Nobody Asked Us with Des & Kara

What could be more summer than a day with horse flies, fireworks, fishing, and fast track on the 4th of July! Kara was calling Prefontaine before heading home to play pyro. Des was fishing and deck sitting, while trying to avoid getting eaten alive by the bugs. Now, they break down two days of track & field at the Pre Classic, and there is much to discuss!

Brandon Miller over Cooper in the men's 800m. Keely Hodgkinson (with bloody knees) 2nd to Odira in the women's 800m. Parker Wolfe holds them off in the 2-mile. Silliness in the...

This one is so good that they had to record it twice!

From Western States to the Paris DL, there is so much good stuff to talk about this week. BUT, it wouldn't be a Nobody Asked Us episode without a lot of fun, random topics as well.

Haunted hotels. Crazy Netflix docs. Book club incoming? Prefontaine preview. Des's next race. Content creation on the roads and track. DNFs. Breakthrough performances at the 100-mile distance. WR attempts. US Diamond League wins. Hurdles to the 800m... no problem. And more of course.

Get your...

Duluth got two shows last week, and as promised, now it is your turn!

We start with a weekend recap from Duluth. Kara breaks down the Goucher family 5K results where Colt and Adam performed annoyingly well. Des shares what it was like to be an adopted family member for the weekend, and Kara takes us through some of her broadcast fun - you betcha! They also give love to Jenny Simpson who is recovering from a scary heart event last week. By all accounts, she is now on the mend, and we are sending all of...

Duluth got two shows last week, and YOU are getting two shows this week.

For this first one, we replay the audio from the live show on Thursday at the Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, featuring the one and only Dakotah Popehn (Des's nemesis). Then later in the week, we will release another BONUS episode with fresh content from Monday recapping the weekend in Minnesota, plus a replay of the 2nd live show in Duluth. Stay on top of your audio downloads this week, so you don't miss any of it.

In this episode, Kara oozes...

Yes, they talk about the NCAA Champs for a good portion of the episode, but this episode is about so much more (as usual)!

Des and Kara start with some hilarious catch-up stories where Kara can't stop laughing (sorry Adam!). Then, they dig into the LA Grand Prix results where Parker Valby ran another PR, and Josh Kerr ran an 800m in prep for his WR attempt.

Of course, they talk about the NCAA Champs where there was a potential WR run in the prelims of 110 hurdles. But, will it count due to the doping...

Delayed but still diamond!

The Diamond League results in Sweden and Norway were the centerpiece of this episode, but it has so much more! Des at Harvard Business School. Colt at Brooks PR. Travel delays. Fast times and great racing in the DLs. Holy Cooper. More heat for Puma in the legal system. And more!

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Do you see what we did there? Maybe not...

This episode begins with Kara detailing her impromptu, "red-eye" drive to Minnesota, and the sleepy aftermath. Then, you get a proper pet update with fun stories from both Des and Kara on their furry and not-so-furry animals. If you are watching the YouTube, you get a Boston sighting!

Kara and Des also give their takes on the Netflix documentary called The Crash about a teenager in Florida who was convicted of murder for intentionally driving her car into a wall, killing her boyfriend and his friend. T...

Yes, there was that other gimmicky meet this weekend, but we don't have time for that. There is real track to talk about it after all! Outdoor track is *finally* in swing, and there are some great story lines to discuss already.

First, Kara and Des acknowledge that the last episode did indeed live up to its name. There was plenty of "hate mail" and feedback to go around. They discuss the polarizing opinions on it and if they would do anything differently. 

Then, they catch up on their own lives - Colt's mile PR a...

Cue the comments section. We think this one is going to get a lot of attention - good and bad.

It was a slower-news, running week, so there were a lot of angry runners arguing on social media about silly (?) things. Naturally, Des and Kara have to weigh in because many of you did already.

But first (!)... Kara gives us a recap of Colt's amazing run in the 2-mile at state, after correcting the record on his 800m PR. His race at state was full of surges, but he finished higher than his seed in 14...

1KG was a one hit wonder, Colt is going to state, and Rachel and Courtney are serious badasses.   This episode is just a fun one, as usual. Kara gives a masterclass on parenting a young athlete while trying to stay calm during Colt's push for a state qualifying time in the 2-mile. He gets it with a massive PR.   Kara and Des break down the impressive action from Cocodona 250 where Rachel Entrekin WON the whole damn thing in a course-record time. Meanwhile, Courtney Dauwalter conquers the 200+ mile distance for the first time to earn 2nd female and 6th overall. Is th...

