Everyday Ultra

Most ultrarunners aren’t undertrained.

They’re just optimizing for the wrong things.

In this episode, I break down the 3 biggest training mistakes that quietly cost athletes hours in a 50K, 100K, or 100-miler — and how to fix them immediately.

We dive into:

• Why running your easy miles “kind of easy” is sabotaging your fitness
• The hidden downside of doing too much easy running
• How to identify the ONE limiter holding back your race performance
• Why flexibility (not rigidity) is the real key to breakthrough training
• How to build durability...

What happens when you lose everything… and find yourself through distance?

In this episode, I sit down live in Phoenix with Troy “Punisher” Croxdale— a man who:

• Podiumed the Tahoe 200 in his FIRST 200 miler
• Covered 10,000 miles in ONE year
• Spent 293 days on trail
• Survived grizzlies, wildfires, and 200-mile food carries
• Then casually dropped 1,350 miles on the Tempe segment during Burrito League

This one is raw.

Troy opens up about losing his father…
How running saved his life from addiction…
Why thru-hiking changes you differently than racing…
And what it...

Fitness doesn’t guarantee success on race day.

You can have the highest VO₂ max in the field…
You can run insane workouts…
You can show up tapered and ready…

And still fall into the mental traps that sabotage your race.

In this episode, I break down the biggest mental traps ultrarunners face — from going out too hard, to walking when you should be running, to not eating when you don’t feel like eating, to letting negative self-talk take control.

These are the exact lessons I’ve learned from my own 100...

Chris Myers didn’t just improve at Western States…

He went from 10th place to 2nd place in one year — cutting nearly an hour off his time.

And no, it wasn’t random.

In this episode, we break down the real reasons behind that jump — the training adjustments, the race execution, the downhill durability, the fueling precision, and the international racing lessons he’s learned the hard way.

We also talk UTMB, racing overseas, the mental side of elite performance, and how to actually have fun while competing at the highest level (yes…...

In this solo episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on my current training as I prepare for both Western States 100 and Badwater 135 in the same year—plus answering some of your biggest ultrarunning questions.

I break down the key lessons I’m learning right now inside this training block, including how to identify your true performance limiter, why speed work still matters for mountainous races, how patience actually drives fitness gains, and the small recovery habits that are making the biggest difference.

Then we dive into a Q&A coveri...

Have you ever felt like you’re falling behind in your training—even when you’re doing the work? In this episode, Joe breaks down the psychology, physiology, and real-world coaching insights behind that feeling and shows you how to tell whether you’re truly off track… or if your brain is just playing tricks on you.

You’ll learn the biggest traps that make runners think they’re behind, what the science actually says about missed training and fitness loss, and how to use long-term data—not emotion—to judge real progress. If you’ve ever doubted your trainin...

Backyard ultras are one of the most mentally demanding challenges in endurance sports—no finish line, no set distance, just one more loop every hour until only one runner remains.

In this episode, Joe talks with Everyday Ultra coach Carolyn Yoder about what it truly takes to succeed in the backyard format. Carolyn shares her journey from weight loss and beginner running to completing 100-mile efforts, coaching backyard athletes, and helping runners unlock performances they didn’t think were possible.

We dive into:
• The psychology of endless racing
• Training approaches when the distance is unkno...

Stomach issues are the #1 cause of DNF's in an ultramarathon. And even if you don't DNF, having a miss in nutrition and hydration can really mess up your race.

So, in this episode, backed by science, research, tried and true methods, we will break down:

What if the limits you believe in… don’t actually exist?

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, Joe sits down with Evren Ozka — an athlete who went from battling addiction, depression, and being 50+ pounds overweight… to setting three world-record endurance runs across Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE in just three weeks.

But this conversation isn’t just about world records.
It’s about identity, resilience, and discovering what’s truly possible when you decide to move forward — no matter what.

In this episode, we dive into:

Evren’s powerful transform...

What if you didn’t start running until later in life — and still became one of the best ultrarunners in the world?

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I sit down with Megan Eckert, one of the most consistent and resilient athletes in ultrarunning today.

Megan was voted 3rd overall in the 2025 World Ultrarunner of the Year rankings, became the first woman in history to run over 600 miles in a six-day race, finished 2nd at Badwater 135, and went 383+ miles at Big’s Backyard Ultra — all after starting running at age 29.

We talk abo...

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I sit down with Everyday Ultra coach Ben Lehman — an ultrarunner whose journey into the sport started from a place much deeper than finish times and race results.

