Trail Runner Nation

In this episode, we sit down with ultrarunning legend Hal Koerner and Ian Sharman to go beyond the race results and into the stories hidden between the aid stations. Hal reflects on the gritty era of ultrarunning when gear was simpler, races were rougher, and success often came down to who could stay calm while everything else unraveled. The conversation explores their approach to downhill running, how they learned to descend with confidence, and why many runners sabotage themselves by braking too much and overthinking every step. Hal also shares memorable moments from decades in the sport, including hallucinations, race-day mistakes, lessons from other legends, and the strange, beautiful chaos that unfolds after enough miles in the mountains. Along the way, we discuss how the sport has changed, from shoes and nutrition to the growing popularity of ultrarunning, while Hal remains the same smiling, endlessly curious runner with the grin that somehow survives even mile 90. By the end, the episode feels less like an interview and more like sitting beside a campfire with one of the sport's great storytellers while the mountains glow quietly in the background.
Check out
"Unbreakable" film
SharmanUltra.com coaching
Hal Koerner's Field Guide to Ultrarunning
Preorder Ian's book, "The Art of Ultrarunning: Tried & Tested Strategies for Long-Distance.
Episode Sponsors:
Tifosi Optics - CLARITY ON THE TRAIL: Post your Golden Nugget of wisdom that helps you recover after a huge effort on Instagram, tag @TifosiOptics, @TrailRunnerNation, and use the hashtag #ClarityOnTheTrail.  OR try texting us (within the USA) with your tip: 916-235-3928.
If we use yours on a weekly episode, you get a pair of the new Sanctum SL glasses!
Peluva - Footwear that let your feet be feet.  Get 10% off on our DEALS page 
Timestamps
06:00 – What Ultrarunning Used to Be Like Hal reflects on the early days of the sport, when aid stations were simpler, shoes were sketchier, and ultrarunners seemed stitched together from duct tape, stubbornness, and peanut butter sandwiches.
14:00 – The Downhill Running Advantage Hal explains why his ability to descend gave him an edge, how he learned to trust gravity, and why most runners unknowingly fight the trail on every downhill.
27:00 – Hallucinations, Mistakes & The Weird Stuff That Happens After 80 Miles The conversation drifts into race stories, strange moments, and the surreal carnival that begins when exhaustion starts repainting reality with a very crooked brush.
40:00 – How the Sport Has Changed The evolution of ultrarunning, from carbon shoes and nutrition science to the explosion of races, gear, and attention.
53:00 – The Lessons That Last Hal shares the wisdom he has gathered after decades in the mountains: stay adaptable, keep your sense of humor, and never lose the grin, even when the trail is trying very hard to take it from you.

In this follow-up conversation with Dr. Tonya Olson, we shift from fixing foot problems to preventing them by building stronger, more resilient feet before race day disaster strikes. Tonya explains that the biggest mistake runners make is not paying attention to their feet until something hurts, even though their feet have been quietly sending signals for months, like tiny grumpy trail prophets. The discussion explores how calluses, hot spots, toenails, and skin changes can reveal weaknesses in shoe choice, mobility, gait, and training habits. Tonya also unveils the surprising connection between foot problems and bigger biomechanical issues, explaining how limitations in the ankle, big toe, hips, and glutes can ripple down the kinetic chain like one bad domino tipping into another. We talk about simple weekly routines, mobility work, proprioception, and why "good enough" maintenance now can prevent a full-scale foot mutiny later. By the end, the episode makes a compelling case that resilient feet are not built in race week, but one small habit at a time.
Resources & Links:
Fixing Your Feet Seventh Edition by Dr. John Vonhof & Dr. Tonya Olson
Footcare- YouTube Channel
Footcare Products Tonya Recommends
Dr. Tanya Olson's website
Episode Sponsors:
Tifosi Optics - CLARITY ON THE TRAIL: Post your Golden Nugget of wisdom that helps you recover after a huge effort on Instagram, tag @TifosiOptics, @TrailRunnerNation, and use the hashtag #ClarityOnTheTrail.  OR try texting us (within the USA) with your tip: 916-235-3928.
If we use yours on a weekly episode, you get a pair of the new Sanctum SL glasses!
Peluva - Footwear that let your feet be feet.  Get 10% off on our DEALS page 
Timestamps:
00:00 – Why We Ignore Our Feet Until It's Too Late Tonya explains why runners obsess over nutrition, pacing, and gear, yet somehow treat their feet like forgotten basement tenants until race day. 
05:00 – Calluses, Skin, and What Your Feet Are Telling You How calluses, maceration, hot spots, and toenail changes can reveal problems with shoe fit, movement, and foot mechanics. 
14:00 – The Simple Weekly Foot Routine Every Runner Needs Tonya lays out a practical, low-maintenance routine: inspect your feet after long runs, trim and file nails, moisturize, and look for warning signs before they become race-ending monsters. 
20:00 – Why Foot Problems Start Higher Up the Chain A fascinating look at how mobility limitations in the ankle, big toe, hips, and glutes can lead to blisters, pain, and poor running mechanics. Your foot may be the smoke, but the fire could be somewhere upstream. 
33:00 – Wobble Boards, Mobility, and Training Smarter The group discusses proprioception, ankle sprains, balance training, and which exercises actually transfer to better trail running. 
48:00 – The Long Game: Keeping Your Feet Healthy for Decades Tonya explains why maintaining mobility and strength over time is the key to avoiding the stiff, cranky, "why does everything hurt now?" runner future