This is the episode you have been waiting for! Des gives us all of the incredible (and sometimes gory) details of her podium finish at the Marathon des Sables through the Sahara. From the hectic travel to exactly what self-supported means and all of the details of each stage, she holds nothing back (including the water to rehydrate her portable toilet paper). She carried all of her food and gear for each of the 6 stages, and still managed to crush it. The queen of Boston becomes the queen of the desert, and it's an amazing tale to tell.

It's been a crazy three weeks for Des and Kara, and now they are happy to be home and sleeping in their own beds with their Lagoon pillows. 

In this episode, they recap all that was the London Marathon from their live pod with Cynthia Erivo to Des's run with CB to the blazing-fast elite races. Of course, they keep it real with their takes on the sub 2 and the women's only WR. Some of you (guys in particular) might not like their takes, but that's why we love them. They call it like they see it! 

From Boston to London Des and Kara are live again, this time with very special guests!

In this intimate conversation, Cynthia Erivo shares her journey into distance running, how she balances marathon training with a demanding creative career, and what's fueling her preparation as she heads into London 2026. She'll be joined on stage by Brooks pro marathoner Erika Kemp, her marathon coach, offering additional perspective on the training process, mindset, and work behind the scenes as race day approaches.

If you aren't familiar with Cynthia's work, she is one of a select group of people...

Hot off the presses... it's another freshy fresh from Des and Kara. This was recorded just a few hours after Des ran 2:35 from the main field, and Kara finished commentating the world feed. So... the takes and reactions are as freshy fresh as they can be!

You get their thoughts on the races of the day with Korir and Lokedi both defending their titles, and Americans setting all sorts of records on this course. Plus, Des shares the details of her race pacing Ryan after bouncing back from MDS. She was the fastest woman in the main...

"I may not be elite, but I will always be VIP." - Des Linden

That quote alone should be enough to suck you into this one. What a night in Boston!

Over 1,000 of you packed into the Berklee Performance Center near Boylston for a live taping of Nobody Asked Us with Des and Kara, presented by Brooks Running. Des and Kara delivered with an awesome night, breaking down the fields for the marathon, reminiscing on 2018, and giving you all of the motivation you need if you are racing yourself. This is a must-watch before Marathon...

This episode was recorded on March 30th before Des left for Morocco. She is now in her 4th stage of the Marathon de Sables and absolutely crushing it across the Sahara. You can check the live results via the "LiveTrail" app. She's currently 4th overall female after 3 stages with the big 100K stage up next. The podium is within reach! Go Des!

In this episode, Des and Kara break down the start lists for the Boston Marathon and tell you what to expect at the front of the races - who are the favorites, who might win...

Cue the latest running controversy because it had been a few weeks. 

But first (!), Kara and Des update you on their lives including the latest race from Colt, and of course, Des's final preparation for Marathon des Sables. She will soon be running self-supported across the Sahara desert. In fact, she lands in Morocco on the very day this episode posts. Go Des... we are ALL cheering for you!

Then if you missed it, Emma Bates posted on IG about getting "dropped" by UCAN (her nutrition sponsor) because of her pregnancy. Naturally, the world came t...

We missed you last week as Kara was on vacation, and the internets weren't cooperating for a recording session. So... we are back this week with a longer episode to catch up on all the latest in life and running news. Grab your favorite cocktail or mocktail and get cozy!

We start with extended life updates. Kara breaks down Colt's amazing race at New Balance Indoor Nationals in Boston, where he won his heat in the mile. You get all of the proud-parent moments from Kara and some great perspective on supporting your kids in their dreams...

The running community was up in arms this past week over so many things, so naturally Des and Kara must talk about it! Yes, they get to the positive aftermath of the Atlanta kerfluffle, and then they dig into the NYC marathon charity debate, the LA marathon "photo finish," the course misdirection for the leader there, and of course, the 18-mile medal drama. 

But first! They give you an extended life update where Kara talks about her tentative optimism about her own running (with support from her Lever), and Des shares the latest on training for the S...

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Wow... what a crazy weekend of running news and results!

We start with Des's secret race as she ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon and WON. She talks about the early 5 am start, helping Ryan a little with his workout, and having a blast touring the park in this fashion.

Kara shares her weekend of flying to NYC and calling USA Indoors. Then, they dig into the fiasco that was the women's race at the US Half Marathon Championships in...

The Olympics are over and Des and Kara are going through withdrawal like so many of you. Fortunately, we have some fun running news to keep us occupied and to ease the pain...