After losing his best friend, Ben turned to running as a way to process grief, rebuild himself, and eventually find purpose through endurance. What began with Spartan races turned into a passion for long mountain adventures — including completing his first 200-mile race at Cocodona 250.

In this conversation, we talk about the emotional side of ultrarunning, the mental skills required to s...

Today’s episode is a special throwback from 2023 — one we felt called to re-share in light of Sally McRae completing the Long Haul 100 Mile.

In this conversation, recorded after her historic Grand Slam of 200's season, Sally opens up about what it really takes to keep moving forward when everything hurts — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What it feels like deep into the final miles when nothing makes sense anymore
• The quiet mental battles most people never see
• How competition can bring out your best self
• The mom...

This episode is a little different.

With the end of the year comes a flood of recap posts, goal-setting pressure, and the feeling that you need to change everything overnight. But what if that’s not actually how real progress happens?

In this solo episode, Everyday Ultra Coach Alyssa Clark reflects on the past year and shares the lessons that running — and life — kept reinforcing again and again.

Not tactics.
Not workouts.
But the stuff underneath it all.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why trying to control...

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, we’re breaking down our 2026 ultrarunning predictions — but not in an ESPN-style “who’s going to win” way.

Instead, this is a guidebook for everyday athletes.

Joined by Everyday Ultra coaches Alyssa Clark and Andrew Redden, we dive into what trends, shifts, and changes are coming next year — and more importantly, how you can use them to train smarter, race better, and actually enjoy the sport more.

We cover everything from emerging training trends to the races that are quietly becoming must-dos — plus the mindset shifts athlete...

In episode two of our Injury Focus Series, I’m joined again by Dr. Kameron Harder — Doctor of Physical Therapy and head strength coach at Ridge Athletics — to break down some of the most frustrating and lingering injuries runners deal with.

Shin splints. Achilles pain. Plantar fasciitis.

These are the issues that seem to show up out of nowhere, stick around forever, and derail training blocks when things are finally going well.

In this episode, we dig into why these injuries are so stubborn, what most runners misunderstand about them, and how strength, load m...

In this episode, I break down one of the most important — and most overlooked — aspects of ultramarathon success:

Identity

Not motivation.
Not discipline.
Not grit.

Identity.

Because the way you see yourself determines how you train, how you race, and whether you break through plateaus… or stay stuck repeating the same cycles.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why most runners unknowingly train against themselves
• The subtle language mistake that limits performance
• The mindset shift that separates consistent runners from stuck ones
• How certain id...

I’m joined by Alex Hermanson (aka Herm) — content creator, community builder, and self-proclaimed “big dude who runs.”

Herm has built a following of thousands of runners by keeping things real, relatable, and honest — proving that you don’t need to be like a stereotypical runner to chase big goals.

We talk about his journey from struggling to run a few miles… to finishing two 50-mile ultramarathons, including Antelope Canyon 50M and the legendary JFK 50 .

This conversation goes way deeper than just training.

We dive into mindset, identity, long-term progression, and why falling in...

We're answering your biggest questions about ultrarunning! In this episode, we picked some of the best questions asked on our Instagram page, and we cover:

Thank you so much for listening!

SHOW LINKS:

In this episode, I’m joined by Sydney Park — a 21-year-old ultrarunner who ran her 100-mile debut in under 20 hours, stacks 100-mile weeks, and is fully committed to chasing a professional career in ultrarunning.

What makes Sydney special isn’t just her results — it’s how she trains and how she thinks.

We talk about how she went from not even knowing what an ultramarathon was at 18… to racing sub-20 at Javelina, winning ultras, surviving backyard races, and building a level of consistency most runners struggle to find.

We dive into:

How she stru...

Most ultrarunners know this one skill matters matters.

Very few actually know how to properly deploy it when life gets busy, motivation disappears, or training starts to feel heavy.

In this Coaches Roundtable episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I’m joined by Everyday Ultra coaches Liz Myers and Christie Brinker to break down what consistency actually looks like — and how to build it in the real world.

We go far beyond “just show up” and get into the systems, mindset shifts, and practical strategies that allow ultrarunners to train consistently without burning out, get...

What if chasing massive goals didn’t require sacrificing your family, your career, or your sanity?

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I sit down with Iris Sexton — a full-time working mom, wife, and ultrarunner — who proves that you can train for ultra-marathons without blowing up the rest of your life.

Over the past year, Iris has completed her first 50K, first 50-miler, first 100-mile attempt, and a 12-hour race — all while working full-time, raising two kids, strength training, and staying deeply present in her life. No shortcuts. No obsession. No burnout.

We tal...

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I sit down with one of the best examples of what it truly means to be an Everyday Ultra athlete — Evan Moody .

