Endurance State of Mind

Anthony does Berlin.

After years of running, triathlons, ultras, and basically finding new ways to make endurance sports harder than they need to be, Anthony finally ran his first marathon.

And he did it at the Berlin Marathon.

In this episode, Zach sits down with Anthony just 48 hours after the race to hear exactly what happened from the days leading up to Berlin all the way through the finish line.

And honestly, the week leading into the race was not exactly ideal.

Anthony tweaked his back deadlifting just days...

What happens when you go from running just 4 miles in a month to becoming a 3:28 marathoner in just a couple of years? On Episode 78 of Endurance State of Mind, Anthony and Zach sit down with Peter Rupert to talk about his rapid rise in the running world, the lessons he learned the hard way, and what it takes to chase bigger marathon goals.

Peter’s running journey started in 2023 after a little friendly peer pressure from his friend Brian Murphy. At the time, Peter barely considered himself a runner. He went from just 4 miles in January to 40 mi...

What if getting older doesn't have to mean getting slower?

On this episode of Endurance State of Mind, Zach sits down with Tony Medrano, CEO and co-founder of LongevityPlan.ai, to take a deep dive into longevity, recovery, performance, peptides, hormones, biomarkers, wearable data, and what it really means to stay healthy and competitive as an endurance athlete gets older.

Tony brings a unique perspective to the conversation. A former U.S. Navy officer, technology entrepreneur, AI and molecular diagnostics executive, and three-time Ironman finisher, Tony has...

Anthony and Zach are back for Episode 76 of Endurance State of Mind, and this week the guys sit down for a wide-ranging conversation about marathon training, altitude, ultramarathons, cycling, racing strategy, and the Mississippi endurance community.

Anthony is currently in Breckenridge, Colorado, spending time at roughly 9,000 to 10,000 feet of elevation just weeks before the Berlin Marathon. The guys talk about what it actually feels like to train at altitude, including headaches, poor sleep, elevated heart rate, increased effort, and the challenges of trying to maintain normal training while your body is adjusting to less oxygen. They also...

In this episode of Endurance State of Mind, we sit down with Mississippi native, former Mississippi College runner, content creator, and entrepreneur Brock Kelly to talk about his journey from competitive high school and collegiate running to becoming one of the most recognizable running creators in Mississippi.

Brock takes us all the way back to his introduction to running in Tupelo, Mississippi, his rise through the high school ranks, becoming Mississippi’s Gatorade Runner of the Year, and his time competing at Mississippi College. He also opens up about the pressure of competing at...

Anthony and Zach are back for another episode of Endurance State of Mind, and this time it’s just the two hosts taking a deep dive into everything happening across the endurance sports world. From incredible ultramarathon performances and backyard ultras to cycling, marathon training, upcoming races, and updates from some of the athletes we’ve had on the podcast, there is a lot to talk about.

The guys start by breaking down Aimee Warnke’s incredible performance at the Bigfoot 200, where she battled deep into the race and ultimately moved into the lead a...

What does it actually take to race the Rocket City Marathon? Not just finish 26.2 miles, but actually execute a smart marathon from the starting line to the finish?

On this episode of Endurance State of Mind, we're heading to Huntsville, Alabama, for the 50th edition of the Rocket City Marathon with Josh Moore, a coach, marathoner, and two-time Rocket City Marathon finisher.

This isn't just a Rocket City Marathon course preview. We're talking about how to actually race the course, how to pace yourself, when...

What makes ultrarunning so compelling? Is it the elite athletes breaking records, the runners fighting through the final miles, or the stories of ordinary people doing something they never knew they could accomplish? On this episode of Endurance State of Mind, we sit down with Chris Worden, one of the most recognizable voices behind the live coverage of some of the biggest races in ultrarunning.

Chris has completed more than 170 races and has spent years on both sides of the microphone—as an ultrarunner and as a broadcaster covering some of the most ic...

Walker Higgins joins Endurance State of Mind for one of our most anticipated episodes yet. If you've spent any time in the ultrarunning or trail running community throughout the Southeast, you've likely heard Walker's name. His resume includes some of the toughest endurance events in the world, including Badwater 135, Spartathlon, expedition racing, multi-day adventure races, elite 100-mile performances, and one of the most remarkable pacing displays we've ever seen at Six Days in the Dome. Beyond his accomplishments as an athlete, Walker has inspired countless runners through coaching, race directing, and...

This week on Endurance State of Mind, we bring on one of the most well rounded athletes and sharpest cycling minds we've had on the show. John Daly. Six foot seven, 250 pound former Citadel football player. 18 year active duty Navy Civil Engineer Corps officer. Deployed across the world with the CBs, including hard tours through Europe and Africa. Powerlifter who has bench pressed 500 pounds on two different continents. Road cyclist. Rower. Peloton dominator turned Gulf Coast Bicycle Club regular. And the guy in our group chat who can actually make sense of what we just watched at the Tour...