After the usual life updates, they dig into the new 800m, indoor world record, set by Keely Hodgkinson from Great Britain. She faced some injuries last summer which meant only a bronze medal at the World Champs in Tokyo. Now, she is healthy, already blazing the indoor oval, and her splits indicate that there might be even more in the tank. Des and Kara...

Your 50K world record holder - Des Linden - is now an ultra trail marathoner, and you get the full breakdown here first!

After a little catch-up time, Des and Kara go deep on the results from the Black Canyon 100K and 50K, with Des finishing 13th female in the latter race this past Sunday.

They start with an overview of the 100K, which both of them spectated virtually. The races at the front were FAST with the course records going down on both sides, plus Molly Seidel earning a golden ticket to Western States...

The Winter Olympics are ON and Des and Kara have the fever for it. In this episode, they talk about two controversies from the Games so far and give you a preview of the athletes/events they are tracking. Plus, you hear some behind-the-scenes details on their opening ceremony experiences from Beijing and London respectively. Des also gives a quick preview of her race this weekend at Black Canyon before an episode-ending Top 5.

Some highlights: injections in crazy places, downhills without an ACL, broken tibias, silly keyboard warriors, ice and curling upsets (oh my!), urine-urine everywhere, when...

This is about the Millrose Games, but it's also not about the Millrose Games. We promise you are going to love it.

As usual, they start with some life updates including an update on Des's training for MDS (Marathon de Sables). She gives us a little BTS on prepping for the pack she will carry during the race. There is a weight vest involved so she can prepare for the supplies she will bring en route. It's a self-supported race after all. This might mean that Des finally does some strength work, and Kara volunteers to be...

This episode is a fun one because it contains a big announcement about the future of of the pod. Spoiler alert... Brooks is involved (if the episode title didn't give it away). Drum roll please... 

Brooks will continue their presenting sponsorship of Nobody Asked Us through at least LA 2028! To celebrate, we bring on Garrett Heath who is the head of sports marketing for Brooks to talk about the partnership.

Des and Kara are excited to be together for this one at Brooks HQ. Before Garrett joins, they start by giving some love to Minnesota a...

The buzz is real when it comes to Des's trail plans for this year. She just announced her first trail race of the season - the Black Canyon 50K - on February 15th in prep for the epic stage race Marathon des Sables (MDS) in April.

MDS is a self-supported, multi-stage ultramarathon, primarily held in the Moroccan Sahara, where runners cover ~250 km (155 miles) in six days, carrying all their own food and gear while facing desert conditions, and sleeping in communal tents with other participants. We know Des likes a sufferfest, so it shouldn't be surprising that...

"The files are in the computer." 

Guess that movie reference as we open the show!

Well, the runners were in the TV this weekend with live action at the Houston Marathon/Half Marathon and the World XC Champs in Florida. Des was on the call in Houston on Sunday, and both Des and Kara watched the coverage of the races in Tallahassee on Saturday.

What amazing races they were! 

They cover all of the amazing chaos from World XC (from water to "mud" to obstacles and snakes), which made for some ca...

Des and Kara are back in Houston for 2026 with another podcast, live from the Cullen Theater. We had another great turn-out, and the crowd brought their A game with great questions. The audio is clean for a live pod, and the content on this one is must-listen. 

Des and Kara start with some preview thoughts on World XC and on Houston Marathon weekend. Then, they take a little trip down podcast memory lane as they enter their 4th year of podcasting together.

Finally, the crowd brings their A game with some fire questions. You get b...

Most importantly, if you will be in Houston this weekend, get your tickets to the Des/Kara live pod there. 7 pm on Friday (1/9) at the Cullen Center Theater. Tickets here: https://performingartshouston.org/events/nobody-asked-us-with-des-and-kara-2026-01-09-700-pm/. We hope to see you there!

Now with this episode, Kara and Des kick-off 2026 with updates on their holidays, their winter training, and some tips on how to beat the winter training doldrums yourself. Cold or bad weather - don't sweat it! Roll with the punches, and remember that it is ok to modify or miss a day...

We are excited to wrap up the year with one final episode for 2025. Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

As we wrap the year, we wanted to send a massive "thank you" to you for listening and to our presenting sponsor Brooks Running who makes so many things with the pod possible. Thank you Brooks. Go get yourself a pair of their shoes to kick off 2026!

Also, Des and Kara will be in Houston for a live pod on Friday, January 9th at 7 pm at the Cullen Theater. Get your tickets here before they sell-out: https://p...

