1:26)2021 Hardrock 100 (4:47)Women who FKT (15:08)Near-Term Goal of Women who FKT (28:02)Underrepresented groups in the ultra community (31:43)Growing Women Who FKT (33:36)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Blister running editor, Matt Mitchell, is joined by Blister reviewer, Gordon Gianniny, to discuss current events in the running world. The two dish on race results from the month of March, including the Way Too Cool 50k, Chuckanut 50k, and the Barkley Marathons; talk through the significance of Broken Arrow Skyrace’s prize purse announcement; look forward to the North American Golden Trail Series; and speculate about what Kilian Jornet is up to after leaving his longtime sponsor.TOPICS & TIMES:Way Too Cool 50k, Chuckanut 50k, and Barkley results (9:50)Broken Arrow Skyrace’s prize purse announcement (31:23)North American Golden Trail Series is back (40:28)Lake Sonoma 50’s stacked field (42:05)Killian Jornet’s next move (43:59)OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We talk to Adam Hill about how dealing with anxiety disorder led him into Ironman competitions; his new book, Shifting Gears; and the process and mechanisms of personal transformation.TOPICS & TIMES:Anxiety & Alcohol (2:23)Anxiety & Sobriety (18:03)Getting into Ironmans (26:22)Overcoming hopelessness - (46:44)Shifting Gears (51:37)The support of Adam’s wife (56:05)YoYo Ma vs. Mstislav Rostropovich (1:07:25)OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jason Hardrath holds more “Fastest Known Times” than anyone in the world. We talk to Jason about his upbringing; how a nearly fatal car accident introduced him to the world of FKTs; and his upcoming film, “Journey to 100,” which chronicles Jason’s attempt to climb the 100 tallest peaks in the state of Washington over 50 days; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Have you always pushed yourself? (1:33)Risk, exertion, & becoming fully present (17:13)The car accident (25:23)Recovery, physical & mental (31:53)Identity & Purpose (42:17)When did you first learn about FKTs? (49:45)Where to watch Journey to 100? (1:00:00)OUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

CTS coach Jason Koop makes his return to Off The Couch following the release of the 2nd edition of his book, Training Essentials for Ultrarunning. We talk to Koop about why he updated his book; the increase in ultramarathon-specific research; myths around running economy; the art of pairing coaches with athletes; how to sift through all the bad science on social media; and his time with Timothy Olson on the PCT.  TOPICS & TIMESThoughts on his KoopCast (2:56)Koop’s book: why a 2nd edition? (6:02)Increase in ultramarathon research (19:40)Carbon Plates & Running Economy (23:17)Being a well-rounded coach (29:41)Which resources to trust? (40:30)How does racing affect your coaching? (46:24)Supporting Timothy Olson on the PCT (57:21)Where to find Koop’s book (1:06:28)RELATED LINKSOur Weekly Gear Giveaway / Newsletter SignupKoop’s book, Training Essentials for UltrarunningKoop’s Twitter ListRunning Economy StudyOUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See

Our running editor, Matt Mitchell, sat down with Salomon athlete Logan Williams to discuss his recent top 10 finish at the Black Canyon 100K. This top-10 finish happened after Logan ruptured his achilles last year at Black Canyon, so Logan talks about what returning to the scene of the crime meant for him; his relationship with injury; how he’s recovering from racing 62 miles through the desert; his thoughts on running as an artform, and a whole lot more.TOPICS & TIMESBlack Canyon: golden tickets, stacked fields (1:07)Processing injuries (5:14)Running as an art form (12:29)Training for Black Canyon (16:58)Fueling: physical & mental (20:27)Broken Arrow Triple Crown (29:12)Logan’s origin story (33:24)2022 plans (40:32)Recovery (48:18)RELATED LINKSOur Weekly Gear Giveaway / Newsletter SignupOUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why would two friends who’d been working at the highest levels of product design at Nike, Under Armour, and Puma — and in some of the biggest product categories (soccer, basketball, and running) — set out to create a hyper-specific, hyper-performance trail running shoe company? We talk to the co-founders of Speedland, Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon to get the answers; to learn about their paths to becoming directors of design and innovation at some of the biggest brands in the world; and to discuss the design elements of what a “hyper-performance” trail shoe looks like to them.TOPICS & TIMES:What is Speedland? (2:10)Meeting at Nike Basketball (4:14)Kevin Fallon’s background (6:51)Dave Dombrow’s background (10:33)How did you get jobs at Nike, Under Armor? (13:46)Why is it so hard for brands to move into other product categories? (26:07)Starting Speedland (31:39)Trail shoe design (36:40)Incorporating dual BOA dials (46:27)Pricing (51:41)Removable carbon plate (55:45)1st shoe: SL:PDX (57:38)Speedland’s ‘Give