Evan is a full-time professional, husband, father, and ultrarunner who has quietly built an incredible resume over the past few years — including finishing Grindstone 100 as his first 100 miler, racing Black Canyon 100K and Istria 110K, and most recently running a 21:30 100-mile PR at Javelina through near-perfect execution.

But this conversation isn’t just about results.

We dig deep into:

How Evan went f...

Podcast Description

Fastest Known Times (FKTs) look simple from the outside.

Pick a route.
Run it fast.
Done.

But anyone who’s actually attempted one knows the truth:

FKTs are a completely different beast than racing — mentally, logistically, and emotionally.

In this Coaches Roundtable episode, we break down what really goes into planning, executing, and surviving an FKT attempt — from supported vs. unsupported decisions to the pivots you don’t see on Instagram.

You’ll hear firsthand lessons from athletes who’ve been deep in it — includi...

What does it really mean to be an everyday ultra runner?

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I sit down with Wes Plate—ultrarunner, YouTube creator, race director of the Copper Kings 100, and the man behind the name Mid-Pack Elite.

Wes has completed over 60 ultramarathons, including Cocodona 250 all five years, the Triple Crown of 200s, and the Arizona Monster 300 → Cocodona double—a feat only a handful of runners have ever attempted. But what makes Wes truly special isn’t just the miles… it’s the journey behind them.

We dive deep into Wes’s s...

Most runners don’t quit because training is hard.
They quit because training takes over their life.

In this episode, I break down how you can train for big goals — marathons, ultras, Ironman, you name it — without burning out, ruining relationships, or constantly feeling behind.

This is the exact framework I use in my own training and with athletes who have full-time jobs, families, and real responsibilities — not just unlimited free time.

We talk about:

Why the “Ironman Widow” mindset is broken — and what to do instead

How to actually pr...

Ultrarunning has a reputation. Serious. Intense. Grueling.

But what if that mindset is actually holding runners back?

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, Joe sits down with elite mountain athlete, creator, and all-around high-energy force Mikey Mitchell to challenge some of the most deeply held beliefs in ultrarunning — about toughness, suffering, fear, performance, and what it really means to “do it right.”

Behind the viral content, jockstraps, and unapologetic fun is a serious competitor:
D1 track & cross country background, podium finishes at major mountain ultras, a sub-2:30 marathon, Leadville 100 finisher, and a...

Mountain races demand more than just “more vert.”

In this coaches roundtable episode, Joe sits down with Everyday Ultra coaches Christie Brinker and Andrew Redden to break down what it really takes to prepare for mountainous ultramarathons — from runnable alpine climbs to soul-crushing descents — whether you live at sea level, the Midwest, or the mountains themselves.

Between Leadville 100, Kodiak 100, Cruel Jewel, and hundreds of athletes coached to mountain races, this conversation cuts through the noise and gets brutally practical about what works, what doesn’t, and what most runners get wrong.

You’ll learn:

Winter training can feel brutal.

Short days. Cold weather. Treadmills. Less motivation. More excuses.

And this is exactly why winter is separation season.

In this episode of the Everyday Ultra Podcast, I break down how to optimize your ultramarathon training during the winter months—physically and mentally—so you don’t just survive winter… you come out of it fitter, tougher, and ahead of the pack.

This episode was originally delivered as a live coaching call for the Everyday Ultra Racing Team, and it’s packed with practical strategies you can immediatel...

Mental toughness is more than just pushing harder or suffering more.

It’s about learning how to believe in yourself when things get uncomfortable — and knowing how to respond when they do.

In this episode, Hillary Allen joins the show to break down what self-belief and mental toughness actually look like for ultrarunners, and why so many athletes struggle to build them in a sustainable way.

With a background in neuroscience, exercise physiology, and mental performance — plus years of experience competing at the highest level of mountain running — Hillary shares a powerful framework for deve...

Knee pain is one of the most common issues runners deal with — and also one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Kameron Harder (DPT) of Ridge Athletics to break down why knee injuries happen in runners, how to treat them correctly, and what you can do right now to prevent them from coming back.

We specifically dive into the two most common knee issues runners face:

Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)

IT Band Syndrome

If you’ve ever dealt with pain around the knee...

Lydia Oldham didn’t come from a traditional ultrarunning background. She started running during lockdown — running 1 mile runs, sprinting every 5K, and having no idea she’d one day be creating 300-mile running projects across countries.

In this episode, Lydia breaks down how she built herself into someone capable of taking on massive, self-created challenges — including running solo across Portugal, completing a solo Speed Project, and most recently running 300 miles from London to Cornwall for charity.