What are some of the real costs of running an ultra?  
In this episode,  ultra runner and coach Colleen Miracle talks about this, and it turns out the race entry is just the first pebble in the avalanche. We discuss the hidden expenses that pile up around an A-race: travel, nutrition, coaching, shoes, gear, hotels, rental cars, and the tiny financial gremlins that quietly multiply in the dark corners of race prep. Colleen shares that one of her hundred-mile races carried a $4,500 receipt, but she emphasizes that ultras can also be done on a shoestring with borrowed gear, local races, and simple nutrition. We wrestle with whether modern technology and gear have improved the sport or turned it into a glittering outdoor equipment bazaar with carbon-plated everything and hydration packs that resemble small spacecraft. Along the way, we celebrate community-driven "fat ass" races, the value of supporting race directors and small local events, and the idea that the memories, friendships, and growth from an ultra often outlast whatever else you could have bought with the money. In the end, the episode asks a bigger question: Is running expensive, or is it one of the best investments we make in ourselves?
Colleen's article in Ultrarunning Magazine
Check out Boundless Coaching
Episode Sponsors:
Tifosi Optics - CLARITY ON THE TRAIL: Post your Golden Nugget of wisdom that helps you recover after a huge effort on Instagram, tag @TifosiOptics, @TrailRunnerNation, and use the hashtag #ClarityOnTheTrail.  OR try texting us (within the USA) with your tip
If we use yours on a weekly episode, you get a pair of the new Sanctum SL glasses!
Peluva - Footwear that let your feet be feet.  Get 10% off on our DEALS page 
TIme Stamps
00:00 – The Real Cost of an A-Race Scott and Don introduce the idea that race fees are only the tip of the iceberg floating through your checking account like a frozen credit card statement. Travel, gear, coaching, food, and training all add up fast. 
04:00 – Colleen's $4,500 Race Receipt Colleen explains how she calculated the true cost of one of her hundred milers, while also making the case that ultras can be done far more cheaply depending on your choices. 
08:00 – Do You Really Need Expensive Gear? The conversation turns to GPS watches, hydration packs, carbon shoes, sunscreen, and whether trail running has become an arms race made of nylon, foam, and marketing copy.   
18:00 – Why Race Fees Keep Rising Scott, Don, and Colleen discuss what race directors are actually paying for: permits, insurance, aid stations, safety, volunteers, swag, and the complicated circus tent behind every starting line. 
23:30 – Fat Ass Races, Community & "Fat Heart" Running A joyful detour into old-school, low-cost grassroots races where the start line might be a stop sign and the bib comes from someone's home printer. Colleen proposes a better name: "Fat Heart Race." 
27:00 – If You Could Go Back, Would You? The group debates whether they would trade today's expensive high-tech gear for the simpler, cheaper days of Timex watches, syrup bottles, and Snickers bars. 
39:00 – Is It Worth the Money? The closing reflection: maybe the finish line medal isn't what you're really paying for. Maybe you're buying purpose, discipline, memories, friendships, and the version of yourself that only appears after a few predawn training runs and a questionable amount of squirrel's nut butter.