As a follow-up to our Winter Running and the Meaning of Life conversation (episode #103), today we’re talking about some very practical tips, tricks, and gear recommendations to help you get out and run in colder temps and snowier environments. TOPICS & TIMES:Layering (2:48)Thicker socks? (9:26)Some favorite cold weather gear (13:28)Gore-Tex running shoes? (15:43)Some favorite winter running shoes (22:44)How to fuel / hydrate in cold temps (26:27)RELATED LINKS:Our Weekly Gear Giveaway / Newsletter SignupMens Nordic Hats – Skida | Headwear & AccessoriesPyrenees T19 Hooded Long Sleeve Shirt | PATH projectsOutdoor Research Shuck MittsOUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We talk to Salomon’s Mike Ambrose about running shoe design; taking a shoe from concept to production; his life in running and the running industry; European vs. North American markets; & what’s next in running shoes.TOPICS & TIMES:What does a Product Line Manager do? (2:00)How’d you get there? (6:25)Getting into running (19:41)Shoe design (24:29)Emerging research findings & shoe design (30:21)The Salomon Ultra Glide (34:54)European vs. North American trail market & culture (41:15)What’s next in shoe design? (45:27)A little life advice (49:26)RELATED LINKS:Our Weekly Gear Giveaway / Newsletter SignupOUR OTHER BLISTER PODCASTSBlister PodcastGEAR:30 podcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sabrina Little is an ultra runner, a writer, & philosophy professor, and has held the American record in the 200K and the 24-Hour American Record (she ran 152.03 miles in 24 hours.) So we talk about all of the above, and also toothpaste and Harry Potter.TOPICS & TIMES:Bookshelves & toothpaste (1:04)Sabrina’s 1st 100K (12:15)24-hour record (17:30)Philosophy background (19:51)Running & school (27:08)Writing “The Examined Run” column (30:01)Running & Flourishing (33:14)Humanities today (41:22)Teaching (46:49)2022 races and goals (55:07)Harry Potter (57:29)What’s next? (1:00:15)RELATED LINKS:Blister SummitGetting Here: Gunnison & Crested ButteGear Giveaway / Newsletter Signup See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yesterday, Jonathan Ellsworth sat down with Blister reviewer, Gordon Gianniny, and our new Running Editor, Matt Mitchell, to talk about winter running. But our conversation took a much bigger and broader turn.TOPICS & TIMES:Introductions & winter running (2:42)Your worst winter-running stories? (5:42)Running year round (11:11)Running & mental health (26:18)Everything is an opportunity (32:27)Topics for another time (43:11)RELATED LINKS:Blister SummitGetting Here: Gunnison & Crested ButteGear Giveaway / Newsletter Signup See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Michele Graglia has racked up a number of major victories in his career, including wins at the Badwater 135, Yukon Arctic Ultra, the Moab 240, and more. But in this conversation, we focus on some of Michele’s recent struggles, disappointments, and difficulties, and Michele talks about what he’s learned along the way — and what he’s still learning.TOPICS & TIMES:The reception of Ultra (3:36)Badwater 135 (13:05)Tahoe Rim Trail 100 (26:41)Tor de Géants (31:10)The mind / spirit vs the physical (40:39)Personal toll of athletic pursuits (45:50)Pursuing excellence while being in a relationship (52:05)Detachment from "things" (59:26)RELATED LINKS:Ep. 87 with MicheleEp. 88 with MicheleMichele’s book, UltraBlister SummitGetting Here: Gunnison & Crested ButteGear Giveaway / Newsletter Signup See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.