But this conversation isn’t just about distance.

It’s about courage, self-belief, creativity, and redefining what’s possible whe...

If you’re training for a big race and unsure how to structure your training block, this episode gives you a repeatable framework you can use for any A-race, at any distance.

I’m using my preparation for the Western States 100 as the real-world example — not to list workouts or weekly mileage, but to show you how to think about training so you can build a plan that actually moves the needle.

In this episode, we cover:
• How to set goals that force real growth (without selling yourself short)
• The 5 pillars of ultra performanc...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Matt “Shapiro the Hero” — one of the most creative minds in endurance sports and one of the toughest, most resilient humans you’ll ever meet.

You’ve seen his work everywhere: Black Canyon, Mammoth, Cocodona, Sally McRae, Max Jolliffe… but today, you get to hear the story behind the lens — the journey that turned Matt from a talented photographer into a 200-mile finisher and a pillar of the endurance community.

We dive into:

✨ How documenting epic runners became a “cheat code” for his own ultra-running

✨ The moment he r...

In this inspiring solocast, Everyday Ultra Coach Alyssa Clark breaks down her unforgettable experience racing the Ultra Trail Cape Town 100K — a race that pushed her, stretched her, and ultimately unlocked one of the strongest comebacks she’s ever made.

Alyssa pulls back the curtain on how she navigated world-class technical terrain, intense heat, international travel, and a race day that demanded every mental and physical tool she had. Most importantly, she shares the mindset, strategy, and internal shift that turned a challenging start into one of the most rewarding performances of her season.

If you’...

In this episode, I’m joined by one of the most influential and genuinely kind humans in the ultrarunning world: Andy Glaze.

If you’ve ever seen Andy’s emotional Moab 240 finish, watched his weekly 100-mile streak unfold, or followed his journey across the biggest ultras on the planet, you know how much heart, courage, and consistency this man brings to the sport.

We dive deep into:
• His emotional Moab 240 redemption and what that finish truly meant to him
• What it was like to run Javelina 100 ONE WEEK after Moab — and still go sub-24
•...

The holidays are one of the most challenging times of the year for runners — not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and logistically. With travel, family dynamics, colder weather, stress, big meals, busy schedules, shifting routines, and social expectations… your training can feel like it’s getting pulled in ten different directions.

In this episode, Everyday Ultra Coach and On-sponsored professional athlete Alyssa Clark, fresh off her incredible finish at Ultra Trail Cape Town 100K, joins me to break down exactly how runners can navigate the holiday season without derailing progress — and without losing their minds.

Inside t...

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to start ultrarunning — or whether you can build elite durability while juggling a full-time job, a family, and life responsibilities — this episode is going to light you up.

In this conversation, I sit down with Everyday Ultra coach, ultrarunner, dad, and leader — Kirk Blevins — to unpack his incredible journey from powerlifter… to OCR athlete… to 50 miler… to 100 miler… and ultimately his first 200-mile finish at the Across Florida 200.

Kirk started endurance sports later in life — but through mindset, structure, and smart training, he’s built a level of durability mo...

If you’ve ever struggled with GI issues, hydration confusion, high-carb hype, or figuring out what to eat as an ultrarunner… this episode is going to change everything.

In this conversation, I sit down with Board-Certified Sports Dietitian, endurance athlete, and host of the Eat for Endurance podcast — Claire Shorenstein — to break down the nutrition strategies that actually matter for long-distance runners.

We dive deep into the real science behind fueling, hydration, gut training, electrolytes, and everyday nutrition habits — and Claire shares incredibly practical insights that every ultrarunner needs to hear.

Inside the episode, y...

Supplements get talked about everywhere in the endurance world — but very few actually have real scientific backing behind them.

In this episode, we break down the six very proven, very researched supplements for ultrarunners. Not based on hype. Not based on trends. Based on data, studies, and actual performance outcomes.

We also talk through:

• Why supplements are “small rocks” — and which big rocks matter far more
• How to decide whether a supplement is worth your time (and money)
• What to look for in quality, purity, and certification
• How to use supplements stra...

Most runners think you need to choose a lane:
Be fast on the roads OR strong on the trails.
But the truth?
You can do both—and thrive—if you structure your year the right way.

In this coaches roundtable episode, Joe teams up with Everyday Ultra Coaches Angela Sterf and Andrew Redden—two athletes who have Boston-qualified, hit recent marathon PRs, and run ultras (even 100-milers) in the same year.

Together, they break down exactly how to combine marathon speed with ultra endurance without burning out, blowing up, or sac...