The Random Runner

We're putting out the call, the call for runners that might have a proclivity for conspiracies. We want to have some fun and explore some new topics never really explored in the running world.

Eric gave a quick review for his new Coros Apex GPS watch. High point include phenomenal battery life that will definitely get most people across the finish line for a 100mi race. It's GPS tracks are very good and the new company is iterating quickly with new features and tweaks.

Brian updates us on his rolled ankle and we do our typical musing about our training and running goals. 

The race director for Shasta Trail Runs, Ryan Spitz, sat down with us to talk all things trail running. He has a long history in athletics, but it wasn't until a few years ago when he got talked into running a marathon without any training that he got the running bug. He moved into triathlon charging all the way to the Ironman. Loving the grind of long events, he eventually found trail running and hasn't looked back.

He moved his family to Redding, CA where the opportunity to buy Shasta Trail Runs fell into his lap. He snatched it up and has transformed it from a small set of local races into a growing collection of races that he hopes to make a splash on the trail running scene. 

We go into what it's like to develop and organize these races. He talked about his vision for the future and how he reacted to the Carr Fire closing trails and the races held on them.

We touch on some big plans for future races including a race starting in Arcata and finishing at Mt. Shasta. Approximately 330+ miles! He's also developing a course that circumnavigates Mt. Shasta itself. 

It's exciting times to be a trail runner with new trails being created and people like Ryan Spitz fighting for access to hold these events on them.

Records were broken, precedents were set and there was carnage. 

The Dubai Marathon was marked with excitement because the fastest time was set by anyone at their debut marathon race.  Getaneh Molla from Ethiopia won the race in  2:03:34. Also a course record.  Ruth Chepngetich from Kenya set the women's course record at  2:17:08!

Walmsley set out to OTQ at the Houston Half Marathon at succeeded with zero room for error where he finished at 64:00 even! There are many fast road runners out there who can run that fast, but coming from a mountain ultra runner, this is a huge accomplishment.

Tommy Puzey who ran the full Marathon at Houston tells his riveting story where he set out to finish in 2:14 and eventually lost conscientiousness at the finish. When he woke, he didn't have any memory of actually finishing the race and asked first about Walmsley and if he OTQed. 

Eric eats his words and chokes a bit after proudly declaring he'd get a 15min PR at the Redding Marathon. He explains how the end of his training block fell apart and decided to still go for his goal time of 3:30 even though he could blow up. 

Chris Mocko sets a PR, 2:21:00, at the Rock N Roll Marathon making his goal to OTQ (2:19) at some point this year an ever more realistic goal.

Throughout the show we talked about running in the morning vs the afternoon. Altitude training and much more. 

>> Training updates: Brian takes on a chest cold and Eric deals with an odd knee injury.

>> Desert Solstice Update: Camille Heron takes 24hr record

>> Racing Goals for 2019