The Stubborn Tortoise
People often ask me why I love trail running. It's all about the stories. You meet a different kind of person on the trails: connects with nature, doesn't mind slowing down if someone is in need, says, "Good job, runner."
Trail runners are competitive, for sure. But it's also egalitarian. Seldom will you find the elites separated from the regular folk. Everyone gets lost at some point. Everyone falls. These are our badges of passage. This is my take on trail culture.
Logo: Kevin Stich
Music: "Our Sky," by Overland (via Free Music Archive)
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 35 minutes
- Episodes
- 257
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
A Masochist's Paradise
So, I did a thing last week.
I signed up for the Habenero Hundred on Aug. 12.
I'm *only* doing the 20K because I'm crazy, but not insane.
The real masochists are doing the 100-mile and 100K.
Here's t…
The Tortoise Goes West
I spent a few days in Southern Utah where I hiked at Zion National Park, sandboarded down a white-hot dune, soaked in a river and hung out on a pontoon boat with my sister and her family. Oh, and I s…
Happy Season Five! (And more personal stuff)
This episode is about the humble origins of this podcast four years ago to all about YOU listeners! And, stick around for a personal update involving self-esteem, the injury that hasn't gone away, im…
Extraordinary People: Sara Dudzikowski - The Comeback Kid
Sarah attempted her first 100-miler in December/January at Snowdrop. She had some serious health issues and was pulled by the medical staff, two loops short of finishing. Unfortunately, the time cuto…
Paz n' Hundo: The Great Reset
It's been a while since I've caught up with my friend, Orlando Montalvo (Hundo). This year, after finishing his fifth Snowdrop 100-mile race, he and his lovely wife, Kathy (Babe) are dialing it back …
The Buddy Chat! A new wrinkle (or scale?) in this podcast where I talk to some of my buddies.
Jessica Kestermann loves to remind me that she is exactly half my age. Ha ha. Still, we met on a cold, January morning a few years ago at Pedernales State Park, where we warmed up inside a mutual fri…
Master's Edition: Karen and Manny Olivo -- the ultrarunning power couple
There's an old saw in ultrarunning that you shouldn't crew or pace your significant other. Too much potential drama, they say. Well, Karen and Manny Olivo have proven that to be wrong. This couple, m…
Extraordinary People: Ann Ludewig and Vicki Allen -- Always Learning
Two friends decided to attempt the Cocodona 250, an arduous 5-day race set in the mountains of Arizona. Despite their best efforts to train appropriately, both were pulled by race officials on the fi…
Master's Edition: Gordon Montgomery, the Intellect With Two Replaced Hips
Gordon Montgomery, 54, is originally from Ireland and ended up in the US. He is a longtime rugby player who turned to trail running. He has a storied career as a runner and was sidelined with the nee…
Master's Edition - Bill Luttrell Won't Stop
Bill Luttrell was told he no cartilage in his knee and that he shouldn't run.
Instead, he signed up for the Bandera 50K not long after. He made it 21 miles before he called it quits.
Undeterred, he s…
Extraordinary People: Cyrus Walker
Cyrus Walker lived a sedentary lifestyle her entire life. She left a corporate job after 24 years, lost 100 lbs with diet and exercise and found her true love - trail running.
Master's Edition: Mark Benefiel
He started his ultra journey in 2019 completed a few 50k s, a 100k in Zion in 2021, and a host of other shorter races. In Oct 2021, he was injured training for a 100miler in Colorado, which resulted …
Extraordinary People: James Boler
James Boler is a lifelong Memphis resident who has had a lifelong love of being active.
He says he's always been an athlete mainly in the baseball world. He played competitive softball from age 22-3…
Extraordinary People: Amanda Eaton
Amanda Eaton has only done a few races, but she has won a few of them. Most notably, she won the Habanero Hundred in August 2022, along with her fellow Rio Grande Valley compadre, Art Hurtado. Amanda…
Master's Edition -- Kenny Gardner: Change is Good
After the devastating loss of his longtime partner, Kenny Gardner got more bad news: he was overweight and diagnosed with diabetes. He had to change his habits from eating junk food as a comfort to f…
Extraordinary People: Aurora Kerr
Aurora Kerr ran her first 50K in February at Jackalope Jam. She turned 11 in November. Aurora, who has the cutest giggle, recounts that race and what led up to it in her running career. She likes mat…
Master's Edition: Howard Avery
Howard Avery suffered a stroke while training last fall. After a brief hospitalization, he was back at it. The only concession was that he dropped from the 50-miler to the 55K at Antelope Canyon race…
Being Grateful
I'm trying to make a lot of changes. Some are going better than others, but I haven't given up.
One of the biggest realizations is the need to be grateful for something every day, no matter how crapp…
Extraordinary People: Liza Howard
Liza Howard is one of the kindest, most down-to-earth ultrarunners you will ever meet,. She wins races but is humble about it. She also coaches runners to reach their goals. She also has a couple of …
Extraordinary People: Vincent Antunez
Vincent Antunez was sitting on a mountaintop in Afghanistan when the idea for Trail Toes foot creme came to him. The accomplished ultrarunner was deployed there at the time and was devising ways to s…