Just the two hosts this week, back behind the mics fresh off Big Butts 50K in the Mississippi summer, with a heat index that touched 106 and a story arc that included a two hour personal best, a survival mode second half, and a whole lot to unpack.

We open with the reality of racing an ultra when the sun peaks at 97, the humidity turns the course into a sauna, and the heat advisories keep rolling in. Anthony walks through his day lap by lap. How he set expectations without telling anyone, how he executed nutrition to a...

Every now and then you come across an athlete whose story forces you to rethink what endurance is really about. Not because of how many races they have won, but because of how many times they have been willing to start over. That is exactly who Epic Bill Bradley is.

This week on Endurance State of Mind, we sit down with one of the most respected and recognizable figures in the ultra endurance world. Bill has swum the English Channel. He has finished the Badwater 135 in Death Valley in 57 hours cramping so hard he had to sit...

In this episode of Endurance State of Mind, hosts Anthony Herrington and Zach Vogt sit down with Clint Pagan, founder of Full Armor Fitness and the newly-minted first-overall finisher and course record holder at the Night Howler 50 Mile in Hoover, Alabama. Clint's story is a masterclass in how curiosity, community, and a growing obsession with personalized data can turn a casual runner into a competitive ultramarathoner. If you've ever wondered whether VO2 max testing, resting metabolic rate testing, lactate threshold testing, or heart rate zone training are worth your time and money, this conversation lays out exactly what those...

This week it's just us, your two favorite hosts back behind the mics, and we are bringing the energy, the opinions, and a few questionable predictions. Anthony and Zach take you through an action packed episode covering everything that has the endurance world buzzing right now.

We open with a quick story about Zach surviving twelve days without AC in the Mississippi summer (involuntary heat training is still heat training, right?) before diving into the biggest cycling story of the year: the Tour de France 2025.

We break down the entire field, jersey by jersey. The...

This week on Endurance State of Mind, we sit down with one of the most fearless and inspiring athletes we've ever had on the show. Aimee Warnke. Active duty Army physical therapist with over 14 years of service. Former Ironman World Championship qualifier. Collegiate cyclist at Saint Louis University. And now, one of the most exciting names in the ultra running world.

But Aimee's story doesn't follow a normal endurance athlete arc, and that's exactly why this episode matters.

In 2024, as a brand new ultra runner with only a handful of races under her belt, Aimee...

What if the most important muscle you train for your next race has nothing to do with your legs? On this episode of Endurance State of Mind, hosts Anthony Herrington and Zach sit down with one of the most accomplished sports psychologists in the country, Dr. Ashley Sampson, professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion at the University of Kentucky, for a conversation that might just change the way you think about running, racing, and everything in between.

Dr. Sampson's journey into endurance sports is one that a lot of us can relate to. She...

Anthony and Zach recap their first ever live podcast recorded on location at Southern Prohibition's Big Run 5K in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. They break down race day performances including Anthony's 5K PR, reflect on what made the live format so electric, and share what's coming next for the show including bringing on a dedicated videographer named Jeremiah who was weaving through the race course all night capturing content, and their plans to do more live events moving forward. The energy at a live race is just different and after this one, there is no going back. Then stick around for...

It's a hosts-only episode to celebrate Episode 62, and Anthony and Zach come loaded with topics. Zach kicks things off breaking down his spontaneous Saturday 50K through the streets of Hattiesburg — planned the night before, fueled by electrolyte watermelons, and executed with the kind of locked-in energy that only comes when the family's out of town. Anthony counters with a nostalgia-soaked 10-miler through Oxford, Mississippi, retracing his college stomping grounds and realizing that a walk he used to dread is now just a warm-up.

The guys then dive deep into the weekend's biggest endurance news: the infamous mud ch...

In this episode of Endurance State of Mind, Anthony Herrington and Zach Vogt sit down with ultrarunner, marathoner, and economics professor Ward Sayre for a deep dive into endurance sports, longevity, and the mindset behind racing over 70 ultramarathons.

Ward shares how he went from running cross country in a small Texas town to completing some of the most challenging trail races in the country. From the Flying Pig Marathon to Bighorn 100, Sedona Canyons 125, and countless 50Ks and 100 milers, Ward explains how consistency, patience, and smart training have allowed him to keep showing up year after year.

In this episode of the Endurance State of Mind podcast, Zach and Anthony sit down with ultra runner Blake Colton to talk about resilience, reinvention, and what it really takes to keep showing up when things get hard.