Breaking news: There will be a live pod in Houston. I repeat... there will be a live pod in Houston! Save the date for Friday, January 9th at 7 pm at the Cullen Theatre. Ticketing link coming very soon.

This episode starts with an update on Kara's power outage and some crazy house issues that she's been dealing with over the weekend. She and family are ok, but there's been a lot of extra stress lately. Cue the deep breaths needed.

Then, they turn to a discussion on the emerging details from Grand Slam Track's bankruptcy...

In this episode, Des and Kara welcome a special guest - their editor and show-notes writer - Chris McClung. That's me! For those that don't know, I am also a running coach, and my business, Rogue Running, coaches athletes to help them achieve their running goals (both in-person and virtually).

We just published a book called Running the Rogue Way where we teach you the how and why behind our coaching methods. Des and Kara were nice enough to have me on to talk about it. Links below if you want to check it out, but you g...

Des and Kara were live yesterday from the Brooks XC Nationals course. They preview all of the action which starts at 12:15 ET/9:15 PT today!

You can stream on Flotrack here: https://www.flotrack.org/events/14624321-2025-brooks-xc-championships-presented-by-fleet-feet.

Thanks to Brooks and Fleet Feet for keeping this race and its history alive! Good luck to everyone race!

This isn't the final episode of 2025 for Des and Kara, but this is the last episode of the year with a long list of running results to discuss. Listen in because there was A LOT of running action this past weekend from XC to the indoor track to the marathon.

Des and Kara start with updates on their recent travels - Des to Shanghai and Seoul, Kara to snowy Wisconsin. As highlights, we learn Des's nickname in China and get an update on Colt's race at Brooks XC regionals in proper blizzard conditions.

Then, they...

"So, it doesn't hurt or bother you when someone's in your mouth?" - Kara

"For his Thanksgiving, he used to go to a strip club that would have a potluck." - Des

OMG... this is a good one. Where do we even start?

Des and Kara start with some catching up, talking about the dentist, holiday decorations, and Thanksgiving plans.

We also get a proper update on Colt and his team's amazing performance at NXN Regionals, plus a preview of what's to come at the Brooks XC Championships (live NAU podcast...

Des and Kara return this week, fresh off of Kara's annual, girls weekend and Des's trip to the Every Woman's Marathon in Scottsdale, AZ. You get proper updates and behind-the-scenes stories on both of those. 

Then, they turn to interesting discussions on the upcoming Brooks XC Championship presented by Fleet Feet. The regional qualifying events are at the end of November with the finale in San Diego in mid December. Spoiler alert: Des and Kara will be there for it with a live podcast incoming.

Finally, before a Top 5, they have an in-depth conversation about N...

Life is a series of transitions from one thing to the next, and this year marks a transition for Des with the move from elite marathoning to her next chapter. This episode is about just that and her documentary titled "The Next Chapter," where she talks about the timing and reasons behind this transition for her. If you haven't checked out the documentary already, then do so here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuPVzH3HN8I. It's a must-watch that will have you wiping your eyes. Kara shares the moment with Des as she relates back to her o...

This is the post-NYC episode you have been waiting for!

First, we catch up on Colt's race on Saturday at the CO state meet where somehow Kara dropped the ball and missed seeing him mid-race. Fortunately, he and his team still ran well, but Des coaches Kara up on how she can be a better specator next year ;). We also get an update on Des's knee and whether or not she will be racing the 50-miler this weekend after running 26.2 in NYC.

Then, it's all about New York where Des and Kara mix together Des's...

"If you could smell ringworm... " - Des Linden

Des and Kara took ketones before this episode so you know it's going to be a good one. They start with life updates including a tick bite and a banged-up knee for Des :( and amazing performances from Colt and his team at XC Regionals to qualify for the state meet.

Then, they get spicy and fired up about a host of topics including the recently-announced Treadmill World Championships, a doping storyline on The Morning Show (spoiler alert!), and details about the Ruth Chepngetich doping case. There is p...

From two of your favorite showgirls... this episode covers Taylor's Life of a Showgirl, but it is so much more than that!

Some highlights... neti pot usage, (violent) dreams, books, Hunting Wives, Alanis Morissette, Japanese maples vs. redwoods, Showgirl, TS marathon prediction, Femke Bol to the 800m, Courtney Dauwalter on the roads, pillow talk, motivational sunglasses, and so much more!

And the real question is: do you hear the words in your head when you read to yourself?!

Now, use code NOBODYASKEDUS for 15% off on your first order at Lagoon Sleep.

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