Off The Couch

After placing 4th at the 60th annual JFK 50 Mile, the oldest ultramarathon in the US, Matt Seidel is taking a break. The 26-year-old former D1 runner has finished in the top 6 at every trail race he’s entered this year, a successful rookie campaign that’s included multiple wins and put the rest of the sport on notice. As the 2022 season comes to a close, we caught up with Matt to talk about what he’s learned from his first year racing as an elite; why more and more road and track athletes are transitioning to the trails; who he wants to model his career after; World Cup predictions; and a whole lot more. TOPICS & TIMESMatt’s post-ultra turkey trot (2:06)How he got into trail running (3:50)Inside a D1 college track & field program (9:42)Who he looks up to in the trail world (12:28)Taking bits and pieces from different training styles (16:17)What’s on tap for 2023? (17:30)Range: keeping things fresh by mixing it up (22:42)The JFK 50 Mile (27:13)Hardening the mind during a race (42:00)“Are you a runner o