Blake shares his journey from high school running and BMX racing to tackling some of the toughest endurance events in the country, including the Mississippi 100, Run Rabbit Run, and Cross Florida 200. We dive into the viral “flood year” at Mississippi 100, pacing strategy, training while working full-time as an electrician, and the reality of balancing endurance sports with family life.

In this episode of the Endurance State of Mind podcast, Anthony Herrington and Zach Vogt recap an unforgettable trip to Arizona while crewing and pacing their friend Hezekiah through the brutal Sedona Canyons 125 ultramarathon.

From delayed flights and desert adventures to sleepless nights, aid station chaos, hallucinations, and emotional highs and lows, this episode gives a raw behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to survive a 125-mile ultra. Anthony and Zach break down the entire experience — pacing through the night, managing nutrition failures, dealing with sleep deprivation, and learning firsthand how quickly things can unravel in ex...

In this episode of the Endurance State of Mind podcast, we break down an elite-level performance at the Fondren Urban Ultra, where Arrmon Abedikichi reached the 80-mile mark in a 12-hour race format.

This wasn’t just a big day—it was the result of years of consistency, small improvements, and a completely different way of thinking about training and racing. Arrmon walks us through what it actually took to get there, from dialing in every detail to pushing through the mental battle in the final hours.

We cover ultra running strategy, endurance training, ment...

In this episode of the Endurance State of Mind podcast, Zach and Anthony break down one of the biggest weeks in endurance sports, covering the Boston Marathon, London Marathon, and the shocking breakthrough of the sub 2 hour marathon barrier.

We start with a recap of the Boston Marathon, highlighting standout performances from Mississippi runners and friends of the show, including elite level finishes and what it takes to compete at that level. From pacing strategies to race day conditions, we dive into what made Boston such a strong showing this year.

Then we shift to...

This episode of Endurance State of Mind brings together real race experience and expert insight into the mental side of endurance sports.

We start with a full recap from the Fondren Ultra, breaking down race-day strategy, lessons learned, and how the endurance community continues to grow. From first-year reflections to experienced race execution, we talk through what actually changes when you spend time in the sport—both physically and mentally.

Then we sit down with Sierra Morris, a sports and performance psychologist and ultra runner, to dive deep into the mindset required for endurance racing.

We’re back.

After a couple weeks off, we finally catch up—and yeah, there’s a lot to unpack. Anthony just got back from Europe, and what was supposed to be a vacation somehow turned into an endurance event (24 hours of travel will do that to you). We talk Switzerland, Lake Como, Milan, and why running through those cities hits different.

We also get into what’s been going on back home—Hattiesburg Half, Rattlesnake Rumble, and some big performances from people in our circle.

Then we shift into cycling for a bit becaus...

Anthony is currently somewhere in Europe pretending he’s on a “business trip” (we all know it’s mostly espresso and views), so Zach is holding down the fort and keeping Endurance State of Mind rolling.

In this episode, Zach sits down with Grayson Taylor to talk about what it looks like to trust your instincts and bet on yourself. After building an impressive high school running career at Oak Grove and setting school records in the two mile and 5K, Grayson seemed to have a clear path in front of him. Instead, he made the bold decision...

In this episode of Endurance State of Mind, we sit down with Mississippi endurance athlete Jamie Stevison, a runner who has quickly built a reputation for doing what most people won’t—waking up at 2 a.m. to train before work, putting in double-digit miles daily, and showing up no matter what.

Jamie’s journey into endurance sports didn’t start with a lifelong passion for running. It started during one of the hardest seasons of his life. After going through a divorce, he turned to running as an outlet—and what began as a way to cop...

In this special episode of Endurance State of Mind, we celebrate one full year and 52 consecutive weeks of podcasting. From humble beginnings to becoming part of a growing endurance community, this episode is all about reflection, gratitude, and what’s ahead.

We dive into the biggest moments from the past year, including our most impactful guest interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and how the podcast has shaped us as athletes, hosts, and people. From inspiring conversations with runners across Mississippi and beyond, to lessons in resilience, consistency, and mental toughness, this episode highlights what makes endurance sports so powerful.

In this episode of Endurance State of Mind, we sit down with ultra runner Bethany Madson following her overall win and course record at the Mississippi 100, where she completed the 100 mile trail race in 16 hours and 33 minutes.

This episode is a deep dive into ultra running strategy, 100 mile race preparation, trail running mindset, and endurance performance. Bethany shares how she went from her first ultra to becoming a dominant force in the sport, including her experience racing events like the Mississippi 100, ultra marathons, and major marathons like Boston, Chicago, and New York<...