What if your best performance isn't behind you… it's just different now?  In this Aging as an Athlete episode, Krissy Moehl joins again as co-host in a discussion with Bryce Thatcher.  
Bryce Thatcher is a trail-running pioneer and founder of UltrAspire, who has spent over 40 years innovating hydration gear while living and embodying a lifelong commitment to mountain running and human-powered adventure.
We explore what it really takes to stay connected to trail running over decades. Bryce shares how a deep love of the outdoors and the human-powered movement form the foundation for long-term engagement in the sport. The conversation moves into how motivation evolves from personal performance to purpose, service, and community, while also addressing the tension between modern convenience and the sport's rugged roots. We reflect on gear innovation, race culture changes, and the importance of maintaining responsibility, resilience, and self-reliance on the trail. Bryce offers powerful insights on longevity, consistency, and adapting expectations as we age without losing joy. Ultimately, the episode is about staying grounded in your "why" while evolving with each season of life
Episode Sponsors:
Tifosi Optics - CLARITY ON THE TRAIL: Post your Golden Nugget on Instagram, tag @TifosiOptics, @TrailRunnerNation, and use the hashtag #ClarityOnTheTrail.
If we use yours on a weekly episode, you get a pair of the new Sanctum SL glasses!
Peluva - Footwear that let your feet be feet.  Get 10% off on our DEALS page 
TImestamps:
02:30 – What Creates Longevity in the Sport Love of the outdoors + human-powered movement as the foundation for staying in trail running long-term. 
08:00 – Origins, Gear Evolution & Finding Your "Why" Early days of the sport, how gear has changed, and the risk of losing intrinsic motivation. 
13:30 – Redefining Performance: From PRs to "FK Me" Shifting from peak performance to personal best for your current stage of life. 
19:00 – Has Trail Running Lost Its Edge? Discussion on race culture, aid stations, responsibility, and the tension between convenience and adventure. 
27:00 – Solo vs Community: The Balance That Sustains Us Running as meditation vs shared experience, and why both matter for longevity. 
34:00 – Adapting as You Age: Training, Gear & Recovery Cross-training, strength work, and evolving expectations to stay healthy and consistent. 
55:00 – Advice to Your Younger (and Older) Self Consistency, simplicity, and long-term thinking as the keys to a lifetime in the sport.

In this episode, we are joined again by coach Adam Kimble to explore the book, The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning by Paul Bloom, and discuss why endurance athletes voluntarily seek discomfort in pursuit of meaning, growth, and satisfaction. We discuss the concept of "benign masochism," highlighting how pain and pleasure are deeply intertwined in long races and hard efforts. We talk about internal versus external motivation, the power of anticipation, and how reframing challenges can shape both performance and mindset. We explore flow state, decision-making under fatigue, and why doing hard things helps us better appreciate everyday life. Ultimately, the episode reflects on how endurance sports create community, reveal character, and provide a powerful lens for understanding human behavior and purpose.
Check out more about Adam and hire him as a coach HERE
Sponsors:
Tifosi Optics - check out how to win a free pair of the new Sanctum SL and how to get a discount
Peluva - let your feet be feet!
TimeStamps
00:00 – Intro & Book Overview: Introduction to The Sweet Spot and why endurance athletes are drawn to discomfort and meaning. 
03:20 – First Impressions of the Book: Initial reactions and key takeaways about doing hard things and personal growth. 
05:50 – What is "Benign Masochism"? Exploring voluntary suffering and why difficult challenges feel rewarding. 
08:10 – Internal vs External Motivation: Do we pursue hard goals for ourselves or for recognition from others? 
15:30 – Pain, Pleasure & the "Ikea Effect": Why effort increases satisfaction and meaning in achievement. 
21:10 – Pain as Presence & Mental Focus: How physical discomfort brings runners into the present moment. 
26:50 – The Power of Anticipation & Race Anxiety: Mental rehearsal, visualization, and preparing for both highs and lows. 
33:20 – Stoicism, Problem Solving & Simple Rules: Decision-making strategies when things go wrong during races. 
41:45 – The Paradox of Effort in an Easy World: Why modern comfort drives us to seek difficult challenges. 
48:30 – Reframing Struggle & Perspective on the Trail: How mindset shifts can turn suffering into forward progress. 
55:00 – Intention Over Perfection: Why showing up with purpose matters more than executing a flawless race. 
59:30 – Meaning, Community & Final Quotes: Closing reflections on bonding, humanity, and why endurance sports matter.